《Cassandra Riley: Beyond the Veil》 Chapter One ¡°I cannot believe they ran out of towels and didn¡¯t go back to get more. What¡¯s worse is they don¡¯t even remember which room they ran out in,¡± lamented Margret as she opened the door to exit the fifth room they had checked. Margret was in her late twenties with dark hair neatly pulled into a bun, wearing a simple long sleeve tan dress with an apron. The Burtons family crest embroidered onto her right sleeve, a crossed trumpet and staff over a shield. Cassy followed slightly behind Margret, her light blonde hair pulled into a bun showing her elegant soft features while balancing a pile of clean towels on her forearms. She was eighteen, with light grey eyes, and wore the same attire as Margret. ¡°It¡¯s very frustrating, Ma¡¯am,¡± she said, stepping through the doorway into the hallway. *Cassy rolled her eyes internally, having to listen to Margrets complain about the other maids again.* The walls were lined with dark wood panels that had intricate carvings telling of histories long forgotten. The vaulted ceiling seemed to stretch into the sky as sconces lined the wall, lighting the space. It was dimly light, with only half the wall sconces turned on. ¡°That¡¯s right, and why are we the ones having to go around fixing it?¡± Margret closed the door for Cassy and continued on to the next room. She suddenly twitched her head before touching her right ear for a moment. She turned to Cassy, ¡°Why don¡¯t you wait here while I take a couple of towels into the next room, it will be faster if only one of us is going in and out of each room.¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡± *Finally, some quiet* thought, Cassy. ¡°Good.¡± Margret grabbed a pair of towels from the top of the stack, slipped them under her arm, and entered the next room, leaving Cassy in the hallway. As she waited, the remaining sconces flickered on, and footsteps emanated from a nearby hallway. She frantically looked around, spotting an alcove in the wall. She hurried over to it and quietly slipped in. The alcove was large enough for two people to stand on either side, with space in between. She put her back against the side wall looking at the wall across from her, taking a deep breath to steady her nerves. The footsteps grew closer before stopping. A man stepped partially into the alcove. He looked to be around her age with neatly kept short dark hair and well-defined facial features with brown eyes formed into an ominous gaze that chilled to the bone. Cassy froze, feeling a blade pressed against her throat. The man spoke, "Your name, now." "Cassandra Riley," she said shakily. "How did you get in here? I sense no mark on you." Cassy''s mind began to race as the last several days flashed through her mind. Four days ago Cassy walked down the street, her blonde curls glowing in the sunset as streetlights lazily flicked on with a dim light that would slowly brighten as they warmed up. A warm spring breeze smelling of salt water blew past her. Jet flairs could be seen as shuttles descended from space to the spaceport just outside town. Her light makeup stained her soft features as tears ran uncontrollably down her cheeks. She approached a small caf¨¦ and stepped inside. The familiar smell of coffee greeted her as Michelle, the caf¨¦ owner, looked up from behind the counter, "Welcome," she paused, "Cassy, are you okay?" Cassy shook her head, failing to stifle a new stream of tears. Michelle''s cheerful brown eyes saddened while she maintained a smile, "Take a seat. I''ll have your favorite tea ready in a moment." Cassy walked over to the corner table and sat down on the bench that partially surrounded it, setting her backpack next to her. A few minutes passed, and she slowly gained control of her emotions. Michelle came over to the table with two cups of tea. She was in her late 40s with graying brunette hair pulled into a ponytail. Michelle set the cups on the table and sat in the chair across from Cassy, handing her a damp cloth and saying, "Your makeup is running. Why don''t you wipe it off." She took a sip from her tea while Cassy wiped her face. Cassy sipped her tea slowly, the aroma and flavor of chamomile washing over her, calming her. "My parents kicked me out tonight. They said I could live on my own and pay for myself now that I''ve graduated," said Cassy. "That''s terrible, dear. I never knew your parents could be so cruel. They always seemed so nice.¡± "Emily cried while I packed my bag, begging my mom to let me stay." A new tear ran down Cassy¡¯s cheek as she stifled more. "Did they only let you have the backpack?" "Yeah, my mom let me have a couple of changes of clothes, saying it would be enough for me to find a job, and she was going to give the rest to Emily, so she didn''t have to buy her new ones."Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Do you have any plans yet?¡± ¡°No, I thought I would figure it once I got here.¡± Michelle contemplated something for a moment. "Why don''t you stay at my house tonight? I''ve heard one of the mansions is looking for another housekeeper. I can go with you to inquire in the morning. I also have some clothes at home that should fit you, and I was about to donate them anyway." Cassy showed a slight smile, "I would love to, thank you." "Wonderful. Well, I intended to give you a piece of cake on the house to celebrate your graduation. If you''ll excuse me, I''ll go grab it." Cassy nodded as Michelle fetched two pieces of cake, and they ate them together. After finishing the cakes, Michelle grabbed both plates and said, "Alright, now let''s close up early, it doesn''t look like anyone else is coming in tonight, and then we can celebrate your graduation properly." The following day, Cassy unpacked her backpack and laid out the clothes she had. Michelle knocked on the door to her room. "Come in," said Cassy. Michelle entered the room, noticing the clothes on the bed. She approached looking over the clothes, "Oh my, I don''t see anything here that would work for an interview," She said before departing the room and coming back a few minutes later with a dress. "Here, try this on." Cassy took the dress, put it on, and looked in the mirror. The dress fit like a glove and looked functional but still professional. "Perfect," said Michelle. Later, Cassy and Michelle approached the mansion. They rang the intercom and were shown in by one of the guards. The estate sprawled over many acres, with gardens and outbuildings spread throughout. The air was filled with the scent of lavender, and bees buzzed happily around the flowers as groundskeepers went about tending to all the plants. They were shown down a stone path running along the driveway. The mansion slowly came into view through the trees, dominating the landscape like a castle. They were taken to a side entrance and met with the head housekeeper, Mrs. Hopkins. After a brief discussion, Mrs. Hopkins smiled at Cassy, saying, "I think you will fit in wonderfully here. Provided, of course, you make it through a one-week trial. You can live in the servant''s quarters during the week." Cassy happily accepted the position