The dining room in the Osha castle wasn't as large as the ballroom used for lavish banquets, but it still could a small cottage inside of it. Noelle glanced around at the onyx walls, the shining black stone shifting in the light of the torches.

An elongated rectangular table sat at the center of the room with more seats than it seemed would ever be necessary. Noelle dropped into her own seat on the far end, knowing Aundreya would sit beside her. Roman would sit opposite with Helena at the head. Deep down, Noelle wondered when Roman would take that place.

Or perhaps his kingship would only be a figurehead.

As Helena sat, Noelle considered the older woman. She had a regal air about her, and Noelle had no trouble seeing Helena at Tarvril's side, encouraging him and grooming him--much as she did with Roman.

What did she gain from it? Tavril was a Tremaine, and therefore a ruler by birth, but why put Roman forward? If she wanted to be queen, why not take the crown herself?

"It's not just us tonight, is it?" Aundreya asked, settling down next to Noelle in an elaborate dress with more ruffles than Noelle had bruises. "It's so boring when there's no one to amuse myself with."

"You've amused yourself with half of the young men of the court, isn't that enough?" Helena asked, one brow raised. "We have sensitive subjects to discuss. I didn't want prying ears."

Noelle picked at her fingernails. "You allow the servants to hear. Who says you can trust them?"

"Those who serve our food are deaf," Helena said with a smile. "They can't hear anything."

"Were they always deaf or did you make them that way?" Noelle didn't change her tone--she didn't actually care. What did any of it matter? Every day was a new day in hell until she got what she wanted.

"Roman, sit." Helena gestured to the seat at her right as Roman entered the room, ignoring Noelle's question. "We have much to discuss."

She watched Roman approach, noting his stiff movements. She knew the feeling--he was at war internally with what Aundreya told him and his own thoughts. That would end soon enough. Aundreya always won.

For now.

"What's the problem?" Roman asked, lowering into his seat. "Why the private dinner when we could have just handled this earlier in the war room?"

"Stop asking questions, Roman," Aundreya said automatically, not even bothering to look up at him.

"No, he has a point this time." Helena frowned at Aundreya, and Noelle tucked the image away in the back of her mind for later--she'd need it. "This is something we can't discuss just anywhere."

"And it is?" Noelle asked, brows rising as she looked up from the contemplation of her fresh manicure--Helena had insisted Noelle receive the same treatment as Aundreya. Another little bit of information for Noelle to keep for later.

"That boy, Trey."

Noelle blinked, her brain catching up to Helena's words. It'd been so long since she'd heard mention of that little boy, the one who was so attached to Abigail. The memory of Abigail's death flashed through her thoughts and she shoved it aside, even as a darkness stirred inside her.

"Didn't he die?" Roman asked, looking confused. "He never left Abigail's side and you said she was killed by Narissa."

Noelle let out a soft snort, smirking at the flash of concern and fear crossing Helena and Aundreya's faces. So Roman didn't know? Delicious. She'd save that for later as well.

"He wasn't with her," Helena said, not meeting Aundreya's furtive looks. "But he's dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Roman sat up straighter. Even Aundreya's mouth twisted in confusion. "How can a child be dangerous?"

"Eric Lee has been dangerous since he took his first breath," Helena reminded him. "This boy is no different--if anything, he's worse."

"How so?" Aundreya leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand, her dark eyes alight with interest. Noelle continued to slouch in her chair, absorbing the information.

"You're the one who tried to have him killed," she said, remember what Helena had said the night she killed Abigail. "You're afraid of him. He can hurt the Ancient."

"What?" Roman's head swiveled back and forth between Noelle and Helena. "You sent the assassin?"

"I didn't have a choice." Helena's voice sharpened, her eyes narrowing to slits. "He has a gift--a power--that could threaten everything."

"He's a child," Roman said again, shaking his head. "I don't understand--"

"No, you don't understand," Helena snapped. "None of you do. This boy has a gift that can bring together the elements."

"And that's bad because..." Aundreya splayed her hands, waiting for an answer.

"Because the elements are the foundation." Helena's jaw muscle worked as she sucked in a breath. "Ancients--especially the strongest--are elemental. They can use things like earth and air to their will."

"But Ancients are peaceful," Roman said. "Well, except maybe this one."

"Roman, hush." Aundreya didn't even look at him, her eyes fixated on Helena. "Ancients have that much power?"

Noelle could see the wheels in Aundreya's head turning. What would it be like to be in control of a being so strong? How could she use such an individual to her advantage? Then again, knowing her sister, it was as much a physical attraction to the idea as it was strategic. Three servants entered with a cart laden with covered trays of food.

"Only an Ancient can kill an Ancient--at least, that's how it always was," Helena said, shifting in her seat to allow herself to be served first. "But I'm told that this has changed. Guardians aren't usually strong enough to take on an Ancient."

"Normally they wouldn't need to," Noelle said, ignoring Aundreya's annoyance. "Guardians are the children of Ancients, there's no need to have a power struggle between them unless an Ancient has taken a darker path."

"Or a Guardian has," Aundreya said, lifting her chin.

Noelle shook her head. "No. A fallen Guardian would be taken out by fellow Guardians. Ancients don't fight. It's too dangerous for them."

"Regardless," Helena said, her voice hard, "Ancients needed to only worry about other Ancients. That is, until the Ancient Circle decided to procreate."

"The what?" Aundreya blinked.

"They're the original Ancients--the most powerful." Noelle accepted her plate of food from the servant setting it before her, already bored.

