Her fingers traced the curved lines that had been carved into her arm. The cuts weren't deep, but the skin was raised all the same.

Diamond killed the next soldier and then the one after that. Blood pooled on the floor.

Oddly the only thing her mind could think of was that there was no smell of blood in the air. People always talked about the metallic scent. She smelled nothing.

He shook her when she didn't respond. "What?" she stuttered, shaking her head.

"What do you mean he's back already?" Diamond asked Saphir? "He isn't supposed to be here until tomorrow."

"He said that King Alexander has his soldiers in place and that he can't wait any longer. The summer solstice is just over a month away. The girl needs to be cleaned up and presented."

'Has it been so many weeks?' Minako asked herself as she continued to touch the scarred skin.

Diamond yanked the sleeve of her left arm up past her elbow. The tip of the blade pressed into her skin, slicing the surface so lightly that only a few beads of blood pooled over milky flesh. "Cutting skin is painful right?" He lifted the tip and moved it over smooth skin. "Cutting through the muscle is far more painful though, isn't it?"

The blade pressed deeper. Her lips parted, a squeak of pain escaping. Pain lanced through her body like lightning across water. Her nerves burned from the edge of the blade. From the feel of his hand holding her arm. This was the searing sensation of malice as his eyes held hers. She whimpered when her skin split into uneven seams. A scream ripping through her when he lifted the blade to start a new line. She prayed the pain would take her into unconsciousness but mercy was not on her side.

"I am to keep you safe for the sake of the child you carry. There is no condition that I agreed to where you couldn't bleed. Speak or I cut to the bone."

"Endymion was our witness."

The blade cut an s shape against her skin. "You'll learn to tire of your lies."

"Is he telling you anything?"

Saphir hesitated. "No."

"Have you told him what happened to her?"

"Yes."

"Does he know that Magne will be taking her tomorrow?"

"No."

"Then he'll find out."

Diamond picked up the dagger and put it in Minako's hand. "You do it this time." She tried to drop the blade but he wrapped her fingers around the handle tightly. When he released her, she swung the blade at him, but he was ready and easily blocked her. "I'm glad there is still fight in you."

"Let Magne speak with him. Maybe that will give him some urgency."

"I'll move him."

Rubeus left the room and returned with another soldier, making him drop to his knees. Three bodies laid on the floor telling this new man what his fate would obviously be.

"Tell him one of your lies," Diamond said to Minako as he dragged her to kneel behind the man. He sat on his haunches, her body between his knees, the dagger in her hand secured with her own fingers.

"You're lucky."

"Why would you tell him that?"

"Because his captivity ends here."

Diamond looked to Rubeus who moved forward to step on the chains that bound the man's hands together, the blade of his sword pressing against the soldier's neck. Diamond took Minako's hand with the dagger and pointed at the lower left side of the soldier's back with the tip. "This will kill a man but not for hours. This is what killed Zoicite." Minako struggled against him, a sob escaping her. "This will be a quicker death," Diamond said as he tapped the blade higher up between shoulder blades. "It only takes a couple of minutes for the lungs to fill up with so much blood that you drown. It isn't pleasant, but it's better than the internal bleeding from your liver."

"I hate you," she whispered.

Her hand was yanked backwards and forced into the lower back of the soldier. He hissed in pain.

"Tell me," Diamond demanded, not letting her withdraw her hand.

"A priestess."

"Which one?"

"I don't know."

Diamond twisted the blade and the soldier yelled out in pain.

It would be getting dark outside soon. The sun was still visible on the horizon, but was beginning its decent into the trees. For better or worse, the days had started to grow longer.

Minako continued to trace the raised skin on her arm as she stared off into the distance. Her check still throbbed, though that pain had started to subside some. She tried to avoid seeing her reflection. It was hard to face what she had done.

Saphir paced the room by the door. It was the first time that she had been left alone with him. Rubeus had gone off with Diamond earlier. Dâni had not been around since that day when she had asked that he be sent away.

He didn't make her nervous the way that Diamond did. Saphir was quiet. Didn't often make eye contact. In the back of her mind she saw herself hitting him with a piece of furniture while he was distracted, then running out the door. She giggled at the thought.

She could hear the argument in the hallway before she could hear the approaching footsteps. Diamond was always so in control of everything. Except whatever it was he most desperately wanted it seemed.

Minako knew what was going to happen. The door would be thrown open. Diamond would enter, his yelling ceased. He would grab her wrist and pull her from the chair. Perhaps it would be a tug, or maybe a yank. It depended on how crazed he was feeling that day she supposed.

The door opened and she smiled. The yelling had stopped and footsteps rapidly approached her. She let her forearm rest on the chair, wrist dangling over the edge.

Diamond knelt in front of her, making her shrink back into the chair. This was different. She didn't know what to do with different.

"I think we have come to the point in our relationship where we have stopped lying to each other. Would you agree?"

"Yes."

"Are you lying now?" She slowly shook her head. "Good." He watched her. "I'm going to ask you to do something for me. You're going to see Kunzite now. There is something that he is refusing to tell me that I must know. Convince him to tell me."

"He doesn't tell me anything."

"He will tell you anything now." His fingers brushed over her cheek and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I will reward you."

"There is nothing you can give me."

"You will change your mind." His fingers closed around her wrist and he pulled her from the chair. They walked out the door, Rubeus falling into step behind them.