before bidding Michelle farewell. Michelle hugged her and wished her luck. Mrs. Hopkins gave Cassy a tour of the servant''s area, which included a common room, dining room, kitchen, and several hallways that led down to private rooms for the staff. Mrs. Hopkins grabbed Cassy a dress and apron from a linen closet before heading down one of the hallways, "This will be your room," she said, stopping at one of the doors, "please change into your uniform and meet me back in the common room." "Yes, Ma''am," said Cassy before entering the room and looking around. It was small, with a bed, a table with two chairs tucked against a wall, a wardrobe, and a bathroom and shower. Cassy placed her backpack next to the wardrobe, changed, and left. When she returned to the common room, she saw Mrs. Hopkins sitting at a table next to a man. The room was large enough to accommodate around fifty people, with a few couches grouped together in different spots and tables dotted throughout the room. Cassy approached the table, and Mrs. Hopkins noticed her, motioning towards a chair, "Cassy, please take a seat. This is Mr. Grayson, the head of staff for the mansion. He is responsible for overseeing all the servants caring for the estate. Servants at this estate are separated into two groups, we, the house staff, are responsible for maintaining the grounds and buildings, while the other group serves the Burtons directly. The Burtons only allow their private staff around him," said Mrs. Hopkins, pausing momentarily. Mr. Grayson began to speak, "While working at the estate, a special mark will be placed on your arm. This will allow the guards and other staff to identify who you are. Staff are given different marks depending on their position. Please hold out your right arm so that I may place the mark on it." Cassy placed her right arm on the table in front of Mr. Grayson, who took out a grease pencil and drew something on her forearm before putting a finger in the middle of the mark and uttering something she couldn''t understand. The grease marking absorbed into her skin before partially fading. Cassy examined her arm. "Fascinating, isn''t it, Ms. Riley? We will explain how it works in due time, but first, you must complete your evaluation period. I will leave you in Mrs. Hopkins''s care for now," said Mr. Grayson before departing. "Perfect. Let''s get you started. I will have you working with Ms. Grant during your trial week," said Mrs. Hopkins. Mrs. Hopkins led Cassy to a room in the mansion where a woman was cleaning, "Ms. Grant, this is Cassandra Riley. She will be joining us from today, and I would like you to train her." Ms. Grant stopped what she was doing, approaching Cassy, "I would be delighted to. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Riley. I''m Margret Grant." "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Grant." "Perfect. I will be leaving the two of you now," said Mrs. Hopkins before departing the room. "Alright, this room is about done, so there''s not much you can do here. Did Mrs. Hopkins talk to you about the light?" "No, she didn''t." "Very well," said Margret, returning to finish cleaning, "you may have already noticed that only half the lights in the mansion are kept on?¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°All of them will only turn on if a member of the Burton family is nearby. If all the lights turn on, you will need to either leave the area or hide. If you''re in a room, wait by the door. A member of the private staff will escort you out if they need to use the room. If you''re in a hallway, you can leave, but if you can''t, there are alcoves throughout the mansion that you can wait in for them to pass. Stand to one side facing the wall across from you, and don''t look out unless directed. Usually, we have enough warning that it isn''t an issue." "How big is the family?" ¡°Five. We only have Lord Fletcher Burton, the second son of Duke Burton, living at the estate right now. The rest of the family lives off-world at their primary estate." "Why do they have an estate here?" "The Burtons are the heralds of the imperial throne, and Duke Burton is currently the acting steward to the throne in the emperor''s absence. Usually, this estate is only used by the heralds when they are here to conduct business." The rest of her memories became hazy as she felt slightly nauseous. Chapter Two Cassy''s head spun as she returned to the present, worsening her nausea. She looked down at her arm, feeling the blade at her neck before stammering, "I have one." The man¡¯s gaze bore through her, striking fear into her heart, "Show me. Now." Cassy dropped the towels and rolled up her right sleeve, displaying the faded mark. "Strange," said the man as he stepped back into the hallway, lowering his blade. "Step into the hallway, please." His voice softened some, while keeping its air of authority. Cassy did as she was ordered and stepped into the hallway. The man inspected her in the light. Margret, quietly stepping out of the room behind the man, holding a dagger. She raised the dagger and lunged toward him. The man spun in a blur without hesitation, bringing his blade up to meet hers. Margret attacked again. The man easily evaded the attack and thrust his off-hand towards Margret as if trying to push her away. There was a popping sound as Margret was thrown backward, slamming into the wall behind her. Shaking some sconces. She slumped to the floor, unmoving but still breathing. Cassy was frozen, unsure of what just happened, as three guards ran down the hallway toward them. They wore light armor in dark blue with the Burton family crest on their shoulder pads, signifying them as Lord Burton''s personal guard. "Are you okay, my Lord?" asked one of them. "Yes, I am fine," said Lord Fletcher Burton, looking down at Margret. He then turned to Cassy, ¡°Is there anyone else with you?¡± Cassy shook her head, "No, my Lord, it was just the two of us." Her legs trembled, almost collapsing as fear welled up inside her. Fletcher looked back at the guards, "Search the area and bind this one," pointing at Margret. "Yes, My Lord," the guards responded in unison. Two of them began searching the nearby rooms, and the remaining guard restrained Margret. Several more guards and a man wearing a suit arrived moments later. Fletcher looked up at the arriving group, "Ah, Richard, please take Ms. Riley here to get cleaned up. A substance on her sleeve blocked my ability to sense her mark. I believe it is also on this pile of towels in the alcove over there. I would like it analyzed." "Yes, my Lord. Miss, please follow me,¡± said the man in the suit, leading Cassy away from the group and down the hallway. "My name is Richard Hamilton, Lord Burton''s head of staff," he said calmly. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hamilton, although I wish it were under better circumstances," responded Cassy. "Indeed, young lady. I haven''t seen you before. Are you new?" "Yes, I started three days ago, sir.