Unedited

"You're not coming, Lilac!" Sophie snapped, pulling her belt from her closet. Lilac stomped after her elder sister, "The Senator said anyone with the Morretti name. That counts me!"

Alexios came into Sophie's bedroom already ready to leave, his robes tightened and hood casting shadows over his face.

"I'm with Amalia on this, Lilac. You are too young, we have no idea what is going to happen." Alexios started, his little sister groaning.

"Oh come on! Maria is going, and she only has one arm!" Lilac stopped as Alexios glared at her, the subject clearly still raw.

Maria strode into the room, holding a screwdriver to her left shoulder. A sheet of copper metal hung from her arm stump.

"Mom? I thought I told you-"

"Alexios, you don't tell me what to do, I'm your mother. It is the other way around." Maria threw down the screwdriver and grabbed a small vial of water from her belt. She dribbled the water through various mechanisms in the metal sheets, and with a deep breath, she shoved it onto her stump.

"Holy shit, mom!" Alexios scrambled back as Maria keeled over. But Maria was propped up with two hands, not one. One was made of beaten copper.

"Maria? Did you make an arm?!" Sophie gaped. Maria got up the floor shakily, glancing at the arm, and rolled it around her shoulder.

"It's a prototype. It is fairly primitive. The arm itself is a shell with small veins lined with hydrophobic paste that holds the water. So, I use my hydrokineses to control it." As if on cue, the arm launched up to the sky, Maria glaring at it and smacking it with her other hand to get the joints working. It wasn't a smooth movement of any sort and looked uncomfortable, but it could hold a blade.

Sophie stepped forward, "Maria, you should be healing right now. Getting into any sort of battle with us is not a good idea, especially with a not fully articulated arm." Sophie contested. Maria glared at her, then her son, and sighed before popping off the arm.

"I'll leave the arm. But I'm still going with you."

"Of course." Sophie finished.

"Oh come on! Let me go!" Lilac whined

"Maria is the matriarch of our family and the has the most history with Vincenzo. She has to come." Sophie got to Lilac's level, "Hathlani, your power is truly amazing, but it also puts you at great risk. We cannot risk them hurting you."

Sophie glanced at Alexios, who helped Maria tie her robes. Maria never liked anyone helping her, but her son didn't take no for an answer. The young Assassin Kylo Babalos walked through the doors, saluting all of them. Ruy was behind him, already suited up. Sophie strode to him, giving him a scroll and rushing the two of them away, giving Ruy a quick peck on the cheek.

"Stay here with Filomena. We will be back soon." Sophie said to her little sister as she turned back from the doors.

"But-"

"Hathlani." Sophie snapped her voice a clear warning. Lilac's face pinched, and she ran from the room with steam practically blowing out her ears.

"She will work through it." Maria turned to Sophie, "We need to leave."

The courtyard was silent except for the gonging of the bells atop the Senate building, the crows cackling as they launched from the puddle they drank at. Sophie was at the head of her brother and aunt, nervously fiddling with her amulet beneath her battle attire.

Soon, a soldier with Esposita colored armor stepped forward, "All your weapons, please unload them here."

Sophie glanced at Alexios and Maria, all of them slowly unequipping themselves and tossing their weapons into the basket he held.

"The gauntlets as well, Madam." Sophie and Alexios glanced behind them as Maria glared at the soldier, hesitating to remove the sacred Cyevan weapon. Sophie silently took Maria's hands in hers, turning it over to help undo the straps around the gauntlet.

Dropping Maria's single gauntlet into the basket, the guard nodded and took them inside the building. They continued down the cobbled path with simple steps, the rain from the night before leaving darkened footsteps behind them. The courtyard has clearly not been taken care of in many years. Dry and mangled branches of long-forgotten trees reach down from above them. The stems of blooming flowers were black and brown,their color dropping with the petals crunching beneath them. Just outside the high stone walls, you could hear the clopping of horses on the cobbles, the last of the drinkers and partiers returning to their homes.

Vincenzo was waiting at the end of the courtyard, sitting on the edge of a broken fountain overgrown with moss and vines. Guards were waiting along the sides of the courtyard walls, which touched the clouds.

"We are here alone and unarmed. Now you can try to convince us not to kill you for stealing our men." Alexios spat.

Vincenzo's head lifted, sipping from a teacup in his lap as he examined each of them. The newest generation of the Morrettis with snarls on each of their faces.

He noted, "The little one isn't here."

"No, why would she?"

"I said anyone who bears the Morretti last name."

"We're not bringing a child. You have five damn seconds before I slit your throat." Maria snapped.

Vincenzo did falter after Maria spoke, remembering when she beat the crap out of him in the square.

"Where are our men, Vincenzo?" Maria gritted through her teeth.

Vincenzo sighed, striding his tea with a crystal spoon, knocking it on the side of the porcelain to get off any extra liquid before taking another sip.

"I will tell you when it suits me best." Vincenzo stood, his shoulders relaxed and his face blank, "So. Your little Prince told you of our meeting."

