Alexandra wanted to murder him. She wanted to push his face down on the ground and she wanted to kick him like she had kicked Blaise Quill. But she satisfied herself with glaring at Kane. Mainly because she knew that acting too heroic, or being too audacious, could be harmful. Even terminal; for Kane was not Blaise. He hadn't been expelled for his third year crime because Master George had known what Alexandra knew now - known, that Kane was exemplary and valuable. Known that it was utmost bad luck to be on his wrong side. 

The wrong side that she was on, now. 

Kane's blue eyes were steely - his face was stern. If he had smiled, everything would have been back to normal: a smile always transformed his face. But he didn't look like he remotely knew how to smile, at the moment. And when her anger had subsided, Alexandra was filled with numbness. In the wildest of dreams, she would not have imagined that Kane would do that. That Kane could do that.

But he seemed like it a normal thing he had done. 'Now that our mouths are sewn shut,' he began and appeared so calm that she wanted to thrust her hands forward and throttle him on spot. But something held her back - perhaps the "something" - was the last remnants of lingering trust in, and respect for, him. 'How about you tell me, Mabel, what you are here for and exactly how much you know.' He instructed.

Everything else evaporated from her mind. Only the Council's lessons remained: Stay calm. Don't open your mouth. You must either escape, or die: but you must not disclose a single word.  Play for time. Talk - engage - reveal the weaknesses of the captor. Overpower them - either physically, or mentally.

Those were all the best tips she could ask for - and yet, they wouldn't work against Kane. Because he knew what she knew - he had studied what she had - and more than anything else, they were not strangers. She had to "reveal" his weakness. He already knew hers. And perhaps, Alexandra's weakness was her temper.

She knew speaking was futile, she knew keeping quiet was futile. But between the two, she chose silence - and didn't reply.

'Should I repeat?' He asked. Outside, it was already nighttime. The sun had long set and the house was dark, except for a single, flickering lamp in the distance. If only that lamp went off - maybe, she could escape. Or maybe not: because Kane definitely knew his house better. But there was chance. A very slight, small chance.

Alexandra's eyes flitted to the lamp. It was closer to two than one meter away from her. She had to extinguish it - and then run. Run without destination, with stopping, without thought. 

But the first part was the point - how could she put it out?

Since she was thinking so hard, Alexandra obviously gave no reply to Kane - who didn't seem in any hurry. 'Alright. I'll repeat,' he said, 'tell me, Mabel, what you know and why you are here. Don't think I don't have a very good idea why. I do - I just want to hear it from you. Because, I have an offer to make. An offer that I've been wanting to make, since long.'

She barely registered his words. Alexandra was still gazing at the lamp. She had to put it out - she had to put it out - she had to put it out. But her lack of reply made Kane give up his policy of non-violence. She felt the cold blade press upon her neck. The cold blade of her own dagger - and it drove all other thoughts out of her mind.

'I can force you.' He hissed - having no idea what was cooking in her brain.

'You cannot.' Alexandra replied, turning to look at him. 'You are an absolute villain. They never have nice endings - you won't have one either! And you can't force me - because I refuse to hear you out!' She added, eyes burning in rage.

The blade turned making a thin cut. Blood trickled down to her cloak as she registered the hot pain and winced. But it didn't hurt nearly as much as the betrayal did. They had sat together, eaten, talked, laughed, even given commentaries ... just six months ago as well. Given time, she and Kane could go on trials together. And she had always looked up to him, like a role model. And he had turned out to be the perfect role model. Just perfect.

'Come on!' She taunted, cheeks reddening with fury. 'Why did you stop? Kill me! If you have the guts, if that's how you've decided to live, start now! Start with me!'

It was a good lecture on morality. It could have been the dialogue of a play - but it certainly didn't make any difference on Alden. He threw the knife away, and exhaled. 'Turn out your pockets.' He ordered, 'And don't show me your temper - a single serious smack - and you will be whimpering.'

The humiliation, the burning slap in the face he had given with the single sentence, was alone worse than everything else. But with the order of turning out pockets, she became dimly aware of the letter in her pocket.

Liam's first letter - that she had read in the Arena and stuffed into her cloak pocket. It was still there. And as she plunged a hand into her right pocket, feeling its edges, Alexandra had a plan. A sudden brainwave - a mad idea. But if it worked, it was worth it. If it didn't work, everything was over.