¡± "I would imagine this will make for a terrible first week." "Yes, Sir" Cassy followed Richard in silence down the hallways of the mansion, passing by another pair of guards in the hallway as they entered a restricted part of the house. Richard led Cassy to a room that resembled the house staff''s common room. The room had several large tables and groups of couches in different places. There were about a dozen people wearing nicer versions of the house staff''s clothing spread throughout the room, engrossed in conversation. Richard walked over to one of the women in the room. The woman led Cassy down a hallway into a room similar to hers. Once in the room, the woman said, "I will need to collect your clothes. You may use the shower over there to wash off anything they might be on your skin. I will lay out new clothes in the bathroom." The woman placed Cassy''s clothing in a bag and sealed it as Cassy showered. After getting dressed, Cassy was greeted by a guard who introduced himself as Corporal Holland, and led her back to the house staff''s quarters. Everyone had been gathered into the common room before she returned. Several of Fletcher''s private guards were spread throughout the room. Mr. Grayson and Mrs. Hopkins were talking to a rough-looking man with graying hair, who also wore the same light combat armor as the guards. Cassy was led over to them.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "Ms. Riley, are you alright," exclaimed Mrs. Hopkins. Cassy nodded her head and responded, "Yes, Ma''am." ¡°What a relief," responded Mrs. Hopkins, the worry in her expression lightening. Cassy felt odd about the change, as if it was faked. Mrs. Hopkins turned back, returning to the man and Mr. Grayson. "Might Ms. Riley return to her room? I believe it has been searched already." The man nodded, and Mrs. Hopkins led Cassy away. Along the way, Cassy passed several rooms being searched by guards. As they reached Cassy''s room, Mrs. Hopkins turned to Corporal Holland, "Do you need to follow us into her room,¡± she asked, exasperated. "Yes, ma''am. I have been asked to watch Ms. Riley for the evening." His response was calm. "Do you believe she is in danger or something?" "We are unsure at this time and felt it better to be safe." "Very well," responded Mrs. Hopkins before leading Cassy into her room, followed by Corporal Holland. Cassy could tell that the exasperation was real, further reinforcing her feeling that Mrs. Hopkins was feigning relief earlier. Mrs. Hopkins walked over to Cassy''s bed and sat down. "Come sit for a moment, Ms. Riley," she said while patting the bed beside her. "Yes, Ma''am." Cassy sat down while Corporal Holland sat at the table, pulled out a book, and began reading. "I haven''t heard the details of what happened, but I''ve been told Ms. Grant was arrested. Is everything alright, Ms. Riley?" Her tone now shifting to concern. Cassy nodded and said, "Yes, I was not hurt, but I feel a bit shaken." Mrs. Hopkins''s expression looked thoughtful before she spoke, "I''m glad you aren''t hurt. If you need someone to talk to, I am always here. I understand if you decide to quit after what happened, but I will need you to stick around for a few days, as Lord Burton will have questions about what happened. I will also be placing you on light duty for the next few days.¡± "Thank you. I don''t know where else I would go if I left, and I have enjoyed getting to know everyone. For now, I''d like to rest and think about things." Mrs. Hopkins nodded and said, "Very well. I will be heading back to the common room for now, but don''t hesitate to call me if you need anything." Then she departed the room, leaving Cassy alone with Corporal Holland. Cassy sat for a minute contemplating Mrs. Hopkins''s reactions and how they didn¡¯t feel genuine. Corporal Holland broke the silence, "I''d imagine you have some questions about what happened. Many people have difficulty understanding when they first encounter those gifted with abilities.¡± Cassy nodded slowly, "What happened? Why did Ms. Grant attack him?" "The Burtons have plenty of enemies. More than likely, they were attempting to assassinate him to cause a stir in the family. The war may be over, but in many ways, it still smolders even after 50 years.¡± "How did he throw Ms. Grant into the wall?" "Lord Burton has special gifts that allow him to do things like what you saw. For now, you should rest. I will stay with you until the morning to ensure nothing happens to you. If you need to go somewhere, I will escort you, and if you use the bathroom, leave the door unlocked in case something happens." ¡°Yes sir. That book you''re reading. I''ve never seen a physical one before." Corporal Holland smiled for the first time, ¡°Yes, the Burtons maintain an extensive library of old books, and we have some here. Lord Burton''s personal staff and guards are allowed access to the library." Cassy continued asking Corporal Holland about the books in Burton''s library before she finally felt he was trustworthy. ¡°Corporal Holland, may I ask your opinion of something?¡± ¡°What would that be?¡± ¡°Mrs. Hopkins, did anything seem off about her words?¡± ¡°She did seem frustrated by my presence, and her tone did not sound sincere. This is my first time meeting her, though.¡± ¡°I noticed her frustration too. This is the first time I¡¯ve felt she was insincere or frustrated by something. It reminded me of when I was in high school, and one of the girls would try to get close to me, so they could hurt me in some way.¡± Corporal Holland thought, considering Cassy¡¯s words for a minute. ¡°Did this often happen to you in high school?¡± ¡°Yes, I was targeted by many of the girls at the school because they didn¡¯t like how much attention the boys gave me. I got really good at reading people because of it.¡± ¡°Well then, I will trust in your general assessment of her and report it to my superiors. Meanwhile, why don¡¯t you get some rest.¡± ¡°Thank you, Corporal Holland.¡± ¡°You are most welcome. Sleep well.¡± ¡°Good night.¡± Cassy grabbed her pajamas and went into the bathroom to change before heading to bed. Cassy¡¯s sleep that night was disturbed by dreams of the events that had occurred, and she felt like something else was watching her in her dreams. She woke to Corporal Holland still reading in the corner of the room. "Good morning," she said. Corporal Holland looked up from his book, "Good morning, how did you sleep? You seemed restless.¡± ¡°I had dreams about what happened.