"What the hell do you want, Vincenzo?" Sophie spat.

"Many things, my dear. Mostly your great aunt and a few secrets of your father's."

"My great aunt? You killed every one of my family besides those who stand before you. There is no great aunt to give you."

"No, no, I was unable to reach one final ancestor of yours on my missions to exterminate you Morrettis from the world. I wanted to kill all of you so we could claim the right, but apparently he wants to do that instead. Not for the right, but for his personal reasons. I didn't want to get in his way. He's been waiting for longer than I have."

Great aunt? He? Claim the right?

"What are you trying to say?"

"You best check in on that queen of yours, Miss Amalia."

The Queen? No... "How do you know about Kassandra?" Sophie insisted.

"How is it that everyone knows more about your own family then you do?"

It hit Sophie like a fucking train. The realization made her stomach sink, her skin go pale.

"There's another one of you?" That is what Kassandra said when she saw Alexios for the first time.

The golden eyes, the white hair... the same colors Sophie dawns in her Pancras form.

Kassandra was an ancestor of the Morretti bloodline.

"When your family went into hiding after the Senate took power, It was assigned to my family to keep the royal family under wraps. Apparently, if the people demand it, the royal family can be reinstated. But we didn't want that, of course. But being watched and hunted didn't suit your ancestors well, Assassin. So they went into hiding, adopting the shadows not to hunt down their enemies, but to hide from their past. Soon, the family secret became muddled into secrecy. But the Espositas never forgot. But me and my parents realized that we have the power to not only keep the Morrettis under wraps, but take control. If we execute everyone, we can claim that it is actually the Esposita who have the royal lineage, not the Morrettis. And no one will be the wiser."

Sophie was too shocked to speak. Vincenzo was dropping bombs at their feet and expecting them to disarm them like they were nothing.

Maria stepped forward, "How did you know my children made contact with the Queen?" Her voice was shaky. That shouldn't be their priority right now, but it was an important question.

Vincenzo smiled, "Why, those little Vatarians atop the mountain told me themselves. Had to kill a few golden warriors, however, to get there."

Sophie whipped her head to Alexios, "Did we ever hear back from the Spartans we sent to protect to Ancient Vatarians beneath the Throat of the World?"

Alexios' lips were taught as he shook his head. Sophie's eyes glowed bright gold as she turned to Vincenzo, "You killed my Spartans?!"

"Only the ones that got in my way. They are incredibly loyal, Mentore, protected those little crying Vatarians until their dying breaths. All of it with vows to you on their tongues."

Tears pricked at her eyes, her lips threatening to quiver. Vincenzo was lying. He had to be lying! Protecting the Ancient Vatarians was given to the older Spartans among her men, only about a hundred soldiers. Those she was expecting to go into retirement wanted one final assignment. And she sent them to their deaths.

"Why did you attack the Ancient Vatarians in the first place?"

"No, you don't understand. I didn't just attack and leave. I'm holding the Throat of the World under my thumb until you do exactly as I say."

"And what is it you want? Huh?"

Vincenzo's eyes narrowed, "The Assassins leave Inalia forever and the Morretti family comes forth for execution, along with signing over their rights to the throne to the Esposita bloodline."

It was quiet in the courtyard, Alexios breaking the silence with a quiet scoff, "So you're delusional then. That's not happening. You seem to forget that we have dirt on you. Care to explain why you have been funding Neverseen projects?"

Vincenzo shrugged as he chipped in without a sweat, "We are business partners, along with many other wealthy benefactors of Inalia."

Sophie realized she may have gotten a bit over her head when she revealed just how many people are in on the Neverseen's plot. Vincenzo has power, crazy immense political power. One word from him and any political prowess Sophie had built would crumble.

But forcing her Assassins to leave? Walking to her execution willingly? What is this man playing at?

"There is something more, isn't there?"

Vincenzo's eyes darkened, "By now, you know of the artifacts, yes? And you know your father had one. I want it."

"Get in line. I have no idea where it is."

"Kassandra is dying, you fool. She is the last agent of Mephala that we don't have or about to have. You can't possibly think you can survive this! Just give me the artifact and everything will be fine."

"Ruy is safe and not able to be used as a token to get Eira. And I'm telling you. I. Don't. Have. The. Artifact."

"We don't need Ruy to get to Eira. But I do need that little trinket your dad had. So stop lying to me."

"Why? Why is it so desperate to get that artifact?"

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with."

The Neverseen clearly wants the power of Mephala's whole soul, and they need all of the people who Mephala has split up into and the artifacts destroyed to do that.

"I can't help but wonder how many artifacts you have. Apprently, the rope has been destroyed. We have the crown yet still look for the key, goblet and the apple. There is one more we can't seem to track down either."

No. Sophie had the glasses and the crown. She had more artifacts than them. They didn't know the broken glasses were an artifact at all.

"Why are you telling us all of this? You are revealing things even we didn't know and saying you want them to remain secret. We came just to negotiate the stolen assassins."

