PETBE

I woke up with an infuriating pain in my leg, making me forget that I was on Diyu. I believed that I was on the other side, waiting for Lord Death to come.

Opening my eyes, I could see a vivid image of Mara wearing her helm slowly, covering something harsh.

Her hair was free from any pin or ribbon and her gaze was dark, distant, facing the ground. And yet, her eyes seemed so strange, as if there was a red stone underneath them. Drunk with blood and two pupils of the night following me.

I gasped and grabbed her wrist.

‘’Are you all right?’’I looked at her clothes. Dirty, stained in crimson.

‘’I am fine’’She said.

I kept searching for a wound .’’No, your eyes.’’ I panted with cold sweat dripping from my brow.

‘’What about them?’’ She pulled away from my grip.

I looked up, noticing her eyes were normal. Dark like coal, empty and distant like before. And her hair bonded around her pin.

I took a deep breath and smiled.’’ So-’’

‘’You must rest’’ Her voice kept being distant, calm, yet so close and violent.

Memories of a pool of blood returned to me. A young boy was screaming as another one had fallen red to the ground. His flesh was sticky, slippery like jello, and also so heavy that I could not hold it.

‘’Azizos’’ I whispered breathlessly.

‘’Arsu has gone to bury him’’She explained.

There was a raw motion bursting from my eyes, from my lungs, from myself. Tears could not stop from my eyes, whimpers were escaping from my lips and Mara stared at me as if I had gone mad.

‘’He got killed, why?’’

‘’For an example,’’Mara replied.’’That is how it works.’’Her body moved far and she started pacing in the room.

She did not speak with any emotion. No pain in her eyes. Nothing. I thought that he was her friend.

Another memory returned to me. More blood, more noise, more and more. My stomach rumbled, pushing everything out. Mararushed away and my eyes shut, leaning down and feeling the heavy vomit falling out of my mouth. Then I could see Mara holding a bucket.

‘’It goes like that the first time.’’ She said with almost the sound of the laugh. Meanwhile, I was trying to breathe behind the filth.

My eyes dry after all those tears.

‘’I can’t do this.’’My voice cracked and Looked at Mara who was now moving the bucket far from us.

‘’Of course, you can’t. You are alive.’’

I frowned, confused. And then, she cleared her throat.

‘’I warned you.’’

Shaking a giant no, I grabbed her hands tight.’’I can do it, I can still find her.’’I shouted and then I saw her eyes, her face shifting, becoming even harsher.

Did I make her mad? Was that her upset face? She pushed away once more.’’You need a talent, a way to survive. Arsu has brutal strength.’’

She didn’t talk about Azizos. As if he never existed from the start.

‘’Minerva knows how to mess with chemicals and Nezha knows how to make a way out for himself and the ones he likes.’’

My lips parted, waiting for something more. Something else.

In the end, I was the one who tried asking.’’What is your talent?’’

Her eyes squeezed tight and she tried to hold a deep breath.’’I can…detect lies’’

My eyes opened wide. She didn’t say anything else.

‘’Detect lies?’’

‘’Yes.’’ She said once more.’’I can tell when someone lies and I can also find the truth.’’

My hands slapped the bed and jumped closer to her.’’That is amazing.’’ I shouted and she squeezed her eyes again. And after that, she looked at me darting. Facing her now she had a half face pinched with scars, thick brows, and eyes that at that moment only empty did not look.

‘’Amazing?’’ She said with disbelief.

‘’You can help people like that, correct? When you get out of here you can even become a soldier or a judge or…’’

‘’No’’She pulled away.’’I am not…I cannot get…’’

Mara turned to me with her dark eyes wide open in disbelief.

‘’You…’’ Her hands started trembling. ‘’You should rest.’’

And after that, she was gone.

This time it was certain that I made her mad. She did not seem to like the idea of getting out of Diyu. But why did she want to stay? When people are dying and no one cares? When someone threatens families…

Maybe Mother will find a way to repay Mammon’s debt and we will be out. Maybe I can take the others too. Live in a peaceful house in the sunlight. I missed the hot light touching my skin.

