Elsewhere in the city, which was plagued by the return of the Creed, Achilleas was fighting his way through the streets, doing everything in his power to find his beloved fiancee’s father and sisters and see them safely home. He was unaware that other members of the Creed he was fighting against had reached the Leventi family estate or that his brother and his bride to be were fighting for their lives against a small squadron of their enemies.

Right about the time that the Creed were smashing the containers of wine in the lower levels of the Leveti guest house, Achilleas had just found found Selene and her sisters in the company of the Princess Emilia with the head of her bodyguards Nicholai and the two other men who had been on duty with Nic guarding the princess that day.

It took a few minutes of confusion before Selene and the girls verified that Achilleas was in fact betrothed to their sister, and not a threat to either the Leventi sisters or the princess.

“Come with me.” Achilleas said after everything had been cleared up. “I left the Leventi estate not that long ago. My brother, Emilios is there. Looking out for Theodora and the estate.” Achilleas didn't say anything further, not wishing to waste anymore time than they already had in meaningless discussion.

Moving at a fast walk, Achilleas was point man, taking out threats in their way as they moved back along the path he’d so recently come from, before they could threaten the girls all five men fought to keep safe.

As they got closer to the estate, Achilleas moved faster still, urging the others on.

Emilios needn't concern himself about how she viewed him. If anything it only deepened her attraction to him. She was a rather independent sort, but upon meeting and falling in love with Emilios she'd allowed herself to depend on him; to lean on him for emotional support and guidance despite even her best judgment. She'd never thought she'd be the sort to depend on a man for anything save fathering her children. It made her stronger, after all. If she were to marry a man who was often gone, she would need to care for the house and her children alone with little dependence on her husband.

Emilios changed all of that. When he was gone her heart longed for him. She saw him in every face; heard his voice whispered against her ear in the darkest nights. She felt his touch long after he'd gone and she smelled him.. as if his scent was embedded in her brain. The fact that he'd killed to protect her didn't register in her mind as a flaw. That he still cared enough.. that through everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours, he'd defended her. He was magnificent. Surely Artemis could shoot no better.

It was all a blur though. As she stared at him in awe, the world still happened around them. Through the fog, Emilios tugged her off the balcony and back into Selene's room. She caught his arms so she could look up at him as he spoke; her adrenaline coursing through her as he vetted his frustration. "Emilios, that's not what I meant...I-"

But the creed would not wait for them to grow dow eyed again. From below the sound of pottery breaking rent the silence. Theo gasped as he cursed; both of their attentions diverted. The creed was inside while they were trapped upstairs. She stayed in her place as he moved across the room to look out into the hallway; his frame rigid and tense; ready for any threat.

He moved back to her; harried and concerned and it worried her. He gathered her to him before she had a chance to react and pulled into a kiss. She sucked in a deep breath against his mouth; leaning forward as her eyes closed. She could stand there kissing him while the creed stormed the house; tearing it apart. They could light a fire and let it burn for all she cared as long as she was in his arms.

But the kiss barely lasted long enough for her to return it. He pulled away hastily and she fumbled forward; her lips tingling from where he just lingered. He walked back to the doorway; clearly trying to think of a new plan and Theo remained quiet; watching and waiting. Because she knew he would figure it out. Finally, he draped the bow over his shoulders and took her hand; dragging her back to the balcony. She followed him willingly listening to the logic in his plan. The balcony was the only way and she nodded absently; ready to jump when he said jump. She leaned over the balcony; watching for any creed members as Emilios climbed over the banister. "Please be careful.." She hissed at him as he stepped off the ledge; dangling from the rail before he dropped down silently. For a moment her heart stopped. Watching him fall.. it was almost too much. But her concern wasn't warranted. He landed deftly on the cobblestones; crouching to absorb the impact before he stood back up and looked to her expectantly. His words of encouragement had her lifting her leg to climb over but a scream echoed through the house below and Theo gasped; fear flooding her gaze as she looked down at Emilios and then back behind her. Her mother! She'd been downstairs and Theo had left her there! She'd all but forgotten her in the chaos that had just ensued between them.

