~~

Trinity

~~

I didn't know why, but Hibiscus didn't look all that happy about being taken over to the castle so that we could 'talk' about the incident. Not that I would say that someone being murdered and used as a message was just an incident. This was not just some stupid little prank gone wrong or some petty theft, it wasn't a domestic violence case or assault that a lot of people try to pass off as if it was nothing. No, this was someone's life that had been taken from them.

As I watched on, I saw that Aunt Glory still had her arm around the woman as the two of them started to head back toward the castle. Hibiscus was still sobbing and Aunt Glory was rubbing her back in slow soothing circles.. I could tell that the two of them were very close. They have most likely been friends for longer than I could fathom, however, this was not the time to be showing this sort of closeness and affection with other people. Aunt Glory needed to show that she was a strong and confident leader, she needed to stay strong and firm right now.

Aside from the soothing noises that were coming from Aunt Glory, the space around me was utterly silent. I needed to do something though, I needed to break this petrified tension.

"Everyone should head home immediately." I instructed them all, raising my voice so that I would be heard by everyone that was surrounding us. "Go back to your homes and stay there until the morning. I hope that we will have some answers for you by then, but do not take this lightly. You should all exercise caution for the time being. Look out for one another and protect each other."

Those that were the closest to me were looking at me like I was their lifeline in this chaotic situation. I thought to myself that this was something that Aunt Glory should be doing for them right now. She was their Queen, she was their leader, it should be her that was giving them strength and reassurance like this.

Following my words, the crowd started to disperse. They were looking between me and Aunt Glory as they went. I could tell by the flat and dead look in their eyes that they were confused, worried, scared, and uncertain. There was just so much that was going on around them at the moment. It was clear they were all overwhelmed, and many of them seemed as if they weren't capable of coping with it. They were the ones that were the most in need of soothing right now.

I did my best to ignore the current situation as I followed after Aunt Glory. Once the crowd had thinned, I walked a little faster so that I could catch up to the two women walking away from me. I wanted to take my place near Aunt Glory and Hibiscus.

"It's OK, Bissy. You're safe, I promise." Aunt Glory seemed like she was still talking to Hibiscus, but the name was throwing me off.

'Bissy?' I thought to myself as I listened in on their conversation.

"Who would do something like that, Glory? Who could be so evil?" Hibiscus sobbed and put her face in her hands, letting Aunt Glory guide her.

"Only a truly evil monster would do something like that, Bissy. Someone so full of hate that they can't see the love of the world around them."

OK, well Aunt Glory just confirmed that Bissy was indeed Hibiscus. I guess it's a fitting enough nickname, but it just threw me since I just hadn't been expecting it. Even as I thought about the whole name discrepancy, I was trying to wrap my head around what had happened tonight.

I had just vowed to protect these Fae, and one of them was murdered. And it wasn't just that they were killed, they had been used as a warning against Aunt Glory. Did she not care that someone had basically just declared war against her? Did she not care that one of her people was brutally slain and strung up like some sort of disgusting display?

I was starting to worry about my aunt and the priorities that she had at the moment. And I was starting to wonder why this woman was so unreadable, but seemed to be innocent by all accounts.

There was just too much that was unknown about this situation and it was starting to make me a little nervous. I could tell you right now that I was regretting bringing Regan and Rika here. They would most likely be staying in the residence until we leave, and I would be leaving most of the knights behind to guard them.

I was also already planning the different protection spells that I could put onto the door to our residence. I had to ward it from anyone that might mean to do us harm. I would not risk my children at all. I would not let them be put in danger because there was a psychopath on the loose.

These thoughts and more were passing through my mind the entire time that we were walking through the castle. As I started to pull myself out of my mind, with the guidance of Reece's hand in mine, I began to notice where it was that we were going in the castle.

"Queen Gloriana, do you truly think that this is the best place for this meeting?" I asked with a curious voice. I can't believe that she was taking the person that needed to be questioned about this crime to her private study.

"Why yes, Queen Trinity, I do think that this is the best location."

I could tell by the look in Aunt Glory's eyes that she was a little annoyed with me right now. Well, she knew that I was here to help solve this issue that had been happening around them. She really shouldn't be all that surprised.

I turned to look at Athair mòr who was walking beside Aunt Glory. He was looking between the two of us, confused and torn. I could tell that he was a little uncertain about who he should side with. Seeing this, I slowed just a little and beckoned him over to me. He slowed as well and started to walk beside me, opposite of Reece.

"Trinity, what is going on?" He asked me in a hushed whisper that I knew Aunt Glory couldn't hear. Still, I didn't want to be overheard so I threw up a sound blocking shield and spoke to him in a normal voice.

"Do you know that woman, Athair mòr?"

"Yes, that is Hibiscus. She was Glory's best friend when we were young."

For a Fae to say 'when we were young' it meant that it happened a long, long time ago. I had an image in my mind of Valerian, Sorrel, and Glory as children playing with their new magical friends.

"So, it is safe to say that Aunt Glory is very worried about her." I was looking at Hibiscus as she walked in front of me.

"Yes, she is most likely heartbroken to know that it was Hibiscus that discovered the body."

"Is Hibiscus a good person? Is she someone that we have to worry about?"

The pure shock that was in his eyes told me that he and Glory never once suspected her. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Should I be the only one that is suspicious of her, or should I follow their lead and coddle the woman?

No, I wasn't going to let her go without at least getting to the bottom of this first. She didn't seem right to me. I don't know what it was, but I just didn't trust that she was there that close to when the murder took place and didn't see a thing.

Now all I had to do was make it so that Aunt Glory understood what it was that I was thinking and feeling about this. I needed her to understand that in a situation like this you need to set aside your personal feelings and relationships.

That might be hard for her to do, but it was what was best for her people, and it was something she needed to do.