Nobody says or does anything for a long moment after the screen turns off.  Zeben then turns and walks away without a word.  I still can't believe that any of this is happening.  Hell, why is this happening? What did we do to deserve this?

"You did a great job," Stolas says to me.

I glare at him. "Why did you make me do that? You knew it was Rori, didn't you?"

"I knew ever since we saw the poison in the bottom of the mug," Stolas answers truthfully. "I figured that it seemed to be some sort of poison berry, and who better to know wild berries than the wilderness survivalist himself?"

"But why did you make me accuse him?" I demand.

Stolas shakes his head. "I never made you do anything. But if you want an answer, it's because I need to make sure that I'm not the only one doing detective work. I fear that if I am to die at some point, then there would be nobody to take my place. Do you understand what I'm saying? If I am ever unavailable to lead the discussion, I need to know that someone else can fill in my shoes. Can you do that, Sophie?"

"But why me?" I press. I don't get it. "Why did you pick me when there's so many smarter people in the group?"

"I admit, it's an odd choice, but solving a case is not just about intelligence," he explains. "One needs to be able to think outside the box and consider even the most unusual of scenarios. When I think of that, I think of someone creative, such as yourself."

I'm flattered. I really am. But Stolas is still a b*tch for doing this to me.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, but that was still a d*ck move," I tell him.

Stolas doesn't react. "I am aware, but you must understand. I promise you, Sophie, that what you've done to prove yourself shall not go unrecognized by me. Until I die, you will not find a need to strain yourself for answers. Just make sure to try solving the case as well, so that brain of yours stays sharp."

"You seem awfully confident that you're going to die," I point out.

He exhales deeply. "The truth is, I am more than certain that I will. Someone like me who is strong both physically and mentally most certainly has a target on his back. Especially after the first trial, people are now fully aware of what I may be capable of. That's why I needed to weed out who I can rely on so early on in this killing game."

"Early on? Nobody else is gonna die, Stolas."

"I fear that you may be wrong there, Sophie. We all deny that such things happen, but that doesn't stop them from happening anyways. It is inevitable that someone else will die. It's simply a matter of when."

Well isn't he optimistic. I'm sure he gets all the ladies back at home.

As we walk back across the bridge to the first island, I ask, "Why are you so... cold?"

Stolas hardly even bats an eye. "I get that a lot. It's simply a part of my training. I grew up and improved my skills by not allowing emotions to get in the way. If I stopped and fussed over every little thing, I would have gotten nowhere. But learning to not rely on them has helped me grow even stronger in all categories. It's not being cold, it's just staying strong regardless of the conditions."

I... still think that's pretty cold. I don't say anything else as we make our way back to the cottages, where he bids me good night as he disappears behind his door. I realize that after Rori's execution, any exhaustion has left my body. I don't know if I'll be able to fall asleep ever again. I didn't even realize that I'm shaking, which becomes easier to see as I enter the brightly-lit hotel lobby. Hell, I'm also pale as a ghost. Better get some tea going, then.

As I prepare a kettle on the kitchen stove, I hear footsteps behind me. My heartrate increasing tenfold at the sound, I whirl around, eyes wide. Oh god, I'm dead.

"Sorry, I... didn't mean to scare you," Iris apologizes, offering me a small smile as he sets his flute case down on the counter. "I guess we had the same idea?"

"I guess so," I mumble. "...want me to make you a cup too?"

"Yeah, that would be nice. Preferably no poisonous berries, please."

"Not funny." I narrow my eyes as I fish through the cabinet for a second mug.

"Sorry. I wasn't trying to..." I hear him sigh. "I shouldn't have said that. It wasn't right."

Damn it, Iris, you can't be nice! You're making me feel bad.

"It's fine, I get it. We're all just... trying to cope, I guess," I chuckle sadly.

"It's... it's just so hard to believe that all of this is happening," Iris confesses, fishing through a drawer for a teabag to put in his mug. "I don't know how to feel about it, I'm just so conflicted right now."

"I get it," I agree. "I don't know whether to cry or scream or both."

"I saw you talking with Stolas earlier. He seemed completely unbothered by this whole thing."

"He is."

Iris raises an eyebrow. "That's so weird. I don't get how he can feel nothing."

"Perhaps he has engaged in a bargain with the darkness so that it could consume his mortal emotions," a new voice says, and the two of us jump to see Flauros standing in the doorway.

"On that note, you didn't react, either," Iris adds.

Flauros's neutral expression doesn't change. "Unlike him, I am physically unable to feel complex human sentiments. As I have previously stated, I am a demon confined to a human body, so I lack a human soul. Only empty darkness, darker than the abyss into which I was created."

This guy is a nutjob.

"That's, uh, great," Iris fumbles. Respect to him for trying to say something nice about Flauros. "So, what brings you to the kitchen?"