The letter called her "Exiled Princess". Kane, was not supposed to read it - not now, especially. And, she had to smother a lamp. 

If she threw it at the flaring fire, perhaps, it would catch the flames. And at the same time, perhaps it would extinguish the light too. Then, she would only have to wait for the flames to devour the letter completely, die out, and plunge them in complete darkness. Leaving a chance for her to push Kane aside and bolt for the door. Wait - what did bolt for the door mean? She had to rush out of it. 

A risky gamble. But the letter's last line said it - some risks are worth taking.

Alexandra exhaled, she couldn't make Kane wait for longer without making him suspicious. She turned out her inside pockets, first. 

Just two breath mints. 'And the cloak ones.' He told her, unwrapping and dropping a mint into his mouth. How unconcerned, how comfortable he seemed. Alexandra felt a tinge of regret that her plan didn't involve wringing his neck.

But the one plan she had, had to work. Or all was lost.

She closed her hand upon the letter, warming and sizing it up for the throw she had to make. The aim she had to achieve. 'There is something in your right pocket probably.' He noted. 'Show it.'

It was now, or never. It was do, or die.

'I said, show it.' He repeated, calmly but only so much that Alexandra could recognize it for the threat it was.

She inhaled and pulled out the paper, keeping it enclosed in her fist. She stared for a second at Kane, as he gazed back at her. Then, just as he snatched for it, she pulled the letter away, above his head, brought her hand behind and shot it at the lamp, muttering the most desperate prayer of her life.

Please!

The crumpled parchment flew over the house as Kane turned his head and they both watched it progress, mutely. Liam's letter dropped with a slight crunch on the brown lamp and upturned it - the oil soaking his writing and the fire catching his quill strokes. Before their eyes, the lamp was extinguished and in its place burnt a crackling fire on the correspondence.

Kane turned to look at her. Now, his eyes burned with fury. Five slaps - ones that stung painfully - made Alexandra's cheek go numb. He then caught her by the neckband, pulling her to her feet - perhaps he wanted to say something that would smart more than the slaps. She stared into his brilliantly blue eyes - a traitor's eyes.

As the fire crackled contently for a last time, she brought her hands forward and pushed him away with all the strength she possessed. As Kane staggered backwards for the second time, they were dipped in complete darkness. Alexandra sprung to action and hopped over his foot, she darted ahead at top speed - making the best use of her legs. 

She didn't know where she was going. Where Kane was, where the things she had dropped were, where the lamp was, where the door was - she knew nothing. For all she knew, freedom came at a steep price and she wanted it right away. Alexandra pushed aside desks and counters and books. She collided with walls and steadied herself, only wanting to put as much distance, between herself and Kane, as possible.

Where is the door?! 

She had no idea. Sliding to a halt after about two minutes of distorted running, Alexandra registered she was back in the hall where she had earlier been. She turned to look around herself once, perhaps Kane wasn't here. There were two rooms - and he was in one of them.

What if she locked their doors?

A hand crawled to her mouth as she realized that she did have evil thoughts. Leaping to action, she scampered to the first room and bolted it shut. Then she turned for the second one - she had to do this. 

But the next ten seconds were her first year race all over again. When she was just about to emerge victorious, but fate didn't agree. Alexandra bounded towards the second door - a dim shuffling of feet were audible from inside. Though terrified, she had extended a hand to pull the gate shut. But at the exact moment, as if on cue, her feet came in contact with a net-like fabric and she felt her limbs entangle with the mass as she came crashing down on the ground.

Her head slammed to the floor and an involuntary, 'Ah!' escaped her mouth in pain.

It doomed her.

She got up instantly, her ears pricking up in horror as the footsteps grew louder. Another lamp was lit in the corner. She watched, petrified beyond her senses, as Kane set it down on the ground calmly and took a step towards her.

The curtain had tripped her. 

Alexandra pushed the fabric aside and crawled backwards. Kane was expressionless - his lips were stuck together. But his jaw shook slightly - he had had enough. 

'No,' she whimpered, inching backward again, her last plan failing and dipping her hopelessly. She was very sure he would kill her now. He seemed like he would do it. 'Kane - please.' She begged, shaking from head to toe. 'Kane - we're friends. Don't do this - let me - let me go.' She pleaded, moving backward with each word. But he advanced mutely, as if he was deaf. 'Kane - th - this isn't right. You hear me? This isn't right. Stop there - I said, stop there!' She almost ordered, in broken sentences, her blood running cold. As soon as she finished, her head hit the wall behind her with a dull clump. Trapped inescapably, she shook her head, scared to look at him - scared to take her eyes off him either.

