"It is not polite to pry into someone's privacy, my friend," came a calm voice from behind yet the person in blame kept on rummaging through the bedside drawer.

"I forgot something, I will just take it and leave," Ailith took no heed in peeking to see the man, she had a grudge to uphold after all.

"Do tell me why is the thing you forgot in my room?" Noah casually strolled and took a seat on the creaking bed.

She did not reply, since in her book talking as much as she already had to him was a sign of not holding contempt. And right at this moment she held enough to fill the Nimue lake, which was the deepest a lake could go in the whole kingdom.

"Alright then," he held up his hands in defeat, "I give up. What should I do to make you forgive me? Do you want me to beg?"

She stopped her actions. For a moment he thought that she might be feeling grave over what he said but alas, he should have known better.

"It would make it considerably appealing for the eyes but no promises on the forgiving part."

His shoulders slumped as he leaned back with an audible sigh.

"You wound me," he muttered.

"Not as much as you have me," Ailith said with indifference and finally whirled to look at him. "You really are shameful, Noah, after what you did someone with dignity would not be able to show their face around to strangers much less to the person they wronged."

"What would Reya think of this? I know I was wrong but you are taking this far," he started at the ceiling with a stony face.

"She would scold me," Ailith didn't have to think far and hard about it. Most of the talks they have exchanged are her scolding her anyway.

"Exactly," he nodded at getting his point through.

"And she would pat you on the back for snagging my hard earned coins for yourself wouldn't she?"

"Halo got himself in a gambling debt and if I didn't do what I did my brother's body would be rotting in a dark alley," Noah sat up, trying to keep his voice calm on the matter, "you would have done the same if you were in my shoes."

"I wouldn't have stolen from my partner's pocket," she glared at him. Her face was filled with fury because she couldn't utter the words that she really wanted to.

"We are thieves, Ailith, it doesn't matter where we steal from."

"You have no honor." She shook her head with disbelief. Holding up the silver necklace that they had taken from a ramdom mistress, "I am taking this as compensation. It wouldn't nearly be enough but if I go back empty handed than it would be me rotting in a dark alley tonight and the only difference would be that I would suffer alive."

She waited for a reply but got nothing. He stared at his hands in silence.

It was when she was at the threshold of the door that he spoke.

"We weren't born with honor, Ailith," he looked in her eyes, "we are too low for that."

She had no reply for that. He was right but that was not something that was the reason for her anger.

The fact that he wasted the money that could make his life on someone that didn't even consider him family and it was not even the first time.

Halo had been leeching off of Noah's money for his selfish addictions and sins. He was the epitome of disgust in her view. Not only that but the way his brother impacted his decisions was so obviously biased and one sides that it hurt her.

He has known her predicament as well. The work she did to survive, to get a roof on her head was something only Noah knew yet he risked her life for someone so gluttonous.

The necklace only got her five silvers. Compared to the seven gold she had it was measly but it would last her a night. There would obviously no dinner for her tonight.

She sighed before walking the paved streets. The sky was a beautiful shade of pink and for every one of the people still walking the streets it was a warning bell.

Get safe while you still can, it seemed to say and everyone listened. Even she fastened her pace.

The palace guards do not like seeing people during the patrols. That was the only sane information anyway.

The house was as dreary as ever. The dark green exterior of the house was enough to give someone chills.

Ailith walked up the steps and hesitated before knocking.

Cilia, the new and much too eerie housemaid, opened the door with a smile. No one knew if she could speak or not, there were rumors that she sung while no one was listening but to this day they had been nothing but rumors.

She did not go upstairs to her room but instead to madam Reya's office. Though the house was well lighted it was in this part of the building thatt one could feel the strange aura.

Cilia, like a quiet ghost, followed right behind her with a smile that never leaves.

She knocked on the door before entering. A solemn flickering candle sat on the desk that drenched half the room in light while the other half remained in shadows. It was a s9re sight for the eyes.

"Ah! My favorite disciple," Reya was a lady in her late sixties. Her hair had more strands of silver than ebony. Her wrinkled face was gleeming with a smile that was more unnerving than reassuring.

"I couldn't get..." She tried speaking up wanting to get the burden off of her shoulders. Her hand was halfway to the ragged up coat's pocket but the loud screech halted her actions.

Reya had stood up. The chair she had sat on now touching the wall far behind her.

