"It looks like rain is coming," Julie said, glancing up at the darkening sky.
Halley hummed softly as she plucked a few herbs.
"It does," she replied, lifting her gaze briefly.
"Julie, can you inform the kitchen to prepare chicken broth today? The eleven-year-olds have come down with a contagious cold."
"I'll tell them, but it's not like they'll listen," Julie muttered, pouting.
Halley sighed and rose from her crouch beside the herb patch.
"I know they won't," she said, dusting her hands lightly.
"But tell Jennifer that if the entire batch falls ill and something goes wrong, the brothel risks losing them. That would leave a gap, seven years from now, there would be no new group."
"Miss Jennifer has been avoiding me," Julie admitted, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her skirt.
Halley gave her a dry look as they began walking toward the infirmary.
"And why is that?" she asked, though she already knew.
Julie had developed a crush on Jennifer, despite the woman being nearly two decades older.
As Jennifer's assistant, she worked closely with her… but whenever Julie's feelings became too obvious, Jennifer kept her distance.
Jennifer did not return Julie's affections, but she kept her on, because she was competent.
"The usual," Julie said with a sulk, before glancing at Halley. "Miss Halley, you and Miss Jennifer are the same age, right?"
"We were in the same batch," Halley replied with a faint smile. "Alongside the Madam."
"It's hard to believe the Madam was once a brothel girl herself," Julie said, a hint of disbelief in her voice.
Halley let out a quiet breath.
"She was more than that," she said.
"She was a top Flower Maiden candidate. She was chosen at seventeen… but a week before the Flower Maidens from our batch was to be sent to the palace, she fell down the stairwell and broke her leg."
Julie frowned slightly.
"The previous Madam, Ebony, refused to send her," Halley continued. "A broken leg was considered a defect."
She paused, her expression tightening.
"She never forgave that."
Julie's eyes widened.
"After her leg healed, she killed Madam Ebony in her sleep… and took her place."
"So that's how her rule began?" Julie asked quietly.
Halley shot her a sharp look as she pushed open the infirmary door.
"Do you not value your life, Julie?"
"I do," Julie muttered, stepping inside after her. "I was just… curious."
She hesitated before adding, "Was she always so… cold?"
Halley paused at the basin, washing the herbs before moving to the mortar. She began grinding them slowly.
"She was always… different," she admitted. "Even back then."
She added another herb, crushing it into the mixture.
"She would tear the wings off butterflies and watch them crawl. Catch rabbits… cut their ears off, just to see how long they would live."
Julie let out a quiet breath. "So after becoming Madam… she simply moved her experiments to humans?"
Halley gave a dry, humorless laugh.
"You could put it that way."
"Miss Halley!"
A young girl, no older than fourteen, rushed to the infirmary door, stopping abruptly as she bent over, trying to catch her breath.
Halley turned immediately, concern flashing across her face.
Julie nearly flinched, her heart lurching at the sudden interruption, half-afraid someone had overheard their conversation.
Halley quickly poured a glass of water and stepped forward, pressing it into the girl's hands while gently patting her back.
"What is it, Ella? Did you run all the way here?" she asked, her voice laced with worry. "Has something happened? Are the eleven-year-olds worse?"
Julie moved closer, unease creeping into her expression.
"Ella… did someone get hurt?"
Ella gulped down the water and shook her head.
"No—no, Miss Halley… Julie… there are soldiers! Imperial soldiers outside the brothel!"
Halley's eyes widened. "Soldiers? Who told you that?"
"Miss Jennifer was overseeing archery practice," Ella rushed out. "My arrow got stuck in a tree, so I climbed up to get it, and I saw them. They're surrounding the brothel!"
Julie and Halley exchanged a look, shock, confusion, and something heavier flickering between them.
"Did you tell Miss Jennifer?" Julie asked quickly.
Ella nodded. "She ran off, said something about hiding things, and told me to find you, Miss Halley. She said to gather everyone and inform the Madam."
Halley's jaw tightened.
'That thieving old woman… running to hide her stash before thinking of the girls.'
"Come on, Ella," Halley said briskly, already moving. "Let's see what the Imperial soldiers want."
She shot Julie a sharp glance. "Inform the Madam."
Julie nodded, her shoulders tensing as the weight of the situation settled in.
Without another word, Halley strode out with Ella toward the front of the brothel, while Julie turned and ran toward the Madam's chambers.
This could not be good.
The soldiers were not merely stationed outside, they were surrounding the brothel.
Either the Madam had committed something heinous again… and they would all suffer for it...
Or...
Halley's eyes flickered with a fragile spark of hope.
Perhaps someone had finally reported Rosetta.
Perhaps she would no longer have to call that woman Madam.
Perhaps this nightmare would finally end.
Whatever the truth was, she needed to reach the main gate first.
"Captain," Diana said, handing Nolan a map.
"We are not here to loot, Diana," Nolan replied, giving her a dry look. "We are here to arrest Rosetta and the other authorities of the brothel."
"We still need a map," Diana countered calmly. "There are hidden exits. What if they try to escape?"
Nolan paused.
"Ah… yes. That is true," he admitted, taking the map from her.
"You are too focused on revenge to think that far ahead," Diana added, her tone edged with dry amusement.
Nolan clicked his tongue.
She was right.
He could not deny it.
It was taking everything in him not to storm inside—
not to pin Rosetta down and drive a blade through her limbs, one by one, and leave her to bleed.
He drew in a slow breath.
Control.
They had already been seen.
A young girl had spotted them, she would have alerted the others by now.
The doors would open any moment.
He only needed to hold himself together a little longer.
Then—
The main gates creaked open.
Nolan stepped forward without hesitation.
Behind him, the Imperial soldiers moved as one, following their captain as they entered the brothel.