As the sun drew its light upon Hatlynshire the morning faded away to give rise to the afternoon. In the midst of this time, Lucian found himself in a bit of an uncomfortable position. He sat in a long green chair in the corner of the lounge on the second floor. It was a circular room, with sand green walls with dark wood trim along the bottom. The room was quite large but it was still filled with furniture. It was clear that Lily had kept everything she had moved from the living room in the lounge. But even with the extra chairs, there was still not enough room to fit everyone who stayed in the room. Lucian counted at least eight people in the room. Almost all of them were about his age. With the notable exception of Lily, who had gone to help their mother and to make sure the little children did not make a mess of the house. He also noticed Lira, the oldest child, was also not in the room. He just assumed she had gone to talk with the adults. Luin too wasn’t present, Lucian had assumed he had crawled back into his library the moment he had finished greeting the guests.

It had been a few hours since the guests had arrived. The entire room smelled of the afternoon tea that the mothers had prepared. The cups all sat on a large table in the center of the room along with the large jar of biscuits that both Lucian and Lily had stolen from earlier. All Lucian could hear was the undecipherable chatter that crowded the room. But Lucian was focused on something else. He was deep in thought. He was contemplating tomorrow. He was so unfocused on the conversation around him that he could clearly hear the ticking sound of the clock that hung above the entrance to the room. He was only broken out of this deep state when he heard someone call his name.

“Lucian? Lucian?” the unidentifiable voice called.

Lucian snapped out of his thoughts and looked around the room. He saw Benjamin sitting on the closest seat next to him, with his hand on Lucian’s shoulder. Lucian looked further and saw that the room had gone silent with everyone stopping mid conversation. They had all turned their eyes on him. Lucian paused for a moment before shaking his head vigorously.

“Uh…yes?” he said. Benjamin smiled but Lucian didn’t understand why.

“Huh… I remember you being more talkative the last time we met,” he said reclining once again on his chair. Lucian opened his mouth to answer but before he could Charles Morrow, who sat on the opposed to Benjamin spoke.

“I think it’s the initiation. He’s probably dreading stepping in front of the dagger”

“I…” said Lucian but before he could speak Charlotte Hatly interrupted him.

“He’s right. Lucian has spent this entire day thinking about his initiation. It seems to plague his thoughts like locusts”

“Damn those Hatlys!” Lucian thought instantly. But he only realized his mistake when he saw Charlotte frown. Lucian opened his mouth to apologize but Benjamin yet again interrupted him. This time with a biscuit in his hand.

“Well…I assume… his fears are… quite over exaggerated” he said while eating.

“Lira says the ceremony is one of utmost seriousness. She says our will shall be tested by how we endure the pain” said Alice Venshire.

“Didn’t you tell me earlier that Lira takes the simply act of walking on the street as an act of ‘utter seriousness’?” said James raising his eyebrow to Benjamin as he too sipped his tea from the white porcelain teacup. Benjamin did not refute his claim, instead he simply tilted his head in agreement.

“Well even if Lira’s claims are over exaggerated I hear the pain isn’t. Father told me it was the most pain he had ever felt. He says the dagger is specifically forged to cut as deep into the flesh as possible,” said Evelyn Morning who sat a few seats to Benjamin’s right. Arthur Morning, who sat next to his sister, immediately jabbed her in the arm. Evelyn turned to her brother with a confused expression but Lucian saw Arthur point towards him with his hand. Lucian did not mind. He simply stayed silent.

The entire room went silent after Evelyn’s remarks. A silence that was only broken by Laura.

“Well, how about we not speak of the ceremony. It is clear that your words aren’t very inspiring in that matter,” she said eyeing Evelyn. “Besides, it is not merely the ceremony Lucian dreads. It is the fact that we get to watch it”

Lucian’s face turned a shade of pinkish red. The room began to whisper and Lucian could feel the inaudible words burn into his skin. But thankfully Laura noticed this and her intent was obviously not to mock him.

“I wouldn’t think it a strange feeling. I doubt any of us would act differently if we had to cut ourselves in front of everyone we knew. And I doubt anyone would object, for I have seen inside all of your minds.”