"My dear, do you think that the relationship we have is all about money?" She didn't look hurt. An amused look marred her face.

Ailith stood frozen in her spot. The woman was a mystery to her. Even after sixteen years it felt that expect her name there was nothing that described her personality.

This woman, who took calculated steps towered her, towering her with both intimidation and height was terrifying.

Wrapping an arm around her neck, Reya pulled her to the window. The streets were dark some lights placed at random intervals.

"Do you see this, my dear," She spoke. "This is the infamous city of Sterne. A city I like to call my home and those things that belong to me no one dares to touch. Understand?"

She nodded. Not knowing at all where this was going.

"Good," her smile grew wider, "and this institution is mine as well," she looked around the room then back at her, "along with the girls in it, including you."

Ailith opened her mouth but seeing that was immediately cut off.

"I don't ask for many things but from my girls I want precision, efficiency and most of all operation in all of which you have failed." Her voice became stern at the end and the realization caught up to her.

Noah had tattled on her.

"Why must you be so ungrateful for my kindness?" She released her and went back to her seat. As soon as she was settled she raised her hand fingers, "five lashes, dear, along with my money that you hid under your bed. Nothing more and nothing less."

Her eyes widened, "I will get you the money, I promise. Give me this one chance."

"I told you, dear," she looked up with an apathetic face, "it is not about the money."

Ailith took a step forward, one step away from groveling on her knees but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

Cilia smile reached her eyes as she dragged her to the basement.

Blood had never been a problem for Ailith. Living where she was, there were random corpses lying around almost every corner, the aftermath of a brutal drunken brawl perhaps.

And they call this city peaceful.

The point was, her mind had been dipped in folly yet there was just something so horrifyingly new and terrible about the blood that was one's own.

She did not want to look at it, clean It, or do anything for that matter. She lay on her white sheets, solemnly and too still for her own good. Eyes attached to the ceiling as she tried not to think about the lack of money under her bed.

Her eyes threatened to leak but the pride she had forgotten moments ago now stopping her from what just might bring her relief.

If she could have given her life for the coins, she would have.

It was, for her, the only thing that made her push herself to do such a sinful work.

Sterne had been where she was born and lived her whole miserable life. It was harsh but it was somewhere she knew, but this was not where she would feel free. Ailith had tried that.

The money was what she saved for herself. The money that was almost enough to get her out of this place for good.

It hurt. It hurt physically to learn that in a matter of a night everything had been stolen from her. She even had the oozing wounds on her back to prove it. She didn't want to cry but it felt like it would help.

As she thought about it the door to her small room opened and came a series of giggles and chatters which immediately stopped.

Ailith did not move an inch. The pain had finally settled down.

"Oh," came a disgruntled sigh, "you are still here." It was Sally, without a doubt with her friends that follow her every footstep and worship her like a god.

There were sounds of retreating footsteps.

"Wait!" Yelled someone from her group, "Ailith, I heard you got punished today, why was that?"

She wanted to either reply with words that would move heaven and hell or slap the woman in the face. Unfortunately, she couldn't do both.

"Just leave her alone," Sally sounded exhausted.

"Is it because of that handsome boy that came to meet madam today?" The same girl uttered with excitement.

Her ears perked up at that.

"What boy?" Sally was the one who spoke this time.

"I saw him as well," someone else spoke, "a charming young fellow. Halo he said his name was."

She was out of bed faster than she had ever moved. The pain was long forgotten as anger boiled in her for Halo once again.

Grabbing her coat, she strolled to the front door of the house.

She heard some girls call for her but at the moment she couldn't care less.

Her mind jumped to different conclusions and none of them was a good end for the boy she had despised so much without even seeing.

As soon as she stepped out of the house and saw the silent and dark streets. She realized why her plan was a fleeting one.

Thankfully the guards were not yet there. With her luck, they might be closer than she suspects. And when the fast paced hooves sounded, that notion was put to rest as well.

Putting on the jacket with a scrunched up face, Ailith slightly limped out of the streets and into the alleys. She was not exactly sure where Halo might be or what he might look like. Going on pure recklessness was one of her prevailing instincts but not an efficient one.

She knew the gambling den though. She had visited it a couple of times, unfortunately.

It gave her shivers just ponder on about it. The place in itself was luxurious. For people like them who had never seen luxury that beat up building was indeed a place to awe at.

Her thoughts were cut off by a loud crack. She might have guessed someone got caught roaming and now was being whipped by the palace guards, and would have been utterly wrong.

