Emmaline slammed a big book on the library table where Maiolaine was studying. Looking up from the notes she was taking, glanced at the tome. 

“What’s that?” She asked her sister. 

“The History of the Dark Knights,” Emmaline said. 

Maiolaine’s skin suddenly became uncomfortable at the sound of the last two words. 

“Doesn’t look like the light reading you’re used to?” Maiolaine tried to joke. 

“You’re so funny,” Emmaline said, not laughing. “I came to the library after our little talk about them becoming good. It’s not possible.” 

Emmaline turned to the section titled “Origins” and pointed to the “Initiate Ritual”.

“Initiates must come forth to the council willingly and with complete resoluteness to receive the mark of the Dark Knight brethren.” 

“What if their families forced them into it?” Maiolaine defended her Dark Knight friend. 

“Read on a little further.” 

“The mark will not become one with the initiate if the brotherhood is not within his mind, body, and soul. The initiate shall be executed at once.” 

Maiolaine eyed her sister. Emmaline looked pleased that she learned something from a book that Maiolaine didn’t know. 

“They are pure evil,” Emmaline said. “So, everything you perceive about Dark Knights is wrong.” 

“It was just a question,” Maiolaine lied. “I don’t know any Dark Knights. But thanks for the history lesson.” 

“You were really defensive about it when we talked about it earlier. I wanted you to see for yourself in your precious books that being a Dark Knight and bearing the mark is serious and it is deliberate.” 

“If you don’t mind, I need to study.” 

Maiolaine pushed the history book towards Emmaline and moved back to her notes. 

“What are you studying?” Emmaline asked. 

“Telepathy,” Maiolaine said, welcoming the change of subject.

“Whoa! Cool! Like what Papa and Maman could do?” 

Mai hummed her affirmation. 

Emmaline said, pulling a seat up next to her sister and tried to read over her shoulder. “Two warriors whose bond is strong can send messages to each other through telepathic means. We should try it.” 

"I don’t think our bond is strong enough.” 

"We’re sisters. Not to mention twin sisters. Of course, our bond is strong enough. Tell me the steps. What do we have to do?” 

Maiolaine sighed because she recognized it was no benefit to fight with Emmaline on this. 

“Close your eyes. Imagine the warrior you wish to relay the image. Make sure you have a distinct picture in your mind. Next, envision the message you wish to send. Finally, will the message to the recipient with your mind.” 

“Let’s try it then,” Emmaline said with so much excitement that it was hard for her to contain. 

“Close your eyes,” Maiolaine instructed. Emmaline did as she was told. “Now, envision the person you will send the message to and envision your message. After that, will the message to me.” 

Emmaline did as instructed to her. She opened one of her eyes. 

“Did it work? Did you get my message?” 

Maiolaine shook her head no. “This requires a lot of practice. You can’t expect to do it the first time.” 

Emmaline slumped her head in her arms on the library table, looking defeated. Maiolaine could tell that Emmaline didn’t appreciate being told that she can’t do something.

"Well, maybe your mind's eye isn't opened or whatever."

"This doesn't have anything to do with my mind."

"Are you sure? I'm sure the other has to be receptive or some crap," Em said, leaning over trying to read the textbook and Mai's notes.

"I'm sure."

"Well, I'm going to practice and we'll be telepaths by the end of the week!"

"Oh. I am certainly looking forward to all the visions you'll be sending me," Mai said rolling her eyes.

"I know! Me too!" Em clapped.

The sun fell low in the sky and Maiolaine closed her books. A nervous sensation grew in her belly, making her nauseous. Aundray promised to lead her to the Dark Knight’s underground laboratory tonight. Aundray found access to a secret entry inside the forest to the lab.

“We should get to the dining hall. The clan is most likely waiting on us,” Maiolaine said. 

“I hate that. It’s the worst tradition.” 

“I couldn’t agree with you more.” 

The missing beasts' investigation still had no new leads, which meant the dinner conversations dragged. Maiolaine didn’t want to be there. Weapons training updates and instruction discussions did not interest her. She wanted to leave. She wanted to find her father. Mai fidgeted in her seat, looking out the window from time to time. 

“Gotta be somewhere?” Emmaline asked as she caught her sister’s behavior. 

“I’m just exhausted. I want to go to bed.” 

“Really?” Em said, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes. I’ve had a busy day of studying.” 

Maiolaine excused herself when she recognized it was enough time before her mother asked questions. Then she waited in her room once more until she realized that most everyone, specifically Emmaline, had gone to sleep. The stillness of the night helped discern any sounds that were out of place. Voices of guardsmen and her Uncle Arber echoed in the halls. 

