Claudette returned from the meeting in the darkness to the party, happy to see both Randidly snoring away peacefully and that Yust remained with Neshamah, even if the tiger man was clearly surly from her earlier strike. Booming laugher came from the area of her father, while slightly shrill titters came from the Actus Suprem Devick. Compared to them, all other noises fell away. Those two figures became the axises around which the party spun, her father for hosting and Devick likely because the woman wanted to needle the Don.

Their laughter became the support structure to the project to deprive Claudette of her freedom. For that reason, something deep inside of her soul hardened. She wished she had more time, more opportunities, a more reliable method to resist this.

However, the massive bonfire steadily burned down, until only embers remained. Time rushed forward, heedless of her feelings. The mood at the party steadily changed; the tension crept up the beach on the heels of the receding firelight.

All at once, all of the playful preamble had run its course and everyone knew it. The Don soon turned to face the group, pushed through the difficult sand by one of the employees. “Well, everyone, thank you so much for attending this party and celebrating with me. It warms my heart to know that I have so many bosom friends in the Nexus.

“All are welcome to remain, but as some of you know, the next portion of the party will be a little different from the purely celebratory segment.” The low firelight sent chaotic fissures of shadow across the Don’s face. His low voice seemed to grow in the areas of the beach without light, warping into something monstrous and unfamiliar. “Claudette Beigon, my beautiful daughter, has grown up and become her own person. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing her accumulating capability and independence. Slowly, my whole personality has been eclipsed by the pride I feel watching her transform into a young woman. To me, nothing else is as important as that.”

Claudette looked at her father and felt like his hands were tightening around her throat. Feeling the genuine warmth in his tone contrasting with the words themselves, it was hard to even speak. Seeing his eyes on her, Claudette could acknowledge that what Pinnacle Seeker Thousand Bones had said is correct; her father did genuinely believe what he did for her was for the best. More than that, he thought that this public, grand display of it was necessary. He was daring her to speak out publicly against him.

The shadows on Don Beigon’s face spoke to her in that intimate and unfamiliar voice. You don’t understand the way the world works.

Claudette lifted her chin. Her eyes burned, even as her throat quivered. Yet you are responsible for that, are you not?

“Considering the auspiciousness of this occasion,” the Don continued, almost constantly prodding Claudette to speak against him as he maintained eye contact. “I think it’s only appropriate that we announce the Beigon Family’s intent to enter into an alliance with another powerful force in the Nexus. This force will assist with the running of Alymian and receive access to the Beigon fortune in return. However, we here are nothing if not fair to all comers; the new partnership will be decided based on a contest. A treasure hunt, arranged by me.”

The crowd was silent. There was not even a hint of surprise in the air; apparently, most of the attendees knew what was coming. Most seemed to just be settling in to watch the show.

The Don spread his arms wide. Suddenly, a bright like flared in front of him, like a star winking into existence. A woman’s head, her eyes closed and her long hairs fluttering down around her as if she was constantly buffeted by a wind that didn’t exist. Even in Alymian, where some of the Skull of Truth’s power was suppressed, it still managed to affect the entire beach. Claudette watched with narrowed eyes.

Don Beigon gave the head an affectionate smile, then looked around the beach once more. Now that the bonfire was gone, the light of the Skull of Truth made it impossible for the attention not to fixate on him. “For this special event, I’ve prepared a unique venue within the Skull of Truth itself; that way each of you will be able to manifest your talents, despite competing within the restrictive laws of Alymian. Those of you who wish to be involved, please step forward.”

Already, Randidly stirred behind her. It wasn’t the Don’s words but the Skull of Truth that grabbed his attention; Claudette could tell from the creases on his usually clear forehead and the way his gaze fixated on the hovering item. His emerald eyes were sharp and dangerous in a way that she didn’t recognize.

The expected protagonists stepped forward in response to the Don’s call: the waxy-skinned Tyune, the squat Kyl MacDuul, and finally Moonlight Blade, moving with a sinuous grace that made Claudette wary. But others moved forward too. Her head began to ache; they were more unexpected variables.

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The representative from the Engraving Guild stepped forward, as well as another figure with him that wore a long cloak that covered any features, aside from this mysterious stranger’s height. Next came three rough-looking figures wearing leather armor that Claudette definitely could not imagine her father inviting to the party. They moved quickly to join the growing group gathered around the dimming bonfire embers.

