When we got to the kitchen, the table was already set, and there were several plates with cheese, grapes, chestnuts, and many things that we usually didn’t eat, like shrimp and meat. I’ve also noticed that there were two bottles of wine from Lady T’s personal stock from the cellar. Lady T herself wasn’t there, but Tamara was, and she had just put a plate with bread on the table.

“Oh, finally!” Tamara said as we walked into the kitchen. “I don’t know about you, but all this running-away-from-danger race has made so hungry! I hope Lady T comes back quickly!”

“Where is she?” I asked.

“She went to the entrance just now. Some guard knocked on the door and said he wanted to talk specifically to her.” Tamara replied as she sat down took a big piece of bread and put it in her mouth. Marian and I sat down too and waited. After a while, Lady T walked in the kitchen.

“What did the guard want?” Marian asked.

“He came here to inquire me about all of the guests of the “Flying Ship”. She replied. “They’re checking every inn in town to see if any of the suspects were staying there for the night. Also, they’re walking into every house to see if anybody’s harbouring the suspects.”

“But there’s no guards checking the inn right now, how did you do it?” Tamara pointed out.

“It would be crazy to even consider the thought of me harbouring fugitives, we’ve been having the Lord of the Green Islands during the Gathering for two years and nothing ever happened to him!” She opened of the bottles of wine and poured some into our cups. “Besides, my husband might be dead and I might’ve lost my fortune, but I’m still the wife of the most powerful merchant that ever lived in Fenestrane, and his name still echoes with some people...But enough about this matter. I believe that the guards will handle the rebels soon enough, we’ll just have to wait. Let’s have dinner!” And so we did. It was one of the biggest meals I’ve ever had in my life, and the wine Lady T picked was very good. So good, in fact, that by the time we were done and went to bed, very late at night, I was feeling quite tipsy.

Usually, whenever I had wine, it would make me feel quite drowsy and I would fall asleep right away, but that night, I couldn’t sleep at all. As much as I twisted and turned, sleep wouldn’t come at all. It didn’t help that I could hear shouting coming from the streets from time to time, making me wonder what was happening outside. Also, on my right, I could hear Tamara making weird puffing sounds with every breath she took in a very annoying and repetitive rhythm. After what seemed like the millionth puff, I finally got up, lit a candle and went to the kitchen, hoping that maybe a little walk and a glass of water would make me feel sleepy. I quickly found my way to the kitchen, put the candle on the table and got myself a glass of water to drink. I washed the glass, put it on the table and I just was about to walk back to the bedroom when I had the strangest feeling that I wasn’t alone in the kitchen. I looked around, but as far as my candlelight could reach, it was empty. I stood there still, trying to hear the faintest sound of a breath, but I heard nothing. Yet, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that I was being watched. I had to act fast. I looked at the drawers where Marian kept the knives, but as if reading my thoughts –

“I wouldn’t that, if I were you.” That voice...it couldn’t be. I gasped as I frantically looked around, trying to find the source of the sound, but still, I saw nothing. My body started shaking and I could barely control my breath.

“I-i-it can’t be true, I must be dreaming...” I said, still searching the kitchen. “God, just keep it together!” I said to myself, my voice coming out very high-pitched. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, when I heard the sound of something coming closer and closer to me. It was all too quick: in a sudden revelation, I remembered that though I couldn’t reach the knives, I had the hairpin in my pocket. I opened my eyes and took the hairpin out and darted forward. Ahead of me, on the other side of the kitchen, there was a figure in a dark cloak coming my way, but I wouldn’t let it stop me now. I pointed the hairpin towards the chest and just when I was about to stab it, its hand caught my wrist and held on tightly. I roared in frustration and tried to release myself from his grip, and as I did, I had a glimpse of the face inside the cloak. It couldn’t be...I stopped resisting and, sensing that I wasn’t going to attack, it released me. I just looked in shock, but the figure just smiled at me.

“Hello, Sara.”