The skies that were gloomy all day were roaring now. The lightning shone and made her cower. Storms scared her.

There, perhaps, wasn't a thing she wasn't afraid of. Large bodies of water, heights, violent storms, and the dark. Everything terrified her.

The fact was before getting into this 'business', Ailith was scared of getting caught as well, but soon enough that fear was chased away. Reya was a big part of it. As much as intimidating and harsh she might seem, she was a good mentor and she appreciated her efforts. There was some animosity in her heart for the woman but that was something she couldn't control.

Learning from that experience she learned that it was easy to get rid of fears. One just have to push forward or be given one. The rest comes like a hurricane. Which she was afraid of.

In that spirit, Ailith wanted to try getting rid of her fear of the sea, but for that she needed to learn how to swim and that was tedious.

In short, she had the push needed to get rid of a fear, she was just to slothful.

The fast paced sound of hooves were distracting. She had to stop and hide everytime they passed, and they passed a lot.

It a while before she could reach the door. No one stood outside and it looked like a normal house. People knew better though.

She raised her hand which caused her to stretch her wounds. It was not a pretty feeling and her reaction was a curse to the winds.

As she somehow managed to knock a big burly man opened the door and apparently he knew her.

The smile he gave was menacing.

"Come in," he sidestepped. There was an accent to his speech but she couldn't tell from where that could be from.

She walked in.

From the interior it also looked like a normal house, but the basement was where it all went down. The upstairs rooms were available as well, but much more sinful activities take place in them.

She instinctively moved to the stairs that went down.

"Not there," the man halted her. With a firm hand he pointed up. "Colt wants to meet you first."

If she wasn't in the presence of a man she barely knew, she would have sighed dramatically. The last thing she wants to do is meet that scoundrel.

She had no choice though, she thought while walking upstairs. He owned the place and she was just a random admirer in this establishment.

Several lewd sounds seeped tgrough in the hallway. Ailith walked with her head down and tried focusing on her steps.

On the third floor, everything was silent. One of the rooms were open and shined light in the dark hallway. A vague tapping sound came from the room.

If this wasn't a fantasy novel, she might just think she was in a horror one.

With a deep breath she went in. The room was a study. Several shelves lined the walls, two couches were placed in the middle and a desk behind it.

The man she dreaded grinned at her while tapping his finger on the well made desk.

"Darling," he said in a way of greeting.

"Mr. Severne, why, might I ask, did you call me?" She smiled the fakest of her smiles.

"Such formalities," he sighed, "take a seat, the night is long and I haven't seen you in a long while."

"I apologize but I have matters to attend." She was ready to leave then.

"Reya didnt inform me of you coming," he leaned forward with interest.

"I come on personal matter," she replied in a straightforward manner.

"Daring aren't we?" He chuckled a dark laugh.

"If there isn't anything I can do for you, then I will leave." She whirled and was a step out the door, when...

"Halo, right?" His words stopped her steps. "So it is true. I can tell you where he Is, and I can also swear on my life that he isn't here."

"What do you want?" She gritted through her teeth, not bothering to look back at him.

"Ah!" He clapped his hands, "there is my darling."

She waited for his reply.

"What I want is simple," he said, "a display of your powers, just for me."

"Where is he?" It was an agreement. He already knew what she was. A display probably wouldn't hurt.

He pushed forward a piece of paper.

She walked up to his desk and without even a glance in his direction walked out the door.

"Good luck, darling, you might just need it this time." His voice called out.

Ailith made her part of the deal clear by closing the door to his study shut with a loud slam. It might not seem impressive but she did it when she was out the building and back into the streets.

As much as he craved to see psychic powers in action, hers might have excited him way more than she initially thought.

This was not a good idea.

The words repeated in her mind like a mantra.

Her subconsciousness reminded her at every step that what she was doing, that was perhaps a good idea once, now felt absolutely horrifying.

She had a bed calling her name, should she really do this? Turning back now would be futile and will make the effort she put into this useless.

Ailith was tired though. The slight pour that had started a while ago soaked her jacket and her wounds screamed.

Cilia had no mercy on her. Even if it was five lashes, the whip had blades that not only cut open her other wounds but made new ones as well. Compared to that, of she really had a choice or had to be whipped, than the palace guards were far more merciful. At least their whip was made of only leather.

