Artemis Unveiled:The Descent

Untitled Part 31: Neven's Torment

"Are you hurt?" Aria asked.

Neven opened his hand to reveal a red, swollen burn on his palm. "Alexander's burn ointment works well, so..." He continued searching and then, with a sudden change in expression, smiled as he picked up a bottle from the shelf. "He misplaced it. Alexander loves arranging these bottles by size and color. Every time you use one, you should put it back exactly where it was. Otherwise, he'll go nuts."

Aria pulled Neven outside the herbary and cautiously closed the door, making sure Sable couldn't hear their conversation. She examined Neven's hand seriously, lifting it to inspect the burn again. "On our way back, we found a corpse in the royal capital, just inside. The body was burned." Aria said gravely.

"When I came back, I saw Alpha. So, there was a body there." Neven bit off the stopper and poured powder onto the wound. He squinted and blew on his painful palm.

"I won't beat around the bush," Aria said. "I need to know, how did you get that burn on your hand?"

"You think I burned the body?" he asked, surprised.

"But you have a burn. If Alpha sees it, he'll assume you did it." Aria said, worried.

"Sage Solon can vouch for me. I was with him all day. As for the burn, my horse burned me."

"Your horse burned you?" Aria repeated in disbelief.

"His fire horse, how did it burn you? It's been so gentle all these years." Alexander said, walking over from the corridor. His handsome face was clouded with anger as if someone had provoked him.

Neven gently cradled his injured hand and said, "It was an accident. It tends to have little tantrums. Why aren't you in the herbary?"

"I was woken up by Damian Blackwood, who dragged me out in the middle of the night to inspect a body," Alexander said, annoyed. "Oak told me Sable got bitten by a venomous snake, so I came back. The venom needs to be dealt with quickly."

"Who was burned?" Neven asked.

"It was Damian Blackwood's cousin, Daphne. She was burned beyond recognition, and someone deliberately desecrated her body."

"Desecrated?" Aria said, uneasily. She had touched the body.

"Yes, someone even vomited on the corpse. Can you believe it? I still need to examine it," Alexander said darkly.

"You're sure it's Daphne Blackwood? Wasn't she missing?" Neven asked thoughtfully.

"Yes, it's definitely Daphne. She was missing an ear when she was alive, and she had her soul stone. Damian also identified her. He's sure it's his cousin," Alexander said, firmly.

Neven frowned. "I was investigating her, and now she's dead."

"Why were you investigating Daphne?" Aria asked.

"Remember the person who took the Celestial Deer's heart in the forest?" Neven said.

Aria nodded.

"I suspect she was involved," he said.

"How is that possible? I thought it was a demigod. And that person was strong enough to lift me with one hand."

Neven squeezed his injured hand, looking serious. "That person was a Lunar Essence. We can sense Essence Power when we're near a Soul Stone. So, it couldn't have been a demigod. Also, I once saw Daphne use her essence. It was unique; she could control wild beasts that couldn't be tamed. It was the first time I saw someone manipulate Essence Power that way, so it left a strong impression."

"Daphne was burned and thrown there, and coins were placed over her eyes," Alexander said. "Alpha always meddles with the bodies. I couldn't even get a good look at the coins."