Two months later...

Abel got out his wallet to pay the cashier. The necklace was silver – simple but elegant with a perfect teardrop set with sapphire pendant. They closed the lid of the purple felt box and carefully bagged it up for him. Present purchased, Abel stepped out onto the street. The year's first flurry of snow was falling from the sky. A family across the street were exclaiming excitedly.

"It's snowing – dad it's snowing!"

The children had school badges sewn to their jackets. In this new education system, every child was equal - money could buy you nothing extra and every child got one hot meal. For some, it was the only meal they got all day – but it was a start. A positive start.

"Dad, can we go to Charlie and Sue's – they've got a sledge."

Abel walked passed as their dad was explaining that there wasn't enough snow to use a sledge yet.

"Michael!" The children's mother exclaimed, tugging at her husband's arm as her eyes widened in recognition. "It's Abel Farshadow."

"What –where?"

"There with the scarf. Go shake his hand – quickly now."

*

Back at Abel's residence, Briana was standing in the garden. She put out her palm – catching snowflakes on her fingertips.

"It snowed on our wedding day." 

Briana started in surprise and turned to face Hansel (or Warren as he was currently known).

"Did it?" She asked passively.

"You thought it was a good omen."

She smiled slightly at that. She'd been thinking how pretty the snow was – had she been getting married today it definitely would've made her happy. They heard voices at the entrance. The master of the house was back. Hansel's expression became surly. He stepped away from her just as they heard Abel's voice.

"Where is she?"

Briana swallowed nervously, glancing at Hansel. "Em," Abel greeted – entering the room behind her. Briana turned to face him.

"Hi," she greeted – feeling strangely shy. Abel grinned at her. He looked tired, with dark shadows beneath his eyes and he'd lost even more weight – rather than wearing clothes he seemed to be burdened by them. His slender shoulders were swallowed by his heavy coat that was flapping in the breeze. But he was happy – he was the happiest Briana had ever known him.

"Come inside," he urged, putting his arm around her and leading her back into the house. "You haven't even got a coat on."

"I was enjoying the snow," but her protest was only mild. Abel left it to Hansel to shut the door behind him. "What's made you so happy?" She sat down with him on the sofa, making an effort not to look around them. She'd been locked in the complex for so long – where Abel saw luxuries he was thrilled to be able to give her – Briana was starting to see prison bars. Since she'd taken over Emily's body she'd known many different kinds of prisons – Eros House, Probitatis, actual prison and now this. In fact, the only time she'd been free was when she'd lived with Hungry Soul...

Briana glanced up at Hansel. He was staring sternly at her – watching every move she and Abel made. A quarter of an hour later Abel left to take a phone call. Hansel seized the brief privacy.

"Move to that seat." He directed, indicating the armchair.

"That will look strange." Briana hissed back. She knew why he'd suggested it though. Abel had been inching closer and closer to her, his hand on the back of coach getting ever nearer to being around her.

"I don't care." Hansel retorted. "I'm this close to jumping into his body." Briana leapt to her feet.

"You can't!" She glanced back at the door to check that no one was there. "You promised." If he jumped into Abel's body he'd kill him. She reached up and held Hansel's shoulders.

"I'll sit in the armchair, ok?"

"I hate this."

"I know."

They'd been over this many times and had reached a stalemate. Hansel wouldn't help her escape. If the Erebus heir went missing it would spark fresh violence – they'd be pretenders that rioters would congregate around. It could ruin the future. Briana wouldn't even try to jump from Emily's body. She didn't want to leave a sixteen-year-old girl in this situation – soon to be completely orphaned with a boyfriend/ ex-boyfriend captor (the lines were getting very blurry). So in the end – they were stuck.

Hansel kissed her on the forehead just moments before Abel returned to the room. Briana excused herself to fetch a glass of water. She glanced up at the clock. Two hours before the guard shift would change. She preferred it when Abel and Hansel didn't collide – it was confusing – knowing her history with Hansel but also dealing with her feelings for Abel. She sighed heavily. Abel...

If only she could love him less.

**

Dalton licked his parched lips.

"Did you ever hear your mother talk about trying to starve the population into submission?" The interrogator asked. He was using his phone to record the interview. Dalton caught Nolan's eye and shrank back nervously in his seat.

"Yes." He stared down at the table between them.

"What did she say?" The interviewer prompted.

"She said she was trying to starve the population into submission." Dalton's voice was monotone but his hands were clasped tightly in his lap.

The interviewer wrote something in his notebook. He was a small man, with a large moustache that seemed to have stolen all his head's hair. His forehead was lined with numerous deep creases and he was chomping furiously on a piece of gum.

"How was she planning on doing this?"

Dalton looked uncertainly up at Nolan.

"I- I don't know."

"Did she deliberately cause a food shortage so prices would go up?" The interviewer suggested. Nolan inclined his head ever so slightly.

"Yes," Dalton replied.

"You heard her say this?" The interviewer pressed. Dalton nodded firmly. He couldn't keep eye contact with the questioner – his tired gaze kept flicking between Nolan and the table.

"I heard her say she had caused a food shortage," Dalton reiterated carefully, "so prices would go up. This was to starve the population into submission." The interviewer seemed pleased. He turned the page of his notebook.

"Did you mother have affairs? Did you ever see her intimate with men other than your father?" The interviewer read out. Dalton's shoulders hunched defensively and he shook his head.

"Are you sure?" The interviewer pressed. Nolan Gale interceded.

"He's lying," Nolan's feigned casual drawl made Dalton flinch. "He often does this. You know what happens when you lie."

"I saw my mum cheat on my dad." Dalton gabled quickly.

"Who with?"

Dalton looked pleadingly up at Nolan but his tormenter remained silent. The young boy's chin trembled nervously.

"Who do you want it to be with?"

The interviewers head snapped up.

"We want the truth," he rebuked sternly.

"A bodyguard?" Dalton phrased it as a question. He breathed a sigh of relief when the interviewer started writing on his pad. That meant he'd answered correctly...

"Which guard?"

Dalton frowned, thinking quickly. He didn't want to get anybody into trouble...

"His name was Xander – he was my sister's guard." Xander was dead now, Dalton knew. Hopefully, if he was looking down on this – he'd understand.

"What did you see them do?" The interviewer asked, pen poised.

"I saw her kissing him?"

Dalton flinched at the men's scowls. Wrong answer...

"Did she have sexual intercourse with him?" The interviewer asked, his tone snappy.

"Yes."

"How do you know this?"

Dalton rubbed his tired eyes. He wanted to sleep. He wanted a glass of water. He was stressed out and getting flustered. And Nolan was getting more and more irritated with him.

"I saw it."

"You spied on them?"

Dalton didn't like the man's tone. He didn't want to get into trouble for spying...

"No."

"She made you watch?"

"No!" Dalton exclaimed quickly, but too late. Noland had caught onto the interviewer's eager tone. They wanted the Erebus Bitch dead – they wanted dirt to throw at her.

Nolan interceded smoothly.

"The boy's upset. He's confided something about this to me."

"Yes?"

Nolan's expression was a mask of sorrow.

"I'm afraid the Erebus Bitch was a strange parent." 

Dalton gaped up at them, unsure what was happening. The interviewer was hanging off Nolan's every word.

"She frequently got him to watch her fucking. It's ok Dalton – you're the victim in this." Nolan reached across the table and patted Dalton's shoulder. Dalton froze. It was the nicest thing Nolan had ever done. It was the nicest human contact Dalton had had in two months. "Tell us what she did to you. We'll protect you."

The interviewer offered Dalton a kindly smile now.

"You can trust us, Dalton."