Even when all of her sorrows had surrounded her, a sight of him had started spreading the peace in her mind. How it was possible that the heart which was drowning in shame at feeling those glares upon at her, had started to fly up as if it had gotten the wings? No. It hadn't.

What her heart had suddenly felt was the support of her love, the very presence of his had wrapped arms of protection around her. She couldn't feel the same shame anymore.

"Rodwin," she couldn't believe her eyes for once. The man whose stomach was all clawed, head was injured brutally, was standing there in front of her all in his muscular glory.

She blinked, feeling a strong wave of emotions passing through her heart when the events of last night flashed through her mind. Her eyes had started to burn as the urge to throw her arms around him came strongly in her heart. She wanted to confirm if he was all fine. She wanted to know what he had gone through, dealing with the beast because of whom her brother was being inquired in the court of the Kingdom.

But the way his eyes moved on her body, getting downwards to see the trauma that she was dealing with had an impact on her health. She looked weak. She was weak and needed his support.

Samara's tears hung at the lashes when his gaze moved up and settled on her face, observing her swollen-bloodshot eyes and pale skin. Her eyes lowered as the slight thought of looking ugly to him came in her mind. But he grunted silently, catching her attention when he was picking up the bucket using the arm which was bandaged near the elbow.

She forwarded her hand to stop him but one straight look from him had torn her. Those grey eyes were not just dealing with the horrors of last night, there was more to it. As if he knew what happened to Samuel and it wasn't fair. She couldn't see pity or remorse, all there was a hidden anger beneath the mask of blankness.

She blinked her tears, getting straight when he too did. Her eyes moved around under the blanket of her long lashes and she could see that all the neighbors were there to witness the victim helping the sister of the criminal. She couldn't feel right then.

What if deep inside, Rodwin was upset with Samuel for attacking him? What if he truly knew that her brother was the beast and was now helping her because he felt her pain?

She gulped.

"Rodwin, I can do it. . ." Her breath hitched when he looked around immediately, glaring at every person who was being nosy for no reason and unfair without any proof.

Goosebumps risen on her skin when he put an arm around her shoulder while facing the direction to her home. Her heart had almost stopped beating when she caught her father watching them from the window. She gulped, not believing that this was happening.

Yet she knew, instead of being afraid, she should only be grateful to Rodwin's act of kindness. She looked up at him sideways when they finally started walking. Raven hair were falling out from the bandaged that had been wrapped around his forehead. His eyes were narrowed at the ground ahead, thinking hard while jaws were clenched.

She couldn't dare ask him if he was feeling better now. She couldn't even dare to open her mouth. She was so ashamed of ever doubting her love for him because of a shame of man like Nathaniel, she had thought she loved.

He entered through the little iron gate, and walked inside. Samara couldn't move her eyes up in nervousness as her father was still standing with those stern expressions and arms crossed across his chest.

"Lord Hampton," said Rodwin, nodding in respect just like he used to do since childhood.

Samara couldn't understand his behavior, nor her father who furrowed his brows. His arms even loosened as he opened his mouth to speak, "Rodwin, wait."

The bucket was kept right in front of the main door, while the hand from her shoulder was off already. He was stopped from being turn around as he waited for Lord Hampton to speak.

"How are you now?" Samara watched the shame in her father's eyes. "Come inside, explain me what had happened," her father said in his rough voice.

Rodwin, without giving her a glance, stared at her father. "I hope, Nathaniel must have told you everything and you must have believed everything too. I must go home and talk much with my father who has faith more in his son than he has in those fake rumours."

Stealing no glances at her, he walked away leaving the father and the daughter stunned.

________

"Ten soldiers weren't in there tents, but in the forests. Even if the Prince has narrowed down his list of suspects to the main three and now, King had idiotically blamed Samuel on the talks of Nathaniel—I still want to revise the whole story in my mind," said Violet while walking actively.

Samara gulped quietly and didn't say anything. Since the morning, she couldn't think about anything but Rodwin. The way he had so openly taunted her father was a mark of bravery. This meant that he didn't mean Samuel as the beast.

A small hope has flickered in her heart at Rodwin's act today. Her father had gone to the castle just as he suffered that early morning taunt. She could see the guilt in his eyes.

"Samara, you can't be so quiet. I know there is so much in your mind. You will have to share it with me and Logan. Or you will lose your brother," warned Violet.

