As soon as I had shut the door, little claws came at me back again, trying to yank me away from the white wood.

"Enough." I spoke in a loud voice, turning around and catching her shoulders in my hands. "Let me explain." I stared into her eyes, trying to douse some of the fire.

"Let me go." She hissed. She was trying to struggle against me again so I pushed her back. It was a little harder than I'd intended and she fell back, landing in a sitting position on the carpets. Her petticoats were everywhere, I tried not to stare at her legs.

Gently, I sat down too. "Let me explain, then if you still really want to go, I'll let you." She glared at me like I was murdering her whole family. Why won't you get it, Evie, I'm saving your whole family. "Listen. Someone has stolen prince Afanasy's blueprints of the palace. These include all of the secret doors and passages, all of the most direct routes to my family's quarters. You must understand that, us being at war, the thief must be a spy from the enemy, who is planning to harm us."

"Fucking guerrilla tactics." Evie muttered. I was still trying to get over how much she swore. "So you think I'm the spy? What? Have I come to seduce you and then murder you in your sleep? A little girl from Oldcliff as Queen? I wouldn't make a good queen I promise you." She laughed to herself.

I shook my head, pulling a blanket from off of the huge low bed to wrap around myself. I had told Fana to have a fire made up in here. He hadn't got it done and it was freezing. I grabbed another blanket and offered it to Evie, who glared at me even though she was shivering.

"Where does your fiancée fit into all of this?" She asked, an eyebrow raised. She shrugged away when I tried to wrap the blanket over her shoulders.

"How many times!" I shouted, driven to anger at yet again being accused of marrying Serena. "I'm not marrying Serena. I never will."

Evie murmured something to herself. I didn't catch what it was.

"What?" I snapped when she didn't seem posed to repeat it.

She looked up, almost as though she was laughing at me. "Then you're stupid. You won't win the war without her family."

"Look are you the spy or not?" I snapped, exhausted from all of the adrenaline it was taking to fight with her.

She stood up sharply and stalked to the bed. "No I'm not. Now let me go." She sat down on the bed, one hand fiddling with the bun of hair at the back of her head.

I looked down at my feet, starting to rebutton my left boot. "I can't. I promised Fana that I'd keep you in here until the trial on Thursday morning. They'll search your room tonight, meanwhile I'll go wherever you need me to to get evidence of your innocence. I'll never let them hang you."

She watched me carefully from the bed. I wanted these days to be over. I wanted to hold her as I had done the other day. "So you'll lock me up in here instead?"

I scowled, getting up and leaning on the bedpost. "You wouldn't be able to go anywhere even if I did let you out of here."

"I'd be able to go see the galleries with Cecily. I wouldn't be humiliated and manhandled down the corridors and shoved into rooms." She frowned, examining her nails.

I rolled my eyes and sat down gently on the side of the bed. "I'm sorry I did that. I really am. It's just because I'm so scared of losing you. I meant what I said the other night. I love you."

"Yeah well you haven't seemed to for the past couple of days." A sharp voice snapped. I looked up and saw her. She was looking at the hem of her skirt. There was nothing special about it, just watery violet silk. I got up off of the bed and moved round the side to kneel down so I was level with her face. Carefully, I took her lips in mine. One of my hands found it's way to rest on her head, a piece of fine brown hair between my thumb and forefinger.

Her lips came away from mine. Her eyes were again on the hem of her skirt. "I don't want to kiss you if you've just basically kidnapped me." She whispered. "I don't like feeling like this." A few tears had worked their way into her eyes. I tried to brush them away but she cast my arm aside, doing it herself. "If I need to write a testimony and find evidence, you can help me. But don't you dare kiss me." She glanced up at me again and there was that doe from a few weeks ago.

I nodded, more to myself than to her, and stood up. "I'll... I'll go and get paper, pens. Anything I should fetch from your room?" She shrugged without a trace of care.

"I wouldn't know what you're looking for."

Standing up, I stretched my back out. Her nails had actually managed to slice my hand a little. "Do you want anything else? Any books? Food? I am sorry you have to stay in here."

Evie shrugged and played with the garnet drop on the chain around her neck. "Yeah sure." She whispered quietly. I turned to the door and placed my hand on the handle. My heart genuinely went out to her, sitting on that bed there. She'd be alone as soon as I left her. "There's no windows." That little voice whispered again. I turned back to see her staring at the walls. "No windows in here. You really don't want me leaving do you?"

I shook my head. "I really don't want you dying."

She stared at me for a second, then stood up. I thought she was about to say something nice, about to thank me for everything but instead, "Well are you going to fetch my paper then?" Was what I was granted with. Ten minutes ago I would've been angry, now I just smiled, and turned for the door.

Halfway back from my study, my portable writing box in hand, I saw Tristan rounding the corner. I set my feet over in his direction but it seemed I needn't even bother of that as my friend was beelining for me anyway.

"Why the hell won't they post any of my letters. I've had Barley go straight to Mr Alcott, even he said he wasn't allowed to. Why?" He held my shoulders so I couldn't slip past him - which a very little part of me wanted to.

"Lockdown. Still not at liberty to explain." I explained, balancing the writing box on one hand to try and ease one of his hands off my shoulder. I hated it when he used my height against me.

Tristan shook his head firmly. "No. No I have to get a letter out."

I shrugged. "You just can't, Trist. It'll be done by Thursday morning tops."

Tristan shook his head and shoved me away. "It has to get out right now." I offered him a sympathetic but ultimately quite tired smile, exhausted from having to deal with the stress of Evie. Tristan shoved me away. "Kent's got Ottilie." He shouted, small tears in his eyes. "He's joined sides with Baracosia and he's threatening to kill her if I don't send him money. He's got Ottilie, Ril. If I don't send him money by tonight then he'll kill my sister."

"Shit." I whispered. "Shit no."