“Good evening,” I greet Semi, levelling a cool glare at her to properly convey my discomfort with the situation she’s forced us into. She returns the reply, sitting up as she realizes that she’s made a mistake, while still unsure as to what that mistake is.

Syr takes the seat by my side but her attention is still split between us and the exotic dancers. A few have noticed our proximity to their boss, and that’s only made them the more conscious of us and thus made Syr the more conscious of them. Following her eyes, I discover a young woman with a thick mane of golden hair, wound up into a strange style and bound with small golden rings, likely something from her homeland. Fur covers her feline legs up to the knee where it stops, replaced with an imitation of humanity.

She must be one of the undocumented species from across the Great Eastern Mountains.

How she ended up here and not in some noble’s personal ‘care’ I have to wonder. It is, beyond all question, a show of Semi’s power and influence that she has such a person here, not as a slave—she has no collar­—but as a member of staff, and a rather eager one at that. Her gaze turns to me and she bares her sharp teeth in a show of predatory desire.

I turn away only to find Syr’s attention turned to another dancer, as she writhes about in her seat. She is too interested in them, too affected by the atmosphere.

“You can speak freely here,” Semi says, tapping at an enchantment on the table and bringing my focus back to business. “Our words will not travel.”

“Then let us be done quickly, Vael-” I look for the demon, but she’s strayed from us and is currently messing with one of the male dancers. I can’t see what it is she’s doing to him, but the man is blushing like a young boy. I am the more glad that I’ve turned away her affections.

“Vael mentioned that there is something that I need to speak with you about,” I say. “An important matter, if she is to be believed.” I’m not confident that she should be trusted, not with how she’s been acting thus far.

“Ah, she said that, did she?” Semi stares at the demon, shaking her head before taking a long breath. “If there’s one thing that I’ve learnt from being acquainted with her, it’s that you should take all her warnings seriously, especially if she chooses to be vague or avoid the topic. I expect that she has been acting that way with you?”

“Yes, she has,” I nod slowly.

“Then, I suppose it doesn’t hurt to put it plainly, but it is not a conversation to be shared.” Semi turns to the elf at my side. “Syr, if you could wait for me, I’ll have someone take you aside and entertain you until we are ready. Is there anyone here who takes your interest?”

I snatch Syr’s hand on the table before she can say anything, and I openly glare at Semi, giving her no excuse of misunderstanding me. My eyes burn with magic that I didn’t mean to cast, my vampiric gaze flashing at her for just a moment.

Semi jumps, her eyes opening wide, before she settles down again in less than a moment, acting as if nothing at all has happened.

Syr doesn’t notice a thing, sitting cluelessly as she tries her best to keep from getting distracted by the performances surrounding us. She squeezes my hand back, but only glances at me in passing.

“I’ll take care of her,” Vael says, appearing behind Syr and placing her hands on her shoulders. “Come on, Syr. Let them have their talk.” She continues in a whisper, guarded in some way to ensure that I can’t hear.

“Okay,” Syr smiles at her, squeezing my hand before standing to leave with the disguised demon.

“Vael…” I cool my voice and set my eyes on the dangerous creature. She’s about my age, as elvish comparisons go, and certainly free to make her own choices, but I do not trust those around her. Especially not Vael.

“You can trust her,” Semi says.

“I’m not at all sure that I can,” I contradict her, shaking my head as Syr disappears upstairs. I listen to her footsteps up until they disappear to another privacy shield. “Let’s end things quickly, we are both busy people and there is no need for wasteful pleasantries. You understand what it is that Vael has brought me to you for?”

Semi silently considers my words, swirling a drink in her hand as she adjusts the loose leathers that she wears. I am still amazed by how she manages to wear something that avoids offending noble sensibility yet wouldn’t garner any attention on the streets. I noticed it the last time too, but the fact that it bridges the worlds, allowing her to walk between them, makes it seem almost magical in effect now that I understand just how vast a gap it is that she crosses.

“We all appreciate our privacy,” Semi says, enouncing each word slowly and carefully as she looks at me. “You are asking me for knowledge that I should not have, I had intended to lead you toward the same ends without having to speak openly but it seems that Vael feels that it is taking too much time. If she feels that way, then she is right.

