Penelope didn't know many people in her life. The people she had met in her life were few, so were her interactions because of her mother who had created the atmosphere where she didn't mingle with anyone. Even if she wanted to, people were often wary. It still made her wonder why...why were the people wary of their family. It couldn't be just a false rumor, right?
Her mind went back to the portrait that she had seen in the Artemis' house, "Was it the children's fault, the drowning?" she asked Damien.
"I am not sure about it. When the event took place Alex and I was young, kinda young. I remember not having seen them but it might be because it was only once that I went to their house which was after I grew up," so Damien had not seen the boys, thought Penny to herself.
"Do you think I can get the information about this case that took place?"
"We will have to check who the councilor was who was handling the case. It has been many years so we will need to check it. We will be leaving for Bonelake in four days," he informed her, "I can check in the council. But if the person is dead, I don't think pulling out information will be easy."
"Why not?" she questioned, "There should be some sort of record about it, right?"
"There are records of the cases but once a case is dismissed and closed, the files and other objects related to it are put in a storage room which no one is allowed to go. I will speak to Rueben about it and see what can be done."
"Thank you," she murmured to him.
"Why do you want to know about their children?" he asked her curiously. To him, it seemed like she was digging back a case that had been closed and was of no relevance. The Artemis couple were a pair of humans who had lost their children when they were young. They were fairly a decent elite with a passing grade of fortune that was made after a few years of the couple's marriage.
"It isn't because of the children. It is the other two that have been bothering me. I am just curious to know what happened," her green eyes stared into Damien's red eyes. Gazing as she looked up at him.
"Okay. Let me see if I can catch hold of a black witch before that. Alexander said the witch hunters had reduced here due to which there haven't been many sightings of the witches, instead, there have been spotting of humans going missing. Finding one in Bonelake is risky, there are many which have created a concentration of witches and witch hunters."
"Why doesn't the council do anything about it?"
"Some of the council elders don't want themselves to be caught in the midst of this war which the witches are trying to wage and win."
Penny frowned, "But it is going to damage the vampires along with humans. The humans are not the only ones to get affected by the witches."
"You and I understand it but not everyone is smart, it is because they put themselves first. Greed is second nature to people in the council. They will go to any extent when it comes to the power they want, everything runs behind closed doors and you won't know until you mix into it," Damien played with the back of her hair. Touching the tips of her hair.
"Have you done it?" She asked, the question passing by her mind on if Damien had ever broken the rules like the rest of them.
His eyes stared into hers, his expression picking on being passive, "What do you think?"
"You did…"
"I have killed plenty of people, Penny. Some for the thirst of blood and sometimes because they were more corrupt. Of course, everyone is corrupt in the council. There are only a few who you will find to be right and those people die. It is filled with filth, like the reflection of the world. It is not who is corrupt but who is the most corrupt that we target and kill," Penny took some time to understand his words, "Sleep now. We have a long day ahead," he pecked her lips, wishing her goodnight and tucking her under his chin.
To point out who was the most corrupt, thought Penny to herself. It was true though. Her eyes closed, she went through what Damien had told her. Everyone was selfish, greedy, and everything bad but it was the one with the highest amount who had to be taken down. Her eyes beginning to drift back to sleep, her breathing evened out as she fell back to a much peaceful sleep than before.
During the time of noon, Penny was in the hidden room of the Delcrov's mansion when the butler came to her. Knocking the door,
"Milady," Martin tried to gain her attention. Penny who was trying to put one drop of the solution to another carefully stopped herself from doing it and put it back down, "Master Damien call's for your presence in the dungeon room.
Dungeon room? It was the place where she had seen the dead bodies of the children they had rescued from the forbidden forest.
"Okay," putting the two glass-like tubes down in the stand, she wiped her hands on the apron she had been wearing around her waist. Making her way out of the room and then the mansion, Penny walked on the open ground before coming upon the two guards who stood at the entrance of the dungeon.
They bowed their heads at her, moving away from the path which they had blocked for anyone to pass through in or out of it.
Penny picked up the lantern which was at the front, the atmosphere outside was already dark with the clouds going back to hover in the sky and the atmosphere inside the dungeon was no less cold.
Holding it above her head, she picked the front of her skirt for easier movement as the dungeon was dark and only in some interval of distance did she come to meet a lit lantern before it turned dark again.
The stench of blood mixed with the rusted iron rods was heavy in here, which made her eyebrows draw together due to the smell.
She finally caught a glimpse of Lord Alexander who was with Damien in the cell room. The closer she got, the brighter the place turned out to be as many lanterns were placed and lit. It made her wonder who the guest was.
"You have another witch," came a shrill voice from the prisoner of the cell.
When Penny finally came to stand in front of them, the doors of the cell open, she found a black witcher whose hands and legs were tied with metal chains.