"It appears that I, like you, have sought out a remedy to ease oneself into slumber," Flauros replies. "I have discovered that such a concoction makes the mortal body relax."

Iris and I exchange puzzled looks, trying to figure out what the hell he's saying now.

"Oh," I realize. "You want tea too? I thought you said you can't touch water."

Flauros shakes his head. "While I did confess one of my greatest weaknesses, I was taught by my demonic ancestors that once the cursed element has been boiled and absorbed the properties of the remedial leaves, it is rid of any factors that may bring harm to me."

"Okay." Iris doesn't seem to question it any further, just goes to find another mug.

"What flavor tea would you like?" I ask Flauros.

He considers this for a moment. "Black tea is preferred, as it is most consistent with the removal of any properties harmful to demons such as myself."

Black tea. Got it. I find a tea bag in the drawer and hand it to Iris, who puts it in the third mug and sets it on the counter. A few seconds later, the tea kettle begins to shriek, and I quickly take it off the stove. It sounds too much like actual screaming now. I see the flicker of fear in Iris's lavender eyes as well, signaling that I'm not the only one who thinks that. I pour the steaming water into the three mugs and set the kettle back on the stove, which Iris has turned off.

"It's been a long day," Iris yawns as he stirs his mug of tea. "Here's hoping that tea is the final factor to knocking me out."

"I do not quite grasp why humans need sleep, but I admit, it is refreshing," Flauros comments as he grabs his mug. "Hm, it's quite warm. Like the embers from Hell on which I used to walk."

I'm starting to get concerned for how warm these "embers" were, because my tea mug is f*cking hot. At the same time, though, I'm kind of jealous.

"While we're here," I say, breaking the silence, "I feel like I haven't really talked to anyone about the blood message with the cow. What do you guys think about that?"

"I am sure it made for a good sacrifice," Flauros muses.

"It was really freaky," Iris answers with a shudder. "That's when I kind of just knew that things were really happening."

"Who do you think could've done it?" I hate gossiping, but I really want to know what other people think.

"I think there are a couple factors contributing to it- strength and knowledge," Flauros offers. "Strength because it seems that the cow was taken out in a single blow, judging by the wound, and knowledge, because said wound was fatal."

"I still don't think anyone would do something like that," Iris insists. "Even Rori... he didn't seem the type to do something that freaky."

"I dislike pointing fingers, but between the chess boards and the message, I have reasoning to believe that Stolas is behind it," Flauros says, inspecting his black nails as he speaks. "Especially since he has so much knowledge on the chess boards, I believe we should not deny the possibility that he did it and is trying to make himself look good."

To me, Stolas doesn't seem the type to do that. I mean, he hardly seems to care about his image, just hard work and protecting who he can. I don't think he would've helped us as much as he did during the trial if he was corrupt enough to make a game out of it. It felt like he really wanted to keep us safe. Maybe I'm just too trusting. Maybe part of it stems from the fact that he's looking to me as his second-in-command of sorts.

Iris seems to understand my sudden silence, because he says, "Maybe it's in our best interests to not run around accusing people without concrete evidence. It'll only lead to trust issues and tension. I don't think we want any of that if we are all in agreement to just live out our lives here."

We're all quiet for a moment.

"Well, I'm off to bed," I say at last.

"Whose bed?" Iris teases. I gape at him.

"Iris!" I exclaim. "You did not."

"Hey, hey," he says defensively, "You're not as slick as you think around some of our classmates."

He is absolutely right. I'm so obviously gay for every woman in the class. I just roll my eyes, take a sip from my mug- and burn my lips, but nobody needs to know that- and then turn towards the door.

"Night," I call over my shoulder to Iris and Flauros. I think Iris says something, but I'm not sure.

I make my way back to my cottage and set my mug of tea on my nightstand as a bell chimes.

"It is now 11 P.M.!" Monokumace announces. "Normally nighttime officially starts at 10, but because of the trial, I pushed it back an hour. Sweet dreams!"

Sweet dreams my *ss, Monokumace, you've traumatized everyone with your sick killing game. I take another sip of my tea as I reflect for a long moment. A few minutes later, my tea is drained, and I realize I must've nodded off. Huh, maybe I am tired. I go to wash up in my bathroom, just to find that the water doesn't work. Oh well.

I'm too exhausted to care, so I just collapse on my bed and feel myself slipping into an unconscious state. As I do so, I think back to my conversation with Iris and Flauros. There's still so many questions left unanswered after the first case. Like the chess board. And the dead cow. And the blood message. I just hope...

...that the mystery behind this morning...

...is somehow just a big misunderstanding.

***
(2037 words)

Wow this thing is probably already longer than the first one and only two people have died-

Me: Rori dies

Everyone: LMAOOOO

In all seriousness I was super sad that Rori died but hey at least it wasn't Furfur this time.  Also yeah, this chapter is a lot of filler but also a way to meet some more of the characters.

AIGHT ONTO THE NEXT CHAPTER