Emily felt a flutter in her chest when Lucas gaze moved from the flower to her , they locked eyes and she felt her cheek burning, she hurriedly looked away as she said. " Yest we were, Penelope was just enlightening me about the Midnight Bloom's properties," Emily finished, trying to sound nonchalant despite the flutter in her chest.
Penelope smiled, oblivious to the tension between Emily and Lucas. "Yes, I was just telling Emily about the flower's legendary powers."
Robert nodded, his eyes twinkling with interest. "Ah, yes. The Midnight Bloom is indeed a fascinating specimen, it also blooms once a year under a fool moon."
Lucas's gaze returned to the flower, his expression thoughtful. "That's right. And it's said that the flower's powers are at their strongest during that time."
Emily couldn't help but sneak another glance at Lucas, her heart racing as their eyes met again. This time, she felt a spark of electricity run through her veins, and she quickly looked away, trying to compose herself.
Penelope turned to Emily with a smile. "Emily, you've always talked about wanting to join the council one day, right? Would you like to take a tour of the council building and see what it's all about?"
Emily's eyes lit up with excitement as she nodded eagerly. "Yes, I'd love to! But I thought only council members could go inside?" She looked curious, her brow furrowed in question.
Penelope looked over at Robert and Lucas, who were standing nearby. "Well, Robert and Lucas are training to be council members, so they can take us inside. I'm sure they won't say no to a polite request." She smiled sweetly at the two men.
Lucas let out a laugh, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "The council is no place for ladies," he said teasingly. "It's a serious place with powerful people. I'm not sure you'd be interested in what goes on there."
Emily spoke up, her voice clear and confident. "We don't want to play around or get in the way. We just want to look around and learn. I really want to join the council one day, and I think this would be a great opportunity for me to see what it's all about."
Robert and Lucas looked at Emily in surprise, their expressions serious. Robert said, "Emily, you know the council is a tough place, right? It's not for everyone, especially a woman, There are a lot of difficult decisions that have to be made, and it can be a real challenge."
Emily nodded, her determination clear. "I know the council may be hard to enter most especially for a lady ,but I've always wanted to join. I'm willing to try and learn as much as I can. I promise I won't get in the way or be a bother."
Lucas shook his head, his expression skeptical. "The problem is not your feminity,You're not strong enough to be in the council," he said bluntly. "You don't have the power or the influence to make a difference. You should forget about it and focus on something else."
Emily felt a sting from Lucas's words, but she refused to give up. She looked him straight in the eye and said, "I understand what you're saying, but I'm not going to give up. I'll do whatever it takes to learn and grow and become strong enough to join the council."
Penelope stepped in, her voice smooth and calming. "I think we've discussed this enough for now. Lucas, would you be willing to take us on a tour of the council building? I think it would be a great learning experience for Emily."
Lucas hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Fine, I'll take you on a tour. But don't expect any special treatment just because you're ladies. The council is a place of business, and you'll be expected to conduct yourselves accordingly."
*****
Emily sat across Penelope on the carriage that was heading to the Council,she could hear Lucas and Roberts carriage riding before them
"Don't think too much about what Lucas had said , he's bitter." Penelope said.
Emily quickly shook her head letting out a smile." "No, it's okay, Penelope. I can handle it," Emily said, trying to sound confident. "I'm just glad that Lucas agreed to take us on the tour. I really want to learn more about the council and how it works."
Penelope nodded, smiling. "I'm glad too, Emily. I think this will be a great experience for you. And don't worry about Lucas, he can't do anything to you , he may be dangerous but...."
Just then the carriage halted, Emily felt her self thrown forward , and her head hit the carriage wood wall, everything went dark.
When Emily came to, she was disoriented and groggy. She slowly sat up, rubbing her head and trying to remember what had happened. She was still in the carriage, but it was now lying on its side. Penelope was slumped beside her, unconscious.
Emily's heart racing, she tried to call out for help, but her voice was hoarse and barely audible. She tried to move, but a sharp pain shot through her head and she fell back onto the carriage floor.
Just as she was starting to feel hopeless, Emily heard the sound of footsteps outside the carriage. The door creaked open, and Robert's face appeared in the opening.
"Penelope can you hear me?" he asked, his voice low and urgent.
Emily quickly made a movement to signal that she was awake, and Robert's eyes landed on her. He quickly climbed into the carriage and gently lifted Penelope into his arms.
"Emily, can you move?" he asked, his eyes scanning her for any signs of injury.
Emily nodded, trying to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through her leg and she cried out.
Robert's expression turned concerned. "What's wrong?" he asked.
Emily gritted her teeth, trying to move her leg. "I think it's stuck," she said, her voice shaking.
Robert carefully examined her leg, his face grim. "We need to get you out of here, but I'm afraid if I pull too hard, I might damage your leg," he said.
Emily felt a surge of fear, but Robert's calm and gentle manner helped to reassure her. She looked up at him, her eyes pleading. "Please, Robert, you have to help me," she said.
Robert nodded, his face set in determination. "Hang on for a while I'll get penelope to a safe place and get Lucas to help you."