No matter how far they got from Bur’s shop, Lucian just couldn’t shake the numbness in his body. It wasn’t a sad, desolate numb, but plain disbelief.

The weight of the sword sheathed on his back felt surreal. Bur, himself, felt unreal. Before he realized it, he was laughing.

Eleanor looked at him, silently asking what was so funny.

“Bur,” he answered, “What a unique guy, huh?”

She nodded.

“I like him,” he said.

She nodded twice, sharing the sentiment.

“How did we even end up there, El? How’d you know?”

She shrugged.

“Really?”

“Coincidence, I guess,” she said.

“Hm. What a happy coincidence.”

“Yeah.”

They walked in silence for a while. The further away from the city’s center, the less overwhelming it was for Lucian. He preferred it quieter, but if the noise was conversation from a good person like Bur, he wouldn’t mind it too much.

Finally making it out of the winding maze of alleyways and onto the main street of Tyre, Lucian felt the bracelet on his wrist get warm. He felt a tug on his sleeve and looked at Eleanor, who was pointing down the road.

It was their parents.

As they drew closer, Lucian noticed something different about his parents. They seemed a little disheveled, as if they had fought something.

"Lulu, Ellie, it's good to see you," their father said warmly.

"What happened to you two?" Lucian asked bluntly.

"Oh, nothing important! Anyways, how was your day?" their mother asked, smiling at them both.

Lucian and Eleanor looked at eachother, silently debating whether to keep asking or not. Lucian, already knowing he would be the one talking, decided not to bother with it.

Instead he glanced at his sister's sword and nodded, to which Eleanor nodded back. In perfect sync the two dramatically pulled their swords out and showed their parents.

“Wow!” John exclaimed, leaning in to glance at their swords. “Orichalcum? And what is yours, Lucian? Is that dark iron?”

“That’s shadow steel,” Rey answered quickly. “High purity too - not the type of metal you find on the streets. Where did you get this?”

“We did not give you that much money,” their father said. “Don’t tell me you guys turned to the life of crime and are crime bosses already? How many people did you kill for that?”

“A lot,” Lucian said with faux angst.

“Dwarf. Friend. Free,” Eleanor answered honestly.

“Nice, then,” John said with a shrug. “You must’ve had some pretty good jokes, Lucian.”

“It was actually Eleanor who befriended him,” Lucian admitted.

Their dad blinked absently, before looking at his wife as if she had the answers. The two parents simply stared at each other.

“They did inherit my charm and charisma,” Rey told him.

“Yours? You mean mine?”

“I will concede you are somewhat personable, but let's not push the boundaries.”

“A concession? What?”

“I’m hungry,” Eleanor declared, rousing her parents out of their little conversation.

Rey and John chuckled at their daughter’s declaration and the family set off to find some dinner. Lucian felt more at ease now that he was with his family. He enjoyed the sounds of their footsteps, the soft murmur of their conversation and how his bracelet was a constant warm feeling.

They entered a small tavern, the sound of laughter and music spilling out onto the street. The air was thick with the smell of roasted meat and ale. The family took a seat at a table in the corner of the tavern and ordered food.

“We need to talk about tomorrow,” John said as he chewed his food. “You gotta see your aunt and she’s one scary lady.”

“Monica is not scary, she’s quite nice,” Rey argued.

Eleanor was so engrossed in her steak Lucian wasn’t even sure if she was listening. She was already on her second portion and he genuinely wondered where all the street food they ate earlier went.

“So if Monica is your sister in law. What about your brother?” he asked.

Rey paused for a moment, before smiling brightly.

“He’s dead. I forgot to mention that, didn’t I?” Despite her somber tone, his mother’s smile only grew. “My brother was a good man, a treasure,” she said, “he was always so kind. I miss him.”

“I’m sorry, Mom.”

“Eh, it’s okay, baby. He died long before you two were born. I think both Monica and I have grieved enough. I’m sure she’ll be absolutely thrilled to see you.”

John started to laugh. Lucian wasn’t too sure why.

