"Hidden Doubts"


The Circle meeting took place with everyone seated back at their seats except Amatis. This has always been the routine when a mission has been either accomplished or failed. Each member can ask how, when and why certain events took place. Before the mission took place Amatis and Hodge agreed that it would be Hodge who did the talking for Amatis hated being bombarded with questions especially if Valentine was the one doing all the talking.

The interrogation was almost done as Mayrse asked the last question: "Can you tell us again how Hodge got hurt and how you managed to escape the Adamant Citadel."

Amatis sighed completely exhausted by everything before she spoke. "After I was able to place a sedating rune on Sister Magdalena, I carried her on my back. Escaped on the away from the citadel using there underground passage. When-"

"And how did you discover this underground passage in the citadel?" Amatis was cut off by Jia.

"I happen to just stumble downwards the staircase and encountered the passage way. I took out Hodge's scarf that was in my possession and placed a tracking rune that led me up into the surface where I found Hodge being chased by a mysterious creature. He fell face first as he ran and dodge the blows of the creature." Amatis explained with a hint of irritation on her voice. Jia and Mayrse noticed but thought better of it for Amatis already had a rough night. But Stephen on the other hand felt that Amatis was hiding something.

Valentine stood and was followed by other Circle members. "Amatis Graymark, thank you for your candor and bravery. May the Angel bless you for the success of your mission." Valentine announced and everyone clapped.

Amatis did not smile nor took a bow at their applause. She simply nodded at Valentine and rushed out of the room. Everyone took this as a note that the meeting was over so they stood and one by one they left. Stephen however was helping Céline stand as pregnancy overwhelms her.

"Breathe Céline." Stephen ordered as he saw his wife struggle as she stood. He had both of his hand on her back as she helped her stand. Stephen could feel the weight and plumpness of her body. He could also see the huge bulge of his unborn child. But every minute he had always wished that Amatis would be in Celine's place. That it was Amatis bearing his child and not Céline.

"I'm not going into labor Stephen." Céline joked with small chuckle as she was finally able to stand. "The child is just heavy."

"I know." Says Stephen looked at Céline's young and beautiful face. It was no doubt that when Stephen saw Céline she was truly a head turner, truly beautiful inside and out. She was a gentle girl and easy to love. Stephen grew to love Céline but not the way he truly loved Amatis.

"Stephen?" Says Céline as she noticed Stephen staring at her.

"Sorry I was just admiring you." He lied. Stephen cupped Céline's blushing face and kissed her lightly on the lips.

As Stephen kissed his wife he heard a person clear his throat. Stephen pulled away and looked behind him. Valentine had a smirk on his face and Stephen grew suspicious. Céline looked over Stephen's shoulder and saw Valentine. She looked at Valentine then to her husband. With a sigh she caressed Stephen's face.

"I guess you still have some business to do." Céline says with a hint of sadness in her voice. She knew better than to make Stephen stay for he wouldn't.

Stephen kissed Céline's forehead before he spoke. "Take the carriage and I'll be home by midnight."

Céline nodded and slowly walked away while Stephen took out his stele and placed a speech rune on his neck as he walked towards Valentine.

"I see Céline is well?" Valentine asked as he placed his arm around Stephen's shoulder and patted him lightly.

Stephen nodded. "All is well. A few more weeks and I'll be seeing my son."

"A son!" Valentine exclaimed feeling proud that so far all of his members have sons even he was proud that he'll have a son.

"Yes. A son. We'll name him Isaiah." Stephen said.

Valentine thought about the name for quite a moment before he spoke. "It means God's salvation. Am I right?"

"Yes." Says Stephen. "Valentine what is the real reason why you called me? I doubt that this is about my son."

"You're right Stephen. This isn't about your son." Valentine says as walked towards a window. "This is about your old wife." He said.

Stephen froze at what Valentine has said and did not speak for he did not understand.

"Stephen let me ask you this." Valentine says as walked towards a window looking out at the city of Idris, Alicante. "How well do you know Amatis?"

Stephen cleared his throat before he spoke. "Uhm... I think I know her quite well for she was my wife."

"Since you claim to know her that well..." Says Valentine as he took out a stele from his pocket. "You can tell whether she's lying or not, whether she is hiding something."

Stephen's brows furrowed as he thought about Amatis' interrogation a while ago. Her information was vague and incomplete and on the side note Stephen noticed her irritation. Something was on her mind, something must have happened that made her keep secrets from the Circle and the question was why? Why was she keeping secrets from them.

After the thought that Stephen had, he looked up at Valentine. "I agree she is keeping something from us." Says Stephen. "Do you think she ratted us out to the Clave?"

Valentine shook his head making his platinum hair sway in the moonlight. "Amatis would not do that. She knows what's at stake if she did." With that said Valentine smirked at Stephen and thought: 'Your life is at stake if she did that.'

"But I am curious about one thing." Valentine continued. "Never have I ever heard of an underground passage in the Adamant Citadel. Ever. Not even our scholars were able to mention that to us as we formulated the plan."

Stephen crossed his arms realizing where this was leading. "What do you suggest we do Valentine?"

Valentine turned away from the window and leaned on the wall with his hands in his pockets, thinking. "I have thought of a plan but it has to be done quickly."

"What is it then?" Stephen asked.

Valentine walked towards Stephen, his black eyes meeting Stephen's beautiful cerulean eyes. Valentine placed his hands on both of Stephen's shoulders and slightly shook him.

"Memory runes are only effective when the certain event has taken place about a minute or approximately an hour." Valentine explained. His eyes looking at Stephen's eyes pleadingly. "I need you to have a look on Amatis' memory from the mission. I realized that if she had knowledge of the Adamant Citadel therefore the Clave must have given her this information. If we did not know then the Clave must have know for they keep records of everything. And I need you Stephen to look into that. The Circle might be at stake, everything that we have planned and hoped for might be at stake."

Stephen swallowed, calculating in his head the probability of Amatis doing something like that. But then again she was capable. More capable of it now that she had nothing to lose.

"I'll do it." says Stephen.


A/N: Hey guys! It's my first time actually writing a fanfic and all that so please be gentle with the criticisms and all. Write down any reviews and I want to thank you guys so much for viewing my story.

-nadia