“We’ve spotted movement over by the waterfall. We aren’t absolute on what it is, but we have increased the number of guards within the forest,” the man said. 

“Excellent. It’s been weeks since we’ve found out anything. Maybe the Knights plan to take more beasts tonight. Good work,” her Uncle said. 

Maiolaine feared for Aundray and hoped they hadn’t caught him. She had to get into the forest as soon as possible to warn him. After the footsteps faded down the stairs, she walked within the shadows as quiet as she could. She wished she had the stealth skills Emmaline possessed. Each step fell heavy compared to her sister’s. She told herself to imagine herself as light as a feather, but this helped little. 

As she reached the hill, she looked around for Aundray. Her nerves became frazzled as time passed by with no sign of her Dark Knight. A tap on her shoulder caused her to spin.

“Aundray!” 

She embraced him. 

“Hello, beautiful. What’s wrong?” 

“They’ve found movement by the waterfalls and they are increasing the number of guards in the forest. I had to warn you in case it was you they were looking for.”

“Lucky for us, the secret entrance is nowhere near the waterfalls. Come on.” 

They walked a good distance hand-in-hand to a lake. The bright full moon reflected off the still lake. An island stood in the middle of the lake, thick with trees. 

“It’s over there. On that island. I have a boat ready for us. You will get more nature essence with the number of trees on it.” 

“OK,” Maiolaine agreed, but something pulled at her gut. 

Something was off, but she brushed it off as her nerves being heightened for the task at hand. 

Aundray rowed them to the secluded island. Owls' wings fluttered in the trees as the mice on the ground ran from their predators. He led her to a pile of branches between two giant pine trees, and then he sat down next to her. 

“This is where the entrance is. I worked on it for weeks before I met you.

Mai had an uncontrollable urge to connect with the surrounding aura. She sat in front of the makeshift entrance and closed her eyes. The essence of the forest filled her up and her veins coursed with its power. Fear laced the power, and it felt wrong to be here. 

She opened her eyes and found Aundray asleep in her lap. She stroked his raven hair from his forehead and he stirred. 

“How long have I been meditating?” Maiolaine asked. 

“I’m not sure,” Aundray said as he sat up and held her hand. “I fell asleep after the first half hour.” 

Maiolaine looked up through the branches and jumped. It was dawn.

“I have to go. They will knock on my door within the hour.” 

“OK. OK. Calm down.” 

Aundray led her back to the boat and rowed her to the other side. 

“It’s getting dangerous for me to keep coming out here so close to Paladin territory.” 

Mai nodded in agreement. 

“Meet me in the same spot and I’ll take you here.” 

“OK. See you tonight,” Maiolaine said as she ran. “Bye.” 

“See you!” Aundray yelled after her. 

Maiolaine ran up the fortress steps knowing she was in trouble as the sun started to rise. The library would be the location where she staged a scene that she woke up early to study.

The librarian waved hello as she picked up a book and made her way to the couches in the back of the library. Exhaustion took over every molecule in her body. How would she stay awake during the day? She decided she would fake being sick. The lies compounded on each other until a familiar nauseous sensation sat with her. This wasn’t her at all, but she told herself telling the truth was worse. 

Mai laid down on the couch and read “The Art of the Spirit Control”. Her eyes flitted closed for a moment and then she felt a light kick on her leg. Her mother stood over her with a soft smile.

“Oh. Hello, Maman,” Mai said, rubbing her eyes with the heels of her palms.

“Is the book that boring to you?” 

“I’m not feeling well. I need rest.” 

“Should I have a nurse come to your room?” 

“No. I just need rest.” 

Maiolaine got up from the couch and made her way up to the room. What bothered her more than her lying was the fact her mother trusted her because she never lied to her mother. 

Slipping into her nightgown, she collapsed into her bed. Sleep overtook her before she got under the covers. Faint voices invaded her dreams that night.

“Madame Olympe,” one voice said. “We found a small boat docked at the lake. No one has come forward to claim the boat. I fear it is not of our own.” 

“How have you not found any information about the increased number of guards?” Her mother asked. 

“Apologies, Madame, but seems the culprits are doing this within the cover of night.” 

“That is no excuse. We can not let the Knights get their hands on beast blood again. I did not lose my husband so that I can have those scum do this again.” 

“Yes, Madame. We will do better.” 

Maiolaine faded back into sleep after the door closed and she strained to pick up the muffled voices outside in the hallway.