That’s how the fairytale ended up. With heroes and friends living in peace.

I slowly noticed that there was a plate with bread crackers and pork bits next to me and a glass of water.

I must admit that they all tasted dry and terrible. But Spirits I was starving and I thought that I would die from dehydration.

I tried to rest but the picture of Arsu bleeding did not get out of my head. There were screams, blood and so much more.

When I tried to sleep I could hear Arsu and Nzha fighting, arguing about his brother’s death.

The voices echo in my head, becoming vague.

Why didn’t you fight? Why?

We did we tried.

No, you did not, you failed and you returned with nothing and now Mammon is pushing his debt to me.

There was a long pause.

A voice cracked

We were supposed to get out. Now I will die with him.

You already died once.

Two days passed and I could finally walk. On those days I did not see Nezha until I was half asleep. Arsu was sitting on the next bed to mine with his eyes down to the floor and his expression pale as a ghost.

I tried to give him my condolences but he simply said, ‘’Spectres are Spectres.’’

When I asked him about a funeral, and if Mammon would do the honor of burning him, he said that this could not happen here. Because Mammon wouldn’t waste a single dime to burn his brother. None would. So he found a place to bury him on his own.

Is this what would happen to me if I got killed? A grave with no name, a burial with no funeral, or someone to remember me?

Mother will remember me. I am certain she will. And I had to find her.

Mara made me stand outside of Mammon’s office as she was talking to him, telling her ideas. The door was almost closed, letting me see a few angles of her standing still while Mammon’s eyes were avoiding her.

‘’Nezha let you and the boy to go to the garden?’’Mammon hummed.’’Interesting.’’

‘’I thought that you would be pleased.’’She sighed heavily while lifting her head up.

‘’I would be pleased if I knew more of what happened yesterday.’’He moved his chair, seeming to stand up.

Mara stepped back. ‘’No results’’She answered.’’Are details so important to you?’’

His light eyes became deeper with his hand now touching her collar.

‘’Are you lying to me too, Mara?’’ He flickered his fingers. ‘’Now, we both know that you should not lie to me.’’

She looked down and the man smiled. My eyes opened wide and tried to open the door. Just then, Mara spoke.

‘’Can I go now? I let the boy outside.’’

Mammon moved back.’’Of course you did,’’He rolled his yes.’’And any information about him?’’

She narrowed.’’He is alright.’’

‘’Alright?’’

She took one more step back.

‘’Oh,’’His eyes opened wide.’’Good girl, ‘’He patted her head.’’You can go now and remind Nezha about our deal’’

She walked away and I saw now Mara raising her middle finger at him.

‘’Remind him yourself.’’ And walked out, facing me with a tired sigh. Her harsh hands closed the door fast and I kept looking at her harsh eyes. She then started walking as the steps became even faster.

Then, there was a fast stop, making me fall to her.

She turned on me and nodded.’’Consider it your actual first lesson’’She announced. I replied with a nod and noticed her other hand slipping on her belt, giving me a pistol the size of a pocket knife.

‘’You can throw three bullets but I think that..’’

I flinched and stepped back.’’No, I cannot have that.’’ I stuttered.’’Father told me that holding weapons is a sin.’’

I swear I could see her brow twitching before groaning.’’Then don't think of it as a weapon’’She explained.’’Think of it as…A gift from me.’’She moved closer.’’That will keep you one more day alive.’’

I blinked and looked at the cold dark metal of it.

Well, I could not say no to a gift.

My hands were far warmer against it with my nails slightly touching Mara’s nails. And Spirits, her nails were colder than winter.’’Thank you.’’

++

The garden was a beautiful building with the right light glancing from inside to outside as few sounds were gasping from the rooms. I could feel my cheeks turning red by just remembering how the rest of the street people were acting and feeling.

Mara noticed it and leaned to me. ‘’Don’t look, don’t talk, do not ask questions’’

I watched her getting closer to the door which two giants were guarding.