"Because, if you take my offer or not, you are not leaving this courtyard alive. But I'm telling you these things so you realize just how powerful I am. Just what I hold over your heads."

Sophie tilted her head up, "I'm going to make you an offer, Esposita."

Vincenzo smiled, pitying her, "Oh?"

Sophie took small steps, her steps slightly overheard over the howling wind, "You give me all the information on the Neverseen that I need and free the Throat of the World, and then you will leave Inalia. Only after you leave Inalia borders will I send my Assassins after you. You are going to run and hide, just like you did to my family. You might have the smallest chance of surviving. This is me being merciful to you."

Vincenzo's eyes narrowed, "Or?"

Sophie stopped her arms behind her back. She leaned onto her heels, her hair drifting out of her face so Esposita could see just how dark her eyes got. There was not a speckle of glittering gold to be seen, "Or I will destroy every little thing you have worked for. Your place on the Senate, the Esposita family name, and any riches you may hold. I will squash them beneath my boot. And after I've done all that? I'm going to feed you to my dragon." Sophie stopped in front of Vincenzo, "That is the only deal that will possibly be made tonight."

Vincenzo scoffed, "So, you a really going to risk the lives of your faithful assassins for your pride? What happened to thinking of them as your family?"

Sophie smiled as she turned on her heel, "No, I'm not going to be doing that either. Since you are down here with us," Sophie glanced over her shoulder, "No one is in your office."

Vincenzo's face dropped. Sophie strode out the courtyard, Alexios and Maria turning with her, "We will not retrieve anything for you. And since I guess you are denying my mercy? You best keep an eye out."

"You fools, get them! They have infiltrated private senate information! Kill them!" Vincenzo cried to his guards, running out of the courtyard to his office. Maria pulled two spheres out of her robes, throwing them at the guards' feet. The whole garden erupted in smoke, the three Morrettis sprinting out the garden and over the walls.

"To the guildhall!" Maria whispered as Alexios lifted up a sewer grate, allowing them all to slip in. Alexios dropped the grate into place seconds before the stomping of furious boots pounded above them.

Sophie threw open the doors to her Guildhall, all of her men and women quieting when they saw her.

"Suit up, everyone! We are moving, now!"

They didn't ask any questions. They obeyed her without a second thought. One of her higher-up assassins walked up, saluting her over the chaos, "Where to, Mentore?"

"We are heading straight for Cariana, to the Throat of the World." She grabbed a messenger, who walked with her as she strode to get everyone ready for departure, "I want a one fourth of the men staying ehr to protect the Guildhall. A threat has presented itself and I want to make sure we are protecting ourselves. The rest will begin voyage to Cariana."

"To take all of our men that far, we are going to need a sea captain."

"I already have someone in mind. But we need to move fast. I also want you to send a message to Kephalonia and to Maha, tell her that I want the Sirens and the Spartans meeting us there as well."

"Of course."

"Alexios, Ruy, and Nour will lead the voyage over there. I will meet you all over there as soon as I'm able."

The Messenger scribbled down everything he could and quickly saluted her before scrambling off.

Kylo and Ruy emerged through the crowd. Kylo presented a bundle of papers to Sophie with a big smile, Ruy smirking behind him.

"Nice job, Kylo. We will make a master assassin out of you, yet. Were you able to get into Vincenzo's office easily?" Sophie asked, thumbing through the pages.

Ruy smiled at her, "Only becuase you distracted him long enough. We know exactly where they are holding our Assassins. I already sent Nour and a small team out. They'll be home in a matter of hours."

"Where were they holding the Assassins in the first place?" Sophie's question was answered as she reached a paper in the middle of the stack. It was a map of a series of tunnels spanning multiple miles underneath a massive elven building. It was a shaky image clearly taken secretly, but Sophie knew exactly which building.

(Credit: KOTLC Unlocked cover)

(Credit FantasyMaps on Paterson)

"Is that... the golden tower of Foxfire?"

Ruy nodded, "When my mother wrote down gold, it was so vague I had no idea what she was talking about. It turns out, she was referencing which one of towers the entrance is in."

"Should we contact the Black Swan? Or maybe even the council?" Kylo proposed.

"No, no. Let's keep this solely with the Assassins. But maybe tell our allies in the Lost Cities. The Vackers, Songs, Dizznees, and Keefe Sencen. What I'm wondering is why didn't Leto notice this happening? His cover as the damn principle of Foxfire should've alerted him to this." Sophie argued, flagging someone down to bring the papers to her office.

"Should I go ask him?" Ruy asked.

"No! No. Leto is... he is in a bad mood right now. I think he misses being in charge. Let's just keep it on the down low until things calm down. We have more important things to focus on right now."

Sophie watched Alexios approach with a bundle in his hands. He nodded for her to follow.

"What's going on?" Ruy asked.

Sophie shook her head, "We have to ask someone a few questions. I'll be right back." Squeezing Ruy's hand, she ran after her brother, who was already waiting outside with their tacked-up horses.