Hello my wonderful Septimus Heap fanfic readers. Chapter 10:

Next day when Pamela was having a rare quiet breakfast with Alther and DomDaniel, James asked to enter. He bowed to DomDaniel whose mouth full that stopped him from swearing and turned Pamela. "Can we have a private chat?" he asked cautiously as to not disturb DomDaniel and get caught in one of his spells.

"Let's go to my room." Pamela stood up and walked off. She had finally found the survival methods of living with DomDaniel. She locked the door behind her and sat on the bed while James sat on her chair. "So what did you find?" she asked curiously.

James gave her a small red book. "He is 23 and his name Ethen Beetle_" he said but Pamela brought her hand up to stop him.

"Wait a second, did you say his surname is Beetle?" she hoped to have heard wrong and Artemis's man wasn't related to Brian but James's answer made all her hopes become in vain.

He opened the book in her hand and paged it until he reached a page bearing his picture and name. "I'm sure of his identity." he couldn't understand the reason of her hesitation. "He has been with princess Artemis for four years now and works as her advisor and bodyguard. He is also suspected to have a much closer relationship with her." he turned the page again. "I have recorded all his moves since he arrived at the Castle and all he has done the past week was to search about you." finished James and started playing with her green feather and quill.

Pamela was set back as she went through the book. Everything matched. He had been living alone for ten years now which was the exact date that Brian told her he had lost his brother. She looked up at James who seemed careless while writing on a piece of parchment. "How did you find these?" she asked.

"Huh?" James brought his head up. Pamela shook the book in air.

"How did you manage to find all these information? They are too perfect, too detailed." she tilted her head to side and started to sit back that she heard a sound. "Talk nonsense." she whispered to James and stood up silently.

James looked at her, bewildered but started talking. "Wow, you have such a magnificent room and here I thought I'm lucky." Pamela went to the door on her tiptoe. "Why do you need so many different books? You know, people like us..." at that she unlocked the door and pulled it open. There was an ear left on the ground that was starting to run away.

Swiftly she ran to it and cupped her hands around it so that it cannot escape. James came to take a look at it and laughed. "You really do have a system here." he mocked as Pamela tugged the ear in her pocket. He followed her to where DomDaniel and Alther were staring at each other to practice making barriers in their minds.

Pamela stood in between them and shove the ear at DomDaniel. "Stop recording everything I say. Understood?" she had turned a blind eye until now but now that she was having her plan in progress she couldn't afford any information leakage.

"Shouldn't I know what you are doing in there? You always lock the door so I, as your chief have responsibility to observe you." his wry expression didn't change even as he was saying those words. Pamela started to retort but Alther pulled her hand from the back to stop her.

She let out a loud sight. "Chief." she called, repeating him with sarcasm. "I'm afraid I might have to quit if you don't cease your observation on me." with that she started to walk away but DomDaniel's swear made her turn with amusement. He always used to swear at her and Alther but not this intentionally. "What did you say?" she demanded and placed her both hands at her waist, ready to fight.

"You dare to talk back?" exclaimed DomDaniel angrily and looked around for anything to throw at her but couldn't find anything. He spotted his Rude WaterGnome resting on the book shelf and before Alther could stop him he took the can in its hand and splashed the water at Pamela.

Everyone's mouth fell open as he did that. She spat the water out, frustrated. "You think I can't do that?" Pamela took a glass of water that was still on the table from breakfast and poured it back at DomDaniel. Seeing her reaction, James couldn't help but laugh and even Alther had to cough to suppress his laughter. "You cannot hit me anymore or do any of these as well, since I'm that powerless girl anymore. Got it?" she took her bag and stormed out.

She ordered the staircase to go fast as James ran to catch up. He laughed and clapped his hand. "I'm liking you more by minute." he expressed. Pamela ignored him and tried to dry her shirt that was soaking wet. "You know, there's a spell that says 'wet clothes off' want to give it a try?" he continued his mocking.

Pamela glared at him. "I'm not in the mood to be messed with." she warned and pushed her wet hair strands back as they reached the main hall. "You go ahead. I have some work to do." she walked off faster than him and headed toward Manuscriptorium to confirm Brian's brother's identity. She went in to see all the scribes standing in circle around someone.

His tall and muscular figure made him stand out from the crowd. Pamela went into the shadows and waited until they finished their talking. The man turned after bidding farewell and she recognized him. It was that man who had killed off her family. She again felt as if she wanted to vomit.

Seeing her in corner he came forward. "Do we have a new scribe?" he smiled at her that indicated he hadn't recognized her. Pamela was unable to speak that Brian spotted her.

"Pamela, what brings you here?" he came to her and pulled her out of the shadow. "What's wrong?" he whispered to her but Pamela too talk numb as that man came closer.