‘’Why am I here then?’’I asked him, confused.

‘’It’s a lesson.’’ She explained.’’Seems you will be here more so you have to strengthen your stomach.’’

Both of the men looked down on us, staring at us with a skeptical gaze.

Mara spoke in the dialect and waited a few seconds before the men opened the door for us.

The inside of the building was completely different from what I expected. The walls were made from cold stones that seemed to be painted white to cover the mold. The lights were few as colorful fabrics covered each entrance of a door. But this was not enough. I could still see what was going on behind the curtains.

‘’Don’t look’’ Mara whispered. But I just could not stop. Even if I could feel my stomach getting sick from the way the flesh was getting grabbed by, the painful sounds they were all gasping out, and the awful smell it was exploding from them. I just could not.

I heard a giggling sound from behind me. Turning back, I saw a half-naked woman with luscious blonde hair and a golden mask around her eyes grinning at me. her fingers slender as she found my helm and tried to stroke my cheek.

‘’Are you lost boy?’’ She asked, almost ashamed to let those words out of her mouth.

I looked up at her mask, noticing her dark chestnut eyes had no light or emotion to them. And she had a peculiar smell that my mind could not get it straight.

As I caught up to her spell, Mara pulled me by my shoulder far from her.

‘’Ninalt for apol.’’ Mara hissed.

The woman looked at both of us with a frowning mouth and walked away.

After that, I felt Mara’s cold fingers sliding down to my forearm and then at my wrist, finding my fingers and curling hers around them.

‘’Let’s go’’ She whispered, dragging me with her.

‘’Hey, I gasped but it was pointless. Her grip was mysteriously strong.

The door in front of us was painted red with a blue scarf glued at the top of it. In front of the door was another giant man with an iron collar guarding it.

‘’Please’’Mara begged me. ‘’Do not talk.’’

‘’Why?’’ I asked.

She did not answer and moved one step to the tall man. He looked at her from head to toe and I swear I saw him licking his swollen and yet plump lips with his green tongue/

The man opened the door, showing us the room that we had to enter.

The smell was different inside that room. It was the same one as the red district. Mana, I think Nezha called it. I heard my father talking about it. It was a sort of drug for making people relaxed. And it seemed that the woman that was sitting at her desk was smoking it from a wooden pipe. Her lips were painted red like plump rose petals, her eyes bright and her brown curls tied together to multiple bright ribbons. Her gown was partially a night dress.

Green and long till her thin hips she had a dark shawl around her shoulders to cover her skin and cleavage.

Her eyes lifted, opening wide when she noticed Mara standing in front of her.

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Her lips parted from the pipe and let the ashes out to the tray as she stood up and walked around Mara.

‘’Little kosi,’’She sighed with amusement.’’How lovely to see you here,’’

Her fingers dug around her arms, her eyes began studying her body, hair, and clothes. ‘’Mammon said that you would come but… you do not seem dressed. Didn’t Nezha have anything for you?’’She backed away. ‘’Never mind,’’ She turned to her closet. ‘’I will give you something red with spots.’’

‘’I am not here for that’’Mara pulled herself far with a shaking breath.

The woman looked at her stunned and then turned to me with shock. ‘’Who is your friend over there?’’

I tried to speak but Mara interrupted me.’’He is new. His name is Pete.’’

The woman’s lips curled. ‘’And he has no mouth to speak? You are always so rude to people kosi.’’

I held my laughter and turned back to them, shaking from it.

‘’We just need to talk to you’’Mara sighed.

The woman’s brow arched and looked at me again.

‘’Hello, little boy’’She walked at me, moving her hips with elegance. ‘’I am Lilith, owner of this establishment.’’

I wanted to speak but I felt Mara’s gaze sharpening my skin.

She offered us tea but Mara refused it instantly when we both sat down on the chairs. There were clothes everywhere lying on the velvet black couch and ground. There were books and coins at the top of the desk but there was not a single bottle of liquor except, I suppose the tea kettle.