“Still, I’m loathe to share this much with you when our professional relationship is so limited as it is.”

“I will not press you for details you are unwilling to share,” I say, watching the room around us. “I’m not certain what it is you are asking for beyond that. My position in the nobility is soon to be lost, and I hope to evacuate my servants and their families from this city before anything terrible can happen to them. If you’re asking for something else…”

I would rather spit in her face and suffer the consequences than have her suggest that I join the dancers in the room or those that are ‘entertaining’ the customers above.

“It’s nothing like what you’re thinking,” she says, shrugging off my concerns. “Where do you intend to move to?”

“The world beyond the mountains,” I say, and she pauses, instantly relaxing back into her seat. “It is the only city distant enough from civilisation that I might have a chance to survive against already established powers. The capital is too far gone, even if Adlramodore was not here, I would have little that I could contribute to life here.

“That’s certainly an interesting plan,” Semi smiles warmly, wrapping her fingers around her glass again. “Then there may be something that you could do for me. You see I have much the same plan, but I have too many investments in this city to simply flee from it, as you intend to do. If I can seize your abandoned territory and enfold it under my power that would be a kind gift.”

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“You would treat the people kindly?” I ask, shuddering at the thought of what it is that I am doing.

“I would do more for them than you have,” she says, not unkindly. Her voice intentionally soft still strikes me through as I can find no words to refute her.

“I will speak with my aunt,” I say. “She will be taking care of the estate upon my leaving.”

“She shouldn’t be a problem, I doubt she’ll even take enough notice of the commoners to care for what happens outside the estate’s walls,” Semi says, shaking her head. “With that settled, we come to the second part of our dealings. I wish to help you establish yourself in the city of Dusk, beyond the Great Eastern Mountain.”

“You seem to be avoiding the initial topic,” I accuse her. “The reason I came here in the first place.”

“Have patience,” she says, sipping at her wine. “There is an order to these things. First, I must know that you are willing to work alongside me, and this is a matter of importance. You see I already have some agents in Dusk, the city beyond the great eastern mountains, but they lack any real initiative. They are currently being bullied by a rather tasteless man if I can believe the reports that they send me.”

“And what do you want from me?” I ask. “Are you asking for me to kill him?”

“I ask that you take charge of the underworld of the city,” Semi says, sitting straight in her seat and meeting my eyes. “It is a role not unlike that of a noble girl, so you should be familiar enough with most of the work. You collect taxes and protect your community from threats both external and internal while ensuring that certain laws are upheld, so perhaps a step above what you were expected to do as a noble.”

I bite my tongue, as I cannot deny it.

“I would send along an advisor to assist you in becoming accustomed to the unusual aspects of the role. You would have the freedom to rule as you see fit.”

“I don’t understand,” I say. “I am not suited to the role, and I will put it bluntly. I am offended that you think I would run an establishment such as this one. Besides, I fail to see what you gain from this.”

“No, you are perfectly suited to it,” Semi says, smiling warmly. “You are disgusted by the work, but that only means that you would run this shop well, rather than indulging yourself in it. You would take seriously the concerns of the whores that everyone else would ignore, and I’m quite certain that you would not be afraid to use violence where it is needed. This is only a fraction of what I do, though I do personally consider the state of your brothel to be indicative of your capabilities as a leader in this line of work.

“As to what I gain from this, it is rather simple,” she says, keeping her eyes level on me. “I would be denying my enemies a piece of critical territory and securing an ally for future dealings.”

“How sure are you that I would be an ally?” I sit back, suppressing a sneer at her confidence. She is much too confident in this.

“You are kind,” she says, leaning back. “Kind but practical. I am the lesser evil that you will court when the time comes.”

There is something about her eyes, her confidence. I’ve seen the trust that my father had in his knights, misplaced, but still absolute. This is different. She is confident only in her own plans coming to fruition. She has plans for me and she is quite certain that I will act out my intended role, but her willingness to show me as much infers something more.

I will do what she wants, even if I learn of her plans.

“Might we return to the initial topic now,” I say, frowning at her. “I will not cast aside your advice, but I’m sure you already know that I cannot eagerly accept it.”

“I’ll send along an advisor that should serve you well,” she says, setting down her drink. “As for the matter you wished to discuss… Aldramodore is your sire.”

