"I'll go make sure the guards on patrol don't take this route." said Alexander running a hand through his dark hair, the moon cast a faint glow on him and Sara could see the urgency in his eyes. The always present mischievousness seemed to have vanished completely being replaced with the solemn look of a palace guard ready to go off to war.

"Yes, yes. Please do." Selene replied distractedly, her eyes were fixed on the dead body and she seemed to be thinking deeply.

Alexander turned to Sara, who gave him a nod with a brief smile, whirling around, he stalked off with the messenger who had been silent, into the darkness in the direction of the palace. Sara watched his back, his hand on the hilt of his sword, with his confident and determined stride, till they got swallowed up by the shadows.

Turning, she faced Selene who squatted beside the dead body, her hands roamed around the body like she was searching for something. After a while, she got to her feet clutching what Sara recognized to be the replica heirloom in her hand, a note in the other.

"The first body. One of our members who works with the royal coroner found these items on the first victim's body, before we started placing spies and making sure to discover the body first. It was a good thing he did the searching himself." Selene paused then turned to face Sara, "do you realize what would have happened if he didn't discover these items first?"

"The royal coroner would have found them himself."

"Yes, exactly. What do you think would have happened if the royal coroner had found a silver pendant with the words, the brotherhood, engraved on it?"

Sara was confused for a while, if he had found it first, it wouldn't have made a difference would it? Besides it was just a pendant with the brotherhood—

—Oh no, Sara came to a realization, it would have been bad, really bad?

Seeing that Sara understood what she meant, Selene nodded, "Now you see what's at stake here, the brotherhood would have been blamed for this, it seems to be what the killer wants. That's why we keep spies around this market square, so we can get wind of it before the royals do." she said the word royals like it was a stain on her tongue.

Sara turned to look at the body, blood still seeped out from it, like the kill was still fresh, patches of blood were around the woman's mouth as threads had been sewn in a jagged mess up and down the lips. Her bare breasts stood like guarding stones to the gaping hole in her chest, where the organ that resided there was missing. The body had been placed in an unnatural angle against the huge fountain, blood surrounding the edges. It was a gruesome sight.

"Let's go back to the safe house, we have a lot to talk about." said Selene as she marched back to Tom's tools.

Sara was glad for it, she couldn't bare to stare at the body any longer, sooner or later the guards would discover the body and another uproar would pass over Silva, if fear was what the killer hoped to instill, he was doing a bloody good job. She briefly wondered if the family of the woman were searching for her, had she been missing? Or did the killer lure her out from the safety of her home? How did he get his victims?

"Alexander can only hold off the guards for a while, I'm sure you do not want to be seen with the body, do you now?"

Selene's voice brought her back to reality, shaking her head to rid of her thoughts, she turned away from the body and followed Selene. There was something she had to know anyway.

"I know you're aware I heard you and Alexander talking, care to share what that was about?" she said after getting close enough so Selene could hear her.

Selene continued walking, taking quick, measured steps, the only indication that she heard Sara, was the stiffening of her shoulders.

"It has something to do with why you suspect the royal family." she continued trying her best to keep up with Selene's steps. If she hadn't gone back to take her cloak, she wouldn't have known they were hiding something. And that was how she learned there was another victim.

Selene stopped walking abruptly making Sara almost bump into her, taking a step back, she looked at Selene who gazed at her with an indifferent look, she had always hated the air of superiority that was all over Selene and how in control of her emotions she was. More so now, that she was the leader, the members had always wanted her to be, it hadn't surprised Sara then, when after her mother's death, Selene, who was her mother's right hand was naturally favoured to become the next leader as she wanted nothing to do with it anymore.

"Does it now?"

"Don't play that game with me Selene, tell me what it is."

"I already did, the royal family–"

"Yes, yes I know. They want to get rid of the brotherhood and so they orchestrated the killings to do so. The question is why do you think so?" she took a step closer to Selene, conveying her determination to know the truth in her eyes.

