NIKOLAI'S POV.They did return at mid day just not with the kind of fresh ideas I had hoped for. They just came back the same way they left, so I guess they weren’t sleep deprived, they’re just old. When I reached home I couldn’t sleep so I started to look through my father's office and I found a lot of documents, most of them were useless and the rest of them were useless as well. My father was not very skilled when it came to documentation, I see that now but I did find his journal. It feels weird reading his personal writings and I don’t think I want to go through it either but something caught my eye. My father had properties stashed somewhere in this palace. I guess my secret place is not the only ‘secret place' in this palace.His descriptions were everything but descriptive and it was not very useful but I still managed to find my way to his treasure cave. When I thought I was lost, I listened for hollows within the walls. The passage was through a portrait of himself on the

WINTER'S POV.I arrive home from my trip to the market with aunt Hyacinth and go to our room to find Nikolai so we can have dinner together but he’s not in it. The sheets are ruffled so I know he was in there. Time with aunt Hyacinth was nicer than I thought it would be. She’s like the mother I never had or maybe even better. We get along quite easily and she’s willing to teach me everything that I don’t know and I’m more than eager to learn. Our trip to the market was filled with laughter, I was entertained by the embarrassing stories she told me of Nikolai as a child. I can’t wait to make fun of him using those stories. Apparently, he used to be a talkative as a child and also a rebel, I’m not surprised really. He still rebels a lot now but he’s not really generous with his words any longer, courtesy of his mother’s death. I wanted to ask how it happened but she was quick to change the topic. She must not want to talk about it for some reason. It happened many years ago, she can’t

NIKOLAI'S POV.“Can I get your attention every one?” I say purposefully and every pair of greedy, unforgiving eyes turn to look at me. It feels gratifying, I’ve not even yet start to take their money but I’m already loving it.“Now that the artefacts have arrived, I'll quickly read through the rules so we can get this auction started. Some of us have travelled a really long distance.” I sound considerate.“The artefacts have been put on display and on each of your tables is a placard. If you turn to the other side of it, there’s a number written on there, everyone has a different number.” I explain and they all start to turn their cards. I can’t read some of their expressions but so far this is going well.“When I name the price of an artefact you like, you raise your placard and the bidding begins. Do we all get it?” I ask and they nod, it feels like talking to children. I’m taking my time to explain because I know some of them have never been to an auction before.“The auction start

NIKOLAI'S POVI’ve exceeded my goal of two million dollars by a million more but why stop here when they’re still so willing to spend?Perhaps I should bring out more of the artefacts? Hunter is no where in sight and it might draw the wrong kind of attention to my father’s room, so maybe not.The last thing I want is for anyone to find out about the secret passage, it would be a disaster.The guards put the last of the artefact on the auction table. It’s a rather small item but by far the most valuable, by my assessment. I read up on all of these artefacts to know as much as I can make from them before auctioning them away, their worth, their history. Everything.If I am to consider what they’re worth now, then I have sold them at least seven times their actual prices but to consider what they will be worth in the future, I don’t think I’m taking enough from them.Although many of them don’t even realize this, they might even gift out these items as a proud show of affluence but again

WINTER.I’m screwed.I underestimated what kind of trouble that comes with living with someone whose eyes you plucked out and whose entire family thinks you’re dead except him, of course.I thought; how hard could it be? Little did I know what I was signing up for. Nikolai is standing right in front of me now and asking which of the two clothes he’s holding up is more suitable for his walk with Jacob. He’s acting like he’s going on a date.They both look the same to me but I’m not about to tell him that. “This one.” I say pointing to the maroon short sleeved shirt that’s hanging loosely from his right hand. “My choice too.” He beams at me and I force smile in return. His features are annoyingly distracting. I want to think about a plan that will prevent him from going on this walk with Jacob but I can’t think straight with him dangling those sexy arm muscles in front of me and smiling at me so innocently, he’s completely clueless and that should make me feel guilty but it turns me