Midnight came and passed, and just before dawn broke the horizon, Avelon and Brianne were finally allowed to return to their room. Both were stiff from catering to the petty needs of incompetent Lords and Ladies, and both were grateful for the small comfort that their beds had offered. Lugh had not approach Avelon again throughout the evening, a small mercy that Avelon silently cherished. When morning came, Avelon suppressed the thought of Lugh and his casual flirtation to the deepest parts of her mind. Silence enveloped her as she stared at the stone roof above her. The only light filtered through a small rectangle window situated in the furthest part of the room."I'm thankful that all the Fae in this palace will be too hungover to bother to check on us Today!" Brianne groaned as she stretched, her already long frame elongating even more with the manoeuvre. The sudden intrusion of her voice had Avelon's body twitching.Brianne added, "Of course we have a shit ton of work to do."This time, it was Avelon who groaned deeply. She had no motivation to leave her bed and cease the day- she merely wanted to cease her sleep. The overstimulating and exhausting evening had drained her, leaving her physically aching. She considered that worse things could have happened during the evening, apart from the ritual. Brianne had mentioned that on many occasions Fae had indulged themselves in self-pleasing activities and that the slaves were always first in line. Avelon's stomach churned at the thought, momentarily grateful for the distraction of the ritual. She did not consider the alternatives any further."We should visit the library later." Brianne hummed, her tone light and cheerful despite their lack of sleep. At the mention of the library, Avelon rolled sideways and propped herself up on her right elbow. The thought of the ancient parchments and scrolls hidden within its walls tugged at her curiosity, a welcome distraction from the lingering discomforts of the night. The information she so desperately sought could be within arm's reach. Brianne lay sprawled out on her bed, gnawing at a nail, a sight that made Avelon cringe. Reluctantly, Avelon refrained from commenting on the action.Chewing at the inside of her cheek, Avelon contemplated her response. "Do you think we can talk about what we both know but aren't saying?"Brianne instantly stopped picking at her nail beds, slowly dragging her eyes toward Avelon. She swallowed hard, cracking her neck in preparation for what Avelon hoped would be an in-depth and serious discussion."We should, but not inside the palace walls." Brianne replied cautiously, and although Avelon understood Brianne's cautious suggestion, frustration brimmed at the edges of her thinned out emotional barriers. She needed information, sooner rather than later. Avelon bit into her lip, "Then let's go clean that damned hall," She sighed as she thought of the countless dishes awaiting them, "And go for a walk." ***Brianne's colourful language was the sole highlight of Avelon's morning. The sound ignited small smiles and light laughter throughout the morning. The entire hall was a disaster, and it took them most of the day to restore it to its lively standards. By the time they had finished, Avelon's hands burned from exertion. No one had checked on them during the hours they spent scrubbing, except for the guards stationed at the hall's entrance- who seemed a bit green from their own reckless behaviour. "We should go to the stream to wash off this grime and sweat." Avelon said, scrunching her nose in disgust as she peered down at her stained white shirt. She hoped that the water from the stream would remove most of the stains, though she knew scrubbing would be fruitless.Brianne nodded with a huff of air as she rose from behind one of the tables, wiping her clammy forehead with the back of her hand. "Cold water sounds absolutely delicious."Avelon smiled in agreement. The stream that ran at the back of the palace was the only place in Teine, that Avelon was aware of, which could provide some relief from the suffocating heat around them. The water was cold- not as cold as the streams back in Uisce, but enough so that Avelon had felt invigorated after each visit. Surveying the hall, satisfaction settled in Avelon's core. Tables were returned to their designated areas, cleaned from any candles or runners. Scattered dishes were all removed, washed and neatly stored back where they belonged, and the floors were swept and polished. Brianne slowly inclined her head towards the main entrance, suggesting they leave, which Avelon eagerly obliged to. They walked in complete silence, the guards not taking heed of them as they exited the hall. Avelon understood the silence between them- partly due to exhaustion and partly because of the unspoken "talk" hanging over them. Swallowing her words, Avelon waited to speak until they were walking past the fountain, towards the back exit of the palace walls- which held the path leading to the stream. Avelon easily spotted the stream, her shoulders relaxing at its beauty. The sun danced on the