After a while of staring and careful consideration, Selene finally nodded, "We best hurry then, there's a lot to talk about."

Turning around, she marched off, while Sara followed behind wondering what she had gotten herself into.

*"*"*

This time, when they entered Tom's tools, it wasn't empty. A young blonde haired boy, sat behind the counter, his eyes staring off into a distance. His hair which came past his ears in thick curls, accentuated his boyish features, giving him a sort of princely look, like the ones told in stories of handsome princes and damsels in distress.

On getting closer to the him, she realized he wasn't as young as she thought him to be, maybe Alexander's twenty three years? His warm green eyes that reminded her of the forest, had a dreamy look like he was in another world filled with rainbows and flowers.

Selene having no time for the look on his face, it seemed, slammed her hands down on the counter, making the boy almost stumble to the floor. Righting himself up, " Who the hell—" he blinked up at Selene, recognition immediately filled his eyes, as he immediately bowed his head which ended with him placing his head on the wood in front of him, "mistress Selene! I beg your pardon."

"Day dreaming again Kanye, or should I call it night dreaming?"

Kanye, as she found his name was, flushed deeply, his face turning an insane shade of red, Sara had the thought to introduce him to Daya, they would make a cute couple.

Is that really the reason, or are you trying to steer Daya's feelings away from your dear Alexander.

"Shut up." she muttered to herself which brought Kanye's attention to her.

"Oh. My. Goodness!" His figure engulfed her in a hug, the impact making her breathless. It amazed her at how fast he left the counter.

Her hands hung limply by her side, as she raised an eyebrow at Selene, the latter shrugged and went to the book shelve, pushing it aside.

"I hardly think this is appropriate." Flushing again at her words, Kanye quickly let go of her, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck.

"I apologize your highness."

Your highness? When was the last time she was called that?

"It's just that Alexander spoke so much about you and I felt like I knew you already." he continued oblivious to how he addressed her.

Alexander spoke about me?

Sara gave him a smile, she couldn't help it, his behaviour was cute and he happened to be the first person she didn't know to recognize her.

She turned away from him and followed a rather impatient looking Selene, into the long and narrow passageway. Before closing the door, however, she felt an intense stare on her back, turning around she came to face with Kanye. His eyes held something she couldn't understand as he smiled at her. "Welcome back, princess."

Sara couldn't understand the cold feeling that passed over her at his words, shaking her head, she smiled uneasily, "Thank you, Kanye." Not bothering to look back at him, she entered into the passageway, shutting the door behind her, coating her in darkness, except for the few candles illuminating the way.

It took a much faster time to reach the door to the meeting room, probably because she tried to meet up with Selene's quick steps, who was already far ahead. Reaching for the handle, Selene pushed the door open, walking inside while Sara followed behind.

The meeting room was just as when she first came in, except this time, there were more people in it. Adjusting her eyes to the bright lighting now present in the room, she saw other people present in the room all seated at the table. The brotherhood's council.

Sara pursed her lips, she didn't expect the council to be present at that time of the night, she figured they were there because of the recent victim. The ten top members of the brotherhood, the ten top traitors of her mother.

A burning feeling grew in her chest, clenching her fist tightly, she glared at each one of them, five seated at each side of the table, she showed her hatred for them in her eyes, not bothering to hide it.

Selene walked to the seat left for her at the head of the table, taking a seat, she stared pointedly at Sara.

"Don't just stand there girl, take a seat." Sara let eyes drift over to where the voice came from, sitting close to Selene, Lydia was every bit the viper her mother told her stories of, cruel and vain, Selene was an angel compared to her. Her makeup that made her look more of a lady of the night than a council member– did nothing whatsoever to brighten up her face that was constantly twisted in a scowl.

Taking slow, measured steps, she walked to the only empty seat directly across Selene, and sat down.

"It is so good to see you again, Sara. Oh after all these years, why, you look as beautiful as your mother when she was your age, and that's saying something because she was really beautiful. Tell me, how is it in the forest this time of the year?" A mocking glint shone in Alanna's eyes.