Seeing her like that Brian answered him in her stead. "No sir, she's not." he didn't know his exact relationship with Pamela so he avoided introducing her.

The man came closer with growing interest. "Such amazing features. Fierce, small and extremely talented. If you read the book 'Magykal Faces', you'll see she fits all the descriptions." he complimented which resulted in Pamela taking a step back and stumble. Brian took her hand and squeezed it. "Is it authorized to have outsiders visit regularly?"

Brian now had to tighten his grip to stop her from going too far back. "She's not an outsider sir. She used to work here for months." he explained and tried to stand in front of her so the man couldn't get too close.

"Why are you answering for her?" he demanded, clearly not wanting to leave. "As the Chief Hermetic Scribe, I wish to hear her talk herself." he said and gave his attention to Pamela who was struggling to make out words.

She didn't want to be weak but couldn't help the feeling of something stirring in her stomach. "What... what do you... want to know?" Pamela managed to say with great hardship. She tugged Brian's sleeve so that he wouldn't get out of the way to which Brian responded with a nod of his head.

He smiled at seeing her distress. "What are you hiding from? By your face features, you're not a person to stand back or fear anything." he motioned at their linked hands. "Are you two related in any way?"

Brian looked at Pamela who wasn't answering. "She is my partner." he abruptly said without any thinking. He didn't answer his first question and nor did Pamela. Chief Hermetic Scribe stood back.

"Alright, I better get going." he went to the door but turned for one last time. "What did you say your name was?" he asked as if already acquainted.

Trying to gather her strength she answered. "Pamela."

He repeated her name as if digesting it and looked at her. "What a fitting name. Have your scribe partner look it up, you'd be amazed at how much it matches your features." he laughed and continued to Brian. "Careful, you have a great jewel in your hands. If you're not bright enough I might go ahead and make her mine." he went out while laughing at his own joke.

After he left, Pamela let out a weak sigh and leaned against the wall. Brian caught her as she was pressing her hand at her mouth to stop the vomiting feeling. "I need... to go out." she mumbled and Brian silently half carried her out to an alley behind the Manuscriptorium.

"What's going on? Are you sick? Why are you so pale?" his questions poured out but Pamela just pushed him aside so that he couldn't see her face and started vomiting. Seeing her like that Brian ran to her but she brought her hand up.

"Don't come. Stay away, please." she hated to have anyone see her like that even Brian. Pamela looked at her bandaged hand which reminded her of her defeat against Artemis and sat on the cold ground. "I don't need any help. I'm not weak." she spoke aloud but more to herself and took out a napkin to clean her mouth.

Not being bothered, he kneeled beside her and took her bandaged hand. "Of course you're not." he didn't ask about her injury or about that man. "I know I shouldn't have called you my partner." he said quietly.

This made Pamela laugh a little. "Yes, you shouldn't have." she agreed that made him stare at his hands. "But thank you for saying so and for not leaving me all alone." she smiled with her pale lips and tried to look happy.

"That's good, now I know what to think of us." replied Brian with a genuine happy grin on his face. He helped her up and looked at her visage. "How can you manage to get so wet? Did you have a water fight or something?" he tried to ease the mood.

Pamela didn't ask him about his brother and just continued to laugh with him. She wanted to enjoy her time with him as much as possible. At least she could be her old self with him. After having lunch together, they broke apart and she started walking through the market. People were being pushed aside so a huge gold palanquin could make way.

She stood aside to let it pass but it stopped at her feet. The Queen's father's head came out through the silk curtain. "So I was right. You were Pamela right?" he asked with a smile.

"Your Majesty, what brings you here?" she was surprised to see him recognize her in between the crowd.

His grin widened. "Give her the invitation." he ordered his guard who was walking alongside the palanquin. "I'm sure you'd attend." he went back in after his guard gave her the invitation and the palanquin continued its way. Pamela opened the invitation with curiosity and saw it to be a dinner with all the royal family and few honored guests.

She smiled as she was sure to attend.

The Dinner:

Pamela went into the palace's main hall wearing a long sleeved green shirt that it's back reached the ground while the front reached her knee so it didn't cover her black trousers. She walked wearing her brown boots that gave her a military look with her hair falling in curls on her shoulders. Upon her arrival the two guards saluted and let her in without checking her invitation.

The table was round so it didn't make any difference as to where to sit. She suspected it to be because of the Queen's father who the Queen didn't want to offend by sitting on top. Pamela saluted silently which the Queen answered with a nod of her head and she sat on the only empty chair which was in the middle of Alther and James.

As Pamela looked up she saw that she was sitting across the Chief Hermetic Scribe. Her first reaction was to change her sitting position but she snapped at herself to be strong and remained sited. "Didn't expect to meet you so soon." his voice took her attention.

