Zephora Knox

Zephora is the twin of Beatrice Knox, daughter of Millicent Rodin and surrogate Glenn East. Through her childhood, Odysseus Knox was her father. Zephora is keeping a low profile with her sister after the murder of Glenn East and is part of Zara's Barbed Quills. When she isn't trying to rein in her sister, she is working whatever new heist or mission Zara has cooked up.

## **Biography**

Zephora was born before her twin Beatrice in 1064, both painful births to their mother Millicent. From as early as the twins could remember, they knew the circumstances of their existence: Their biological father was a surrogate named Glenn East who provided what their mother's husband, Odysseus Knox, couldn't.

Unlike her sister, Zephora cared for small animals. She quickly learned that something was wrong with Beatrice when her sister kept tormenting and killing every little creature she got her hands on. Zephora went out of her way to shoo small animals away and dissuade her mother from getting them pets. She always knew something was a little broken in her sister's head.

In 1074, when the twins were 10 years old, Belladonna Knox was born to Cassandra (Odysseus' sister) who unfortunately died in childbirth. Odysseus and Millicent adopted Belladonna as their own, but both the twins and their mother noticed Odysseus clearly cared for her more than the twins.

Zephora rationalized that this was to be expected - they weren't so directly Ody's blood, after all. Part of her still longed desperately for him to acknowledge her as his daughter in more than name, to be truly loved, and she sought his approval for much of her pre-teen years.

Beatrice took a candle and set light to little Belladonna's cradle in 1075. Thankfully Milly was able to lift the baby from the flames before she was badly burned, but Zephora ran to Odysseus to tell him what had happened. So distressed was Odysseus that he fell into a fit of seizures, and Zephora started screaming for help. It was the one and only time she told on her sister.

Belladonna was all right, but when Odysseus had recovered, he insisted Beatrice be sent to Untergrad. Milly begged him not to send Beatrice away, that they could work through this - but Odysseus' decision was final. Beatrice was sent away, leaving Zephora and Milly devastated.

#### Beatrice Home Again

Beatrice came back in 1076 a quiet 12-year-old girl. She rarely spoke and her eyes were kept downcast. Zephora became exceedingly protective of the girl in an attempt to make up for ratting her out to Odysseus. Milly tried to tell Zephora it wasn't her fault Beatrice had been sent away, but it was clear Zeph didn't believe her. For any small misdeed Beatrice committed, Zephora would take the fall.

#### The Murder of Glenn East

Glenn East's body was found in the Knox estate, with over seventy stab wounds all across his torso. His genitals had been removed, his eyes taken, and his heart hacked from his chest and left in a bloody mulch on the floor. An investigation was launched, but it was short-lived. The missing genitals would be found in Odysseus' bed, and the eyes eventually discovered stitched onto a painting in his chambers. Also missing were the twins, and a letter of apology was left on Zephora's pillow.

Zephora apologized for the murder she and Beatrice had committed. She claimed they were given no choice, but did not expand upon the statement. She apologized to their mother for being terrible children. She finally stated they would not return.

What had really happened, however...