Without a shadow of a doubt, mornings were the best time of day. Riven stretched, fresh out of a quick, scalding-hot-to-freezing-cold shower. He’d taken a long bath last night too, scrubbing away the two days’ worth of accumulated grime and filth, cleaning out his little cuts and grazes however much they had stung. The hearty breakfast made him feel a little more normal too.

Riven was about to go to his little balcony and enjoy the sunlight when his front door jumped at several knocks. Really, he couldn’t even relish the solitude of the first light of day.

“I knew it was going to be you,” Riven said as he opened to see Viriya standing there. “I just knew it.”

“Not expecting any neighbours?” She had that hint of a smile on her face. Never a real one. “Good morning to you too, Riven.”

“It’s too early to be morning, and both my neighbours are horrendous. One I can swear is an alcoholic, and the other thinks I’m a ghost here to haunt the premises.”

Viriya’s smirk threatened to break into a smile. “Can I come in?”

Riven stood to one side and let Viriya enter, carrying a red file. She was immaculate as ever in her Essentier uniform, hair pinned back in a tight bun, clothes all tidy as though she’d never been in any scuffle from yesterday. Maybe she had several pairs. The only sign of yesterday were the bandages on her arms peeking out from under her grey jacket sleeve.

He swallowed. Riven had forgotten about her wound last night, but it was clear she hadn’t paid any attention to it until after making sure he’d settled in last night. How could he be so selfish?

She took a seat on his couch, leaving him only the armchair. “How do you like your new home?”

“It’s… fine,” Riven said as he sat opposite her.

Viriya raised an eyebrow. “Just fine?”

Riven shrugged. The kitchen held only the most rudimentary of food—bread, eggs, lots of salted fish and hard, stale biscuits, and a few pitchers of milk. Not exactly delicatessen. Apart from the carpet, the armchair, and the couch, the living room was otherwise bare, and the balcony was no bigger than the closet he’d been given for his clothes. His bed at least was comfy enough, and he had a desk as well, which was saying something. His apartment was functional, but far from luxurious. “How are you healing up?”

“I’m fine.”

“Just fine?”

That hint of a smirk again, though she drew her injured hand a little closer to her. “Yes. I’m here to talk about your assignments.”

“But not yours?”

“We’ll get to that if time allows.”

Riven figured time was going to magically disappear soon as it was his turn to ask questions. He rose. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“You don’t have anything to drink.”

“I have milk.”

Viriya looked like she was holding back from saying something along the lines of milk wasn’t something to drink. “I’ll pass, thank you.”

“Well, I won’t.” Riven, of course, took his good time getting a glass and painstakingly pouring the milk until the white liquid was brushing the glass’s edge. A little something to see just how much time there really was. Viriya gave no sign she was bothered in any way. Drats, she was going to pull out soon as she was done with her missive. He returned to his seat and took a long sip. “You were saying?”

“We’ve been looking into the increasing Deathless activity, as you know,” she said without preamble, eyes hard as dark jade. “I’ve learned there will be a gathering of ghosts in Sept refinery tonight after all the workers are gone. One of my duties as a member of the Invigilator’s private personnel is sorting through the reports from other Essentiers. I decoded several recurring signs in many of them, and we were able to predict that the ghosts were gathering, though not where. Careful observation led to the Sept refinery, and we’ve determined it’s going to be tonight. Your task will be to sort through more of the Essentier reports that I’ve got.”

Viriya waved her file a little, and Riven frowned a little. He took another long drink and hid his face. Damn her. She’d said she might get into her tasks if there was time, and had then gone on to reveal most of it without any prompting from him. He was the one playing with time.

“I thought Father had a secretary?” Riven asked. “Why do we have to go through the reports?”

“The secretary can’t process the details relevant to Essentiers only. She’s likely to miss things that might be irrelevant to her, but is actually very important.”

“And I won’t?”

“You’ll have the reports I decoded as a reference on what to do. I’d teach you, but there isn’t enough time.”

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“Do I get paid for it?”

“Your allowance of one-hundred-and-fifty seals will be supplemented by thirty seals.”

“That’s not a lot.”

Viriya shrugged. “You are, essentially, doing a desk job.”

Riven put the now-empty glass away, and returned to his seat. His task was clear. Decode a bunch of reports from Essentiers. Very exciting. They didn’t trust him to do well out in the field, though he was no Essentier and couldn’t be expected to perform the same. So no matter. He’d get the job done, and then he’d have something to back up his claims to their research with.

“What’s going on with your research?” he asked.

Viriya was silent for a while, maybe considering how much to reveal to Riven. “It’s all to do with the Sept.”

“Yes, I figured. There’s a lot of it over here. How does it tie into the increased Deathless activity, though?”

“The Deathless are directly connected to the Sept. All three classes—ghosts, witches, and demons—though each of them in a different way. Ghosts are born when humans die in the presence of a great quantity of Sept nearby, witches form when someone ingests far too much Sept, and demons are made when someone injects Sept directly into the body. Too much local Sept and several recent deaths mean we have a ghost problem in our hands, and we need to fix that.”

