“Katya...” I said with a slight pause. “Why is the Matriarch of our clan taking me shopping?”

“Who else could or would drag you out of your lair and make you do something you didn’t want to?” Katya retorted humourously.

“Katya. What are we really doing here?” I asked again, this time a little more firmly.

Katya sighed and turned her attention to me.

“How are you Aleks’Andros?” she asked, all pretense falling away.

“Fine... Ready.” I answered, sending out my senses to touch upon every shadow under my control, like a ping.

“We’re not yet at war Aleks’Andros.” Katya stated, as if reminding me.

“Yes, we are. It might not look it, but we are.” I argued with quiet certainty.

Katya sighed, but seemed to come to a decision by herself as she changed the subject.

“All mundane guests will already have been inducted into our world, so should something happen, we won’t be breaking the accords as long as we keep it in the valley. I assume you’ll want to make an entrance?”

“Not sure yet, but I’m certain they’ll send someone out to test me... That might be messy.” I answered.

“Of course it will... Just be careful, I realize you don’t do well under constrictions, but I’ve used up every favor and burned a lot of bridges to get us here. It hasn’t been easy.”

“You telling me to hold back?” I asked, a little surprised.

“No. I’m asking you not to die. If you do, this clan will end. We’ve extended ourselves too far. Should we fall, I’m not sure if we will be able to get back up.” Katya said, holding my gaze with a desperate intensity.

“I’m taking a chance, because I truly believe this is the best course of action for my people, so please don’t make me regret it.” She finished, her eyes steeled, but beneath the surface was an intense fear.

I pulled open the button on my cuff and pushed up my sleeve to reveal our oath mark.

“I won’t.”

***

Katya dropped me off at the edge of my territory on the dirt road, but not before reminding me to change before I do anything, she went as far as to make me read the small label in the blazer saying something vaguely Italian as if that was gonna change anything.

The territory I’d picked out wasn’t overly large, but it still took me almost ten minutes of walking through the heavily wooded area on the sloping dirt road before I made it to the cabin.

I stopped for a moment and looked at the two storey log house, likely big enough to comfortably fit five times the people living there now.

I thought about Natasha and Sophia... I couldn’t help but feel a sense of longing.

But I pushed that down into my stomach and walked past the cabin towards the valley cliff side and the entrance to my caves.

I’d made it halfway when I heard someone call out to me from the cabin.

“You aren’t gonna go work in those clothes, are you?” Natasha questioned sternly.

“I wasn’t planning on it, but then again, I wasn’t planning on changing either.” I replied, looking at her as she leaned against the door frame in a silk robe, a cup of coffee in her hand.

“Get in side.” She said, gesturing towards the door.

“I don’t thi-” I didn’t get to finish the sentence.

“Now.” she stressed.

As I walked in, I saw Sophia at the dinner table, quietly sipping from a cup of her own.

“Tessa not up yet?” I asked, looking around.

“I sent her into town. Now sit down.” Natasha ordered as she took a seat herself.

“This is a problem, and the two of you need to fix it.” Natasha stated from the head of the table.

“Nat, Mediation can’t happen by direct confrontation.” Sophia explained.

“Bullshit, it can’t. You two are gonna work this out now.” Natasha demanded, pointing her finger at Sophia, then me.

“How about we start with a little honesty? Sophia, why are you upset with Aleks?” Natasha started speaking in a condescendingly psychiatric tone.

Sophia looked at Natasha as if she’d grown a second head before sighing and shaking her head.

“I feel that he put Tessa in unnecessary danger. He should have turned around the moment he noticed something was amiss.” Sophia said, emphasizing the I feel part.

“Good, now Aleks.” Natasha said, turning to me.

“She’s gonna be in danger again.” I said flatly and out of turn.

“Hey!-”

“She’s gonna have to fight and kill, and at times, I’ll even push her to do so.” I continued ignoring Natasha as she tried to interrupt.

“She isn’t one of your patients, Sophia. I got to her first, and had I not, she still wouldn’t have been. I didn’t save her life, I claimed it. I don’t save people because it’s the right thing to do. My moral compass doesn’t work like that. She’s useful and I like having her around, so I’ll protect her and teach her, but the path she’s walking down isn’t one without dangers, if you really want to keep her safe then you should put her in a car and drive her far away from here... But even then, in a couple of years time, she’s gonna face the same dangers as the rest of the world, except now she’s gonna be unprepared and alone.”