water, glowing deep hues of orange and yellow. Small strips of greenery surrounded the stream, effortlessly beautiful and flourishing amidst its surroundings. The sound of the rushing water emanating from the stream calmed her- reminding her of a life vastly different and far away from where she was currently. She wished, for a moment, that Fallon was close enough to call dancing water sprites to the stream. Her heart ached immensely at the thought of her best friend.Her voice strained, filled with emotion as she whispered to Brianne, "So, what do you know that I don't?" Brianne pressed her lips together, steadily watching a few loitering slaves that mulled about, reluctant or hesitant to return to the palace. Her gaze darkened as she met Avelon's eyes, "We have to walk more, Ave."Avelon averted her gaze from the curious eyes of passing Fae- some smiled, and others seemed like they were poised to strike. It was odd, that despite spending most of her time within the palace walls she never noticed the other slaves. Brianne had mentioned that the palace was much bigger than what they were both confined to- a partial section, and yet the thought of their explicit loneliness was bothersome. What bothered Avelon more than being alone was the prospect of other fae joining them in their small room, as three out of the five beds inside their room remained unoccupied. She shook her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts, steering far away from the thoughts of more fae joining them because they either made the 'wrong' choice or were born into the 'wrong' bloodline. "So, Ciorra- the flower that you were given a few weeks ago. They are dried and crushed into fine powder and used to incapacitate enemies. In your case, I assume it was used to ensure that you did not flee or take any drastic actions. The side effect of it is that although it does not affect your mental health, it eventually knocks you out due to the strain on your body." Brianne explained, leading Avelon away from the stream towards a patch of greenery.Avelon had not realized how far they had ventured from the palace, until she glanced back to its small appearance."This," Brianne's voice snapped Avelon's attention back to their discussion, "Is what a Ciorra flower looks like."The flowers' entirely black appearance had Avelon gaping in awe. Small flecks of purple adorned its innermost parts, accompanied by vibrant flecks of yellow. The ends of the petals faded into a royal blue hue, bordering the same black colour as the flower's centre. Its pollen stems were a vibrant yellow, contrasting sharply with the dark interior- almost demanding attention."It's beautiful." Avelon stood mesmerized, captivated by the delicate beauty thriving in such a place."It's deadly if used in the wrong proportions and very rare. They are most commonly found in Anam and Talamh, and commonly used for healing." Brianne continued, her eyes narrowing into thin slits as she bent down to pluck some stray flowers. She hurried over to the stream and tossed them into the rushing water before kneeling to rinse her hands as though she touched an infected wound. She did not rise or face Avelon before speaking again."The milky substance that seeps from the stems after being plucked has the same paralytic effect, though it takes longer to work." Avelon's head spun with the new information."How do you know all of this?" She pried, "And what else do you know?"Brianne sighed, her shoulders slumping as she watched the stream. "I know so many terrible things, Avelon. The Ciorra is one of the unique poisons Balor likes to use after he's had his 'fun' with you. Or before. Or during. He uses small doses to get the most out of it." Avelon's eyes widened, "He used it on you, too?" The slight dip of Brianne's chin made Avelon shiver.Brianne noticed Avelon's trembling and continued to explain, "Never sexually, that's not Balor's thing. He enjoys torturing- relishes in inflicting pain and seeing how much pain he can inflict. He enjoys rendering you useless to fight back, yet keeping you aware enough to endure every bit of it." Brianne's voice remained unfaltering, whereas Avelon's entire body felt like on fire, ready to explode or combust. She, just as Brianne, understood and lived through Balor's cruel forms of enjoyment. Flashbacks left Avelon's skin crawling. She has not known the flower until her first experiment, though she could not fathom the possibilities should Balor have used it on her before. She would kill Balor, without feeling the slightest shred of remorse, doing it slowly enough to make him beg for mercy or death."Balor," Avelon chuckled darkly and humorlessly, "That son of a bitch." Avelon had known that Brianne had suffered through her own instances of torture with Balor, yet she hoped that she was wrong. Avelon had recognized it in the way Brianne's body would stiffen at the mention of his name or the way she avoided an encounter with him at all costs. Avelon's shoulders slumped just as a weight fell onto her shoulders. "He has my best friend locked away."A truth for a truth. Brianne swung around, facing