The room went quiet. Lucian saw some people nod in agreement to Laura’s words. The others seemed quite uncomfortable with Laura’s last words since there were no objections. It seemed that everyone unanimously agree with her. And Lucian breathed a sigh of relief.

“But it is an odd thing though, is it not?” asked James suddenly.

“What is?” asked Charlotte.

“That we all came here for this ceremony. Does it not seem a bit odd?”

“In what way do you mean, Venshire?” asked Arthur.

“What I mean is this, Morning. If this initiation was of such importance that every one of us must attend. Why do it here and not in the Barony? And why this initiation specifically?”

“True” said Alice, which attracted the confused stare of Benjamin. “I have been wondering that for myself.”

“If that is what you wish to know. I would not look at the ceremony itself but rather what comes after.”

Everyone looked to the source of the voice. Lucian realized it had come from Joseph, who sat in the farthest corner away from Lucian on a solitary chair, with his tea on a table with a precious vase full of red flowers next to him. Joseph stood up and walked to the table. His gaze as stern as a ship mast.

“It is odd that all the barons and baronesses would bring the families to the same place if there wasn’t something else afoot,”

“And that thing would be?” asked Benjamin raising his eyebrow in doubt. Joseph turned to Benjamin and smiled.

“There has been word spreading through the ears of the people. A dangerous notion seems to float in the air,” he said. His words peaked Lucian’s interest. And it was clear to him what Joseph was talking about, the thing he dreaded even more than the initiation.

“What are you saying?” he said reclining on his chair quite nervously. Curious as to whether his assumption was right.

“I assume you heard the rumors. The rumors of unrest between the Circle and the Order of Man” he said. The rest of room then erupted into a haze of chatter and whispers. Lucian did not look Joseph in the eye. He reclined on his chair even further, which only seemed to give Joseph confirmation as to his assumption.

“Ah so you have, Demon” he said while staring down at Lucian. Lucian stared at him with a surprised expression as he saw all the faces in the room turn to him. He saw Arthur look at him with his eyes wide open he saw both Laura and James look at him with doubt. Whether that doubt was meant for his trustworthiness or Joseph’s statements he did not know.

“Hold on!” said Benjamin in Lucian’s defense. “What do you mean unrest?”

“There are whispers of war circulating among the people. Something to do with a bombing that happened less than a week ago”

“How do YOU know all this?” Charlotte with a concentrated gaze directed at Joseph. Lucian could tell that she was trying to read his mind.

“My father likes to take visits to the Hamlets of Angelmore Borough. I often accompany him. Says it’s good for me to get to know the people. Yet I hardly see anyone other than the nobles. Yet I can still hear their voices. I can hear them speaking of a coming feud. Father thinks I’m either too stupid or too weak to hear voices that far. But I hear them”

Lucian saw Benjamin take a deep sigh and recline on his chair. Like everything, Joseph had said was nothing more than a poor joke.

“So that is it? Just rumors? They don’t prove anything! There could be an infinite amount of rumors spreading around the Hamlets!” he argued. Joseph looked at Benjamin with frustration.

“Angelmores are famous for telling whether someone is lying just by the sound of their voice. You should know that, Bernstein. And you can ask both Hatly and Morrow. They’ll tell you the same thing”

All eyes turned to both Laura and Charlotte. Lucian had clue where the Morrows were. “He’s right,” said Laura nodding her head. “His mind reads true”. There was a slight collective gasp before the room once again erupted into whisper. Benjamin then turned his eye toward Lucian, who had still stayed quiet.

“Do you know anything of this?” he whispered quietly.

“I…uh” Lucian began. But Joseph didn’t let him finish before interjecting. “Of course he does, his voice is muddled and hesitant. He’s definitely knows something!”

The room then went silent and watched as Joseph bent down and leaned his face closer to Lucian and looked at him as though he were judging him for a heinous crime. Lucian tried his best not to falter and looked at Joseph dead in the eye. “But the question is, Demon. Are you hiding it? This is, after all, your ceremony,”

Lucian frowned with an annoyed expression. He did not take Joseph’s comments lightly. And he wasn’t going to do nothing and let him be satisfied. He stood up slowly and Joseph’s face followed him. He stood mere inches away from him in the most intimidating way he could think of. He was slightly taller than Joseph but it was clear his didn’t at all phase Joseph in any way as he too stood silently with his face blank and his eyes unblinking. Lucian took a deep breath. He knew that there was something stronger than his words that could vindicate him.