Sophia looked at me, stunned, before muttering, “Asshole.” And getting up to leave.

“Tell me I’m wrong!” I called out after her, causing her to stop in her tracks as she shook with rage with her back to me, her hands balled up into fists.

“Tell me what I’m doing isn’t the best thing for her survival and future.” I pushed.

Sophia spun around, fury in her eyes as tears streamed down her face.

“SHE DESERVES BETTER! She deserves a future without this shit, without fear of being attacked and killed for a choice she didn’t make!” Sophia yelled, but when she stopped, something changed in her eyes.

“She did make a choice, Sophia. You might not have had a choice, but I gave her one, the ledge or me.” I said as I got up and walked towards the door.

“I’ll sleep in the caves tonight. See you in the morning.” I said, closing the door behind me.

***

Walking through the dark corridors, I felt angry and pained. I regretted what I said as soon as the words left my mouth, but I couldn’t stop them or take them back... And if I had to be honest, I didn’t believe they were wrong either.

I’d hurt someone I cared about to save them from the pain later... Or so I hoped.

I shrugged off the clothes Katya had bought me, letting them fall to the ground as I moved deeper and deeper into the cave system.

Soon I began to run, my bare feet slapping against the stone floor. The breeze from moving through the air felt like pinpricks on my heating skin.

I kept upping my pace, channeling energy through my whole body until the stone cracked beneath my feet and I burst into a dark unlit naturally occurring cavern, it’s size likely making it one of the largest on the continent if not the world.

The path behind me closed off, distant lights disappearing as if swallowed by darkness.

My eyes cast a light forward, illuminating Arkos standing before me, cutting his figure out of the darkness.

He stepped forward, pulling his sword from within his cloak before stabbing it into the cave floor, sending out a web of cracks and echoes throughout the dark.

“Hold back... And you’ll spend a year in the depths.” I warned through gritted teeth as I locked my jaw.

Arkos didn’t move. I felt no sensations from his vessel, but I could see the sadness in his eyes, maybe a remnant of what he’d once been.

It was gone by the time his fist connected with my jaw.

***

“Grandmother? What is it?” Rainie asked, turning around in shock.

For the first time in her life, she’d seen her grandmother, the head priestess of a coven who’d ruled through strength rather than numbers for a hundred years, pale as a ghost.

They’d only just crossed the boundary between the lower and central valley when she had let out a gasp and frozen in shock.

Then the woman Rainie had equal amounts of love, but also fear for, did what she could only describe as a scared twitch when a familiar but still unnatural movement occurred in their shadows.

“Maman, protect us!” Her grandmother swore, invoking the name of their patroness while scrambling away from her own shadow.

Rainie was too shocked to move. The woman had been an iron rod ever since she could remember, fiercely composed and cool headed... In fact, Rainie couldn’t remember another instance of her swearing... Ever.

“Nah, I’s be goin’ bach. You’s fine on you’s own.” Her Grandmother said, trying to sidestep her own shadow and it weirdly understanding her intentions and remained in place regardless of the direction of the light, which only served to further freak her out.

***

Matthew Devos stepped out of their vehicle along with the rest of his entourage as the Custodes teams checked every inch of it.

It wasn’t that magical items and weapons were banned, but certain limitations and inspections were always the best way to go, and even if it was bothersome, Matthew respected the caution.

“Any weapons to declare?” A Custodes with a clipboard asked their group.

“Only what we carry.” Matthew responded with a slick smile as he rubbed the amulet around his neck with one hand and pulled the jacked he wore to the side to reveal a ceremonial sword.

His group doing the same, each revealing only a single weapon. Some had even brought a small firearm.

The Custodes dutifully noted down the arms and nodded.

“You’re free to continue. Please have a pleasant evening.”

***

“Ma’am, I’m afraid we’re limiting weapons and magical items of all varieties for safety reasons. You will have to leave behind either the ring, necklace or gemstone.” The Custodes informed Jemma, to which she clicked her tongue.

“Are we not allowed the privacy of our own thoughts in a polite gathering?” Jemmy argued.

“You are, but I assure you, if someone were to attempt to circumvent your wards it would be seen with the same severity as a physical attack, and they would be punished as such, in case of faults we have a selection of alternatives that can be borrowed in an emergency.” The Custodes explained.

***

“Are you sure we should even attend? It seems awfully fancy.” Lydia asked, looking around at the lines of expensive cars.

