Difyr shook her head. "I assumed Sileas would be here with Yehudit... Well she's bound to be with Yehudit somewhere. Now where could they have gone off to?"

"Ertzel will know." Liadan said, stepping into the hall and to the next door.

Liadan crept into the room, trying to not wake her children or baby Olivia. Yehudit was not there. Liadan swore under her breath, where was Yehudit now?

Liadan went into the room she had claimed for her family and was surprised that Aron was not there. But all her children but Yehudit were there. She checked on Ertzel.
"How's it going?"

"Every thing is fine Mama. The little ones were getting hungry but I had some cookies Aunt Aislyn made before everything happened."

"Has your father been in?" Liadan asked.

"He was and then he said he was going to see about blankets."

Liadan looked around. "We will need more blankets." She mused. "I think they are cooking something in the kitchen."

"We should probably get the little ones there. Cookies won't fill them long, they only got half a cookie each."

Liadan scooped up Vikki and Lizbet. "You need to eat properly too, Ertzel."

"I know Mama," she said, taking the hands of her other siblings.

Aron entered the room with a stack of blankets. He peered over them, wondering where everyone had gone. Maybe out to the privvy. He started arranging the blankets around the room.

"Aunt Lia!" Lek burst into hte room, and his shoulders slumped with disappointment. "Oh, it's only Uncle Aron."

Aron eyed his nephew. "I believe I am insulted. I haven't seen Lia."

"We need her! Someone tried to grab Millie, now Sileas and Questa and Yehudit are fighting him." Lek panted.

Aron snapped to attention. "I'll find Lia. You find Lords Thornblade and DeVale."

"We were looking for them too." Lek fretted.

"Every one is probably near or heading for the kitchen to find something to eat. Hopefully there will be some."

Lek grasped Millie's hand. "Let's go there!"

"We need to hurry!" Millie exclaimed, already moving and pulling on Lek's hand.

Liadan stormed into the room, determined to make it secure so her eldest daughter would not go hobbling off with that flame-haired trouble seeker. She noticed that blankets had been spread around the room, making the refuge homey. Liadan felt herself tearing up. Aron had always been more domestic than her, he knew how to make a place a home and was always a better parent.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Liadan threw open the door. "WHAT THE **** DO YOU WANT?"

"If you are Mrs. Buckley, you are needed in the healing room. If you're not, please pardon the intrusion." They had knocked on a few doors en route, either to find them empty or to be told the woman inside wasn't Mrs. Buckley.

Something was wrong! Liadan sprinted to the healing room.