----------------------------------------

Lucian and Eleanor stood in front of their aunt's house, their eyes widening in disbelief. The house was massive and opulent, with towering columns framing the entrance and lush gardens stretching out in all directions. They had never seen anything like it in their lives.

"Is this really the right place?" Lucian asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

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Eleanor nodded, seemingly stunned as well. The address added up, but their parents had failed to mention that she was extremely wealthy. It was probably larger than all the houses in the village combined.

The wrought iron gates of the home were open, so they assumed that it was probably for them. The duo made their way through a well kept garden and towards the mansion.

When they got to the entrance they saw a large crest proudly hanging above the entrance. It depicted a black shield with a silver crescent moon in the center, surrounded by a ring of silver stars. Above the shield, a black crown with silver adornments rested, while two black wings spread out on either side.

“That’s kind of ominous, isn’t it?” Lucian asked his sister.

She shrugged and knocked on the door firmly.

After a moment, the door opened revealing a butler. He was older and graying heavily, but still seemed fit. He was dressed in a crisp black suit with white gloves. He greeted them with a polite bow, his voice smooth and practiced. "Good afternoon. May I inquire as to the nature of your visit?"

“Good afternoon, sir,” Lucian answered politely. “We’re Rey’s children. I am Lucian and this is my sister, Eleanor. Our mother told us our aunt would be expecting us.”

“Eleanor and…” his gaze lingered on Lucian heavily, “Lucian, you say?”

“Yes.”

The butler studied him for a few more moments. Lucian stared back, his expression starting to tighten. Something about that old man made him nervous.

The butler then opened the door wide and gestured for them to come in.

“Please, come inside,” he said kindly, leading them into the foyer. “Master Nox has not had a guest in quite a while, and I am fairly certain that there are no plans to host anyone for both today and the foreseeable future.”

“Mom told us to come here this morning though,” Lucian said, turning to his sister. “Right?” he second guessed.

She nodded in agreement.

“Master Freya seems to have done this on purpose. I believe she would call this a ‘double surprise’ or something along those lines.”

“Probably a ‘surprise surprise,’” Lucian said with a prolonged sigh. “I don’t know why she always does this. I’m sorry, sir, but we’ve seemed to have wasted your time.

“Please don’t call me sir. You can refer to me as Caris, and no need to worry. I’m sure Master Nox will not have an issue with meeting you.”

Caris led them through a grand hallway, adorned with rich tapestries and ornate paintings. The air was perfumed with the scent of freshly cut flowers and polished wood. They walked past a grand staircase that spiraled upwards, leading to the upper floors of the mansion. Eventually, Caris opened the doors to an elegant sitting room, filled with plush couches and armchairs, and a large marble fireplace dominating one wall. Within minutes, an efficient team of maids had laid out a spread of tea and snacks on a nearby table, filling the air with the aroma of warm pastries.

“I think we’re a bit out of our league, El,” Lucian told his sister as he took a sip of his tea. The tea was gentle and soothing. “Chamomile,” he noted, taking a sip and relaxing.

They comfortably sat in the room, Lucian enjoying the tea and sunlight while Eleanor helped herself to the snacks.

Lucian had barely mingled with nobility in his many lives. There were a few who employed him when he hunted monsters in his third life, but he usually indulged in their money rather than company.

Eleanor stopped chewing and stared at the door, a second later Lucian could feel a heavy presence approaching.

The door softly opened, revealing Caris and a tall woman.

Monica Nox had a commanding presence. She was over six feet tall and stood straight and confidently. Her dark brown hair was cut just below her chin and flowed back elegantly without a single strand sticking out of place. Her dark green eyes were serious and stern.

Her attire was both sophisticated and practical. Fitted black trousers hugged her lean legs, and her feet were clad in polished black boots. She wore a crisp white blouse, tucked into her trousers and accented with a simple black belt. Over it all, she wore a striking black coat with metallic silver accents. It was a military style coat, yet the ornate embroidery and the silver Nox family crest adorning the lapel left made it clear that she was nobility. The coat hung on her shoulder like a cape, its sleeves limply framing her figure and making her seem even more imposing. He could see two swords hanging from her hip.