“That wasn’t what I was really asking about?”

Viriya shook her head. “I’m not privy to all of the Invigilator’s research. But you can go ask once you are done with your duties. It’s not very far from here.”

“Right. It’s not far.”

Riven looked out the living room window, the glass of the Invigilator’s office reflecting daylight through the canopy of trees that stood in between. He, and Viriya too, lived in one of the more affluent neighbourhoods that were reserved for the citizens employed personally by Father. Never far from the Invigilator’s beck and call. Just as Riven had always been.

But at least he could pester Father without too much trouble.

“I think that was all.” Viriya rose from her seat, injured hand still held slightly back. “Good luck on those reports.” Her brows furrowed just a bit. “They can be a pain.”

Riven said, rising as well. “When are you heading to the refinery?”

“In the afternoon.”

“Take me with you. I’ll have my reports by then, and we can investigate together.”

Viriya shook her head. “I can’t. It’s risky enough as an Essentier. Someone who isn’t one has no business going there and risking their lives needlessly.”

“Please.” Maybe Riven ought to beg, but Viriya was too unflappable, all emotions held discarded like a dirty coat. As if she’d seen them, heard them, and known them to be false. “I can get these reports done soon, so it’s not like I’d be shirking my duties.”

Viriya gave a little shake of her head, then walked to his door. “Take care of what you’ve been assigned, no more, no less.”

“Come on. Do this as a favour to me. I’ll owe you a huge debt, and you can call it in whenever and however you see fit.”

He smiled at her but he might as well be smiling at a cliff. It’d show more reaction.

“I can’t. Farewell, Riven.”

Viriya left, closing the door behind her.

Riven stood motionless for a few moments, before picking up the file she had left and going to his desk. Didn’t matter if stupid Viriya didn’t want him to tag along, and who cared what idiotic little task Father set him to just to keep him busy. He’d get to the bottom of this ghostly mystery at the Sept refinery and he’d prove himself. Then he couldn’t be denied access to the research.

He just had to get these reports done first.

It proved harder than anticipated, even with the document from Viriya showing what exactly she’d picked out. The matter was not of regular content, but more of picking out patterns and trying to gauge some connected issue. Riven noted down missing persons cases from a little town called Hennesfort near the west of Providence Demesne, an engagement between a Phantom and an Essentier at an undisclosed location near the north of Providence Demesne, and several sightings of Deathless all over the region. There was more. Mysterious deaths, Sept warehouse raids, spied gatherings of Deathless. Patterns? How could anyone draw any sort of connection between these disparate events, without a single clue that was present everywhere? A fool’s task, really.

He was done after a few hours, having only noted down the main points of every case. Someone smarter than him, like Viriya could draw the proper conclusions later, and maybe teach him how to do it too. All Riven had been able to tell was one thing.

At the end of his table, the crystal sat dark and dead. The Deathless were everywhere.

Riven leaned back, letting his mind settle on all that he’d read. So much information. He needed a break, so he pulled out Mother’s letter. The writing was neat, the letters artfully curled and oh so familiar. He began reading.

Dear Riven,

First off, remember to get new clothes when you get there. The ones you packed in will barely last the week. I’m sure Rosbel will be more than happy to get you some.

Well, there was no telling about happy, but Father had gotten Riven this apartment, which held a decent collection of clothes. His favourite was a light blue shirt and a cream jacket, but he’d never be able to fathom why Father thought to put in a trunkload of berets.

You’ll need to stop worrying about me and get on with your life. The Scions will keep me safe, and will grant me health when they deem it necessary. You will need to focus on your studies, and try to get out there and do what your heart tells you to for yourself. Please don’t be so bent on me and my health. Glaven and Rose have done so well, and I know you can surpass them both if you try.

His brother and sister had done well. They were both Essentiers, two of the best in the whole of Severance Frontier or so the tales went. Poor old Riven wasn’t yet, and for all the talk of potential, no one was in any hurry to help him become one.

On that note, give my warmest love to your brother and sister. Tell them that they are always in my thoughts, in my waking hours, and in my dreams. As are you. Remember, Riven, that family is one of the most important things in the world a person can have. Cherish it.

And trust your father. He may be harsh, but he knows what is best. Listen to him, and you will have no real trouble. Trust me.

Eternal Love As Always,

Mother

The first time Riven had read the letter, he’d nearly cried. There had been too many people on the train though, and he’d held back his tears. Now, in the solitude of his own home, no tears were coming even though this would’ve been the perfect space and time for it. He only sighed.

Folding the letter and carefully putting it back inside his shirt, Riven got up and unlocked a drawer inside his closet and pulled it open. Inside nestled a gun, a semi-automatic pistol with the straight, rectangular stock coming out at an angle from the breech of the iron-grey barrel. He was still exploring his new home slowly, and it had taken a few minutes to accept the gun wasn’t fake. Father had trusted him with this pistol, had trusted him to shoot without blowing his own foot off for some reason. And trust your father.

He closed the drawer and went to the kitchen. Time for lunch.

And then, the refinery.