(Vindex Pictured)

Elsewhere...

"Lady Megaera... Are you sure that the boy can be trusted?" The blackened creature the woman called her servant asks, his cat like green eyes following her around the room. The woman scoffs at his tone, before packing up a spell book.

"Vindex, he is fine. He shall be a great asset once my training is complete. He will get me in those gates, and he will lead me into the king's chamber... Where I will slit the bastard's throat and take what is rightfully mine." Meg says, her dark eyes glow lightly at the thought. "Besides... I sensed no ill will towards me."

"You didn't sense 'ill will' with Amicus, and yet he, when he heard your plans, went running for the palace to warn them." Vindex says, Megaera chuckling.

"You forget what happened to him next...?" She purred, before looking to her shelf. She smiled at a small glass jar, with a still beating organ in it. "I cut out his heart, and fed his body to the Unliving."

"What about Miles? When he said he would join you, he crept on you in the night to end your life." He continued, she placing the jar in her bag.

"You shot him right through his skull and stopped him. We buried him so deep that no one will find him." Megaera replied, unfazed by her protector's words, until she froze at the next.

"Regius was the one who gave you that scar on your eye, Megaera."

She looked to the mirror, and felt the scar, one that had blinded her for so long until she had been healed by a very expensive and condescending Luxmancer. Notus had paid for it, and that is when she had began to trust him, at least, a little.

"I know that, Vindex." She murmured, her light attitude gone. She held in her hands a small bottle of Midlight Lilies, a flower the wretched man often brought for her when they were once friends...

"He didn't even know your plans, which was lucky for you, seeing as he turned out to be the--"

"Second Son of the Sun. King Adustio's third child." She hissed, her grip tightening to the point where she broke the bottle, cutting her hands. Blood covered glass fell to the floor, and she stared blankly at her own cut hand, her emotions now in a swirl.

"Lady Megaera..." Vindex sighed, more like growled, before walking over to her and pressing a cloth to her wound. She did not even flinch as he did so, she so used to the pain. "I am concerned that your feelings might be clouding your judgement once more."

"I am not a fool, Vindex, nor do I plan to be caught up in any emotions. If he becomes a burden, I will kill him without a second thought. I do not care for anyone except myself." Megaera says, flames in her eyes from the pain of remembrance. "This journey will finally grant me the powers I need to kill the royal family."

"Yes... and avenge your mother and father." Vindex says, wrapping up her hand. "There... the cut was not deep."

"Thank you Vindex... You have been a good comrade to me." Megaera says softly, before looking at a dusty and forlorn book on her desk. "Do you think they would be proud of me...?"

"They would be endlessly, my lady. Your father, especially." Vindex says, before looking outside. "Dinner is upon us, my lady. You best go to your friend and eat. I shall have things packed and ready when you return."

"Thank you again, Vindex." She says, walking towards the door, grabbing her bag as she did. "I plan to be back shortly... Would you like to request something?" She asks, knowing the man did not need to eat, but he desired to from time to time.

"Hm... A mere apple, my lady. I miss that fruit." He says, slightly smiling before getting to work cleaning up.

"I can get that." She says, before she walked out. She didn't like to say good-bye, seeing as to those she did say it to, seemed to disappear.