Eleanor stood up and executed a perfectly elegant bow. “Good afternoon, Madam Nox,” she said clearly.

Lucian, having no idea where Eleanor learned such etiquette, stiffly got up and mimicked the bow.

“Hello Auntie. I’m Lucian and this is my sister, Eleanor.”

“Lucian?” she questioned, her voice deep, cool and sharp. Her hawk-like eyes stared deeply at him. Feeling threatened, Lucian refused to look away and met her gaze equally as sharp.

Breaking eye contact, Monica walked over and sat across from them, crossing her legs as Caris expertly prepared for her a cup of tea. The siblings watched her intently, trying to gauge her mood.

He wasn’t the type to feel intimidated, but it really did feel like they had walked into a lion's den. Even an untrained eye could see that his aunt was a powerful person.

“So you’re Freya’s kids,” she said after a deep sip of tea, her voice smooth and controlled.

“We are. At least, I think we are. I always thought her name was Rey,” Lucian answered honestly, fidgeting with his hands.

“Rey was always just a nickname. She’s fond of those,” Monica replied, her piercing gaze flicking between the two.

Monica opted to silently study them rather than speak, her face inscrutable. Her gaze lasted a while and was undecipherable, making the siblings squirm in their seats. After a few minutes she asked, “Why?”

“Why what?” he asked, his voice laced with apprehension.

“Why are you here?” Monica clarified, her tone stern.

“Mom thinks you can get us into the Luminarium,” Lucian explained, his voice hesitant.

An agitated sigh left Monica as she shook her head, her expression hardening.

“Freya is unbelievable,” she remarked in irritation, her eyes narrowing. “She really has a lot of nerve.”

“Why is that?” Lucian asked, his tone curious. “I know how she gets, but is it really that unreasonable of a request?”

“Do you know why you aren’t a noble despite being related to one, Lucian?” Monica asked, her gaze equally as sharp as her tone.

“Enlighten me, please,” he replied, his voice sardonic.

“Your mother renounced the name Nox to marry a commoner. She selfishly chose love over her family and ran away with your father, disregarding all the grace and goodwill the Nox family had given her.”

Lucian's face twisted in confusion, and he exchanged a glance with Eleanor, who looked equally bewildered. “What do you mean selfish? Did she break any vows or prior arrangements?” he asked, his voice tinged with defensiveness.

“No,” Monica conceded, “Indeed she was free to choose, but she gave up any right to ask the Nox family for favors.”

“She’s not asking the Nox family for favors - she’s asking you.”

Monica paused at his words and took a deep breath, her gaze faltering. She looked through the windows behind the siblings distractedly. After a few absentminded blinks she refocused her gaze back to the duo.

“Luminarium has a strict admittance policy. Yes, we are expanding our recruiting outside the bubble of nobility, but that does not mean our standards have dropped. They admit in age groups - ten, twelve, fourteen, sixteen etcetera. You’re both about to turn fourteen, meaning you are trying to join the most contested, sought after seats at the table. Not only that, but the deadline for admissions has already passed.”

Her words weighed heavily. But Lucian knew his mother wouldn’t have sent them here without a plan.

“But,” Monica started poignantly, “you can still get in. As an instructor, I do have the power to get the both of you tested for special admission. You would still have to earn it. The standards are much higher and only the most extraordinary of talents can get in mid semester.”

“Will you give us the chance to earn it?” Lucian asked boldly.

“I suppose I shall,” she decided. Standing up she gestured to Caris. “They’re staying with us tonight. Send a letter to my colleagues and prepare some proper clothing for them.”

“Of course,” Caris responded with a bow.

“One more thing, Caris.”

“Yes, milady?”

“Make sure nobody bothers me for the rest of the day,” she declared as she walked out of the room, leaving them alone.

Lucian and Eleanor met eyes, unsure of what was going to happen.