The next day Mira and Wolf return with interesting yet helpful news, they have both successfully caught Bates and he’s being held in a cell in Ebony’s dungeon to await interrogation. Both Ebony and Myself know to be very cautious around Bates, especially with the restraints that he has been put in. Wolves don’t normally like restraints, especially ones who see themselves as more powerful than any other beings. So Ebony and I, both dressed in full battle armor, and even had two guards, Wolf, and even My Father, accompany us during this. When we arrived at the dungeon, Bates stood with his back towards us. His hands were cuffed and covered in a mechanical device Colby had made that kept him from using his claws. He wore a mechanical muzzle over his mouth, and a blindfold over his eyes. The only thing not restrained with actual visual objects were his legs and feet, though My Father had made it very clear that if he were to move his foot higher than what is needed to walk normally, he would be critically injured. As we approached his cell the two guards disappeared at the wave of My Father’s hand. Bate’s ears perked, and he turned his body only slightly towards us. “Ah well, if it isn't Ms. Morningstar, Sir Argus Astaroth, Sir Leviathan Astaroth, and Wolf Branwell… how nice for you ALL to be here…” Bates said, his tone sounded amused. “I don’t believe you were asked to speak, so unless you are asked a question keep your mouth shut…” My father said and Bates only shrugged and turned to face us all. Wolf flicked his tail, and My Father glanced at him but then back. “Have you or have you not had involvement in Ezekiel’s plans…” My Father asked, and Bates only smiled his head down. Few minutes went by and My Father seemed to lose his patience, “Answer the question boy…” My Father snarled and Bates lifted his head in My Father’s direction. “Indeed I have…” Bates answered and Ebony whimpered. My Father’s eyes narrowed. “Was it on his orders that you have killed so many innocent people…” Wolf asked behind us and Bates then chuckled a bit. “I wouldn't call them all innocent, but overall that was on my own behalf…” Bates said and he flicked his tail. Wolf leaned back against the wall behind us, so I took the wheel. “And the attempt to murder Mr. Advick and Mr. Williams?” I asked and Bates’s smile grew bigger. “Now THAT was on his orders, but I believe Wolf prevented that…” He said and his ear twitched. “Hmm, were you punished for not carrying out his orders…” I ask and his ear twitches again. “Nearly, but Master Lestrange helped out with that part…” Bates said. Mine and My Father’s eyes grew wide. “Master Lestrange you say…?” My Father asks and Bates opens his mouth to speak but hesitates. “Y- Yes… Master Lestrange is only second in command to Master Ezekiel… Master Lestrange gave a way to lure Mr. Williams to Master Ezekiel, by capturing Mr. Advick, Mr. Williams cooperated quite easily with his project, especially with Mr. Advick’s life on the line…” Bates explained. “And what about Dusk Morningstar…?” My Father asks and I feel Ebony grip my hand tightly. My Father glances back at her, his eyes full of apologetic appearance then he looks back. “Oh yes him… um… hmm…” Bates pauses for a moment then his ears go down. “He had died trying to protect Ms. Morningstar…” He said. “How did Ekekiel feel about him protecting her…” I asked, and Bates stayed silent for a solid minute. “He was infuriated and very upset… he had worked too long and too hard to gain the boy’s trust to just kill him… Master Ezekiel was very… connected with him…” Bates said his voice seemed very shaken. “What do you mean connected…?” My Father asked. “They were very good friends, you see… he never wished to kill Sir Morningstar… it was a mere… misunderstanding and mistake…” Bates said. “Is this what you believe or a lie Zeke has told you…?” Wolf says making me jump. “Oh no this is completely true, after the encounter with Ms. and Sir Morningstar, Ezekiel became deeply saddened by the loss of Sir Morningstar, and he then took that anger out on Mr. Herondale…” Bates admitted. “Who is Mr. Herondale…” I ask, and Wolf mumbles, “Remington Herondale…” he says and Bates lowers his head.“Er, yes, Wolf is right, he killed him just during your lot’s break-in to save Mr. Advick and Mr. Williams…” Bates perked his ears up, “or rather Master Lestrange killed him, but only on Master Ezekiel's orders…”He said. “Then how d…” I go to say but Bates cuts me off. “How did he appear to be there and defend Ms. Morningstar, You, and Sir Carstairs… well he was able to kill Mr. Herondale quite easily, due to his already unstable mental state…” He says, and My Father growls slightly, and Bates flitches. I thought about Sir Carstairs, and a question came to mind. “What about now, where is Master Ezekiel and Lestrange now…?” I ask and Bates tenses shaking his head, his face seems frightened. “I… I can not reveal that much… he had set me to not to… otherwise I’m dead…” He said, and he then looked up. “I do not wish to keep the information… but he will kill me… or rather I’ll kill myself… it’s part of the enhanced enchantment he has used… one that barely any know because he is the one who has created it…” Bates says and My Father looks dumbfounded. “Are you aware that yours is not the only life that is at risk… if you do not help us then there is no way to count the amount of possible deaths that will occur without it…” Wolf says, and Bates looks in his direction. “H… he is being housed at the o..old Lestrange house… located just two hundred fifty miles east, four hundred south, outside of the woods the house of Mr. Herondale is located…” He said, and there were tears falling from under the blindfold, and something began to beep. Then there is a loud crack and Bates is nowhere to be seen. No one is around but us that was there before. Ebony still has her hand interlocked with mine, but her grip seems to be loosening. I look at her and her eyes are full of anger and rage. Then she disappears, leaving the rest of us behind.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

I eventually find her, sitting on the floor at the end of her bed. She had her knees pulled to her chest, her eyes pouring tears. I appear sitting in front of her, and she never looks up. “Why Argo… why does it hurt so much… why does it always have to hurt…” She says, then she throws her arms around me. I sit there holding her, speechless, until I hear My Father’s voice. “Pain is an interesting thing. You think you have reached your limit and you can’t possibly feel more tortured. Then you discover there is still another level of agony. And another level after that.” he says. “U-Uncle Levi… W-Why did he have to go…” She says. My father walks over and sits down. Ebony crawls over to him and he wraps his arms and wings around her. “Dusk never really left… He’s still alive.” He says. Ebony is startled “Wh-What...Dusky is still alive?” She asks. “If you remember what his aura feels like you can find him quite easily…” He says, smiling. Ebony concentrates for a moment, then her eyes open and they are a light teal color. “Little brother.” She says, smiling. I can’t help but be happy for her because the sibling she thought was dead is actually alive. “B-But how?” She asks my father. “I don’t know… We thought he died of blood loss. Maybe Vampires.” He says to her. Ebony tilts her head. “From what I remember he ‘died’ in an area that was unable to support any life.” She says. “That’s the confusing part when your father sent a small group of demons to gather his body, it was gone, no trace of blood or anything.” My Father says, and Ebony nods.