¡± ¡°That can be expected. Why don''t you get ready, and we can head to the common room? My replacement should be here soon." Cassy nodded before getting out of bed and preparing for the day. Corporal Holland followed Cassy into the common room, where several guards were sitting at a table playing a game of cards as the other servants busied themselves getting breakfast ready. Cassy went to help set tables while Holland observed. A few minutes later, a guard entered the room, approaching Corporal Holland. After a brief whispered exchange, Corporal Holland stood up and walked toward Cassy, "Ms. Riley, I will need you to come with me. Lord Burton would like to speak with you." "Yes sir," said Cassy, handing off the stack of plates she had and following Corporal Holland out of the room. Chapter Three The mansion felt quieter than usual, creating an eery atmosphere. Corporal Holland led Cassy back to the restricted section of the house, passing by two guards in the hallway. They approached a door that was flanked by another pair of guards. Holland paused just before opening the door, looking at Cassy, "Ms. Riley, this is Lord Burton''s morning room. I want you to remember something while speaking with Lord Burton; he is a kind and caring man, but he must put his duty to protect the house first." Corporal Holland opened the door, beckoned Cassy inside, and said, "Best of luck." Cassy entered the room, it was a spacious room with lighter panelling than the rest of the house. Windows filled one wall, filling the room with the morning sun. The ceiling was two stories tall and there was a small balcony that runs around three sides of the room with stairs leading down providing access to the second floor of the manor. A desk sits against the wall to the left and a large eight-person table is centered in the middle of the room. Four chairs sit facing each other on the right side of the room, with a small coffee table providing a conversational area. Corporal Holland closed the door behind her, standing to one side of it with another guard. A maid stood in the left corner of the room near the desk. Richard greeted her, "Welcome, Ms. Riley. Please take a seat over here,¡± he led her over to the four chairs on the right, where Fletcher was already reading from a tablet. Cassy walked over to the conversational area. Fletcher looked at her, "Thank you for coming, Ms. Riley; please take a seat." Cassy sat down in the seat to Lord Burton''s right, "have you eaten yet" he asked. "No, my Lord." "Probably for the better. I will have breakfast brought after we have discussed what I called you here for. Ms. Riley, I have some suspicions about the mark on your arm. I would like to examine it and your memories from when it was placed on you.¡± ¡°Examine my memories, my Lord?¡± ¡°Yes, I have the ability to look into other people''s minds and see their thoughts and memories. It will be like reliving the memory from the side lines. The mind probe may cause you some discomfort. Would you consent to this?" Cassy hesitated momentarily, recalling Holland''s words, and nodded to Lord Burton, "Yes, my Lord." Fletcher turned his chair slightly to face her. "I will need to place my hand on the side of your head near your temple. Please turn your chair towards me, and if you feel nauseous during the process, use this pot to vomit." As he said this, Richard handed Cassy a steel pot. Cassy moved her chair closer to Lord Burton with Richard''s assistance and placed the pot on her lap, gripping it with both hands. Fletcher put his hand on the right side of her face, with his index finger touching her temple. "Let us begin," he said. Cassy felt the room swirl as her consciousness retreated from the world, and she found herself standing in Michelle''s living room watching herself eat breakfast on the morning she came to the mansion. Lord Burton stood beside her as they watched Cassy and Michelle eat breakfast. Lord Burton began to speak, "I will first need to examine your memory from before you came to the mansion." The pair followed along silently as they watched the memory flow around them. They soon arrived at the entrance to the estate and as Cassy was about to cross the gate. Fletcher snapped his finger, and the memory froze. Fletcher walked over, taking Cassy''s right arm and pulling her sleeve to her elbow. He examined her arm, saying, "There are many things that your mind will remember, but you don''t notice yourself. For instance, your mind can remember any marks or hexes placed on you; right now, I can tell you have no marks before entering the estate." He snapped his fingers again, and the memory proceeded like unpausing a movie. Soon they reached Cassy¡¯s interview with Mrs. Hopkins. Fletcher listed intently to Mrs. Hopkins''s choice of questions. As the memory continued, Fletcher turned to Cassy and spoke, "Did you notice that she asked you about your family situation, and then she asked about your friends." "I thought she was worried someone might cause an issue, or I might get distracted from work by them." "She did say that, but I do not believe that was her true intention. We know from interrogating Ms. Grant that the assassination was supposed to be pinned on you. I believe Mrs. Hopkins is involved and selected you for that purpose."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Cassy nodded and then noticed that they had reached the point in her memory where she was instructed to change clothes. Fletcher, realizing this, smiled and said, "We can wait outside the room. It won¡¯t affect the outcome, and you deserve your privacy.¡± The pair followed her memory into the common room, where Fletcher listened to Mrs. Hopkins''s instructions and watched closely as Mr. Grayson drew the mark. Just as he finished drawing the mark, a head-splitting pain hit Cassy, and she fell to her knees, holding her head. Fletcher snapped his finger, pausing the memory, and grabbed her by the hands, protecting her from whatever was attacking her. The pain quickly subsided. "This is not from the mind probe. That mark might look like it''s from my house, but has an ulterior purpose." He looked around, "I''m afraid to uncover the truth; We will need to proceed, Ms. Riley. Please bear with me," said Lord Burton in a distressed tone. Cassy looked up into his eyes and noticed they looked regretful, and she nodded her head, saying, "I will do my best to endure it." Fletcher nodded before saying, "Thank you for being so brave." His expression changed to determination as he released her arm. The pain returned, but this time she could also feel it emanating from her temple, where Fletcher¡¯s finger was in the real world. Cassy looked up to see Fletcher still looking at her, but his eyes were now a deep blood-red, and his pupils had narrowed to horizontal slits. She heard laughter and looked over to see Mr. Grayson rising from the table, "How clever of you to come looking here, Lord Burton. I''m afraid you''re trapped, though." Fletcher stretched his hand out towards Mr. Grayson and said, "Reveal yourself," as Cassy felt a wave of energy pulse through her, and Mr. Grayson was knocked down but began laughing harder. "It does not matter what you do to me here, young man. As long as that mark remains on her arm, I have you trapped," said Mr. Grayson. Cassy stood up, determination in her eyes as Fletcher turned toward her, reaching down for her arm before swiping his hand across the mark. She felt it tingle as the mark vanished, and the pain dissipated except for what was emanating from her temple. She watched Mr. Grayson as his eyes widened, shock spreading across his face. Fletcher approached him, "You will tell me what I want to know, you little phantasm." Fletcher held his hands out, a jar appearing in them as he uttered an incantation that Cassy couldn''t understand. She felt herself beginning to lose consciousness as she watched Mr. Grayson get sucked