Samara shook her head slowly. "I don't know, Violet. Everything seems so easy yet is so difficult. Winning Rodwin back, Saving my brother, telling the whole village that Nathaniel is lying. It is all so difficult."

Violet gave her a serious look.

"But giving us a little time of yours is not that difficult. Is it? We will find a way, I know. We have Logan for all the help. Don't you know he is the messenger? He knows everything. We just have to make right use of him," she explained.

A soft smile came upon Samara's lips as she glanced at her best friend. "Since when did you both started to discuss about the problems of this village? Don't you both talk about your dream wedding and kids?"

Violet chuckled at her trying to lighten up the environment. "Finally, you are being yourself." Shaking her head, she looked at the front. "I don't know, all that is on our mind is this beast. Logan is worried for Rodwin and even Davis. Besides, he has started to stay more with that young boy, Erasmus. He is determined on finding out the beast."

"I myself am curious to know who is hiding beneath the cover of sins, Samara. I am slightly afraid if it is Logan," she spoke.

Samara stopped in her tracks, shuddering at her words. "What did you say? You do not believe Logan, Violet. How can you even doubt him? Wasn't he the one who showed you the claw marks on the iron door? He has always been out of the dangerous area. He has always been on the safe side."

Violet smiled slowly, giving her an apologetic look. "Isn't it way too clean for a soldier's reputation who is one of those ten?"

Samara gulped and continued walking. "Do not repeat my father's mistake. He is regretting now, doubting Samuel."

"Aren't you regretting not noticing the real Nathaniel?" asked Violet, giving another shock to Samara. When she didn't hear any response, she chuckled lightly. "See, that is how it is going. Which is why I wanted us both to revise this night of the war that happened in Sherfield. We need to analyse and find out who's been hiding beneath a clean mask."

Samara gulped and looked at her friend, observing her confidence. "What will they do to the beast if they find him?"

Violet shrugged her shoulders. "Ask Logan, he will know."

Samara nodded and was walking ahead when Violet shocked her further by saying, "Though I have heard. The sinner has to bath in fire to get his soul cleaned."

Tears blurred Samara's eyes as she stared at her best friend.

"They might burn him, Samara."

_____

"The Prince found a group of seven near the pond," said Logan while making a picture on the sand with a little stick.

Samara and Violet were sitting in front of him, listening to him carefully.

"Seven means one was injured and lying on the ground and the other six had overpowered him," he explained. "Now, when wolves arrived—all of them are scared except for the injured one. Since he is not able to run and save himself. The six soldiers run for their life, provoking the three of the wolves as they followed them immediately."

Violet cut him off immediately. "We had heard the story, love. What we don't know is which soldier was in which group. If we know that, we can find out which one spent more time with the wolves and who could get a bite."

Logan glanced at Samara questioningly who too nodded in agreement. He sighed and rubbed his forehead. The afternoon was peaceful and not-so-warm. But the approaching evening would bring another dark night and he would again have to roam in the woods to find the beast.

"First of all, tell me if you both know the all ten soldiers the Prince had seen that night," said Logan.

Violet glanced at Samara and said, "Firstly, the three soldiers who left the hall. Nathaniel, Samuel and Jeffrey." She observed Samara's eyes lowering down and further mentioned, "Also that we know Rodwin saved the wolf. So, he was in the woods that night. He is one of the ten."

"Four done," said Logan with an amazed look on his face. "The remaining six."

"Earl, Preston and Lori," called Samara while remembering how they would always assist Nathaniel and be his tails all the time.

At her words, Logan nodded in understanding. "Yes, they participated in helping the boys, the full moon night."

Violet nodded at him when she suddenly remembered, "What about Kent and Brody? They used to be in Nathaniel's gang too."

"Used to," said Logan. "But they were killed in the war. . ." He suddenly remembered the names of the list when Prince was recognizing the soldiers for the first time after the first murder.

"Wait! You are right," he looked at his love. "The Prince had asked for Brody that day but he couldn't see him as he was dead. This meant that he was one of the ten soldiers."

"What about Kent?" asked Violet while narrowing her eyes.

Logan twitched his lips. "Oh, I remember. The boy had his leg broken and all infected from the wound from the first day of the war. He died within ten days and this night in Prince's tale had happened the thirteenth night. He wasn't there then."

