Seren had never seen inside the steamworks. They imagined it was dark and hot and crowded with people. However, when the gates opened and the hiss of steam passed over the carriage, Seren got their first sight of the steamworks.

After the hiss of the steam, they heard the rush of water. Then they traveled into the walls where they did feel the temperature rise. Seren pressed their face against the window to see the water running under the bridge through the steam works.

“Where are all the people?” They asked, turning to look at Eric for answers.

“Probably at the machines,” he answered simply. “The steam works is a large river that continuously runs in circles, which helps generate electricity. They also have large vats at checkpoints where the water is converted to steam which also powers the city and goes up to the top of the walls where lots of crops grow. Watering them from the roots.”

“Wow,” Seren breathed. “Are they the ones we eat?”

“Some of them, others are medicinal.” Eric said, “and I think others still are textile.”

“What’s that mean?” Seren’s voice raising with their excitement.

“Lower your voice,” Eric reminded, “and it means, it gets made into cloth.”

“Ooh. New ones? Not recycled ones?” Seren asked.

“Most new clothes are made with a combination of recycled and new fibers.” Eric explained further. “Like we do for plastics, glass, wood, and metals.”

“Wow,” Seren said again.

“That’s a healthy curiosity you have.” Lord Summers chuckled. “Eager to learn?”

“Very,” Eric agreed.

“Good, very good. Being knowledgeable about many topics will take you far.” Lord Summers nodded approvingly.

“A true little jack of all trades master of none.” Lady Summers smiled. “Which they say is better than a master of one.” Seren smiled politely but blankly. Their attention was taken by the lights of the inner city.

Seren gasped and pressed their face to the window again in awe of the city that glistened like the surface of the sun. Speakers in the solar street lights played ambient yuletide music and every house was dressed to the nines with crystals that shone every color. Lights on strings and huge paintings on every side of the buildings. All leading to a single giant palace that outshone everything else.

“Who lives here?” Seren asked eagerly. Practically yelling.

“Inside voice.” Eric reminded.

“Who lives here?” Seren lowered the voice.

“The politicians and the royal friends and family.” Eric answered, pulling out a book and flipping to a marked page. Seren tried to look at everything as they passed it, slowing to a stop behind other carriages which allowed more time for Seren to look at everything. Every tree on every corner was decorated as beautifully as every building and streetlight.

Before them, grand music played from the palace that grew louder with every spot they moved up. Bringing them all the way to the front steps.

“We’re here.” Lady Summers smiled. The doors opened and the Lord and Lady stepped out with Eric and Seren behind them. Attendants in jingling bells and decorated uniforms bowed low to them as they stepped along a silver carpet.

“May I have your name?” The attendant asked.

“The Summers family.” Lord Summers said and the attendant nodded.

“The guests are listed as; Eric Asche and Serenity Winters?” They asked.

“Slight correction, Serenity’s last name is hyphenated; Asche-Winters.” Lord Summers said and the attendant nodded and quickly wrote in the correct name.

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“Thank you, you will be introduced in five minutes.” The attendant disappeared through the hum of the staff and guests.

“Introduced?” Seren asked.

“They’ll call our names to the room, so everyone knows we’re here. It’s a noble thing.” Eric said, hiding his book within his jacket.”Ridiculous if you ask me.”

“It’s tradition,” Lady Summers said, removing her fur coat as they entered the grand foyer.

“Not all traditions should be kept.” Eric said callously. Handing off his coat as well. Seren carefully parted with theirs to the attendants who handed Lord Summers a little ticket that he placed in his pocket.

“Straighten up, we’re about to be announced.” Lord Summers cleared his throat and straightened out his jacket. Lady Summers pressed her coils to make sure they were all in place. Eric brushed his jacket and knelt down to adjust Seren’s dress. Seren smiled at his worried face. He offered a small affectionate smile in return. He stood up and brought Seren in protectively and as a group, they followed the Summers up the stairs to the grand entrance of the ballroom. Seren felt their heartbeat thudding hard in their chest like they would throw up. It felt like they were moving underwater, and they couldn’t breathe.

