Selene's first waking memory was the sensation of being lifted and carried. She'd always enjoyed being carried ever since she could remember. When she had been a little child, she'd liked to pretend she was asleep so her mother would carry her into her bedroom.

Although she liked being carried, she couldn't deny the fact that not many people were good at carrying others. She'd liked being carried by her mother because Tabitha had always been careful not to jiggle and wake her up.

She'd enjoyed being carried by Benjamin because his hands had been so strong and he'd smelt so good. Even though he jiggled her once or twice, it had still felt natural.

The sensation she felt while she was still on the borders of consciousness made her realize she'd never met anyone that graceful.

It was so graceful that it almost began to feel inhuman. She struggled to open her eyes but her body wasn't ready to be conscious yet. It was either that or the person carrying her didn't want her to wake up until they said so.

The last time she'd felt that way was when she went to watch Larry's basketball practice a few years ago. One of the guys there had accidentally slammed her head with a ball and she'd been unconscious for a while.

Selene felt like she had been unconscious for several hours but Larry said it had only been a few minutes. She'd heard his friends panicking but she hadn't been able to open her eyes for a while.

That was the exact same feeling she got when she was being lifted. She became unconscious shortly after.

Her body finally became ready to return to reality. When her eyes opened, a grand room was revealed. It was an image straight out of a fairy tale.

The room Selene and her friends woke up in had high walls with what looked like a diamond chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The walls were painted silver but not the dull and dead silver those on earth are used to. It almost seemed like the walls were alive and had a mind of its own.

There were paintings adorning the room, making it look more like a museum than a grand house. There were several windows leaking sunlight into the room but all of them were shut making Selene feel like they were being held captive.

The room was freezing cold like someone had turned on all the air conditioners but Selene couldn't see anything that looked like it could lower the temperature of the room.

At first she felt alarmed because she didn't recognize where she was. It took her a while to remember what had happened and how they'd left her aunt behind to come to Rodia.

When she remembered her friends, she looked beside her and saw that they were already awake looking ahead at someone. She followed their line of vision.

"Good. You're all awake." A strange man with a large bald patch at the center of his head was looking at them. Or rather Selene in particular.

His sharp grey eyes seemed to be scanning her every move like a computer or something.

"Where are we?" Selene spoke before Benjamin or Edith could.

"You're where you wanted to be. I assume you didn't come here by accident, child. Although how you were able to find us is still a mystery to me. I can tell you've never been to Rodia before." The man said.

"No. Then....then this must be the Castle of the Brethren. The Telepathers." Selene said breathlessly.

"That is correct. What are you?" The man asked.

"Excuse me?" Selene felt highly offended by the question. It was one of the most offensive questions she'd ever heard.

"He means what are your powers. What can you do?" Benjamin explained.

"Shouldn't you already know? I thought Telepathers could see everything." Selene didn't trust the man or the expression on his face.

The man walked towards them and bent to hold Benjamin's face in his left hand. His royal blue robes trailed behind him. His grey eyes became as silver as the walls as he read the young man in front of him. Benjamin's eyes went dull like he couldn't resist even if he wanted to. Selene couldn't believe how easily the man has disarmed Benjamin who she'd seen as a reservoir of power.

"I know your boyfriend here is a Magi. Quite powerful for his age judging by his golden eyes and powerful aura. I can see his bravery, strength and loyalty. A great person to have as a friend and a terrible one to have as an enemy." He looked deeper into Benjamin's eyes.

Benjamin didn't look like he could move or blink. He shivered when the man removed his hands from his face. The man's eyes returned to its original grey color. Selene tried not to gasp because the man had repeated the exact same thing Edith had said about Benjamin.

The man held Edith's next since she was in the middle and looked into her black eyes like he'd done to Benjamin. His eyes flashed again. Edith froze at once. The girl looked like a puppet or a broken glass doll. It was the most terrifying thing Selene had to watch.

"A Necromancer. I don't believe I've met one in close to a thousand years. Usually, they remain within their catacombs. I can see you're as shrewd as all Children of Death are. Your ties are to the spirit which means you are here on their orders. I'm guessing the cat belongs to you. Dusk, I believe." The man said.

"Where is she?" Edith managed to ask. It was obvious it was hard for her to even speak.

"She's well taken care of. You shall see her soon." The man said intensifying his gaze on Edith's face.

Edith closed her mouth at once. She had many questions but couldn't ask any with the way the man was looking at her.

"You see people for what they are which is why you don't expect much from them or desire to form human connections. You love but not too deeply. You do not fear death for you know there are things worse than it. You had once been unable to accept who you were because it was deemed unacceptable. Now you've embraced the darkness within your heart." The man removed his hands from Edith who exhaled at once.