‘’You must have taken kind gestures Mara’’ Lilith sighed, pouring herself a cup of tea. ‘’Customers love innocence.’’

Mara crossed her arms and started talking. ‘’I need to ask questions.’’

‘’And he sent you?’’ Lilith gasped surprised. ‘’Nezha had come so many times, he could ask me…’’

Mara’s brow narrowed. Lilith smiled and looked at me. ‘’Tell me boy have you seen the girls outside?’’

I felt my face turning red, remembering every sound, every move, everything.

I just nodded.

‘’Are they pretty, don’t you think?’’

I would like to say that they had the most extraordinary features I had ever seen but I could feel Mara deciding if she could shout at me or not.

‘’You know, ‘’Her lips twitched.’’Few months ago, Mara worked here too’’

I blinked and turned on her, who was looking away.

‘’For singing dear’’Lilith laughed.’’Oh, she has a beautiful voice for her age but her face’’She faked a gag.

I did not speak and looked behind me at the door.

That caused Lilith to speak again‘’I think that they will need more color. How about green?’’ Her eyes shifted to Mara. She seemed unimpressed.

‘’Green means royalty you know’’ Lilith leaned against their armchair. ‘’I heard that most of the royals were emeralds and smaragdine dresses every day.’’

Mara scoffed. ‘’And why would you dress them if half of the people on Diyu live here because of them?’’

Lilith grinned. ‘’Hate can turn so fast to anger. Anger to desire. And here, I am selling desire.’’

Mara raised her shoulders.

‘’Do you hate people Kosi?’’ Lilith asked her. ‘’Do you hate anyone so much that you would like to see them suffer?’’

I faced Mara's fingers which were clenching the fabric of her clothes stiff.

‘’You don’t need to answer,’’ She said. ‘’Everyone hates it. Even the Spirits.‘’

That seemed to make Mara even more furious.

‘’Do you like Royals Kosi?’’

‘’I do not have an opinion for them.’’Mara admitted.’’But I prefer them to be far away from me.’’

Lilith chuckled.’’Well, some here crave to tear apart their untouched bodies, to rip every red lock, ruin their green gowns and suits’’

The realization started sinking deep into my stomach. That image again with the sound, the touching sort of desire was making me fear how worse it could get.

‘’So’’ Lilith took a small sip from her cup.’’What kind of questions would you like to make?’’

‘’About the kidnappings’’Mara said.

Lilith couched and raised her index finger. ‘’Words have meaning dear, you should make sure what they mean.’’

‘’People got-’’

‘’They got missing’’ Lilith sighed looking left and right. Her voice lowered down.

‘’I don’t want my people to get scared now.’’

‘’Scared?’’ Mara hissed. ‘’You just told me that you want them to mimic royals so people would...’’

Lilith turned to her grandpa’s clock and then back at us. ‘’I have a business to attend to with your boss. Seems’’She expected her nails.’’He has made mistakes to his records and owes me more money, so make it quick.’’

I turned to Mara, noticing how much force she needed to control herself from jumping from the chair.

‘’Have you heard any peculiar sounds? Have you heard your girl’s complaining about being tired?’’

Lilith stared at her and stood up from her chair.’’This is a pleasure establishment kid’’Her head tilted to the right. ‘’My people are always tired and every sound is strange. Are you accusing me of something?’’

‘’What if I am?’’ Mara slammed her hands to the table. ‘’I am telling you your people are getting kidnapped and you laugh about it.’’

Lilith curled her left hand’s fingers to feist as she slapped Mara with her right one hard, making her helm out.

My eyes snapped wide when I saw it. A moonlight scar. Carved at her face from the left side of her earlobe to her mouth until her right lobe. It was harsh and deep as every time she tried to take a breath, her flesh was moving.

‘’Look at you’’ Lilith mocked. ‘’If your face wasn’t like this you would be so pretty in red.’’

Mara’s eyes darted.