Samara gulped in discomfort as talking about dead people wasn't giving her much relief. How cruel was the war? She sighed. The image of her brother being stabbed by those six arrows had given her nightmares. She still couldn't forget it all.

"That makes them eight. The rest two?" asked Logan while tapping his chin.

Violet crossed her arms across her chest, narrowing her eyes at him. "The ninth one is you, my love."

Red tainted Logan's cheeks as he remembered himself. The horrors of that night surfaced his mind as he shook his head to clear his mind. "Yes. The last one?" He chuckled nervously.

"Davis," said Samara, thoughtfully. "He participated in the help on the night of full moon. Moreover, he has been your best mate, Logan and so of Rodwin. If you both were in the woods that night, Davis must have been too."

Violet smirked at her smartness and waited for Logan to speak. But seeing his smile fading, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Samara, you are right about Davis being one of the ten," he cleared his throat. "But since the days of war, Davis hadn't really been like old days. He has started to maintain distance. The bond between us and him has faded and this is because of us favouring Samuel as the greatest archer."

Samara's lips curled in confusion. "What?"

Logan nodded. "Davis doesn't like Samuel much. These days, you yourself must have noticed how he spends more time with Nathaniel and his friends. He is maybe jealous of Rodwin. Even if he is not, Nathaniel is jealous of Rodwin. Being in the same company forms similar opinions."

Samara's face turned blank as she looked up at the tree and thought hard. She remembered how her brother didn't look happy when she was dancing with Davis. She herself hadn't feel comfortable under his gaze that night.

"That completes our list," clapped Violet, stealing their attention. She took the another stick and made a circle on the sand. Marking a line between the circle, she explained, "This left side is the group of three that came to help the injured one. We know that one of them is Rodwin," she spoke, earning a nod from Logan.

Samara watched quietly when her friend pointed on the other half. "This is the other group. The group of six soldiers who were beating the seventh one. Now, we know that Nathaniel could never befriend Rodwin and he likes to lead. My instincts tell me that one of the six soldiers was Nathaniel here."

Logan smirked. "Correct. Now, where is injured one in this circle, darling."

Violet flared her nostrils and pointed at the mark between the circle. "This is the injured one. These three doesn't know who the six soldiers were. But they saved the beaten one so they know who was targeted that night."

Samara nodded immediately. "Similarly, the six soldiers don't know who the three soldiers are. Except for the Rodwin."

Violet placed her hand on Logan's thigh and glanced at Samara, smiling amusingly.

"Now, my love. Since you are Rodwin's best friend and you have always been there with him. I know that you must be the one of the three two. Now, you will tell us who was the beaten one," she suggested.

Samara immediately looked up at them and nodded. "If you have been there with Rodwin and then, Davis must be there too." But suddenly she remembered what Logan had said moments ago. "Wait! You said that he wasn't there with you since he has started to be with Nathaniel."

Logan smiled sadly and nodded. "True, Samara. I hadn't seen Davis in the woods night. But if Prince has recognized him then he might be in the group of six with Nathaniel."

Samara's heart dropped as a sudden realisation hit her chest. Not just her, but Violet too was stunned as she immediately asked, "Then, who was the third person with you both?"

Logan bit his lip and said, "Jeffrey. He was the one who entered our tent and told us how he had seen Nathaniel going into the woods with his friends. When it was his father only who had warned us not to tease wolves."

Violet's nostrils flared in anger and she was about to say something angrily when she heard a cracked voice from her left.

Both her and Logan looked at Samara when she asked, "If Jeffrey was with you. Davis with Nathaniel. Then, it is clear that the beaten one was. . . was my brother."

Violet's lips parted as Logan leaned ahead and squeezed Samara's hand. He cleared his throat and nodded.

"Yes, he was. Jeffrey not only warned us about Nathaniel but also told us how Samuel wasn't there in the tent when he had gotten awake from the first howl. He had also told us that Nathaniel had been taunting Samuel over something since the first day in the war. He seemed so worried for his friend, he pleaded us to follow then with him in the woods."

Samara's lips stayed part as she stared far at the tree, feeling utter hatred forming in the name of Nathaniel in her heart. "This means that they were. . .

"They were targeting Samuel," said Violet, glancing at Samara who let out a faint sob.

______

"What do you think?"

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