She stared down at Emilios for what seemed like forever; emotions playing on her features as she tried to decide between her love and her family. In the end, her face crumpled and she pulled her leg back over the edge. "I can't! Emilios, my mother!" Before he could argue with her... before he could reason and tell her all the reasons why jumping was smarter than trying to save Evelli, she pushed away from the balcony and hurried back through the bedroom and out into the hall. It was dark, but that made little difference to her. She knew the house as if it was an extension of her own body. She could have navigated it with her eyes closed.

Slinking through the shadows, she stuck to the walls; the corners and the private alcoves she knew were scattered intermittently on the second floor. The second level surrounded the inner courtyard, but it was too dark to see; as if moonlight had conspired against her. The creed were shadows; dressed in darkness, she may never see them. But she had to try and find her mother. She had to help her.

Silently she crept down the stairs; her back pressed to the plaster wall. Her sandals barely scraped along the concrete but she was sure the sound of her heartbeat was loud enough to draw the attention of every Creed member within a mile radius; it pounded in her ears making it next to impossible to hear herself think, never mind hear the shadows move.

At the bottom of the stairs, she had to make a choice; left or right. It was too hard to distinguish in which direction her mother's scream came from and so she chose her safer option; to the right along the wall leading back towards the front door. Sticking to the safety of the shadows, she kept her eyes peeled for any threats but the sounds of breaking pottery were coming from across the courtyard on the other side of the house. Stepping around the body of one of her guards, she tried not to consider who it might be. They were all long-standing members of their staff and she knew them by name as well as their family members. But she couldn't dwell on that right now. She had to keep going.

She paused for a long moment as in order to get to the other side of the courtyard she'd need to step out into the open for a moment. She watched the shadows; her eyes hyper-vigilant for anything that was out of place. Her mind screamed at her to run away or hide, but she couldn't leave her mother any more than Emilios could leave her.

When she was sure that the creed was off in other rooms, she stepped away from the safety of her shadows. She was only able to get a couple of steps from the wall before an arm wrapped around her from behind; covering her mouth as her scream was stifled on her lips. The cold metal of a blade was pressed against her throat and she immediately went rigid against her captor; her hands wrapping around his arm as he slowly pulled her back. She could feel the rough material of their dark wraps pressed against her skin; it was like the shadows were visceral. And his hand against her mouth was damp and smelled of wine. They were wrapped with black linen; course and dirty. She closed her eyes; wondering now with the blade against her throat if her mother was even alive. Had this all been for naught? Perhaps she should have jumped. She could run with Emilios; to her stables where they could find two horses and leave the entire world behind. Lost in the chaos of the night, they would be victims of the raids. They could start over somewhere else.

Now she'd never know.

Achilleas was on his way back to the Leventi estate, though he had no idea that the ancestral home of his future bride was in danger of being burned to the ground, and both she and his younger brother were in danger of losing their lives at the hands of the Creed. If that were to happen, Achilleas would hardly be able to live with himself, losing the woman that he loved and the brother he’d grown up with. True they were not as close as they’d once been, but he had high hopes of changing that now that he was home again.

Unfortunately, he’d somehow collected quite the entourage on his way back to the estate only three of whom were fighting men in their prime. Though those three had a duty to the pretty young brunette who’d come from another land to attend the circus. Look how that turned out. He thought with a pang of grief he quickly choked out, urging the group on, barely pausing his stride as he cut down two of the masked Creed members who rushed at him from a smoky alleyway.

Casting a look back at Nic and his men, Achilleas snapped out, “Hurry!” He’d noticed the increase of smoke, and was worried that a fire could spread, That was something he could not fight. At least not with his sword. By the time they turned the last corner and he could see the estate clearly, Achilleas broke into a sprint, leaving the others behind and he raced through the gates, looking for his brother and betrothed.