into the bottle and Fletcher cork it. Cassy found herself looking into Fletcher¡¯s eyes, sitting in the morning room, his eyes had returned to normal. Her head was throbbing. She looked down at her arm and noticed the grease marking from Mr. Grayson was there. Lord Burton motioned for Richard and said, "Wipe that off her now and get some water." The maid in the corner of the room quickly brought over a cup of water as Richard wiped the grease marking from Cassy''s arm. Fletcher took the glass of water from the maid and set it on the coffee table. Cassy was overwhelmed by nausea and began vomiting into the pot on her lap, which quickly turned into dry heaving as her stomach emptied. After several minutes, her stomach calmed and she stopped heaving. "Rinse your mouth out," said Lord Burton, handing her the glass of water. Cassy took the water, rinsing her mouth and spitting it into the bucket before slowly taking a sip. "Has the feeling passed, or are you still unwell," asked Fletcher. "No, I feel better now," responded Cassy. "Good, then let''s have some breakfast. Richard can you have it brought and something easy on the stomach for Ms. Riley," said Fletcher before adding, ¡°And alert Doctor Bennett I would like to have him take a look at her before she takes a rest. Please have a room prepared for her in the servant''s quarters. I would prefer she stays where we can keep an eye on her for now." "Yes, my Lord, and what about her mark?¡± Asked Richard as he reached down to take the pot from Cassy''s lap, handing it off to the maid waiting nearby. "I will place a new one on her," said Fletcher, turning to Cassy. "Your right arm, please." Cassy lifted her arm, her body feeling heavy and drained of energy. Fletcher took her shaky arm and placed two fingers on the spot where the old mark had been. He took a deep breath, and she watched as lines began to draw outward from his fingers, forming a shape that looked vaguely like the previous mark and glowing brightly in various colors. The glow faded slowly, leaving an intricate tattoo on her forearm. Fletcher turned his chair back to face the coffee table before standing up. Richard inspected the mark on Cassy''s arm and helped her return her chair to its proper place. Richard then helped stand and walked with her and Fletcher to the dinning table, where she was sat next to Fletcher. Shortly after, two servants entered the room carrying plates of food. The plates were placed in front of Fletcher and Cassy, and the servants quietly left the room. The two ate in silence. After finishing, having regained some of her strength, Cassy was led out of the room by Corporal Holland. As they were about to leave, there was a commotion behind them. She turned to see Mrs. Hopkins and Mr. Grayson being dragged towards them in shackles. Mr. Grayson locked eyes with Cassy and began to yell something in a language she couldn''t understand. Corporal Holland stepped between them drawing his sidearm and taking aim at Mr. Grayson. The guards carrying Mr. Grayson drove him to the ground, slamming his face into the floor. "Silence," one of the guards commanded him, while the other guard forced a gage into Mr. Grayson''s mouth, preventing him from speaking. As the guards finished subduing Mr. Grayson, Corporal Holland holstered his sidearm and turned to Cassy, saying, "This way, please. Best to not stick around here much longer." Corporal Holland led Cassy down the hallway, followed by a maid. Chapter Four Corporal Holland led Cassy to a room where three men conversed next to what looked like a medical exam table. Cassy noticed that one of the men had been talking to Mr. Grayson the night before. As they approached the group, one of the men stepped away from the group, "Welcome, Ms. Riley. I am Doctor Bennett. Thank you for coming." As he said this, the other two men stepped away from the table, continuing their conversation in the corner of the room. Doctor Bennet had impeccably styled silver hair and blue eyes. "Please take a seat here. I''ve been asked to give you an exam and check for any lingering effects from your recent encounter.¡± Cassy walked over to the exam table, sitting on the edge of it, while Doctor Bennett grabbed an otoscope hanging from a nearby wall. Returning to Cassy, he examined her ears and nose. He then returned the otoscope and checked under her eyelids. ¡°Was there any bleeding from your gums?¡± "No" "Wonderful. I''ve heard the report of what happened, and it isn''t unusual for someone to get a bloody nose or begin bleeding from somewhere else after an encounter like that. There are just a couple of scans I need to do. The first will be a standard body scan, and the second will give me a better idea of how you were able to resist the effects of what you experienced. Both machines are in the base of the table you are sitting on and will come up from behind your head and pass over the top of you. If you would be so kind as to lie on the table." Cassy lay down on the table. Doctor Bennett pressed a button on the side of the table, grabbed a tablet from the counter, and began pressing some buttons on the tablet. "Alright, we will begin the first scan now." A bar slid out from the head of the table, passing over the top of Cassy several times before returning to the top of the table and sliding back down. "Everything looks fine, so let''s proceed to the next scan." Another device slid out from the top of the table. This one, though, came to rest at the top of the table and surrounded Cassy''s head. The device hummed for a minute before retracting and disappearing into the table. "That will be everything I need, Ms. Riley. Your scans look fine, but I will take a more detailed look at them later today and let you know if there is anything of concern," said Doctor Bennett. Cassy sat up, swung her legs over the table''s edge, and stood before saying, "Thank you, Doctor Bennett." "You''re most welcome. I imagine you must be quite exhausted from your encounter. If you could, please follow me to one of the medical rooms where you can rest.¡± said Doctor Bennett. Doctor Bennet showed her to a nearby room with some more medical equipment and a hospital bed. As they were about to enter the room, a guard approached them. Corporal Holland said, ¡°Ms. Riley, this is Corporal Roberts and he is my relief. He will be staying with you for now.¡± Cassy turned to Corporal Roberts and said, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± ¡°Likewise Ms. Riley.