Kane knelt down against silently. In the dim glow of the second lamp, he appeared like a young, handsome apparition. But no less scary - no less sinister. She had never considered this side of him - the dark, merciless side. She had a fleeting image of his genuine laugh - it made her feel doubly helpless. He lifted a hand and pressed a light finger to her forehead - where she had hit the floor. The slight touch set it on fire, making her head throb in agony. He pushed it harder - and harder - and harder, until she flinched and look away.

At the portrayal of pain, the pressure was lifted. Alexandra stared back into his eyes, panting with coupled pain and fatigue. He gazed on for one more minute. And as he did, she realized Kane had no intention to kill her - not yet, at least.

'Nice tries, Mabel.' He praised, 'Genuinely nice attempts. Your years at the dimwitted Espionage were not a complete waste.' He whispered. Alexandra pushed herself further against the wall - the more distance between them - the better. She was strangely repelled by him, even in her fright. His very touch would contaminate her, she knew. 'And I do not intend to harm you. Not if you cooperate.' He added. 

Alexandra hated it, but she still trusted him. Inexplicably - he sounded genuine - a feat that perhaps only a spy could achieve. And because he said it, she believed. She really believed that he wouldn't harm her - when he already had.

'Why - why are you doing this, then?' She stuttered. 'Why - have you changed?'

'Because I realized the futility of playing upon my life again and again, for a government who forgets us as easily as termites forget the wood they shave.' He replied, sounding truly bitter. 'I realized - and so did Mark - and so did many other Agents, that the most skilled men of the country must rule it. That we, must not remain subordinates to that unfit king. Mabel, do you think those fattened Ministers deserve how much they get?' He asked, looking at her seriously.

Alexandra gulped. Mark?

And this was the truth? This was the plan, the betrayal? And if it was, they were not completely pointless. Not completely pointless, but not completely on the point either. Spies did not serve any king or dynasty. Their job was to serve the country - and not the government. And the governments could change - as easily as days changed into nights - but the country wouldn't change. The country wouldn't dissolve - the country shouldn't dissolve - and that was the reason spies worked.

'They do not.' She nodded, nevertheless. A part of her was glad that they were back to talking - from scaring to threatening to wrangling - and now, back to talking. 'They do not deserve it.' She repeated. It was best if she didn't antagonize Kane further - he had come down to words with a lot of difficulty.

'You agree, don't you?' He grinned, like the old times, his eyes brightening up. But it was not entirely the same grin - the same emotion. It was fake. 'Anybody in their right mind, will agree.' He added, the grin disappearing instantly, 'And now - the offer I wanted to make since long - you have two choices, Mabel. You are talented - you are a spy as much as us - you are prettier than any other woman I've met. You can join us - it is a child's play for us to bring down the throne. We will just have to strike once. A single blow from within is much fiercer than a hundred from out. It will be enough for the unsuspecting morons. And you can practically be the queen of Vedessa. Trust me, the Queen. But if you remain a spy, you will have near-certain probability of a premature death. Even if you survive, after your retirement, you will be forgotten and useless as the shell of walnut. Join us, Mabel. You are Dovish. With you influence, we can take down Doveland - which is already unstable on its new King. It is as simple as it sounds, Mabel. It won't take longer than a year.'

She listened. Despite everything, she listened with rapt attention, with alertness. She registered each and every word - the light coaxing tone. And as he finished, tilting his head to the side in an assuring gesture, Alexandra had to accept that she was lured. 

She did trust him - and she did know that spies could easily bring down any Kingdom. More than Vedessa - the part about ruling Doveland appealed. She imagined the scenario, the easy victory, the roaring triumph in her heart. She knew it could be done - and she knew that Kane seldom lied. What had he said incorrect? Yes, she was a spy and she was a royal. Yes, she could join them. Yes, they could crumble the monarchs to dust. Yes, her Dovish influence would work on the people. And yes, it was as simple as it sounded. Moreover, she could claim her rightful place - by her true brother and friends. By the spies of Idgard.

But why did her heart not agree? Why did she feel something was amiss in this plan? That something in the plan harmed a person she cared for...

