Chapter 43: Asher

Solas barged in like he always does. He let out a low whistle, "I thought my ears were ringing. You really are going to have a photoshoot?" he said looking me up and down. I was in my black suit. It is nothing he hasn't seen before.

Solas raised an eyebrow as he followed me into my room, watching with curiosity as I styled my hair, in a messy but sexy way. "What's all this about?" he asked, his tone laced with suspicion.

Though it is not something he would have imagined me doing. My father had insisted more than once to have my photo taken; I had refused there is not a single photo of me anywhere on the internet. Not a single one in any magazines or newspapers. I had made sure of it.

I smiled thinly, my eyes flickering with annoyance at the intrusion. Having friends is great until they butt in every single thing in my life. Though I can't argue as I do the same to them. "Just getting some new photos taken," I said dismissively. There is no need for him to know why I am doing this. And it will be best if he doesn't know, if he finds out I bet he will tell the others and they will be in that photo studio before I can execute my plan.

He scoffed. "You? Photoshoots? Since when do you care about that kind of thing?" He knows me pretty well. Why wouldn't he? We have been friends for so long.

Annoyance was clear in my voice as I avoided his question. They are such a nagging bunch. I had just made excuses to Zuro and Ison and sent them on their way, it must have been their plan to send Solas to get the information out of me. As I share things with Solas that I never share with them. "Since I decided it was time for a change," I said tersely, moving away to get my shoes.

He just followed me into my wardrobe, as I sat on the chair wearing my shoes, Solas leaned in, his voice low and conspiratorial. "Come on, Asher. You're not fooling anyone. What's really going on here?"

"Is it because of her?" his friend pressed on, a knowing smirk on his face.

I turned to glare at him, more with annoyance than anger. "I am setting a trap for a little bird." I said at last. There is no use hiding from him. "If anyone of you become a hindrance in my plan, I will skin each of you alive." I said glaring at him, making sure he understood that I was not joking.

"Fine." he said with a smile. "Just so you know we like her more than you and we are desperately waiting to finally meet her." I know what he was saying is right, "and she is not a little bird, but a lioness, she will tear you apart. Be careful." There was a wide smile on his face as if he was imagining her doing just that.

A small smile was on my face as well. He wasn't wrong.

"Well, I am here to tell you about the vampire, Marcus Fang. You were right to be suspicious about his death." his expression became somber as he reported it.

I had the feeling that it was not a normal case. I could sense something was wrong with the vampire. There was an evil aura around the whole place he was killed. Through his death was normal it was still suspicious. So, I sent Solas to look into it.

"The SIU has ruled his death as a suicide and they were right. He had killed many innocents in rage and had then killed himself out of guilt. But there is more to it than that. The mark that was on his body, it is a mark used in black magic. He was using black magic."

I turned to him, as I heard it. Black magic is banned by the supreme council, there was no way he was using it in the heart of Eloria. Without being found. That explains how he was able to not get caught while slaughtering so many people.

There was a deep frown etched on his face as he continued. "He was not alone there was someone who was behind him, I had researched about him, the man didn't even know what black magic was. Then he suddenly turned rouge, killing people, and started using black magic."

"Do we have any leads on who might be behind this?" Solas shook his head, his expression grim. "Not yet. We're still investigating, but it's clear by the way the killer had made his murder look like a suicide, they knew what they were doing."

My mind raced as I tried to piece together the possible motives behind the murder. The use of Black magic was not something that was taken lightly, and whoever was behind it was clearly not afraid to take risks.

"We need to find out who did this and put an end to it, Marcus might very well be a victim of this person. With Black magic, one can control people's minds as well. And Marcus was grief-stricken he must have been an easy target"

There have always been people who had given in to the temptation of power that black magic has. It is like an addiction that will consume the user from the inside and still leave him wanting more.

Solas nodded in agreement, "I will make sure to keep you updated."

"Be careful." He knows more than anyone to be careful but I can't help but warn him again. someone who uses black magic, and is roaming in the streets of Starfall is a disturbing thought. and at this time, we have to be careful. There are many events happening in the span of this month.

it will be easy for anyone to get away with this kind of thing in the midst of such chaos.