“Mom always made an effort to interact with the surrounding packs to keep tabs on things. If we’re gonna stay here, we should do the same.” John replied.

“You sure they’ll even let us in while driving this hunk of scrap?” Lydia asked, rapping her knuckle on the exposed metal frame of her door, leaving behind a noticeable dent... One among many.

“Please stop damaging my truck, little sister.” John sighed, but straightened as he saw several armed people approach them, more than a few other drivers, looking on with mocking smiles, practically salivating at the humiliating display about to happen.

John rolled down his window with the manual crank on his door as the guard approached their car.

“John and Lydia Oleson?” The guard asked gruffly.

“Yes. Is there a problem?” John asked.

“No, Sir. But this is the lane for the main entrance. You’ll want to head to the VIP entrance, as stated in your invitations. Would you like us to move a few of the cars ahead of you so you can change lanes?” The guard asked politely.

“Uh-” John’s brain shorted out as the situation did a one-eighty. Luckily, Lydia didn’t miss a beat.

“Yes please, but best make it both lanes. The ones on our right seemed very concerned with our car. Might be because we’re too close.” The guard looked at Lydia for a moment before breaking out a wide grin.

“Right away, Miss Oleson.” The guard said before silently signaling his colleagues to start moving people.

Lydia didn’t miss the chance to gloat as they pulled away and changed to the practically empty lane cordoned off and marked VIP.

***

Agda fidgeted with her outfit as their car slowly moved forward.

“It’ll be fine. Besides, you’ll be there yourself to make sure of it.” Ivar comforted from beside her.

“This is a barbaric custom we should have rid ourselves of centuries ago. Why would anyone in their right mind have our most precious and vulnerable on open display before a pack of wild animals we would have chased away any other time?”

“Your elders likely told you the same as mine did. There is no safer place than beside the eldest and strongest of the clan. They would be vulnerable to attacks should they be hidden or moved. Besides, should someone try, they would be made an example of. Every clan would put aside their differences and hunt them down.” Ivar reassured.

***

“The Titans’ spirits seem more active and numerous than before.” Jiro noted, looking out the car window, the treeline littered with presences. Those who sensed his attention in turn, making it clear they saw him, floating embers for eyes staring back at him.

He couldn’t help but shiver.

“Let us hope this Titan is a man of his word. If not, then our objectives have just become far more difficult.” Jiro jabbed, hinting at his thoughts about letting the Titan escape in his weakened state.

“You still have much to learn.” Oda sighed disappointedly, not reacting to any of the provocations.

Oda saw the Titans newfound power as nothing but a bounty, he had stared into the eyes of the man and had seen nothing that would make him think he’d break his word, which meant their chances of success remained the same, but now the prize was that much more valuable.

***

“If they aren’t certain of the possible dangers, then tell them to wait, we’ll open a channel of communication, even if it’ll cost us an arm and a leg.” Naomi argued to the screen incorporated into the partition to the drivers part of the limo.

“We can’t wait for some fantasy that isn’t gonna happen. The east office already fucked us on that front. No amount of money is gonna convince someone to forget being kidnapped twice, shot in the head and chained up. We’ll run one more scan with an EPI, but if there are no warnings, the testing will proceed as scheduled.” The voice carried static, and the face was hidden in case their encrypted signal was intercepted.

Naomi gritted her teeth. She didn’t like taking risks like this; they were dealing with something they’d never seen before, and they’d seen it all.

She didn’t want them to cause another Newark incident. The little amount of footage from that night was chilling to watch. It was as if the maw of some dark dimension suddenly decided to open up and swallow their own.

***

“Madam, we’re approaching the checkpoint. What do you want us to do?” Mavis’s guardsman asked from the front of the vehicle.

“Nothing... we were invited and have nothing to hide, so do not give them any reason for action.” Mavis responded sternly, making sure she was understood.

Tonight would be the night she finally got back at that bitch Katya for what she’d done to her.

In a matter of months, the legacy Mavis had worked her entire first and second life to obtain vanished.

Her dreams of inheriting a seat on the council were gone, her political power crippled as her enemies took this opportunity to drain her dry, every single misfortune leading back to only one person, and tonight she’d deliver her every drop of venom she’d swallowed over the past months.

Mavis couldn’t help but laugh in anticipation of the look on Katya’s face.

The guard sitting in front flinched and a bead of sweat rolled down his face.