Emila RueGuard Ferrocor crossed her arms impatiently, she hated being made to wait.

“My lady, please be patient there's still half an hour to sunrise.” The soft voice of Adaline said behind her.

She turned to face the short, porcelain-skinned, black-haired women that served as her Lady-in-waiting. Out of all of her retainers and attendants, Adaline was the only one Em felt anything resembling trust towards. Still, the world of nobles was one of deceit and betrayal, she would not leave her back turned for too long.

Not again.

Adaline was right of course, the siblings had plenty of time left to make an appearance. She was just so … tired. Tired of the schemes and shadows that dogged her every step, threatening to send her tumbling down at the slightest misstep, of the false smiles and fake friends that swarmed her like flies on a corpse. Her life was one of uncertainty and mistrust, her path dictated long before she was born.

Not all was so terrible however, she had one pillar that she could lean on, a stone that she knew would support her through anything. She closed her eyes and felt the tether on her soul, she tugged it, drawing the attention of her patron.

“Hello, child” the ethereal, feminine voice of Ariel blew into her mind like a summer’s breeze. “Your servant is right, you know. Patience is a virtue.”

“So I hear. Have you managed to find any information about the girl's patron?”

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“Yes”

Em sighed, “Would you please tell me?”

“Of course, child” the image of a warm motherly smile filled her head. “Just as we suspected she has been bound to an executioner, a powerful one too, it is called Mydaiel and it has never entered a pact before.”

Emila frowned, that complicated the situation, the minds of angels were as alien to humans as humans were to them. Making communication troublesome at best, doubly so if neither end of the pact had experience. She was lucky in this regard, Ariel was a herald, an angel made to communicate with lower beings, making their relationship near seamless.

Her musings were interrupted when she saw the figures of Tasha and her brother leave the temple gates. Tasha turned and waved back at the posted guards, before spinning and waving towards Emila and her group. Sir Bruno, her hulking bodyguard waved back, Adaline curtsied, she stood her arms still crossed. The most powerful ability granted to her by the pact was the eyes of the true king, which allowed her to read the souls of those she targeted.

When she stared at Tasha she saw a young woman bursting with hope, love, nativity, and faith, things she had long since lost, and Tasha would have to lose if she wanted to survive the capital. It was almost tragic enough to make her feel guilty, almost. She had a duty and so did Tasha, she could not let her feelings interfere.

What her soul sight revealed about Tasha did not matter anyway, she was chosen by an angel, she would experience the jackals and vipers of politics even if she did not come with her. What did pique her interest, however, is what she saw in John. A young man filled with determination and pragmatism to his very core, there was no sin he would not partake in, no boundary he would not cross, as long as it was in service of the greater good. She had no intentions of bringing the boy along until she saw what kind of man he was.

Exactly the kind of man Archbishop Agosti wanted.

A shiver of sympathy rolled down her back, nobles were one thing, but that vile bastard was another, still, she could not deny his effectiveness.

Plus, she knew far too well how easy one sibling could overshadow another when both were brimming with potential.

She swung her leg over her horse and motioned for the twins to follow before they got too close. She was in a foul mood and they would be plenty of time for talk later.

She just hoped she had enough time to prepare them for the trials ahead.