‘’Or, maybe green.’’ Her sharp nails capped Mara’s chin pulling it closer to her. She then turned her over to my side so I could stare at her scared face.

‘’What do you say boy/’’Lilith asked me with her lips popping. ‘’Wouldn’t she look nice in green? She could be more than a good singer.’’

My heart started racing with an unexpected white flame feeling my veins.

I stood up fast from my seat and gasped.

‘’I am sorry’’I said with a heavy voice.’’But where is the bathroom? I need to pee’’

Lilith turned to me and blinked twice. Mara too.

‘’Yes,’’ Lilith said, showing the exit door. ‘’Kosi over here knows where it is. If you’’Then, back at Mara. ‘’If you have nothing more to say to me.’’She narrowed her eyes and she waited for Mara to say anything.

‘’Thank you for your time’’Mara kneeled, took her helm back, and walked closer to the door.

Lilith chuckled. ‘’Such a good girl you are for me.’’

Mara’s fists curled tight.

‘’Say hello to Nezha for me. ‘’

When we both walked outside, we did not return to the Fourth circle. Instead, we turned to a completely different floor by taking a down passage where there was almost no light.

Was she going to kill me? To yell at me again?

Instead, she moved her hands behind her back and turned on me.

‘’What did you learn?’’She asked me with a formal tone.

I pouted.’’Lilith is a bad person?’’

She replied with much of blinks and then groaned.’’Beyond that.’’

Beyond that? Such a formal tone.

I looked down and started thinking.’’She is hiding something.’’

‘’Great good girl’’She whispered.’’You are turning to be smart’’And she kept walking.

I did not as I looked at her, waiting for something else on her lips to say.

‘’I am not ashamed of it’’ Mara said, stopping walking.’’ But Mammon said that it was better to hide it.’’

‘’Oh.’’ I let out and kept watching her hands shake.

Mara took one deep breath, turning her body back to me, eyes facing too me.‘’ And…’’ She tried to speak and noticed that her ears were slightly dark red as if they had blushed. ‘’Thank you’’ She whispered.

My eyes opened wide and held my laugh. ‘’Well’’I looked up to the green light. She doesn’t seem to be a good person’’ I moved my hands around my nape. ‘’But.’’ My smile faded.

‘’I think that your scar is nice’’

Mara faced me numb.

‘’You like it?’’

‘’You look like a villain from fairytales.’’

‘’Fairytales?’’ Mara arched her brow.

‘’Yes, stories,’’ I explained, moving my fingers nervously.

‘’And’’She made a long deep pause, turning left and right. ‘’You think I look villainy…monstrous…’’It almost sounded like I upset her.

I disagreed fast, feeling once again myself blushing.

‘’No, you are really pretty,’’ I said, gazing into her eyes. ‘’Probably the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. Just your scar makes you have an…evil confidence?’’ I regretted speaking as I saw Mara trying to find the right words to say. In the stories, the villain always loses and gets killed by the hero who takes the kidnapped princess. The villain never survives.

And then, I heard Mara holding her scoff inside her helm.

‘’You are…’’She sighed, facing down and mattering something beneath her breath as she took a step front.

I could feel a sort of change after this laugh. When the ice broke around her, the distance became shorter. And that the girl with the name Mara with the nickname Kosana, Judge…did not hate me after all.

Both of us kept walking downstairs. ‘Is Nezha working here too?’’ I asked, changing the subject. There was this memory again. And the image of Nezha appeared. Being touched, being kissed, his lips letting out screams. My stomach started tightening again.

‘’I cannot talk about it.’’And she found ground.

There was more green light coming from the lanterns as there was a familiar smell of baked goods and smoke.

There was humming and singing, getting it from a gentle girl who was close to a stove.

‘’The food is not ready yet.’’She said with her blonde locks sticking to her pale brow.

‘’We can wait’’ Mara leaned herself against the door.

