“How did you two meet?! It feels like you’ve known each other for a long time.”

I drank instead, feeling the sweetness of the juice fill my tongue.

“Oh, we grew up next to each other. I used to watch Vex when he was little.”

The girl's eyes lit up, a smile spreading on her face. “You are practically his older brother, then! This is so sweet!”

The man laughed, his gaze falling on mine for a brief second. “I guess I am. What do you say, Vex? You are free to call me brother.”

“I politely decline.”

Angus, rather than offended, looked even more amused.

Before I could return home, Angus ambushed me at the front gate. Apparently, he was very keen on fulfilling his promise to treat me to a meal. Yet not only he caused a commotion by appearing in a carriage led by two fucking unicorns—

Angus thought it was a remarkable idea to invite my “friend” to eat with us.

We were in a pastry shop near the academy, a place where we could safely park the carriage and leave the dragons outside, in their cages, while we ate. Since it was a fancier shop, there were guards stationed to watch over the clients’ possessions.

“Your dragon, he is a fascinating species. I gather you bred him, yourself?”

Ceres’ eyes beamed with pride, her cheeks flushing slightly.

“My Connie is a true beauty, isn’t he? It took me a lot of tries, but in the end I got the perfect mix I was looking for. He was the only one of his brood that was born with two attributes!”

Angus rested his face on his hand, the smile never diminishing. “Fascinating. I take your siblings were quite proud.”

“Oh, you know who my family is?”

I immediately turned over to Angus, his golden eyes piercing mine. As if he knew he had information I did not.

“Of course, it would be hard not to. In my field of business, your family’s name is usually quite present during conversations.”

Rather than sharing the proud joy in her voice, the girl shied away from his words, her shoulders sinking a bit.

“Well, they are amazing... I haven’t had a chance to show Connie to them yet, so I’m not sure what they will think.”

“Oh, I’m sure they will love him. From what I’ve seen so far, he seems pretty charming.”

Ceres cried out, taking a big piece of her cake.

“I have no idea what to do with him—it feels like he obeys everyone but me! You saw how he acted with Professor Kairon, didn’t you?” She looked at me, a bit of chocolate filling in her lip.

“Well, Belenus Kairon was a professional rider…” I mumbled, still trying to figure out who her family was.

Her features were familiar…

“But I’m the one riding Connie!” Ceres cried out again, taking another bite of the cake. “He never listens to me—not even when we are flying! He is always trying to drop me, or keeps teasing me.”

Suddenly I recalled a moment of the highlights, of how the ice-blue dragon threw Ceres up in the air with his tail just before an ice shot hit her.

“Wait…during the admission race, the thing he did in the highlights. Was that unintentional?”

Her face became as red as an apple, the cake suddenly gone from her plate as she kept taking one bite after the other.

When she finally spoke, her voice was low and embarrassed.

“Connie is always doing that, you see…even when I tell him where he needs to fly to, or what we need to do, he just ignores everything and does whatever he wants. And if I pester him too much, he gets back at me with his pranks.”

I almost choked on my drink.

A prank? Throwing his rider out of the saddle mid-flight is a prank?

“Regardless of your mismatches, you two made quite the impression. I’m certain that, once you both find your balance, you and Connie will be a force to behold.” Angus’ voice was smooth and warm, his gaze piercing and confident. Ceres bit her lips, letting out a shaken sight before giving a weak smile.

“Thank you! We will do our best.” She then turned to me again, her voice not as overly cheerful as it usually was. “You are also preparing for Professor Kairon’s elective, right Vex?”

“Yeah.” Otherwise I’m fucked.

Belenus had given me a month's worth of homework—apart from the usual tasks he requested from our class. All to be delivered by the end of the week.

Included in that were three race reports and two flight demonstrations. Worse of it all, I couldn’t even complain since Belenus was allocating time to evaluate me on his off-hours.

Ceres leaned a bit closer to me, glancing sideways before lowering her voice.

“Professor Petras said Kairon is one of the most feared professors in Ergos. His classes have the lowest rate of retention among first-years.”

Oh my, I am shocked.

“People drop out because they don’t have enough drive. That’s what makes Ergos Ergos. If they are not intent on becoming one of the best, they should study elsewhere.”

While Ceres widened her eyes in surprise, Angus’ grin widened as he stared at me. Almost as if he was proud.

“I didn’t know you were so passionate about races. You must really love flying!” Her joyful voice did nothing but cast bigger shadows within my gaze, forcing me to look away.

Ceres then glanced at her black crystal, her eyes popping out of their sockets. Her head spun, her eyes locking on a carriage parked right across the street.

She jumped in her spot as she stood up in a rush, her face pale.

“By the gracious gods—I have a lesson schedule right now!”

“Oh, I would be more than happy to give you and Connie a ride.”

The girl shook her head, already grabbing her things and searching her pockets.

“No, no, you don’t have to worry, mister. My driver is here to pick me up, and I wouldn’t want to impose on your kindness. It was a pleasure getting to meet you! See you tomorrow, Vex!” She didn’t turn to face us

And without another word, she was gone to help the well-dressed driver attach Connie’s cage to their carriage.