Her attacker dragged her back; back to the shadows she'd just slipped out of and there wasn't anything she could do. The blade pressed tightly against her throat and she'd be surprised if it didn't cut her just by default. Her heart raced in her chest and she fought the fear that threatened to shed tears. She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't whimper or beg. None of that was constructive. She needed to keep a level head about her; not be reduced to a withered female. Her nails bit into the bandages around his arm; tugging on it in a vain attempt to pull it from her mouth. But it was no use; he was too strong.

Suddenly with a jerk, the hand that held the knife against her throat was wrenched away. She gave a yelp against his hand; sure he'd cut her throat. But she was still breathing. With another jerk, his other hand tightened on her mouth before he began to sink down; taking her with him. She was able to twist from his grasp; bending her body away from him as he fell behind her only to be caught by a second assailant and dragged back into the shadows. She fought this time; not feeling a blade against her throat, she wasn't about to go silently into the night. But the vaguely familiar frame with the equally familiar scent only tightened his hold on her. His whispered hiss against her ear sent a current of pleasurable goosebumps skittering down her back and she stopped fighting, though she remained tense against Emilios.

After a moment she nodded; indicating she was ok so he could let her go and as soon as he did she spun around to face him; still halfway in his arms; breathing out a reply so quiet, there was no way anyone more than a foot from them could hear. "I'm sorry.. I'm sorry!" It seemed to be the only thing she could say tonight.. .all she was doing was apologizing to him... for everything and nothing that was her fault. She leaned up and this time it was her turn to kiss him. It wasn't as hasty and feverish as what he'd given her upstairs. Feather soft, she rested her hand against his cheek. It was only a peck.. but any time she could kiss him it was worth it.

Finally, she let him go and folded her fingers in his. "My mother..." Tugging him, she moved back to the stairs...to the other side of the house. There was no way they could leave her now that they'd made it downstairs. Feeling something tickle her neck, she brushed her collarbone and her fingers came away clingy. She looked down and her fingers which were dark with moisture. The sting of the drowned's hand on her throat lingered...save it wasn't just a memory. It seemed the shadow had left this world without leaving her unscathed. He'd also cut her throat.

Judging by the fact that it felt more like a scratch than a full on slice, she doubted it was detrimental to her health... but it still showed her how close she'd gotten to losing her life. Her fingers shook and she wiped the blood on her chiton. She couldn't think of it right now. She was alive. Which was more than she could say about her mother. She just didn't know. Not until they found her.

Knowing that the worst thing to face was a fanatic, Achilleas would not fault Emilios since he believed that his brother had done everything he could to protect the woman he loved. And as the cut wasn’t deep or life-threatening, he would say nothing. Truthfully, aware that Emilios’ was blessed with a skill in archery that he could never hope to match, he was impressed by the bodies he’d found as he made his way through the halls of the Leventi house, wine soaking into the soles of his sandals with every step he took.



He didn’t know what had become of the small group that he’d led to within spitting distance of the Leventi estate for he'd sprinted the last part and Nicholai and the others had kept their pace to a quick trot, given they were tasked with guarding the ladies.



Achilleas did not arrive in time to see the kiss Theodora gave his younger, though besotted as he was it was unlikely he’d ever have guessed the truth behind it. The down part of being as honorable and straightforward as Achilleas was an inability to recognize deceitfulness in those close to him. That was why he could not see the evil that truly lurked in his father’s heart, and would lead to the dissolution of the close bond he’d once had with his cousin Stephanos.

There was a sense that you developed in battle. Some people came about it naturally, able to feel when something was about to strike. Achilleas came about it naturally, only enhanced by the blessings of the gods. They could feel the presence of an enemy, without speaking, without so much as a noise. It was a shift in the air, usually subtle and easy to miss. But when you were already in heightened awareness. Maybe it was the hairs that were already standing on end. When you were waiting for the next shoe to drop, you could almost hear the slightest shift.