The girl moved up from her small kitchen and with her green eyes, she spotted us both. She didn’t even try to hide her joy as she jumped with her dirty apron to Mara

and embraced her tight. ‘’Inka Inka’’The girl said. ‘’Oh, Spirits I missed you so much’’

Unlike Lilith, this girl smelled like chamomiles. Probably because I could see the empty tea cup on the long wooden table.

The girl looked over to my side and took a step closer. ‘’Hello, I am Dolya the main cook and clean lady here. A pleasure to meet ya’’

‘’Pete’’I said as she kept studying me. And I studied her. She was around the age of eighteen and yet she was at the same height as Nezha. Her red heavy dress was covered by an apron and her hair was tied up with a dark ribbon.

When the food was ready, Dolya gave us two cups of chamomile tea and two plates of roasted potatoes and melka.

I started praying for it, thanking for the food while Dolya was talking to Mara.

‘’So, how are things in the Fourth circle? Is Mammon still an ass?’’

Mara nodded.

‘’You know him?''I asked and started eating the potatoes with an almost clean fork.

‘’I was his before he sent me here’’She smiled melancholically. ‘’Lilith wanted me to go upstairs but…’’She frowned. ‘’Let’s say I found a way not to not’’She smiled again and stared at Mara.

‘’Is she treating you well?’’

‘’She likes my food mostly. And the people that work here can feel safe.’’She explained. ‘’You have no idea how much pain they feel every day’’She leaned on Mara with a pout. ‘’And this lovely girl right here was in the same class with me.’’She lay a peck on her forehead.

‘’For a month,’’Mara rolled her eyes.’’You were done after that.’’

‘’And I miss every moment of it’’She made a dramatic cry and looked back at me. ‘’She was such a troublemaker, drawing on the walls, cutting curtains to catch rats.’’

‘’Because there were rat problems’’She explained.’’They were huge.’’

Dolya turned on me.’’Has Mara drawn you yet? She is amazing at it.’’’

‘’Dolya I swear’’She narrowed.

‘’But you are Mara,’’She made a long pause.’’Well, you could do more portraits of me if you were coming more often to visit.’’

I thought that this would make Mara irritated. Instead, the brooding girl giggled.’’ Sure.’’

For a second I stayed silent, looking at them. The sudden warmth they both had. After everything happened, looking at both of the girls chatting and laughing made my heart ache as if…Why was I so jealous?

And then I saw Mara’s eyes lighting up as if she had finally caught something. So she was the reason we came here.

‘’Have you seen Ao Bing?’’ Mara asked her. Dolya arched her brow confused.

‘’You were both so close and…’’ Mara frowned. ‘’Nezha is so worried about him.’’

Dolya looked down. ‘’I am so sorry, I haven’t heard anything from him’’

Mara nodded and seemed to be smiling beneath the helm.

Then Dolya asked again.

‘’How is Nezha? Minerva, the twi-’’

‘’Azizos died’’Mara answered dryly.

Dolya’s eyes opened wide and looked down.

''Spectres are Spectres but... how did...''

''We found a monster near the pleasure district. ''

I looked at both of them confused. A monster? Like a warlock? Why haven't they called the army yet?

‘’A monster’’ Dolya asked and started muttering surprised as she tried to hide something.

‘’Dolya?’’ Mara asked her.

She shook a giant no. ‘’I…’’ She kept stuttering. ‘’It might be wrong’’ She explained.

Mara reached for her hand. ‘’Lilith will never know,’’ She whispered.

And then Dolya took a deep breath. ‘’You were always so mature and so brave.’’

Mara closed her eyes and waited for Dolya to speak.

‘’Alright, you know my friend Stricha? That one girl from the list?’’

Mara nodded with a blank stare.

‘’Well, she and some of the workers here received love letters from some of the customers. Sweet and kind offering them coins as a sign they could get them out.’’

‘’When did that..’’

‘’Few weeks they were giving them,’’ She made a long pause and walked away, near boxes. When she returned with it, she opened it slowly, revealing from inside a metallic tin with a redhead man at the top of it.

‘’Drugs’’Mara’s brow arched.