The doors opened and an attendant came along in front of them with a clipboard. She ushered the party in and spread them out among the giant platform.

“Presenting! Lord and Lady Summers! With their attending; Eric Asche and Serenity Asche-Winters!” The attendant called. Their voice echoing across the spacious ceiling and ringing through the crystal chandeliers. Below the platform were double grand staircases that led down into the ballroom floor. Where the crowd congregated. At the far end of the room was a pair of thrones with only one occupied. The King.

Seren felt their breath catch and they had to physically resist gagging at the attention on them. Eric led them down the stairs and to the ballroom. The Summer patriarch and his wife vanished in the crowd but the people stepped back from Seren like they were in a bubble. Even with the music playing in the adjacent ballroom being used as a dance floor, this room was silent.

“Now is the time to break the ice,” Eric whispered and let go of Seren’s hand. Backing up into the crowd and leaving them alone in the crystal light. Seren fell instantly to stage fright. Swallowing hard and feeling their heart thudding hard. They held back their tears and took a deep breath.

Looking up at the chandelier, they rubbed their hands together, drew them back as wide as they could, and with a thunderous clap; golden coins came showering from the chandeliers. A shocked gasp of awe shuddered through the crowd. Seren focused hard on the shower until their head hurt and their sight went dark.

Seren looked up at Eric who radiated pure pride as he held their shoulder. The glittering coins vanished along the floor and the crowd surged forward to speak all at once to Seren.

“Pure magic!”

“I’ve never seen real a real fae before”

“Fae touched, much more tolerable.”

“Wonderful! Marvelous!”

Seren smiled, but the crowd and noise overstimulated them. Eric reached into his pocket and slipped something into Seren’s hand. They looked down at the present and it was a little black container. They opened it to a pair of silver jeweled ear plugs. They quickly slipped them in and the noises dulled. Instantly feeling a bit better. Though, with most of their hearing blocked, they had to rely more on recognizing mouth movements and lip reading.

“Presenting! Lord and Lady Winters! With their attending; Jasmine Winters!” The call came out clear as a bell despite the ear plugs.

“Winters, that’s your name too. Are you from the Winters bloodline?” An older gentleman asked.

“Yes,” Eric swooped in and saved them from the conversation. “Their father was the eldest son of the Winters family.”

“The one who-”

“Do not speak ill of the dead.” Eric lashed hard and there was a very stiff silence.

“Sorry, our condolences,” A woman finally said. “You two must have been close.” Seren didn’t catch the reply. Not through the ear plugs and their own emotions coming flooding back. With their ears blocked, their emotions felt louder. The voices around them felt distant as a flash flood came rushing through their brain. Overwhelming every sense inside them.

“Seren? Are you hungry?” Eric jostled them a little. Breaking them out of their trance. Seren froze all functions to try and listen to their body.

“Yeah, I’m hungry.” Seren nodded.

“Is that why they were shaking the chandeliers?” One of the other guests asked. Looking up at the ceiling fearfully.

“Fae-touched.” The familiar voice laughed spitefully. Miss Jass came through the crowd smiling nastily. “The smallest of things can become life-threatening.”

“True, there was a fae-touched I knew that turned a guy to stone for misreading the time.”

In seconds, the topic of conversation switched to tales of fae-touched. How they ruined lives, but Seren didn’t hear much of it. Eric pulled them away from the crowd, especially Miss. Jass, and toward the buffet table.

“There’s lots to choose from. What do you want?” He asked, pointing at the two tables filled with roasted hams and turkeys and every side dish humanly possible. Seren had lost their appetite and just shrugged hopelessly.

“Brave of you to bring that here,” Lady Winters said from behind. “Hope you know, neither of you are welcome here.” Eric turned but paused, Seren looked around, forcing their face to be neutral. But they saw the crowd staring at them in fear and anger.

“Fine, Seren. We’re leaving.” Eric said sternly. Seren nodded, feeling unsafe.

“Serenity Asche-Winters!”

Their name crossed the room like a cannonball. At the head of the room, the King stood, staring at them.