¡± Cassy followed Doctor Bennett into the room and laid down on the bed, falling to sleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, while listening to Corporals Holland and Roberts talk in the hallway. Meanwhile, in Fletcher¡¯s personal study, he admired a painting on the wall. The study was lavishly furnished with a four-seat table to the right of the door, a large desk across from the entrance, a fireplace and chairs on the left, and bookcases lining the walls. Mrs. Hopkins and Mr. Grayson knelt on a rug behind him, surrounded by guards. Fletcher spoke as he turned to face them, "This is your last chance to tell me who your master is before I send you for interrogation." Mr. Grayson looked at Fletcher with defiance in his eyes. Mrs. Hopkins began to stutter, "We only know¡­." she was cut short as she started choking, then vomited blood all over the rug before collapsing and convulsing. Mr. Grayson''s eyes widened in fear as he met the same fate. Fletcher stood silently for a moment before turning to Richard and saying, "Have this cleaned up. It looks like we have more investigation to do and have autopsies done on them. I would like to know what killed them." "Yes, my Lord," responded Richard as he walked towards the door and spoke to someone just outside the room. Lord Burton turned back to the painting, deep in thought. Several men entered the room a few minutes later carrying a pair of body bags and a new rug. They quickly removed the bodies and replaced the carpet. Richard approached Lord Burton after everyone had left and said, "My Lord, it was wise to get rugs with waterproof backings." "Just a little intuition." ¡°If I may ask, I¡¯m still unsure about your choice of the girl''s mark.¡± Lord Burton turned towards Richard, "Yes, I understand why you would be confused. Come take a seat." Lord Burton motioned, and the two sat in nearby chairs.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Lord Burton continued, "A phantasm attacked us her memory. When I suppressed its attack against her, I could sense the amount of power it was exerting, and it should have killed her. She also withstood my counterattack against it. After the ordeal, all she did was vomit for a few minutes. I looked a little deeper during the attack, and she has a great deal of untapped potential. I''m unsure why I could not sense it before. I''m amazed she was never found by the scryers." "I see. Do you think you will be able to keep her in check," asked Richard? "I looked further back into her memories during the probe, and yes, she will be simple to control. Presently, all she wants is a place to belong, our protecting her at this stage will cement her loyalty, and in the future, we can guarantee her loyalty further with some simple steps." "And what might those steps be, my Lord?" "She loves her sister and fears her parents will kick her out when she graduates from high school, like they did to her. We still have a few years before that, her sister is entering 10th grade this year, and we will be done with our business here well before then. Still, if we allow Ms. Riley to meet her sister, she will naturally ask if we can take her in. I am unsure, but I feel her sister also has some potential." Richard sat for a moment, deep in thought, before saying, "Thank you for elaborating, my Lord. Would you like me to investigate the sister?" "Yes, thank you, Richard. Furthermore, please move Ms. Riley''s quarters to our servant quarters. I would like her to be tested to determine her full potential and begin training her in etiquette. She could prove useful politically." "It will be done, my Lord," said Richard as he rose from his seat and bowed before departing the room. Cassy woke from her nap. The room was dark with a pleasant temperature. She looked at the clock on the nightstand next to the bed; it was Noon. She slowly sat up in the bed, unsure of where the light switch was in the room. As if responding to her thoughts, the lights dimly lit up and gradually brightened over the next minute. Cassy got out of bed and walked over to a mirror by the door to the room; examining her appearance, she fixed her hair and smoothed the wrinkles in her clothes. Cassy left the room, stepping into a hallway. Corporal Roberts was standing just outside the door, who turned to her and said, "Afternoon, Ms. Riley." Cassy looked over to Corporal Roberts, getting her first good look at him. He had clean cut short dark brown hair with a well-defined jawline. He was wearing the guard''s standard uniform, which looked like a military dress uniform, with a short sword on his left hip and a sidearm on his right. ¡°Afternoon, Corporal Roberts. Is there anything left from lunch?" "This way, Ms. Riley," said Roberts, leading Cassy back towards the common room in silence. On the way back, Cassy broke the silence, "Corporal Roberts, why do all the guards have military ranks?" "The Burton family maintains a large estate that includes a standing military. Our presence is not very large on this world, but on their home world, the Burtons command several hundred thousand troops," responded Corporal Roberts. "Oh, thank you, Corporal Roberts," said Cassy as the pair arrived at the common room, where Fletcher¡¯s personal servants had spread out among several tables eating lunch. One of the maids, noticing Cassy and Corporal Roberts, stood up from her seat and approached them. "Hello, Ms. Riley. I''m Victoria Turner, the head maid for Lord Burton. Everyone calls me Vicky or Ms. Turner," said the woman, who looked in her early 30s. Victoria carried herself confidently with a commanding presence. She had dark hair just past her shoulders and piercing green eyes. "You must be hungry; come have a seat. We eat family style here, and there''s still a lot of food left," said Victoria, taking Cassy over to a seat at the table she had been sitting at. Cassy ate lunch with the group, getting to know the different staff members at the table. After finishing lunch, Cassy began helping clean up the table. Richard entered the room and walked over to Cassy, "Ms. Riley, how are you feeling?" "Much better," responded Cassy. "I''m glad to hear that. There is one more task I need you for, and then you will have the rest of the day off," said Richard. "Okay," responded Cassy before being cut off by Victoria. "What are you taking her for, Richard," Victoria asked. "It''s nothing to worry about, Ms. Turner," responded Richard. "Alright, I expect her back shortly," said Victoria. Richard smiled lightly and chuckled, "Very well, Ms. Turner. Ms. Riley, this way, please." Richard led Cassy out of the room, followed closely by Corporal Roberts. Richard led Cassy to Fletcher¡¯s private study, where he was sitting at his desk reading on a tablet. Richard showed Cassy to a chair in font of the desk. Cassy sat down as Fletcher looked up at her. ¡°Ms. Riley, how are you feeling?¡± ¡°Much better, my Lord.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. Thank you for being so cooperative this morning.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, my Lord.¡± ¡°I have something important I need to speak with you about. I noticed something about you this morning during the mind probe.¡± Fletcher paused, watching a curiosity form across Cassy¡¯s face. ¡°You have gifts that haven¡¯t manifested yet. I¡¯m still waiting for Doctor Bennett to report on his findings, but from what I was able to judge, you have a decent amount of potential.¡± ¡°Gifts my Lord?¡± ¡°Yes, like my mind probe.¡± ¡°Oh, I see, my Lord.¡± ¡°Yes, well, this causes a bit of a wrinkle for you. I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to return to your duties for now.¡± ¡°When will I be able to return to them, my Lord?