‘’We thought the same but’’She opened the tin, exposing the most beautiful rubies my eyes had ever seen. The bright color almost made my heart itch.

Mara grabbed one and closed her eyes.

‘’So it was a good sign you see they would buy the girls out they just had to give them to Lilith.’’

‘’Yes…’’Mara sighed.

‘’But before that, they decided to try and find the men to thank them. I went with them to see if they could be safe’’Dolya inhaled deeply.’’Them, we went far from the garden just like the response of the letters said and…’’

‘’The monster.’’

‘’I could not feel my legs, I felt my head giving up but then someone…’’Her eyes flickered and Mara touched her hand.''I said everything to Lilith but she told me there was nothing to worry about..''

‘’I stood so lucky.’’She cried. ‘’For what? And it did not stop there.’’

Mara narrowed. ‘’The remaining girls But…’’She took one more deep breath.’’There are not any peculiar signs like fever or cough just.’’

‘’Their heads are heavy,’’ Mara continued. ‘’Are there any hallucinations?’’

Dolya turned to her just like I did. ‘’Yes, but?’’

‘’What food are they eating?’’

‘’Well,’’ Dolya gestured to the stove. ‘’The one I am making and one specific for the rooms.’’

‘’Different ingredients?’’

Dolya nodded. ‘’There is a new cargo and…’’She stopped talking, taking one more deep breath.’’Their prices are going lower because of their sickness. They might get out after that or be locked…’’

‘’Wait’’I finally spoke.’’What do you mean by their price are getting lower?’’

Dolya blinked.’’People want healthy joyful pleasure. The greater the pleasure the higher the price. If the woman is sick, there is no use.’’

‘’Make up’’ Mara kept asking her. ‘’Is there any specific make-up they changed?

Dolya kept looking skeptical. And then, Mara asked her final question.

‘’What jewelry are they wearing now?’’

‘’Mara’’ She laughed harshly. ‘’What is happening’’

‘’Are they red?’’Mara asked determinedly.

And Dolya stood frozen, out of her seat.

‘’How do you know?’’ She asked once more.

And Mara stood up, facing the ground and my food.

‘’How many times does this cargo arrive at Diyu?’’

‘’No to Diyu. Here in the garden behind the building.’’

And suddenly something inside me began to click. They found a drug.

‘’The women got abducted and the remaining ones will get kicked out...’’

‘’They will be free. The letters were the first attempt by failing by clearing the contracts’’Doly almost let out tears and covered her mouth. ‘’Oh Spirits.’’

‘’Is there any cargo here? Today?’’

We walked from one door and there was no guard, nothing with an iron container waiting for us outside.

Mara lifted her arms and stretched them before turning back to me and jerking her head front so I could step back

When she opened it I expected her to scream, to gasp as someone jumped from inside and attacked her like the man did to the district. Instead, she lowered her body and pulled a piece of paper from inside and a square metal box the size of a head. Taking a closer look it seemed that the paper was a fold with a red stamp keeping it locked. One more closer look to the stamp and it seemed to be the same with the tattoo of the man. An owl.

Mara pulled out her dagger, forcing the stamp to come out, and took out the paper.

Dolya got out of the building and moved closer to us.

Mara returned to my side and started reading and I tried to take a sneak.

Cold sweat showered my face when I read for who it was.

For the Spectres.

There was not a name, there wasn’t anything except the title.

The handwriting seemed to be elegant and careful without any ink being spilled

My condolences for your loss. I heard from my men what happened a few days ago and I have sent this gift for repayment.

Mara gave the letter and she opened the world closely. And with that her eyes darted, pulling herself away from the box, throwing to the ground.

And then I saw it too and held my scream as a fallen head came out of it. And it belonged to the man who shot Azizos. His eyes, his tongue, and his teeth were all removed as his head seemed to have been cut with violence from his body.

My body gave up every puke I wanted to let out since the day started.

Dolya too seemed frightened. And Mara was still sweating from her brow with a heavy pant escaping from her helm.

‘’That’s perfect’’She whispered with a laugh.