“If I may be excused,” he said finally. He then turned himself away from Joseph and walked out of the room slowly. He saw Benjamin, Laura, Arthur and James look at him with confused looks while Joseph just looked on with no emotion. He looked back and saw them mutter something as he left. Yet he could not hear what they said.

He reached the hallway on the second floor and he immediately turned towards the Library. He often didn’t like to see Luin but this time he knew he had to. He walked once more to the tall doors of the library. He flicked his fingers while he walked and they swung open in order to let his pass. He made his way all the way to the other end of the room to the open space where he knew Luin always was. But oddly, when he arrived all he found was Grandfather Wren staring at the window from his chair.

“Where has he gone now?” he thought to himself. He looked at Wren. He contemplated whether to ask him about Luin’s whereabouts. But he decided against it. He then turned around and let him be. He then walked out of the Library. Now he had no idea where to go. It was quite uncharacteristic of Luin not to be in the Library. But perhaps Luin himself knew that and decided to be uncharacteristic. Either way, Lucian them went to the stairs and jumped down to the first floor, now in search of Lily.

As he jumped off the first step and glided slowly onto the ground, he could hear a sound coming from the living room. As he walked down the hallway, he peered through the open door. The sound was faint even though he was only feet away. The reason for that being that the ancient walls of the house were constructed in order to conceal secrets. As he looked through the open door and caught flashes of someone strolling around. He could also hear the sound of faint cheers and laughter. He stopped walking and looked inside. He saw Mr. Bernstein prancing around the center of the room brandishing a fiddle with the grace of swan. He played it with his hands but Lucian also saw a floating viola accompanying him. He seemed to serenade both the women and the men. Lucian heard more laughter and as he looked, he saw several glasses of alcohol in the hands of the audience. Including his mother Janice.

Lucian decided at that moment that it was not his business to interrupt their celebrations. So he simply made his way down the hallway towards the main hall where he knew Lily was. As he got closer, he started to hear sounds that were quite different from the sweet melody of a fiddle. He was met with screeches of small children. As he opened the large doors of the hall, his ears were flooded with annoying high-pitched noises of a little under half a dozen small people.

As he peered across the room. He saw many things. He saw that the decoration the twins had shown him earlier had been taken down and organized into a neat pile in the corner. He also realized that all the potentially fragile objects in the hall. Including the ancient family heirlooms were floating safely near the ceiling far away from the reach of the children. Finally, right next to the entrance, seated on a wooden chair next to a tiny circular wooden stool was Lily. She stared emptily into the distance as though she had witnessed horrors beyond comprehension. She would then periodically put her hand into a wooden bowl full of red grapes, which she kept on the stool. Lucian figured she was just tremendously bored. Meanwhile, the small children danced and played in front of her. Lucian saw Lucy and Lid crowding around the young Morgan Bernstein while the young Mabel Venshire chased Oliver Morrow around the columns of the hall. They were so preoccupied that no one except Lily noticed Lucian come in. But even Lily didn’t say a word at first. This made Lucian feel quite awkward.

“Uh…”he murmured trying to find the right words. But luckily, Lily spoke first.

“What do you want?” she said plainly while still staring emptily into the hall. “Come to free me of my torment have you?”

“No, I’m looking for Luin,” said Lucian, “I think ‘torment’ is a bit much, don’t you?”

Lily smiled and chuckled slightly at his last words. “O dear brother, I would rather my ears burst out in flame than endure the screeches of these five very loud mice” she said as she ate a grape. “At least I have sweet fruit to drown my pain”

“You’re being too dramatic,” said Lucian rolling his eyes. “Have you seen Luin?”

“No” said Lily. “And I doubt he’d want to see me today after I made him come downstairs this morning. Besides, why are you searching for him of all people?”

“It’s important! He has something I need. In addition, I suggest you go the upstairs lounge. I’ll have something to tell you once I find Luin”

Lily smiled again. “O if only I could dear brother. But unfortunately, disobeying mother costs me more than I am willing to spend”

“Well mother is on her way to becoming blind drunk soon. So I doubt she’d notice,” said Lucian. Lily then finally turned to face him with a surprised and confused expression. But before she could say anything Lucian immediately turned around and left the hall.