Edith looked relieved that she wasn't the center of his attention anymore. Selene gulped when the man stood in front of her. He held Selene's face next.

His hands were smoother than a baby's bottom yet as rough as sandpaper at the same time. His sharp dark eyes looked deep into Selene's.

Selene felt cold. Her body went as numb as her mind. She felt his presence penetrate her mind as it had done her other companions. She shivered for a few seconds until the feelings went as quickly as they came.

"What are you, child? You do not possess any of the characteristics of the other magic users in the land yet you cannot be one of us. You battle with insecurities and doubt. Your desire to remain hidden has overshadowed your desire to stand out. You could achieve so much but you prefer to remain common." The man said.

"That's very observant of you, Mr...? I'm not sure I caught your name." Selene blurted out before she could think.

She didn't understand where her bravery or sudden desire to speak had come from. She was terrified of the man but she didn't want him to see that. Her companions were shocked she could even speak considering how scary their situation was. That and the fact that Selene wasn't known to enjoy confrontation.

"You didn't catch it because I didn't tell you, Selene." The man raise one thick black eyebrow.

"Since you already know my name, wouldn't it be nice if I was bestowed the honor to know yours?" Selene asked.

The man chuckled darkly.

"You possess the bravery of a Telepather. I can see your defiance and power flash through your eyes when you speak. I am Herbert—Leader of The Brethren." He said .

"That sounds like a very sexist name. I'm assuming there are also female Telepathers here." Selene said.

"Indeed, there are. Perhaps we shall change our name to something more suitable, eh Selene?" Herbert asked raising an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't know. I just don't think I'd like to be a part of a community called 'The Brethren'. Would you like to belong to a community called 'The Sisters'?" Selene asked.

She heard some gasps behind the man which was when she realized there were other people in the room. She saw their look of horror but focused her attention on the man. Selene knew she should have been afraid of him but she didn't feel afraid for some reason.

It was almost like she was getting brave just by being in the room.

"You amuse me, child. I wouldn't desire to a part of it, no. You made a valid observation. Perhaps you can think of a suitable name for us? Maybe you could even tell us over dinner?" Herbert said.

"Dinner?" Selene said in shock.

"How long were we unconscious?" Edith asked sounding every bit as shocked.

"I'd say 10 hours or more. It costs a lot of physical energy to teleport but crossing through worlds is another thing entirely. I'm surprised we even woke up on the same day." Benjamin said.

"You didn't say any that then!" Selene gasped.

"It wasn't like there was anytime." He shrugged, avoiding her eyes. It looked like he had finally remembered their argument.

Herbert looked amused by their little conversation.

"I can see you're a prodigy, Benjamin. No many Magis your age can cross through worlds as easily as you can. Also, considering how much energy you've exerted, it's best if we all have dinner at once. You'd be showed where you can clean up after your terrible ordeal. Then you can tell my Council of Five why you decided to come here." He clapped his hands as a signal.

A couple of short, thick creatures with blue hair and purple skin came towards them. They chattered to them in an odd language which Selene didn't understand.

"Who are they?" She whispered to Edith when a strong purple beast which appeared to be female dragged Selene away.

"Helpers. Don't ask too many questions. They'd get offended." Edith warned.

Some took Benjamin away. They separated the three of them which Selene didn't like. Hadn't she always heard of the term 'divide and conquer'? She couldn't really complain since they were guests.

She waved them away after they drew her a bath. She didn't fancy the idea of getting naked in front of things that didn't even reach her hip whether they were female or not. It seemed very inappropriate.

As she stripped, she found the book she'd been reading back at home underneath her hideous shirt where she'd tucked it in. Tears stung her eyes when she remembered her aunt who had probably given her life for them to arrive.

She had to avenge her aunt. She had to avenge her mother.

Selene didn't think water could ever feel that good against her skin. She scrubbed off the dirt in her nails and winced when the water touched her wounds.

She gasped when she saw her skin.

Selene's body was covered with different bruises despite the fact that Benjamin had shielded her body with his. She wondered how he had even been able to move after they arrived until she remembered he had healing powers.

She washed her hair with the sweet smelling pink shampoo, trying to think hard. Selene didn't feel any more relaxed than an animal taken to the slaughter house. She felt alarmed.

She didn't trust Herbert one bit. She didn't like the way he kept smiling at her. From her experience, adults who smiled that much were evil.

She finished her shower, feeling sore and tired then slipped on the purple robe they provided for her. After managing to tame her wild hair, she cleaned her glasses which had somehow managed to survive their ordeal without getting shattered.

She looked different in the robes. Without her glasses, she looked like an entirely different person. It was like the robes against her skin had somehow made her pretty.

Selene wasn't sure she liked how she looked but she knew she didn't want to keep the smiling Herbert waiting.

He didn't look like a man who liked to wait.

#M.M💀🖤