Aalyssa was used to the surprised and confused looks. Long ago she would hide her ears but she had stopped that. "Of course, I will be right back." She went to where the supplies were and found a pitcher with a small bit of water and a few cups. She filled one and took it over to Ila. "Here you are, little one."

Ila sat up. The nightmare had left her shaky. She carefully held the cup in both hands and sipped. "I'm not that little. I'm taller than Difyr."

"Perhaps. To me, it's simply a matter of everyone being a little one." She glanced toward the sleeping Shawn and motioned with her head. "When Shawn was in our care, I was forever calling him little one."

Ila raised an eyebrow at the sleeping Shawn. "How big does someone have to be to not be a 'little one'?"

"It doesn't really have anything to do with size. It's an age thing," Aalyssa admitted.

"You don't look very old." Ila said.

"Ahh, well thank you. The truth is that elves age differently from humans."

Ila looked down at her hands.

"Does Aislyn know now?" She asked.

"Difyr is speaking with her right now," Aalyssa said softly.

"She'll believe Difyr?" Ila asked anxiously.

"She will. They have known each other a long time, and now Difyr has what I told her and what Xavier saw. There is a lot of proof," Aalyssa smiled.

"So Mazi changed back, he doesn't look like Nelek anymore?" Ila asked. At least she had done something right in destroying the potion.

"He did. I don't know how far back he has changed, but yes, Xavier witnessed it."

"Good." Ila said. "Now he can't trick anyone anymore."

"Unless they have more of this potion." Aalyssa studied her. "Xavier posted two of his men at the door. I should tell you that Mazi escaped."

Ila's eyes widened in fear. "Escaped? Where is he?"

Ila drew her knees up to her chest. Mazi would be furious, he would really hurt her when he found her, maybe even kill her, but being killed would be more merciful than what Ila imagined him doing to her. Ila shivered.

"He disappeared into the woods, from what I understand they believed he was headed for the sea. Xavier has all of the guards alerted and there are two outside the door. We don't have a window except that tiny one way overhead so I think we'll be all right."

"But he's really strong. I don't think he'll let me go." Ila pulled her skirt up a little to show the shackle that was still around her ankle. "He always made sure I couldn't get away." There were healed scars on her leg, testimony of how often she tried to get the shackle off.

"Many of these men are very strong too. And unless I miss my guess, Wulfsen is going to send for more men. When he came here, I doubt he was expecting to find the mess he stumbled on."

"But Mazi has magic and can change his appearance." Ila said anxiously. "What if he gets more potion, makes himself look like someone else?" Ila trembled. "He could be anyone."

Aalyssa opened her mouth but could think of nothing consoling to say. Then finally, "It won't be long until the men know all of us. Until we have rebuilt in some way, I doubt Wulfsen and his men are going to allow strangers passage into the keep and the grounds."

"But he won't look like a stranger, don't you see?" Ila asked, on the verge of panicking. "He could make himself look like anyone, he could even make himself look like Xavier."

"I will speak with Xavier about that. Perhaps everyone who belongs can be given a code word of some sort."

"What if he has already changed?" Ila asked, clearly paranoid. "He could be back already."

"He wouldn't have the potion already so he cannot be here already."