The only sound was the shocked gasp that fell from Aurora's lips. The men didn't even look at her, if they had, they might have seen the tears running down her cheeks. This was exactly what she was running from; any time she made contact with someone, it ended in tragedy. she had stayed in with her parents and look how that had ended for them, she had gone to the inn and the old man was harassed, she had begged the farmer to help her and now he lay dead with the soldiers who were merely doing their duty. Though their duty had included helping to capture her, still, they didn't deserve to die, no one did at least not this way.

She shuddered to think of what may become of her. Now that the monster had her in his grasp, she didn't know what he would do with her but she knew one thing; she would rather take her own life than let him kill her. Then again, something told her, reassured her even that he wouldn't kill her if he was going to; he would have done it the minute she admitted she was Aurora, he wouldn't wait or go through all these troubles just to find a maid. Something told her she had a purpose in the grand scheme of things. If that was true, then there might yet be hope for her.

"We go home now, Aurora", Brian said to her. "Home? I have no home, he made sure of that when he killed my parents and hung their bodies up after he skinned them alive", Aurora screamed. "For the last time, I didn't do that", Acacius replied to which she yelled, "then, who did?". "You two can argue later, we need to go now", Brian said to the duo before turning to Ilium and asking "you will take care of the bodies and council?". Ilium nodded and turned away to make a call to explain why the guards were dead.

While he did that, Brian and Acacius prepared to take Aurora back to the crone's. They argued the entire time Ilium was on the call over who will take her; Acacius wanted to keep her close to avoid any future escapes but Aurora refused to go with him, she kicked and screamed until Brian pitied his ward who he knew still had a bleeding palm and offered to take the girl while Acacius flew above them.

Before they could take off, Ilium ended his call and walked over to them. He told them the council will be sending a team down and that the city was to remain under lockdown while they investigated the guards' and farmer's death. That left them with just one option, they would all have to be in the air while Ilium stayed back to clear the situation. They agreed that Ilium will keep his mother apprised of the recent updates and then she could meet up with them at the crone's.

Brian flew Aurora to the crone's hut in silence while Acacius flew directly above them watching out for any danger just in case they were being followed. Don't get them wrong; they had hope in Ilium's problem-solving skills, that's why he was tasked with staying back and coming up with a story for the council in the first place but they had to know there was a chance the story may not sell.

The Sun had risen by the time they got to the crone's hut. They had had to stop twice on the way; once to tie Aurora's hands and legs which they didn't do before leaving mobilis because they were in a hurry. Secondly, to tie a piece of cloth around her mouth since she wouldn't stop screaming obscenities at them or crying loudly.

By the time they arrived at the hut, they were all exhausted and if not for the urgency of the matter, they would have taken time off to rest before confronting the crone. But that will have to wait; today, Acacius wanted answers to his problem.

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Ophelia had been reminiscing again. She had woken from her slumber just before the cock crowed and hadn't been able to find sleep again. There wasn't much for her to do these days than wait for the half-wolf, half-chameleon girl to be found. She wished she didn't have to tell this story but this one; she was involved in; this one had rewritten her destiny and changed so many lives including hers forever.

She rose from her bed the moment she heard wings rustling, she knew they must have found the girl for she had warned the one who looked so much like Isidore not to come back unless he had the girl. Fate was a strange thing, Ophelia concluded. Aurora was the one Acacius was fated to chase, yet she was the one he was fated to never have. The girl could neither be far away from him, nor could she be close to him. Yes, fate was playing a dangerous game, she concluded as she opened the door for her guests.