“Oh Adi no! I just mean… we’re getting married and you don’t have to impress anyone because you have me and, what other reason is there for a woman to study?” He snickers softly at the thought mumbling about something being ridiculous under his breath. I feel my lungs expand in preparation for a deep sigh but instead turn around to open my door.

“You’re right Herschel, I'll be back in a moment.” I don’t let him ask to come with me, closing the door before the notion can even become the fragment of an idea in his mind. I open the letter in my hand, the same handwriting as before is now messily scribbled on the page in a short note that’s less than anything written to me before.

I think I’ve been compromised, I’ll be leaving the Dukedom soon if you find this, meet me behind the caeruleum tree, in two days, under the moon.

I hide the note with the rest of them, sitting on the bed I think of who could be sending me such things but as always come up blank. My thoughts were interrupted when loud knocks shake my door,

“Are you done yet?” Herschel’s voice rings out, sounding strained and almost worried despite me being gone for less than five minutes. I finally let out the sigh trapped in my chest standing up and opening the door.

“I Was thinking, we should walk around the grounds for a while.” Herschel smiles but I brush him off,

“I need to check on Darius.” I don’t see his face change when I walk past him but I feel him grab my wrist and yank me back.

“Why the hell do you care if he lives or dies? Huh? After what he did to you?” Herchel glares down at me speaking softly, his personality completely flipped for what felt like the hundredth time this week.

“He’s my brother Herschel, someone needs to look after him and god knows my parents won’t.” I try to pry myself from his grip but Herschel only grips my wrist harder making me hiss in pain.

“Come with me… please~ you know he doesn’t give a shit about you.” Herschel’s begging tone moves back to harsh again fast enough to make my head spin.

“Please Adi, just spend a little time with me.. I miss you. We've been so far apart recently. I want to fix that.” He pulls me closer slowly whispering in my ear,

“Darius doesn’t give a shit about you… none of them do, I’m the only one you can trust, Adi please stay with me…” He begs again softly pressing his lips to my shoulder and mumbling praises against my skin, his breath is hot and inviting against me but I manage to push away.

“Herschel, if I don’t care then I'm no better than they are.” I wiggle out of his grip and lock my bedroom door.

“I’ll see you in a few hours.” I reach up to caress his face softly before walking to Darius’s room to tell him about the newest note.

After two days of pacing, and going over everyone in the dukedom with my unconscious brother, I was no closer than when I received my first message.

“What am I going to do Darius do.. Do I meet them? What if it’s a sick joke? Or… or an assassination attempt? I doubt anyone is going to die if I go but…” Darius moves slightly in his sleep and I walk over to feel his forehead for a temperature. He had been moving more these few days, It started with a twitch and was slowly escalating. The entire house had hope now well… the five people who knew.

“I wish you could give me advice…” A sigh leaves me when I turn away and start pacing again.

“You’re Advice never helps but it does always make me laugh, you’d say something like… Linny! Just take a sword and interrogate them when you get there! Or Linny! Don’t go and wear a mud mask all the time so they don’t recognize you! Or-” I’m cut off by the croaky but familiar voice of my brother as he looks at me,

“Linny…” I’m instantly by his side when he calls for me I take his hand, his eyes are a bit clouded from sleep as his brows furrow.

“Darius! Yes, what do you need?” I'm prepared to get him whatever he needs, I'd sacrifice a goat in that instant if I needed to. He pulls his blankets farther up his body slowly as he turns again,

“Will you shut up? I’m trying to sleep” Darius has never been a morning person so I don’t take a personal offense to his rudeness and instead run out the door to yell at the nearest maid that Darius had woken up, calling for them to get the doctor.

People were rushing in and out of Darius’s room for hours and by the end of it, I was standing by the doorway watching as Ophelia held his hand sniffling as my brother talked sweetly to her. I can’t help smiling at that moment and decide to leave them alone.

The sun is setting and my time to make a decision is closing, when I make it to my room the door is ripped off its hinges causing my heart to jump in my throat wondering what could have happened to make someone do this, walking to the door I see Herschel reading the notes I thought I had hidden well enough, his sword is on the bed behind him and he’s scowling at the last note I received.