“What’s wrong with her, Maman?” Emmaline asked. 

“I don’t know. The nurse came in and said that she didn’t have a fever. Her classes possibly exhausted her.” 

“Or she's faking it.” 

“Maiolaine doesn’t feign sickness.” 

“She’s been acting funny. Please tell me I’m not the only that’s seen it.” 

“I’m not sure what you mean.” 

“You’re so busy with this forest mess. Of course, you wouldn’t have noticed.” 

“Check your tone, Emmaline Trivett.” 

That was the last she remembered before opening her eyes once more. She woke up, and she was alone. The sun was low, grogginess set in. The prospect of dinner made her stomach turn and not for the usual reasons. Emmaline had questions, and Mai did not want to answer any of them. 

She got dressed and walked to the dinner hall. Her mother locked eyes on her and ran to give her a hug. 

“How are you, my love?” 

“OK. I guess I slept too much. I’m a bit sluggish.” 

“And hungry, no doubt,” Olympe pointed at the table. 

Hunger did not cross her mind until Olympe had mentioned it. Even Madame Sabine’s cooking looked appetizing as she sat down and filled her plate. She sensed the eyes of everyone at the table on her which made her extremely uncomfortable. Do they know? She became paranoid. 

“How’s it going, sis?” Emmaline asked. 

“Better. I guess.” 

“Hmmm.”

“I couldn’t sleep so I stopped at the library to read.” 

“Don’t you have books in your room to read?” Emmaline drilled her. 

“Yes. But I’ve read those already. Some of those 5 times or more.” 

Emmaline narrowed her eyes. Maiolaine became suspicious her sister was trying to catch her in a lie. This made her uncomfortable, as everything Maiolaine said was a lie. The more she talked, the more Emmaline’s chances of catching her sister in a lie.

“That’s enough questioning for the night, Emmaline,” Olympe said. 

Emmaline fell back in her chair, not taking her eyes off her sister. It relieved Maiolaine to know that she was off the hook for now. Emmaline had free rein once she moved from Olympe’s sight. 

“Madame, we have new information about the boat we spotted in the lake earlier today.” 

“Yes. What is it?” 

Maiolaine’s stomach was flipping over and over, knowing who’s boat it was. 

“A farmer from a village east of here owns it. An emergency called him away, and he had left it docked.” 

“Well, settles that. Unfortunately, we still have no leads on the beasts.” 

Relieved that Aundray had not been linked to any wrongdoing, she leaned back in her chair. Convinced he was a good man, a smugness rose from inside her knowing Emmaline was wrong about him. Even though she could never admit being wrong, especially if it concerned the Dark Knights. 

Maiolaine lingered in the dining hall because she did not want Emmaline questioning her. When she felt that Emmaline had gone to her room for the night, she reached her room to wait as she did every night for the past month. Maiolaine’s steps were light and quick as she walked with purpose. 

“Mai,” the young man whispered in the dark. “Over here.”

Maiolaine walked off towards Aundray’s voice. He smiled once Maiolaine reached him and he took her by the hand.

“We have to wait over by the dock for the ferry to come. Are you ready?” 

Maiolaine nodded her head, but she noted a strange pang in her stomach. She shook it off. This was beyond her comfort zone. She had to save her father and Aundray has been the only willing to put her plans into action. 

“Are you okay?” Aundray asked as he stroked her hair. 

“To be honest. I’m nervous about leaving my territory. I’m a little scared.” 

Aundray kissed her and said, “As you should be.” 

Before Maiolaine understood what he said, she noticed a sting in her arm. She looked up at him, confused and looked down at her arm. He had injected her with something. He released the needle and tossed it into the lake. 

“What did you do?” 

His face became fuzzy and out of focus. The last thing she heard before passing out was the screams of her sister saying no. She came to again but her vision was out of focus. She overheard voices in the background. 

“Are you sure you gave her enough? She’s opening her eyes.” 

“I gave her plenty. She’s just strong. That’s why I chose her,” Aundray replied. 

“We need to give her more.” 

“No!” Aundray said. “We don’t want to ruin her blood.” 

Maiolaine looked out of a window of a carriage. Sending a telepathic message to Emmaline crossed her mind. Even though it had been unsuccessful in the past, she had to do something. A tree with no leaves and white bark came into view. Before passing out once more, she willed the image to her sister. 

Her vision came in and out of focus as she blinked her heavy lids. Her lids appeared as though they were five pounds each.

Looking out the carriage window, she willed another image of the name on the tomb in hopes the images got to her sister. With that thought, she passed out again.