But he never expected to fell Theo's hand so violently ripped from his shoulder. In his core, he'd known this was a bad idea. He should have pushed her back outside, should have found a way to convince her to find safety.

It was as if the attacker was gifted with his own blessings, his movements seeming like witchcraft or more. As the knives flew at Theo, he threw himself at the man. Hand to hand was not his strong suit, but he had certainly learned a few things from battles with his brother. They didn't seem to matter, because he was tossed to the floor. He didn't have time to think about the pain that was coursing through him. They were to close for the discarded bow to have any sort of impact on the situation. The best he could do was hope to hold him off long enough to get some help. He had to hope that Achilleas had brought more than just himself back. There were going to be far more than just this guy, and he was going to need help.

He ran at the man again, not worrying about Theo at that moment. Instead, he tackled the bastard, far smaller than the man. He had to have at least 2 stones on him, His focus was on this one man, but that didn't mean he didn't hear other footfall coming into the room. His arm was free to land a punch to his jaw, the crack of flesh to flesh breaking the silence. It was soon a hand to hand wrestling match, each trying to get the upper hand as the other tried to pin their opponent to the ground.

None of them saw him coming. He was a shadow and shadows concealed. His footfalls mimicked theirs. His breaths matched their own cadence. And even while her senses were heightened, Theo didn't feel him until her hand was yanked out of her lovers. He spun her around and strong hands shoved her back; throwing her to the ground. Her tailbone hit the hard tile floor first sending jolts of pain up her spine as she slid back to the wall. Slamming into it, her breath was knocked out of her and her head hit the plaster. Pain radiated everywhere and the room grew darker than it was; threatening to steal her consciousness. She lifted a weak hand to touch the tender spot on her head that hit the wall and gave a groan and moved to get away, but blades were slung at her with deadly precision; pinning folds of her gown to the wall behind her.

The two began to fight and Theo's mind swam; their struggle seemed distant and foggy. She rolled over until her hands were against the wine-soaked tile and tugged at the blades as the inner courtyard devolved into chaos. Weak fingers found the blades and tugged on one; working it side to side to loosen it from the plaster. Her ears were ringing and it was hard to remain awake. But there was no way she could let herself lose consciousness. She wouldn't allow herself to be dead weight for Emilios.

One blade wiggled free and she began working on the second as another person entered the fight; taking on another cult member. It was hard for her to focus on their shape in the darkness and in her dizziness. But she pulled at the other blade to free herself as they fought before pushing herself up to stand. She leaned a bruised shoulder against the wall and looked about; attempting to slip away from the fight to find her mother when a third black cloaked figure stepped up to her from the shadows. A blade was pointed up beneath her chin as he pushed her back against the wall. Her eyes raised to meet his but there was nothing there; just a black void. She gave a strangled croak as she raised her chin to keep the blade from cutting her but the tip pointed in more forcefully.

From the corner of her eye she could see more shadows moving in; surrounding the brothers as they fought side by side against the two. She had no idea how many there were; there just wasn't the time to count them as the blade bit into her flesh. Time seemed to drag on in slow motion; every breath she took slowed down in her head. And just as soon as the blade began to slice, fair skin, it was lifted away. She lifted her gaze to the shadow but he wasn't looking at her; he was looking at the others like him who were all pulling back; away from the brothers as they bested the men they'd started with. The dark figures slipped back into the shadows; away from the three of them; leaving her to slump down against the wall as Emilios and Achilleas finished up with the last to members. She felt weak; shaky and couldn't catch her breath. The strong will she had to fight...to win had been sucked out of her leaving her a shell of the confident headstrong woman she normally was. Before her life had been held on the tip of a knife. Before bodies were strewn across the floor. Before her fine gown was soaked in spilled wine. Before Achilleas's kiss and Emilios's fight. The night was just too much. Even for her. And she finally shut down with a whimper.