With an uncomfortable lurch of heart, she realized that Liam was harmed in the process. Somebody who had helped her, trusted her and accepted her. She realized that something was wrong with what Kane had said. That Liam was not an "unfit" king. He was, if anything, the finest one for it. Better than any spy could be - better than she could be. And if she was ready to backstab him - for the base greed of a throne and power - then she could go ahead and shake hands with Kane. 

Which was unthinkable.

'No.' Alexandra shook her head. But this time, it was a firm, powerful refusal and not a whimper or a beg. 'No, I don't want this.' She repeated. 'I don't want the power - I don't want to be any queen. Especially not by backstabbing the person who puts his entire trust in us. I've heard him speak of spies - he accepts we are better - that we are the best. It isn't in his control - giving us fame. Our fame means exposing the Espionage. If you want fame, Kane - if you want glory - you can become a minister. Or you can go wherever fame is. But I - am content with working in the background. And trust me Kane, I hate you to the core.' She added, through gritted teeth. Would it be so difficult to close her hands upon his neck and...?

It was slightly unnerving when he laughed at it.

And this time - a true laugh - with humor. 'But Precious, you haven't heard the other option yet!' He exclaimed. 

'I'm not your Precious!' She warned, 'I would rather be a beggar. And I don't care even if you kill me!'

If a moment ago, she had been whimpering and pleading, Alexandra found it shameful. Who said honor was not needed for a spy? She needed honor - she needed the dignity - she was a  princess, before a spy.

'I'll call you Precious if I want to and you will listen.' He said, holding her jaw between his fingers and pressing it slightly. The amount of temper rising in Alexandra, could have sufficed to set the house on fire. But Kane wasn't perturbed. Not in the least - he knew he controlled the situation. 'And hear this out, at least. Before you break into your noble rants of sacrifice.' He jeered, 'I can give you worse than death.' Kane assured. 'I can give you a lifetime of agony - I can make you lose your senses.' He said, as if the commonest thing on the planet. 

Finally, she ceased to believe him. It was a relief - a wide sense of it. But in some corner of her heart, she still felt he wasn't lying. Despite her Mind saying that Kane was the one who had lost his senses. 'I will tell the Council a tale they cannot help believing. Oh, I won't kill you - too much of a hassle. And Mark wouldn't approve. But I can keep you alive -  uselessly so. I have my ways, to show them, more than tell them, of how you went mad.' His lip curled upwards. 'I will begin with the truth - that I wasn't at home earlier in the day, of course. And when I came back, this was how I found you - with an egg-sized swelling on the head and unconscious.' He pronounced, pressing her forehead once again. Alexandra recoiled against the wall, her mouth falling open at the unveiled ghastly plan. 'I nursed you back!' He continued, comfortably. Pleased at the frightened look on her face. 'But when you came around, you were demented. And you hurt yourself - an indiscriminate cut on the neck. And you acted like there were spirits around us only you could see. You said things like "the spirits are harmless. They want to direct me - they can show me the right way." Isn't it how hallucinating people speak? With palpable belief and broken grammar. So you were hallucinating. And then,' he stopped to dive for her dagger. He picked it up, pulled up his sleeve and made a gash on his arm - not even wincing. As if it didn't hurt in the slightest. 'And then you hurt me. Because I was trying to stop you.' His eyes glinted with madness. 'Finally,' he added, 'I succeeded in knocking you out - that gives you another swelling on the head, which I will proceed to make soon enough. But there! There's the alternative you have, Mabel - if you choose to oppose.'

'But I will not go mad.' She pointed out, petrified, but knowing that the longer she spoke, the longer she lived. 'I haven't. I don't see spirits. You are the demented one!' She added. Kane was stronger, smarter. He was at definite advantage - but Alexandra was not going to give up. In her worst nightmares, she hadn't imagined a scene like this. There were a lot of bad things - but this? She would gladly be in any other situation than it. She had certainly failed the third year - and not that it even mattered anymore - Alexandra felt dazed and half-dead. She hadn't even registered how much everything hurt. Her heart throbbed wildly, like it had realized a friend had turned foe. Like it realized how much of a favor it could do to her by stopping.

'Oh, but you will.' He informed, with careless ease. 'See, you are already going mad. Hysterical. And since you have left me no other choice. If you move from here, you see my true anger.' He added, getting up and vanishing in the house. His trust that she wouldn't be able to move, or escape, at once horrified and amazed her. She was frozen - she couldn't think straight, let alone move. Perhaps he was right. Perhaps she was going mad.