Doing her best to not tremble, she answered him. "Must be my charming luck." Pamela congratulated herself on facing him. She looked at the people present. Sitting around the table were Cerys, Artemis, James, DomDaniel, the Queen, her husband and father, Martin, Alther and much to her surprise Ethen Beetle was also sitting there.

"Why do you always avoid my eyes?" the Chief Hermetic Scribe asked just to continue the conversation with her. Coldly, she gazed at him.

"Is there any need to make constant eye contact with a person I don't know?" her voice had become hoarse from pushing herself too much.

He laughed with amusement. "Call me Peter." he assumed she was playing hard to get. "Now Pamela, from what I heard you are looking for improvement. So why are you with that lowly scribe instead of a powerful one?" he said boldly which made Pamela's mouth crack into a smirk.

She had never anticipated receiving any attraction from the man she hated the most. "Brian's not low. His intelligence is much more than it shows." she unconsciously defended him and continued. "Besides, I seek improvement in truly powerful people not just some empty shells." her answer wiped the smile of Peter's face and Alther who was listening silently had to hide his head so that no one could see him laughing.

The Queen's father stood up that ended their conversation. "Welcome my family and our dear guest of honors." he smiled broadly at them. "Tonight's feast is formed as a base for our future cooperation. It is so that we can understand each other better." he sat back down. "Please enjoy yourselves." he spread his hands to have them continue.

Peter looked at him. "It is my pleasure to attend such feast." his glance went to Pamela. "It makes me feel as if we are all one family." his comment made everyone exchange smiles except Pamela who strongly refused to share anything with him.

"How disgusting!" she exclaimed calmly. Her unexpected burst out made water jump into Alther's throat and cause him to cough heavily while whispers grew louder at the table. She noticed Artemis looking at her as if wanting to laugh which was odd for her.

Seeing everyone uncomfortable, Peter brought his both hands up in defeat. "Lady Pamela, it seems I have done something to have your distaste in me." his fake kind layer made her want to slap him in face but she stayed quiet. "What can I do to have your favour?" he asked with an honest tone.

Pamela didn't respond to that and started to fill her glass that James did it for her. "Mr. James you seem to be close to lady Pamela." his sudden call made James jump but Pamela just glared. "Tell me what can I do to win her favour?" his question dropped a heavy silence at the dinner table. Everyone looked at them with curiosity and James kept shifting in his place, struggling for an answer.

"Well... you must show her your capabilities." James tried to talk reasonably as he didn't know how he had won her favour. "And that you are loyal then she will help you with all her might." his answer forced Pamela to take her eyes off Peter and look at him. She never knew the impact of her actions on him. She smiled which didn't escape Peter's rat eyes.

"I see that you have already won her over." he placed his glass on the table. "Please don't let us ruin your wonderful night." he waited until everyone had gone back to their work without knowing how his use of the word us had disturbed Pamela. "Tell me, how old are you?" he inquired as if he hadn't heard her rash opinion. She didn't answer for she suspected that she would throw anything possible at him, or better yet ask DomDaniel for one of his Darke spells.

A cracking sound came but she thought it to be lightening from rain. Peter kept talking to her as if enjoying his time when annoying her. Another cracking voice came, this time louder. "Did you hear that?" she asked Alther in middle of Peter's talking.

Alther shook his head and when she asked James he too said he doesn't hear anything while the noise was getting louder by second. Suddenly a green light reflected on her glass and she looked at her back for its source. Coming through the open windows were numerous witches, ready to strike. "Witches." she muttered and stood up urgently. "Everyone take shield... Agh." she got hit in arm by something so that it burned her and fell to the ground from its force.

In an instant everyone was on their feet and trying to escape. She heard DomDaniel's voice using Consumption spell and saw Peter run to be furthest from the royal family who were the witches obvious target. They poured inside the dining hall and started to Paralyze anyone who got in their way. They headed straight to Cerys who was trying to escape with Artemis. Alther helped Pamela up and took her hand to run to the door that James and Martin were waiting outside of it for them.

She stopped running when she noticed Cerys shaking uncontrollably from fear. "Alther go with Martin and James to bring help. Hurry!" she pushed Alther in time that a pillar fell in between them and ran back to where Cerys was surrounded by the Witches and all the other royal family members were calling her helplessly as they were all Paralyzed. Pamela ran through their circle and held her arms open.

"STOP." she shouted but was hit in the leg and they became useless. She fell but didn't give up. "Stop, I am Pamela from the Fearless." her scream echoed through the walls and made the Witches exchange looks. Seeing them having hard time believing her she took her dagger that was hidden at her belt and cut her sleeve to reveal the Fearless brand on her arm. "Cease this madness or I won't let you slide at any cost."

Thank you guys so much for reading. Be sure to review and convey your thoughts to me. Bye.

P.S. I'll try to write two days in a row as tomorrow is my birthday so it'll be like special edition :-)