A few minutes passed, with Angus enjoying his hot tea, without us uttering a single word. A moment of silence that would be greatly appreciated.

Yet the white-haired man chuckled before he could take another sip, his eyes half closed.

“I know you are itching to ask, Vex. We’ve known each other for years now—ask away.”

I scoffed, tapping my fingers on the table. There were many things I wanted to know.

Who had Angus visited today?

Who were Ceres’ siblings?

What was the package in the back of the carriage?

Yet asking any of those questions…felt like a defeat.

“Are you satisfied with Block 64?”

The man smiled—as if he was already expecting me to avoid those questions—finishing his tea before turning his gaze to me.

“My races became more interesting and fun thanks to that sale. The new riders are also doing exceedingly well. King, in particular.”

A small weight got lifted from my heart, one I hadn’t even noticed was there.

“Her and Ranger are a great duo—I knew they would do well.”

“Indeed…you always had a great eye for this,” Angus leaned closer, his voice becoming smoother and lower—his gaze more piercing. “That’s why Nikke approached Jackal at the beginning, in the end.”

His words carried too many memories. Years of history shared between Jackal and Nikke. Years I would never be getting back.”

“…why did you help me? Back then.”

When I saw the surprised look on Angus’ face, I immediately regretted my question. It made me want to curse out loud and forsake a comfortable ride home in his carriage.

Yet his surprise lasted only but a couple of heartbeats, a new smile beaming on his face the following second “Why, because you were so adorable back then, of course. What kind of gentleman would I be if I left you alone? And, well… I also have a great eye, you see.”

I glanced at the empty glass of juice in my hands, as if it would show me the past. The days Jackal missed, the memories Vex didn’t want to revisit.

Angus found me when I was eleven, two years after I ran away from home. I was a dirty kid living underground, desperate to make some money. There was no Jackal, there was no empire or treasures. I was alone.

Yet ringleader Nikke caught me watching some of his races. And he shared with me some of his contacts. Contacts that, in the end, got me my first riders and my very first block. The very first races of ringleader Jackal.

I paid him back years later, after I made it into the Top 5. Yet when Nikke first extended his hand to little, dirty Vex, there was no guarantee he would get anything in return.

“Oh, before I forget.” A small package was placed in front of me, wrapped with a blue ribbon. “My sister sent her regards.”

“Áine? Why?”

He shrugged, standing up from the chair. “Apparently, she liked Styx. And would like to visit again, in the near future.”

I furrowed, still confused. I was about to open the package when Angus stopped me, placing his hand on mine.

“She told me you should open once you get home.”

If the man’s words weren’t enough to send a chill down my spine, the coldness in his gaze would.

After Angus paid and got a small treat for Styx, he took us back to the estate. The ride back was quiet, yet I could not stop myself from thinking what Angus was thinking.

What was he playing at.

He helped me with Styx’s cage, looking at his crystal for a second before turning his attention back to me.

“Forgive me for bringing you home so late. I’m aware you will be quite busy with your classes from now on, so I won’t bother you as much.”

“It’s fine. You don’t have to, anyway.”

Angus gave me a sweet, warm smile before brushing off a leaf from his shoulder.

“But I want to. If I stay out of touch for too long, you will keep saying we are not close enough to be considered friends. And that would sadden me greatly.”

I averted my gaze, unsure of what I could say.

“Just…don’t come without notice. It’s inconvenient.”

“Don’t stay too long without replying to me, then. Otherwise, I may have to check on you to make sure my dear friend is alive and well.”

Angus nodded to Styx before taking his leave, the unicorns' horns reflecting the last rays of the sun. I glanced over to the small package in my hand, trying to feel its weight. Trying to guess.

I opened Styx's cage once we were inside, and left his cage near the front gate. From now on, I would have to take Styx most days to Ergos, so it wouldn’t make sense to pull the cage all the way back to the storage room.

After taking a shower and preparing a meal, I sat on the couch. The package on top of the table.

It took me a full five minutes to reach out my hand and undo the neat ribbon. And in the small box, there was a vial of liquid silver. I spilled the content on the table, watching as a small orb formed and floated until it reached my eye level.

It took me a few seconds to realize what I was seeing—the recording of someone writing a letter. And as it was written, as I read its contents, I felt my heart stop and my blood freeze again and again until it was racing and burning so hot I could barely stand still.

How did she know?, was the first thing I wondered.

But soon it changed to How did she get this?

Yet knowing it was Lor, Angus’ odd sister I was talking about, I shouldn’t be surprised. Rather than ask how did she know, I should be asking myself why did she share. Perhaps she was hoping I would take some action, since it had affected her as well. Or maybe Áine had more in common with her brother than I thought, and also fancied some occasional chaos.

Regardless, what had once been mere speculation and ideas was now turning into facts and evidence.

Apparently, Alantra Harris had not been the only one to contribute to Jackal’s fall.

And for all that mattered, there was still plenty of space to add more names to my list.