Hesi followed the crowd of servants hurrying towards a hall she hadn't been to before. Blood dripped from walls and soaked the floor, trailing after her with every step she took. The air smelled of iron and sounds of metal slamming against stone echoed in the darkness. Mayaware servants, clad in skirts and loose dresses, dashed to where the sound was coming from.

What in Qer's name was going on? Hesi ran her fingers against the blood on the walls and they came up slick with the thick, warm liquid. A gag arose in her throat but she forced it down. Find Asrate. That's what she should do.

She pushed past the creatures, not caring if they were Mayaware who could tear her apart with just a snap of their jaws. When she got to the end of the line, an arm shot out from the crowd and she turned to see Kharta. He gave her a firm shake of his head, warning her to step back, to not do anything. Then, before Hesi could open her mouth to ask a question, he dashed off.

She looked down to her feet now caked with flecks of mud and dried blood and at the hem of her dress now colored dark red. In the dim light provided by the torches lit, Hesi studied what's supposed to be the Demon Prince's quarters.

A wide pool with sparkling water surrounded by a lush garden separated the spectating crowd and the entrance to a small building inside the Royal Palace. She didn't even know it's possible until tonight. Columns shaped like a teardrop or a drop of blood stood in their cylindrical glory, guarding over the entrance and the pool as clay sentries.

Mayaware soldiers dressed in metal-plated leather armor marched past the crowd and joined Kharta by the entrance of the building. Silhouettes writhed from the darkness, the sound of hurrying footsteps growing louder each second. When they revealed themselves, Hesi let out an uncontrolled gasp.

Two human slaves carried a stretcher between them and what's on that stretcher made Hesi's heart stop. Asrate lay there, pale and with her hair scattered over her face and her torso. Her clothes were torn and bloodied and as the servants passed the crowd, Hesi got a glimpse of how bad it was.

A wide cut ran over the girl's body, slicing between her breasts and dragging all the way to her thigh. The girl's chest was barely rising and falling, her eyes closed and Hesi doubted she'd ever open them again. Asrate's legs were largely unharmed as well as her core. Hesi knitted her eyebrows. That's strange. Wasn't the prince looking to make the women pregnant? Why would it skirt around that part and hurt only Asrate's body?

She elbowed people out of the way as the crowd dispersed when they realized they were not going to be fed human entrails this hour of the night. Drops of blood formed a near-perfect line as they fell free from the wicker stretcher which was already drenched red.

"Hurry and take her away," Kharta's authoritative voice rang through the corridor as Hesi followed closely. The human servants carrying the stretcher gave their master a nod and doubled their speed. She was about to follow when she caught Kharta's gaze once again.

"Don't follow," the steward said in a tone saying he's not up for negotiation. "I'll take care of everything here."

Then, with a knowing look, he turned away from Hesi but not without a message in his eyes. Tonight.

Down into his secret quarters. They have to hurry with their plan.

Before any more gets hurt.