¡± Cassy was beginning to worry that if she couldn¡¯t work, it wouldn¡¯t be good. Fletcher paused, taking a breath, ¡°With the amount of power I sensed in you, there are only two options I can give you at present. Either I have to hand you over to the Scryers for further assessment and training, or you can remain her at the estate and undergo training to learn to control your gifts.¡± Cassy thought about the decision being placed before her. If she went with the Scryers, it was likely she would never get to see her sister Emily again. If she stayed here, she would have a chance to see her and might get to return to her normal duties. She looked Fletcher in the eyes, trying to gain a sense of him as a person. After a few moments, she wasn¡¯t able to make a judgement on Fletcher as a person but, based on his previous actions, she decided to trust him. ¡°I will accept training her at the manor.¡± ¡°Very well, your training will begin in the morning. You will be working with Captain Reed and Mr. Davis.¡± ¡°Yes my Lord.¡± ¡°I am also having your personal quarters moved to a private room on this side of the estate. Unless you have any questions, you are free to return to my personal staff¡¯s common room.¡± Cassy nodded at Fletcher, ¡°Yes, my Lord. I have no other questions.¡± What Cassy didn¡¯t want to tell him was she was too afraid of the Scryers to risk going with them. She stood from her seat and bowed to Fletcher before leaving with Corporal Roberts, who led her back towards the common room. Chapter Five As they entered the common room, Cassy was greeted by a cheerful Victoria saying, "Cassy, you''re back! Did everything go alright?" "Yes, Lord Burton wanted to speak to me about what will happen going forward for me,¡± responded Cassy. ¡°Oh, is everything going to be alright?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be staying with you and the other private servants for a while. "Oh good, Richard could have been a bit more forthcoming earlier. Let me give you a little tour of this part of the house, we are still moving your belonging to your new room, so I will show you to it after dinner.¡± Victoria led Cassy through a few rooms near the common room. The most notable was an extensive library. "This is our library. Physical books are not common anymore, and everyone reads on a tablet. One of the luxuries the Burtons afford their staff is access to a library. You can read anything in this room if it doesn''t interfere with your duties, and you care for the books appropriately," said Victoria as they entered the room. Cassy was awed by the collection and started looking through the books before finding one she liked and taking it off the shelf. Victoria led Cassy out of the room and back to the common room, saying, "That will conclude our tour. You are welcome to go to any of the rooms I''ve shown you, stay in the common room, or return to your room. Dinner will be at six tonight." Cassy smiled, "Thank you, Ms. Turner," and went over to a couch in the corner of the room to read the book she had grabbed. Just before dinner, Doctor Bennett entered Fletcher¡¯s study. As he stepped through the door, he bowed to Fletcher, "My apologies for taking so long, my Lord. I decided to double-check my findings on Ms. Riley''s scans." Fletcher was sitting at his desk and looked up at Doctor Bennett. "Thank you for being so thorough, Doctor Bennett. Please take a seat," Fletcher said, pointing to a chair in front of his desk. Doctor Bennett crossed the room, sat down, holding a tablet in his hand, and began to speak, "There were no adverse effects from the events of this morning; however, her second scan was more concerning. Her power levels are at the upper bounds of what the machine is capable of, and I would classify her as a four right now. With some training, she could easily reach class five or six. I also tested the calibration of the scanner to ensure I was getting accurate readings." "Very good, that lines up with my assessment as well. Any idea why she hasn''t manifested any abilities yet?" "I think she will start soon, given what occurred this morning. I would need to see a detailed account of her past. I believe she never encountered a situation that would serve as a catalyst. Since the scryers never found her either, she never received any training that would cause the abilities to manifest." "I would like you to keep an eye on her. I will have her begin training tomorrow, and I would like to have as much data as possible, as I think she will quickly surpass your assessment of her potential." "Why do you believe that, my Lord?" "During the mind probe, she saw my eyes shift and was able to look straight into them without any adverse effects. She also did not suffer any after-effects from the phantasm." Lord Burton paused, placing a small jar on the desk containing a light bouncing around like a firefly, "This is no ordinary phantasm. It was meant to kill her instantly once the altered mark was discovered, but it could not do so. She even survived my efforts to subdue and capture it while it was trying to kill her. Her mind became a war zone, and she survived." Doctor Bennett''s usual calm, collected demeanor shifted to shock, "That would make her at least around a class five with protective abilities." "Yes indeed," responded Lord Burton. Doctor Bennett shifted in his seat for a moment, ¡°I have also completed the preliminary autopsy reports on Mr. Grayson, Ms. Grant, and Mrs. Hopkins. All three died from a powerful neurotoxin. I found a brain leach embedded at the base of each of their skulls. I am still trying to identify the species, and I am waiting for a full report on the chemical makeup of the neurotoxin. The toxin secreted into their systems had already begun to break down, but I was able to extract an intact sample from the leach in Ms. Grant." "Very well. Please notify me as soon as you can trace the leach to its planet of origin. It may provide us with some clue as to who is behind all of this," said Fletcher. "Unless you have anything further, that is all I need from you, Doctor Bennett." "Yes, my Lord," said Doctor Bennett as he rose, bowed, and exited the room. "It''s all a bit troubling to me. To have three spies appear at once," said Richard, sitting in a chair in the corner of the room. Richard stood and walked over, sitting in one of the chairs in front of Fletcher''s desk. "I suspect there are more than three. The presence of these leaches may help us determine who is behind this, or at least who is involved. How are the interrogations of the house staff doing so far?" "We have questioned about half of them so far. The remaining are being kept in their common room under close supervision," responded Richard. "Very well. See if the doctor can set up mobile scanners to detect the brain leaches and have all the staff scanned for them, including my private staff. I shudder to think that any of them could be involved."You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. "Yes, my Lord," said Richard before departing the room. Cassy spent the remainder of her afternoon reading in the corner reading her book. Just before dinner, the staff returned and began setting the dining tables. Cassy put her book down and joined them. After everyone had settled at their tables, Cassy noticed that the groups were different from lunch. An older woman about Doctor Bennett''s age with black hair and brown eyes watched Cassy as she looked around, "Is something the matter, dear?" "I was just noticing that the groups around the room have changed since lunch." "Oh yes, we tend to move around a bit since mealtime is usually the best time for us to socialize, so we change who we are sitting with. There are pairs or trios of good friends who always eat together," responded the lady. "I''m Sophia Bennett, by the way. You can call me Sophia." "Cassandra Riley, it''s a pleasure to meet you. Most people call me Cassy for short." "Likewise," said Sophia. "I noticed the mark on your arm looks like you will be staying with us for a while, but won¡¯t be with the housekeeping staff.