Avelon with wide eyes, filled with a sadness only Avelon could understand."Why?" Avelon's lip twitched at Brianne's question. She had been ready to divulge everything, to lay bare every bit of information she had, but in that moment, she hesitated."To keep me here." Avelon was not lying, though it was not the whole truth. She could not quite understand her reluctance.Brianne frowned- a sign that she knew Avelon was holding back in sharing too much information. She pursed her lips, rising stiffly."Balor is doing something illegal." Brianne whispered just loud enough for Avelon to hear, moving closer. Avelon listened intently- frozen by Brianne's revelation."I'm not sure what exactly, but fae have been disappearing." Brianne's voice had turned grave. Her eyes took in their surroundings as she spoke, "Not just any fae- the slaves. That's why there are so few of us on our side of the castle. I was sure they were coming for me next, but then you arrived."Avelon opened her mouth to respond, but no words came."At first, I was relieved that I had a chance of not being next." Avelon understood Brianne's admittance, "But then we became friends, and now I am worried, Avelon. What are they doing to you?" Brianne's face was pale as she clasped Avelon's hand, a rush of emotions flooding Avelon's chest. She had to tell Brianne, even if it cost her everything."Balor is-""Avelon." Elha's purring voice made Avelon's arm hairs stand on end.Brianne instinctively moved in front of Avelon as a protective barrier. Avelon felt a mixture of flattery and irritation- her friend had so little faith in her. Clicking her tongue, Avelon stepped to Brianne's side."I appreciate it, Brianne, but it's okay." Avelon nodded, turning her gaze to Elha, who stood smirking smugly at them.Her pale hair stood out against the deep maroon of her shirt, which rose to reveal her abdomen. The pants she wore were the same colour, unflattering against her pale complexion. There were only two reasons that Avelon could think of that would suggest Elha's presence. Either Balor had felt them wandering too far from the palace and sent a guard to retrieve them, or Balor wanted Avelon for another experiment."I was sent to collect Avelon to assist in Balor's private duties." Elha declared- experiment it was.Brianne inched forward, ready to defend Avelon.Avelon reached out to stop Brianne, "We'll meet up later?"Brianne hesitated, looking back, trying to decipher Avelon's plan. Avelon narrowed her eyes slightly, silently urging Brianne to go. Do not fight, and do not wait. Brianne's eyes blazed in understanding, her mouth pulled into a firm frown.Even though Avelon did not want to go with Elha, she would not let Brianne get in trouble, or worse, for trying to rescue her."Good," Elha nodded towards Brianne in dismissal, "First, I'd like to take a walk with you, Avelon."Avelon's blood turned to ice as she considered Elha's words. She took a deep breath, nudging Brianne forward, and nodded toward Elha. Brianne reluctantly passed by Elha, casting a lingering, worried glance back at Avelon."I'll see you later?" Brianne's question hung unanswered in the air as Avelon walked away with Elha. Uncertainty laced Brianne's words, yet Avelon could not give her an answer when she did not have one herself.Avelon barely made out Brianne's retreating figure before asking, "What do you want?" Her voice was tight, emotion threatening to take control of her actions. Elha did not pause to acknowledge Avelon- instead, she continued walking ahead, humming softly. Avelon's hands clenched into fists at Elha's silence. With every fibre of her being, Avelon wanted to throttle her. Apart from the sound of Elha's voice that had Avelon grinding her teeth, Elha continued to walk a step ahead in complete silence. A quick glance, revealed only the vague outline of the palace, surprising given its size. Caution had Avelon anxiously snapping her gaze around. The stream had widened and grew relentless- the sight as beautiful as it was terrifying. Avelon realized where they were just as Elha stopped humming and looked back at her."It's not entirely something I want," Elha slowed to a stop, turning to face Avelon fully, "But it is something we need to assess before we continue."Avelon's eyes widened at the sudden darkness surrounding Elha. Before she could react, Elha raised her hands toward the stream, directing them to Avelon in a sweeping motion. Tendrils of water rose from the stream and snapped for her."What are you doing?" Avelon yelled as the tendrils enveloped her arms, legs and waist, pulling her towards the stream. Her body froze, her voice pitching as she let out a startled yelp.Elha's eyes narrowed, flicking her wrist. Smaller tendrils of water crept up Avelon's body and into her mouth, drowning any sounds that escaped and turning them into gargling gasps. Avelon's body shook in terror as she struggled to fight for release and air. Her wild eyes searched for anything that could help her, finally landing on Elha, who stood unphased by her actions as she picked on a piece of her clothing."What needs to be done."