Sara slowly removed her hand from the grasp of Alanna, whose thick hands had grabbed it during her rant. Her saccharine voice was almost as vain as Lydia's surly one.

Clenching and unclenching her fist, she tried to take deep breaths, it would do her no good if she reacted out of anger. It's been five years already, I should be over this.

But even as she thought this, she realized it wasn't possible, one didn't get over their mother's death that easily.

She smiled sweetly at Alanna, "The forest is wonderful this time of the year Alanna, and I'm sure it'd do you so much good, being close to nature and all, where you won't be able to over indulge." she said looking pointedly at Alanna's beefy body, where she was sure a snack or two was hidden.

A gasp escaped Alanna, and she had the gall to look affronted, Sara scoffed, she was even worse than Lydia with her hypocrisy.

"Enough of all that, we didn't come here to talk petty nonsense," Bertram's harsh voice resounded over the thick walls of the room, he gave her a brief look that spoke more volume than Selene's signature condescending look, his dark hair and icy blue eyes, a splitting image of Alexander, she remembered how much Alexander hated his resemblance to his father, Bertram turned to Selene, "what's the status of the murders, Selene."

"It's the seventeenth murder that has taken place in Silva, a little over three months now." Selene placed the replica heirloom and note she took from the body on the table, "these were also with the body."

"It is disheartening to know the murders still continue. Good, now you're here Sara, I'm sure Selene has told you, your mission is to infiltrate the royals and find this killer." the monotonous voice of Edward came from where he sat beside Bertram, stressing the word royals, if she didn't know better, she would have thought he was without emotions, but she had learnt over time to read the hidden meanings in his words.

Sara shook her head ridding herself of her thoughts, "I'd like to know what you're hiding about the royal family, now Selene." she said ignoring Edward,

She could hear Oscar snickering beside him, and saying something about how painful it is to be ignored, which everyone ignored.

"What is she talking about? Selene, didn't you tell her of why we suspect the royal family? Your incompetence is really disturbing." Bertha rolled her eyes and scoffed, a sly smile on her face. When she noticed Sara's stare, she winked, Sara could feel the burning feeling in her chest rise again, Easy Sara, easy.

Though she hated each member of the council, her hatred for Bertha ran deeper than the rest, her mother's best friend, and the first to abandon her.

"I was going to do that. Eventually." Selene gritted out, her eyes glaring at Bertha with unhidden malice.

"I'll tell you what happened." Sara turned to see Augusta peering at her with a solemn look, as Selene's closest friend, she never failed to solicit for her whenever the need arose. Not waiting for Sara's reply, Augusta dived into an explanation.

"You see, two years after you..." A pause, then, "left Silva, the brotherhood started a rebellion against the royal family, demanding a new king be crowned, from one of the noble families. We did not reveal our identities of course, well... Except for Selene who revealed herself to intercede for us."

"Selene did more than reveal herself."

"Allow me do the talking, Bertha." With a quick glare at Bertha, Augusta continued, "as I was saying, Selene interceded for us by sending tons of messages to the king, asking him to step down from the throne, so another family would take over, we gained a lot of support from the people. As you know nobody likes the king or his sons."

"Dislike is an understatement." Alanna piped in sweetly.

"And of course, since our dear Selene revealed her identity as the brotherhood's leader, it gave the people hope that we could overthrow the king and his sons. However, the king managed to squash the rebellion, we had no choice but to retreat silently. The king with the support of his sons and well.... his council vowed to get rid of the brotherhood. So we think this is his first and rather drastic attempt at getting rid of us." She finished with a pensive tone.

Sara was quiet for a while, then she abruptly stood up, "You mean Selene revealed herself as the brotherhood's leader!?" 

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I apologize for this late chapter, I hope the length is good compensation.

So what do you think of this chapter? And what do you think of the six out of ten council members that have spoken? Or rather Oscar if we decide to count him in, there'll definitely be more of him in the next chapter.

Till the next chapter!