¡± Victoria stopped eating, "Can I see your arm, Cassy? I haven¡¯t looked at your mark yet.¡± Cassy held her right arm out to Victoria, who uttered "Richard" in an irritated tone. A minute later, Richard entered the room, looked around, and walked towards Victoria, "You called?" Victoria stood up, "What were you thinking, giving Ms. Riley that mark!" "I wasn''t the one who administered her mark," Richard coldly responded. "It was Lord Burton." Victoria stared at Richard in silence for a moment before saying, "Then what did Doctor Bennett classify her as?" Richard sighed and stroked his brow before saying, "Class four." "That''s impossible. You don''t just find a class four wandering the streets at her age. They''ve either gone insane or blown themselves up." The rest of the staff stopped eating, noticing Victoria¡¯s frustration with Richard. Cassy listened to the exchange, detecting a hint of caring in Victoria¡¯s tone. "We are still working out the details of her upbringing, but that mark is also helping suppress any unintentional manifestations of her abilities. Ms. Riley will begin training in the morning to control her gifts,¡± said Richard. Victoria had crossed her arms at this point and was tapping her finger against her arm, ¡°And what will this training entail?¡± ¡°That is up to Captain Reed and Mr. Davis. I would also like you to begin giving her etiquette lessons in the afternoon, Ms. Turner.¡± ¡°They better not try to put her through some kind of torture training.¡± Victoria said. ¡°I¡¯ve heard how those guards are trained.¡± ¡°I can insure you it will be nothing of that nature.¡± ¡°Very well, I will be keeping an eye on them.¡± Richard bowed to Victoria, ¡°As you wish, Ms. Turner.¡± "What of her other duties," asked Victoria. "Lord Burton has not fully decided what her duties will be but would like her prepared to attend social gatherings if necessary," said Richard before turning and leaving the room. Victoria sat back down and let out a long, heavy sigh. "I''m sorry, Cassy, we can be awfully secretive around here, for good reason. Let me start by explaining what Richard meant by gifts and you being a class four.¡± Victoria paused for a moment watching Cassy as Cassy responded with, ¡°Yes, please do.¡± ¡°You see, there are people who possess special gifts that allow them to perform actions beyond a normal human. Some can even control others or manifest energy into the world." "Like how Lord Burton was able to look into my memories?" "Yes, like that. People with abilities are given a classification, almost everyone you see here in this room is considered class one. We all have some minor gifts, like how I called Richard here telepathically. I am a class two, and Richard is a class two as well. Most of the guards are class twos, with some even being class three and a couple, like Captain Reed, being class fours." Victoria paused for a minute, watching Cassy''s reaction. "So what class is Lord Burton?" "Well, he can''t be classified. The scanners that we use to detect classification can really only read up to around class four or five, which are extremely rare. There are only a handful of known individuals of class five or above." Victoria paused for a moment before continuing, "You, though, are a class four, which is extremely rare to have not been found by the scryers at your age." "What can the different classes do?" "It really depends on the person, but class one has minor abilities like the capacity to communicate telepathically or increase their physical capabilities. Class two can do the same but stronger, and they can sometimes influence weak-willed people when they have a special type of telepathy and sometimes manifest abilities in the world like a flash of light or a pressure wave. Class three is considered a military class, and some can see a second or two into the future. Class four, like yourself, can sometimes, with focus and training, see a minute into the future if they have precognition and force their will into reality like being able to cause small explosions. Class five and above are tightly monitored. Most die at an early age from what''s called a flare-out or their abilities manifesting uncontrollably. Abilities usually manifest under extreme emotional distress, like a life-threatening situation." Casey thought for a minute before responding, "Okay, what upset you so much about my mark?" "As you know, all of us are marked. Your mark is different from ours, though," Victoria held out her arm for Cassy to see. "You see the family crest in the middle like yours, but the surrounding ring is different, similar to how the guards have a different ring along with their rank insignia. The staff has a simple braided ring like mine, but I have an additional symbol that signifies me as a head maid." "Your ring is what is called a ward ring, which means you are in the care of the family, almost like an adopted orphan. You also have an additional marking that signifies you as being Lord Burton''s ward, which means that you are tied directly to him and respond only to his orders. The head of the family can overrule him, but they usually won''t. So, unlike us, if another member of the family gives you an order, you can ignore them. More than likely, once you have been through some training and Lord Burton has decided your duties, he will change your mark again." Cassy thought while processing everything before asking, "Who is the head of the Burton family?" ¡°That would be his father, Duke Burton. You might meet him someday, though. Lord Burton is the only family member present at the mansion, and we will most likely return to the family''s main estate in another year or two when his business here has concluded." Cassy paused, wondering what would happen to her sister Emily if she left town. "Is something bothering you," asked Victoria. "My sister, she''s going into 10th grade this year, and I''m afraid my parents will throw her out of the house when she graduates, as they did to me." "I will speak with Richard about that in the morning. Let''s finish eating and get some rest. You are going to have a busy day tomorrow." Cassy finished eating and helped clean up the tables, deciding she was going to fit in as best as she could with the family staff.