Lord Dinli

I stretched and got up from my resting place in the chair I had decided was most comfortable. Thelma was asleep on the bed. There was a knock on the door. I looked out the window and raised an eyebrow.

I told them not to come til noon. It was just after sunrise.

I went to answer the door and opened it a crack, dagger ready in my other hand.

"Room service?" She looked familiar.

"Nila?" I asked questioningly.

She nodded, barely perceptibly, "Mind if I come in and touch up the room?"

"Of course, rough night yesterday," I was also aware that the balcony had a visitor on it as well. After she had come in and I'd shut the door, I asked, "Who's that?"

She sat down on was had been my bed and the man walked in. He was big, brutish and intimidating, but it only made me more on edge and I quickly moved to be between him and the sleeping figure on the bed.

"Don't let him frighten you Lord Dinli," Nila said. "He won't do anything without my approval."

"Why is he so loyal?" I was sincerely curious.

"A long time ago something precious to him was stolen and the only reason he didn't go after it was they said they'd kill his family if he did," She looked sad. "They waited a month and tried to kill him and his entire family anyways. They would have succeeded had I not intervened and given him a second chance to reclaim what he lost, but I wasn't fast enough to save his family."

She looked like she had a tear in her eye.

"Who are you really?" I asked her.

She smirked, "You don't really want to know. Don't worry William Thrisfalen, heir to the Thrisfalen throne, I don't want to stop you. I think we might be able to help each other."

"What makes you think I want the throne?" I spat at her. "My place in protecting the ancient treasure."

"I know," She said straightly. "I have come to offer you a position in the organization I'm a part of."

"What are you talking about?"

She stood up and came closer, I brought the dagger around in front of me and the dark man took a step forward before she held up a hand.

"I can handle this whelp," She shook her head. "I'm talking about a secret group that exists above and beyond the two Orders of Peace. Only a very few of every year are invited to join us. We are the protectors of the treasure, those foolish priests of madness seek to create darkness and somehow form peace from the outcome. They don't understand the nature of the thing they are touching."

"And you do?" I spat at her, dagger still ready to strike.

"No," My heart actually dropped, I had truly hoped she knew the answer. "But I know who does."

There was a knock on the door.

"I have to go William. Think about my offer," She and the dark man went to the window and disappeared in the early morning light.