Looking at the address than at the building she stopped in front of, she shook her head.

Noah was not well off, neither Halo. That much she was sure of. But the two story house with an iron fence around seemed much to real for that fact.

Had she been fooled, or was this really the place Halo lived in?

She thought it better to make sure.

Going through the open gate to the posh wooden door. Her hand lifted but before she could do anything the door opened itself.

The man that stood in front of her was, unfortunately, handsome. His silver eyes stood out with his ebony hair and the grin he gave seemed eerie. Almost as of he was disappointed.

"I wasn't aware that there was another girl coming?" She never though she could describe a voice as dark but his was. Dark and mischievous.

There was another feature of his that stood out though. An extremely obvious feature, which was the lack of a shirt.

Don't take it the wrong way. She had seen men that way. This was not her first but unlike others his body was far more muscular and maintained. The fact that he towered over her also was a factor.

He stayed silent and she took a moment before speaking. Assessing him took time.

His grin appeared the same but his eyes had dimmed a little.

Who was she to care?

Ailith cleared her throat, "Halo, was it?" She smiled as well.

"My, my I must be getting famous." He wanted to say something else but there was nothing needed.

Her punch did hurt her as well. But the stagger in his stance and the look of absolute shock made it all worth it.

"Are you mental, girl!?" She cut him off by grabbing his, *****, shoulder and pinning him to the wall.

"I wish to demand, Halo," she spat his name, "why did you go to Reya to weep about the money Noah gave you?"

His face was palpably frozen. Mouth agape as he took her in from head to toe.

"Ailith?" His voice was almost a whisper. She felt a little bizarre being evaluated like that. She had done that to him but this time they were a lot... closer.

"I asked something!" She pushed his shoulder, hard, in frustration. He didn't even flinch.

"It is you!" He exclaimed with a big grin and sparkling eyes.

"I may very well be here to kill you, what is with that expression?" She took a step back while asking.

"Kill me?" His face was of confusion. Then as if it hit him, "Oh! My sincerest of apologizes for whatever happened to you."

There seemed to be a permanent smile plastered on his face. She was afraid that if she might let him go he may start jumping.

"I. Need. An. Explanation," seeing his reaction to her, Ailith felt angered. How dare he smile like that when he ruined her life? How dare he be so carefree?

"About that," he raised a finger and pointed to the living room, "let's take a seat, it's something I want to discuss with you myself."

He slowly inched his hand to hers that held him, but instead of removing it she pushed him to the wall with more force.

There was no change of emotion on his face but his hand did stop.

"I don't want to sit down," she said, "I want an explanation."

It hurt her more than she was hurting him. The wounds on her back were searing as if they were fresh. She tried to hold her emotions from coming on her face. She was half successful in that matter.

Whatever she had expected his reaction would be she didn't know, but his smile was less than endearing. "Feisty." He crossed his arms on his chest.

She opened her mouth, but...

"Halo, darling~" echoed a voice, and soon enough came its source strutting down the stairs. A very ***** source.

"Oh, Stars!" She covered her eyes with her hands and turned away. That image will be forever burned in her mind.

What did she even walk into?

"Serene, meet Ailith," Halo spoke. She was still not ready to turn around.

"The one you were telling me about just now," the girl, Serene, acknowledged. "Why is she turned away though?"

As if that was something she was saying out loud.

Her words we're accompanied by a soft 'Oh' a moment later.

"I thought she worked in a harem," the girl seemed to be whispering loudly.

"She does," he said with much too confidence for comfort. "Her work is a little different from the others."

"I will go wear something than." She heard the sounds of retreating footsteps but still didn't turn.

"She is gone," he muttered.

She whirled to find him standing much farther than the position she had left him at.

"I..." She opened her mouth.

"Want an explanation? Than perhaps consider listening to me." He spoke, scratching his head, "you really are something aren't you."

He mumbled something after that as well but that was inaudible to her ears.

"I did what I did to get your attention." He explained but things just got more confusing.

"Excuse me?"

"I hate repeating myself," he said more to himself than anyone else, "I told you before, it is a long story and I wouldn't let a girl like you out on the streets." His words might seem genuine but the look on his face was nothing but mock.

What choice did she have? Coming out after sunset was risky and it was a miracle as well as her skills combined that she didn't get caught by someone yet.

Going out then might just be going to her doom.

"Alright then, Halo," she straightened herself, "I will flatter this notion of yours."