“Yes, I already know as much,” I nod slowly.

“I will preface this but saying that I should not even know this, so my understanding is limited, perhaps even tainted with the ulterior motives of others.”

“Which is to say?” I ask.

“This may be a trap,” Semi looks at me with a sober expression. “Do not ask how I know this, but I do believe it to be true. If Vael has sent you to hear this then…”

“Say it,” I press her.

“The vampiric curse is one of insanity, and Aldramodore carries a more pure curse than others of your kind. It is why he has so few direct ‘children’, and it is also why so many of them are insane,” Semi says, frowning into the deep red wine. “If his children are left to stray, they will all inevitably turn insane. He alone has the magic to keep you from that fate, so I’ve been told, and so I believe.”

What would her face look like twisted in pain and fear? What would her blood taste like then?

“You think it’s a trap?” I ask, suppressing the unwanted thought.

“It may be, and if it is, then I believe that it’s unavoidable,” Semi says. “Most of his spawn are insane anyway from what I can tell, so if you choose not to go to him I will not treat you differently for it. If you do choose to meet him, then prepare well.”

The red-eyed monster. The one who slayed the girl I used to be.

“I need some time to consider this.”

Semi nods waving to the back of the room, where Vael and Syr stand waiting for me. She smells of sweat, and her appearance is messier than it was, but even with my vampiric senses I can find no evidence of anything untoward happening to her. What then were they doing?

Syr smiles brightly as we cross paths, her smile enough to erase the more pressing thoughts from my mind for a moment. Though a moment is all I can spare for her. We pass, and I leave her to her own discussion with the conniving criminal lord.

Is it a lie?

Strange thoughts have been invading my mind since I first awoke. Has it been getting worse? As it is there have been times when I’ve verged on losing my sanity, and if it is to get worse still, then who would pay the price for it?

Who would I kill?

Yet, if I do meet with him, then I am sure that it will not end well.

Aldramodore.

The red-eyed monster.

A creature that has existed for who knows how long? The undead do not age as the living do, and yet his power can still grow as fast as any ordinary person. At the very least he must be as powerful as the older elves and dwarves, those who’ve dedicated themselves to their training across centuries, but it’s possible that he’s more powerful still.

What could I possibly do to even escape such a creature?

There must be a way, and I will find it.

Perhaps, if I can plan it out perfectly, I might even be able to slay the monster. All it should take is a sufficiently strong flame spreading through his heart and… no, it was not enough for Pharisa.

I could simply run, but then if my mind does slip from me, I will have no chance of finding a cure for it.

No, I must confirm the information first. Semi says that she herself is unsure about it, so acting off of the information would be incredibly reckless.

How though?

And if it is true, then what do I even do about it?

Syr’s ability to command me might give me an edge over the man, but it will not be a miracle cure.

“Christina?” Vael whispers my name, pulling me aside into a room. “We’ll wait here for Syr.”

“You know the truth, don’t you?” I ask. “You know even more than Semi. Is she lying? Tell me she’s lying.”

Vael closes the door behind us as I sit on the bed. I don’t know what to do or think.

She frowns, seeming genuinely upset as she paces back and forth.

“I’m not supposed to be this involved,” she grumbles, crossing her arms. “I just wanted to watch fate in action, but it’s drawing me in. Are the gods getting more involved?”

“Vael!” I call her focus back to me.

“I only know a little,” she says, frowning as she sits beside me. “I feel that you have to go. You have to face him.”

“You feel?” I ask.

“It’s fate,” she says. “You will learn something from meeting him. Something important. No, I can’t just tell you what it is, I don’t know.”

“You’re not another priest are you?” I ask. “A follower of fate?”

Vael snorts, turning to look at me with a broad smile rising on her lips.

“I’m an admirer of fate, that’s all,” she says, jumping up off the bed. “Now, let’s move on to something more fun. Aren’t you curious about what I was doing with Syr?”

I sit up and glare at her.

“What did you do?”

“Rea!” Syr bursts through the door before I can get an answer. “Rea, there you are.”

“Who is ‘Rea’?” I ask as she jumps onto the soft bed behind me. “Syr? Vael? Who. Is. Rea?”