"Your grace, I have something to report," Arthur announced.

"You may speak, Arthur," Salem replied.

"Apparently the queen and prince of Mistral have decided to make Cinder the villain in this year's Hunt. They have enough votes to do so so far." Cinder felt his gaze on her when he said the words, and she looked up to see him smirking at her. "So far the most popular methods for killing her include decapitating her, stabbing her in the heart, bludgeoning her, and burning her. They haven't yet opened the polls on what to do with her remains, or on what to do to her during the pre-kill stage."

Tyrian chuckled wickedly after Arthur was finished speaking.

Cinder's stomach cramped with anxiety at the list of violent things to do to her. As someone born in Mistral, she knew exactly what The Hunt was. She knew what the pre-kill stage was too- it was the part of The Hunt where the focus was on hurting the villain for audience satisfaction rather than killing them. Basically, it was torture- torture that was voted on just like everything else that happened to the villain. Cinder's stepmother had forced Cinder and her stepsisters, Dria and Staci, to watch The Hunt every year after her father died.

Cinder must have reacted in some way to Arthur's violent revelation, because all of a sudden Salem's cold hand reached for Cinder's grimm hand under the table and squeezed supportively.

"Cinder is not to be left alone while you're in Mistral. Most of you will be headed there in a few days, and while our fall maiden can hold her own in a fight, I want someone with her at all times to decrease the likelihood of her being captured. Gillian Asturias will be here in a few days to make the journey with you. Tyrian, you will continue the search for the spring maiden. Hazel, you will be heading to Menagerie to meet with Adam Taurus and Sienna Khan. You're all dismissed," Salem told them.

Everyone left the meeting room except for Cinder and Salem. Cinder's anxiety was up over going to mistral while being hunted by people who wanted to torture and kill her, and she was also still disturbed by the violent turn their plan had taken at Vale palace.

Seeming to sense her mood, Salem asked quietly, "What's on your mind, Cinder?"

"I'm...a little afraid of being in Mistral right now," she admitted.

"You have nothing to worry about. If they somehow do manage to capture you, I will come rescue you and kill them myself. Remember, the shadow hand that I gave you has created a link between us. No matter where you are on Remnant, I will be able to sense your life force and find you. I will not let anyone harm you," Salem assured her.

Her words made Cinder feel a little bit better. Cinder was reminded of how Salem had held her, comforted her, and made her a promise after the painful process of connecting the grimm arm to her. Cinder had only been fifteen at the time, and she had been crying both from the process of getting the grimm arm and from the trauma that had brought her to Salem in the first place. Salem dried Cinder's tears and told her, "We are linked now. This means no one can take you from me. I promise that I will never let anyone hurt you."

That promise had meant a lot to her, especially since her own stepmother had orchestrated the assault and murder attempt on Cinder that had brought her to Salem.

An assault that had resulted in the death of Cinder's unborn daughter.

A very much wanted baby, despite the circumstances of her conception.

She's right, what am I worrying about? Cinder thought. Salem will protect me, just like she promised.

"What else is bothering you, Cinder?" Salem asked.

"During our invasion of Vale palace, grimm killed people," Cinder said quietly.

"Yes. It seems I overestimated my ability to control them. In Vale, they were too far away for my power to reach them," Salem answered, looking out the window.

Although it was still sad that people had died, Cinder was glad that Salem hadn't let the grimm kill people on purpose. Still, something wasn't right.

"The White Fang and the Atlesian knights also attacked and killed people," Cinder stated.

"It appears that Watts and Taurus are both fallible," Salem replied. "Sometimes it's necessary to work with deeply flawed individuals in order to accomplish a goal that is for the greater good. In pursuit of a new world, no cost is too great. Do you understand, Cinder?"

Cinder nodded, although she was still uncomfortable. She wondered and worried about how many more people would be sacrificed for their cause.

"It means the world to me that you killed Ozpin," Salem added. "When I look at you now, it's almost as if I'm seeing a daughter who was strong enough to fight back."

Cinder was touched. She had long suspected and hoped that Salem had come to view her as a daughter. She longed to be a daughter that somebody loved again. This was her home.

"Thank you," Cinder said. "That means the world to me."

Cinder was walking toward the exit when Salem called to her once more.

"Cinder?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Did you kill Ruby Rose?"

Cinder panicked as she was reminded of Salem's command to kill Ruby. Shortly after they had arrived at Vale Palace, Mercury had shown Salem a picture he had taken of Ruby to let Salem know there was a silver-eyed warrior in the Princess Trial. Salem had once explained that silver-eyed warriors were dangerous to her even though they couldn't kill her- that Oz had a tendency to try to use them to further abuse Salem, and that they must die because of it. She'd also explained that they were a danger to Cinder because of her grimm arm.

But the thought of killing Ruby made Cinder panic internally. Ruby, who was a wholesome light that had drawn Cinder. Ruby, whom Cinder felt was so out of her league. Ruby, who Cinder felt too tainted for despite their mutual feelings for each other. Ruby, whom she had tried to push away with words during their last encounter at the palace.

Did Ruby even survive the attack on Vale Palace? Was she hurt? Cinder had to find some way to check on Ruby without getting caught.

One thing was for sure: she would not allow Ruby Rose to be another casualty of their cause. She couldn't let Salem hurt her.

"She died during the attack on Vale," Cinder lied.

Salem nodded and dismissed her with a smile.