"Tremaine chose to have offspring, creating the first Guardians--or so it was believed. But Ancients had been pairing for generations, creating mediocre Guardians that were never noticed. Tremaine was the first to create one with more power. Because he ruled the lands, no one needed to worry."

"Until..." Aundreya ushered Helena on, not interested in dramatic pauses.

"They say after Tremaine was killed, the Guardians of his age lessened. His children diluted their abilities as the bloodline continued. Guardians continued to be born, but none with as much power, until the birth of one Guardian that stirred concern once more."

"Who? Oh come on, who?" Aundreya slapped the table.

"A boy was born, more powerful than any other Guardian born before him. It was his birth that spurred the Ancient to waken and rise--for a child of this much power could be a threat to all. He was the son of the sun and the moon--he disappeared and was never seen again. Ares." Helena sat back in her seat like someone who had just released some sort of amazing secret.

"If he was never seen again, what does it matter?" Aundreya asked.

"Because the Ancient realized more could be born like him--more who could have the power to destroy an Ancient, which could never be done before. It couldn't be risked. It would be too dangerous to let children like him live."

"That's why Tarvril killed all those Guardians," Roman said in a whisper, having broken out of Aundreya's hold once more. "He was working for the Ancient to get rid of potential risks."

"Yes." Helena nodded. "The Ancient knew that a child of that magnitude could take over everything--kill all Ancients and end all forms of good. The Ancient did what needed to be done, risking favor with Adonai to save the world."

Noelle let out a loud, barking laugh. "Save the world? Hah! The Ancient was worried about his own skin. He didn't want a Guardian strong enough to do what his fellow Ancients wouldn't be able to stomach--killing one of their own. They wouldn't risk falling the same way he did, so he was safe, until a baby was born strong enough to kill him without risk."

"You're an awful little girl and I don't like you," Helena said with a glare.

"What did I do?" Aundreya asked. "Oh, her." She glanced between Helena and Noelle. "That's actually never happened before."

"You may not like me, but you need me." Noelle poked several peas onto her fork. "You need me more than you need her." She jerked her head in Aundreya's direction.

"Oh do I?" Helena asked.

Noelle nodded. "I've figured it out. You need me to amplify the Ancient so he's powerful enough to take on Trey and Ares. You got rid of Phoenix, even if you didn't mean to. She would have been strong enough on her own."

"Phoenix wouldn't have--"

"Phoenix would have stopped you the moment she found out you were working with the fallen Ancient. She's connected to the Circle, you know, since her parents are Elyo and Selene and Ares is her brother."

Helena's mouth bobbed open and closed again, but Noelle wasn't finished.

"It's even better that you think Trey is your only threat. Ares isn't dead--he was hidden. Narissa got a hold of him and kept him as her own weapon. I'm guessing she knew what he was and what he could do and she wanted protection from the Ancient all along. Or maybe you didn't realize--Eric Lee is Ares."

Across the table, she could see Roman's round eyes watching her, silently trying to get her to stop talking. But she wasn't interested in keeping secrets anymore--not when she didn't care about the outcome.

"I can amplify elemental gifts, so you want me to amplify your Ancient friend. The thing is, it occurred to me--you were around when Tarvril tried to have all the Guardians killed. You were there at his side when everything went wrong. You've always wanted power and manipulated those who have the ability to wield it. You brought the Ancient to Tarvril, and together the two of you convinced him to kill the Guardians to keep the Ancient safe. Only problem was you didn't count on Narissa figuring it out. She knew what you were up to, kidnapped the most powerful Guardian ever born, and then raised him to be the strongest fighter and military mind ever to live.

"But he wasn't the last to be born. He had a sister, born with equal strength, who flew right under your nose and either you didn't know whose child she was or you didn't think she'd come against you. All I can say is you're lucky she's dead. Then there's Trey, who, for some reason, frightens your Ancient. Trey controls the weather, so the best I can guess is this somehow affects your Ancient--they're one of the core elements or tied to a core element and weather can affect their abilities.

Regardless, without me, you'll lose. Trey and Ares together can easily take out your Ancient. You need me to make the Ancient strong enough to fight them. Plus, the Ancient Circle may not fight against the fallen Ancient, but they sure as hell will give as much backup as necessary to Trey and Ares. Basically, without me, you're screwed."

Noelle finished and went right back to eating her food. Helena, Aundreya and Roman sat in stunned silence, all eyes on her.

"Well aren't you a clever little mite," Helena said, her voice strained.

"Yes. Yes I am." Noelle's lips twisted into a mocking smile. "I already have a promise from Aundreya to give me whatever I want in exchange for helping her. If you want to use me in your little plan, I want the same from you."

"You want me to agree to give you whatever you want?" Helena asked, skepticism dripping from her tone.

"No," Noelle said, taking a bite of chicken. "I want you to promise me you'll make them burn."

"Who?" Helena asked, shooting a side glance at Aundreya in question.

"The ones who left me here." Noelle cocked her head to the side, giving them a beatific smile. "Maverick and Gwen."

Uhhhh guys? I think we might be in trouble...

BUT I JUST GAVE YOU SO MUCH INFO ABOUT THE ANCIENT! Like seriously this is the most you've ever learned in one sitting...or the most you've learned. Period. Soak it in. Learn from it.

Eric was taken by Narissa because she knew about the Ancient and wanted protection. Eric was the first of the major Guardians born. NONE OF THEM KNOW PHE IS ALIVE. The Ancient is afraid of Trey and...at least will be now...Eric. And so much more.

**************Just so you know, NO POST THURSDAY as it is Thanksgiving here in America and I take that day to be with my family. Thank you!******************