Claudette, Neshamah, Yust, and Randidly were stepping forward to push the number of the ‘competitors’ to twelve when a familiar and commanding voice spoke up. “Wait.”

Devick leaned forward, the blank expanse of her golden mask studying the rough-looking trio. Two women and one man, base humanoids except for the slight hit of horns on their foreheads, regarded her observation with alarm. Their hands settled upon their weapons. Finally, she straightened and tapped her masked cheek. Her nail clinked loudly against the metal. “You… are not associated with the orthodox Nexus at all. But I smell the scent of revolution on you; you… are that rumored resistance that has been sacking planets and capturing Aether pumps while I’ve been cleaning up Military High Command?”

Before they could even answer, Devick whirled around on the Don. Her voice was dangerously low. “Don, did you truly extend invites to these filthy individuals?”

When she used that tone, Devick seized more attention than even the light of the Skull of truth could bring. Despite Claudette’s other problems with her father, she felt a sense of relief when he confidently shook his head and then stared at the trio of rebels. “No, this group did not receive any invitations from me.”

Strangely, Don’s pronouncement increased the strain. Claudette could feel the guillotine practically being erected above the rebels when the Don didn’t step forward to defend them. Most of the attendees watched the trio with pity as they settled into a lower stance, as though this was a location or Devick was a predator that they could avoid with quick reactions and athletic daring.

But just as the tension mounted at her words, Devick shrugged and cut through it all. “Oh. Well, alright then. As you were.”

“You…” The middle woman spoke quietly with a surprisingly soft and lyrical voice. Even Claudette, as preoccupied as she was by her stress, found the voice lovely. “You do not intend to stop us from competing? Either of you?”

Devick laughed but didn’t answer. Meanwhile, the Don shook his head. The light from the Skull of Truth grew brighter, creating a halo that seeped out to cover the ones who had volunteered to participate. Claudette felt the light slithering across her skin like a curious animal. “Did I not already explain? This competition is entirely fair. Only through rigor and challenge can the greatest ally to the Beigon Family emerge. I would not shoot myself in the foot by excluding a prospective powerhouse-”

Moonlight Blade sneered. “-or a bag of fertilizer that willingly drags itself into the fields to hasten our growth.”

The rebels glared at the Pinnacle Seeker, who barked out his bloodthirsty amusement. Yet suddenly, Claudette became very aware of the way Randidly continued to stare at the floating Skull of Truth, still dripping long tendrils of light out of its inert nose, mouth, and the corners of its eyes. Unbidden, the words of Thousand Bones rose in Claudette’s mind once more.

After a moment of hesitation, she leaned sideways and whispered to him. “Randidly-”

“Don’t trust the Skull of Truth,” Randidly said solemnly, at almost the same time she had spoken. He blinked and looked away from the treasure. “Oh, what? What were you saying?”

“...nothing,” Claudette replied, shaking her head with a small smile on her face. “Just, good luck. This is what we trained for, right?”

“Mostly I was just bored,” Randidly said with forced casualness. The attempt at humor was more perfunctory than anything else, but still, Claudette appreciated it. They had made their preparations; now it was time to find out how much those were worth.

The Don’s gaze swept around, almost erased from visibility by the blinding radiance that the Skull of Truth released. The light thickened, swimming around them all. “Well then, let’s officially start-”

“Ah wait.” Devick cheerily interrupted. She took a step forward. Her golden mask reflected the growing wave of light, seeming to give her the face of a god. “Is it too late to throw my hat in the ring? It seems like fun.”

“Honestly?” The Don smiled with genuine sweetness at Devick. The light had become so thick that Claudette couldn’t make out the details, but she knew her father’s expressions very well. “I would have disappointed if you had not.”

Devick took a step forward. The light reached a crescendo, illuminating with such vigor that the air seemed to vibrate. Watching this sudden development, Claudette felt a sudden sinking in her heart. Thousand Bones had spoken of a fourth party that was the true target of this alliance. Was this why father put up with all of her needling and interruptions? Because he had already agreed to an alliance with her?

Or was he sounding her out, seeing if she was truly as powerful as everyone said? But if this is truly the real target, why did Thousand Bones warn me away from Randidly, due to the presence of Devick?

One thing was for sure: in those last moments, Claudette realized that there was something that she didn’t know about the contest. And that made her very afraid.

Then the light carried them away.