Kane returned with nothing that appeared like a torturous device. A simple goblet filled with water. And he plunged a hand into his pocket, pulled out a crumpled up paper, opened it and dropped the contents of the paper into the goblet.

It turned violet. Brilliantly, malevolently violet.

'You know what this is?' He then asked, leisurely stirring the mixture, like they were doing a theatrical of recipes and the white powder in the paper had been his grandmother's evergreen spice.

Alexandra shook her head, she even stopped struggling, diverted at the sight of the powder. 'It is a deadly poison.' He informed, in an offhand way. 'Except that, it attacks only the brain.' Kane added, 'The same two choices now, Mabel. You are a talented spy. I, we have use for you. You can join me, big things are working out against Idgard and it is not going to last for long. The throne's going to change very soon. We could rule this place. Or, you drink this and lose your senses forever. Live a terrible and useless life, as a burden.'

'I won't! Neither!' She replied, thrusting forward a hand to hit the goblet and topple it over. But Kane lifted it up, away from her reach. He seemed aware of how superior his skills were, to his "Precious".

'I can,' he said, in a hiss, 'very easily force you.' And he stirred with his right hand, Kane put his left hand on her shoulder and slightly pressed it. He had found some weak point though, because hot, searing pain flared through Alexandra's entire right side, making her flinch like an upturned insect. 'That was a starter. The human body is a device - it has activation points as well as deactivation points. And trust me, I could madden you with pain. Without this poison - oh, but that is irrelevant - choose. Because forcing you, would be both painful as well as a waste of time. And then, in the end, you don't have a choice, if you at all choose to fight me.'

Alexandra wondered if emotions were truly voluntary.

They were not - she was trembling again. From pride, to fear to defiance - back to fear. She took a deep, ragged breath, looking into his eyes. Perhaps emotions were involuntary, but once there - they could be controlled. Anger and fear melted together. Helplessness fused in and pain - a lot of pain. But fear won again, it was too powerful. Seconded by anger, preceded by love.

Kane was saying something.

'Did you choose?' He asked, 'Or perhaps, more time, I guess? Take your time - you don't have much of it, once you drink.'

'I...' Alexandra began, she didn't know if she could even string words together anymore. 'You know what Kane, I said it before - you won't have a good end - and you will rot in Hell. You won't  get a speck of peace. You ... you ... scoundrel, you rascal, you pig!' She said, shaking with rage, 'You ... I hope you fall into burning lava!' She said, 'Lose your mind! Die!' She said, still shaking. 'And Liam isn't a blundering idiot. He will know - I'm sure he knows. He his a thousand times better than you - a thousand times worthy. He will always be a step ahead of you, Alden! I don't fear death - and that means I don't fear anything that comes in the way! I'll drink it - and I'll laugh at your stupidity!' She declared, glaring unconcernedly. Everything, every particle of her was combusting. Her hands were shaking with the want to throttle Kane. She wanted to scratch off his face -

'How heroic!' He sang. 'Or... heroinic? Ouch,' He then shook his head. 'That's no word is it? Does it feel bad, insulting upon your fragile pride?' He asked, raising her chin with two fingers and forcing her to look into his eyes. They no longer had any friendliness left in them. They were hollow like never-ending tunnels of despair, he then let go, letting Alexandra's chin fall. 'No worries. Drink, Precious. You won't feel anything after this.'

He raised the glass to her lips, a simple, amused expression. And a smile dancing on his lips. Alexandra drank. It tasted sweet. A watered down sweetness and it was funny, how a poison was sweet...

A minute passed.

Two minutes.

Five minutes.

Ten.

'What... what is happe-' Alexandra began, but he threw the goblet away mid-sentence and she stopped. Kane looked at her for another whole minute, his brows furrowing with a very sorry, regretful expression. As if he wasn't sure what to do next. Even before she could move an inch, he closed Alexandra into a warm hug.

A warm, friendly hug. 

Though still scared, her heart hammering wildly, Alexandra felt the friendliness of it - the strong emotions. 'What...' she started again, patting him gingerly on the back. 'Kane...'

He pulled back, 'You are a true Agent, Mabel. And perhaps, I am a true scoundrel. Truth is - this was your test. Captivity survival and a test of loyalty to the Council. I have not turned, my correspondence is not suspicious. Neither is Mark's. You pass your third year - the poison was - ah - never mind, but it was not poison. And I don't know how to put this - but I give you a free rein. Pay me back in kind for whatever I just did.'