Lucian then went back upstairs. Except now, he really did not know where to go next. He knew that he shouldn’t keep Benjamin and the others waiting for too long. He then stopped and sat down in a decorative chair that sat in the middle of the hallway in the space between two supporting pillars, it sat along with a small table and another chair on the other side. Lucian thought about all the places Luin could be. Considering that, the house was almost seven stories tall he knew it was many places. Lucian knew Luin was quite crafty for his age. A product of solitary lifestyle. He knew he would avoid the obvious spots, or maybe he expected Lucian to avoid the obvious spots since he thought Luin would avoid them. Perhaps he would use the obvious spots thinking that Lucian would avoid them because he thought Luin would avoid them. And Lucian knew that searching everywhere would take many hours he didn’t have. He then looked at the staircase and contemplating how tiring it could be to climb up and down the house searching for his annoying cousin. But as he looked at the staircase, he felt a presence approaching him from the other side. And when he turned his head to look, he was startled.

On the other side of the table, sitting on the other chair was a girl with a round face and round eyes. She had platinum blonde hair that looked like a very sharp bush. He wore a purple dress. She stared at Lucian with an unnerving gaze.

“AH!” Lucian said almost falling off his chair.

“Oh, sorry I startled you” she said in a soft and plain voice whilst not changing her expression.

“Startled is right. What are you doing here? And where is Charles?” said Lucian taking a deep breath.

“Oh my brother went off to your library. I doubt he’ll have trouble finding it. Meanwhile I saw that I’m needed here”

Lucian raised his eyebrow curiously. Willow placed her hand on the table and placed her head on top of the hand. “What do you mean by that?” asked Lucian. To which Willow grinned.

“Looking for your cousin are you not? In search of a document?”

“I thought you couldn’t tell me the future. Your brother said your parents made it impossible”

Willow laughed and tapped the table with her hand. “Oh dear Lucian, I would not confuse my brother’s half-blind foresight with my more focused view.” She said pinching her fingers while closing one eye. “My parents make seeing the greater future impossible but I can still see your immediate fate. I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

Lucian contemplated her words. But Willow just kept talking. “Now no need to burn your firewood on me, do you want my assistance in finding your dearly beloved cousin or not?”

“Yes. Where is he?” asked Lucian breathing sigh of relief that he didn’t have to waste tie running around the house.

“He’s upstairs on the fourth floor. In his bedroom. He knows you would avoid it thinking it was too obvious”

“Thank you!” said Lucian immediately standing up and heading towards the staircase. But Willow wasn’t done. “I suggest you hurry, you don’t have much time”

Lucian stopped. Curiosity engulfed him the moment he heard Willow’s words. He turned around and faced the seer. “What does that mean?”

Willow tilted her head. “The eldest raven will want to speak to you soon. You will have to run along the shattered glass. So be ready,” she said.

“Can’t you be clearer?” asked Lucian.

“I wish I could, but the future is too blurry for me to perceive clearly. Besides, it’s always funnier to watch you figure it out by yourself. You will not have much time to tell the others what you know. Therefore, I suggest you give them the newspaper and go downstairs. Perhaps you’ll be there in time to hear the hidden talks”

Willow’s head then shifted again and her gaze left Lucian and fixated on the air as though she were hypnotized. She then snapped out of that state by shaking her head. She then blinked several times. She then looked at Lucian again. Lucian himself understood that she had envisioned something else. Willow then stood up from her chair.

“It appears that I have somewhere else to be. Perhaps I can finally taste some of the wine in the living room.” She then smiled and Lucian and waved at him as she went downstairs. “I shall see you again quite soon! Bye for now!”

Lucian simply waved at her as she went downstairs. He had learned years ago not to question her behavior. He remembered how many jokes the Morrow children had played on him and the others suing their future sight to their advantage.

Lucian then bolted for the stairs and ran all the way to the fourth floor. There he turned left from the stairs and entered a hallway with light brown walls. He knew where Luin’s room was. He stopped the moment he reached the third door to the right. But the moment he stopped, he heard the sound of scuffling coming from behind the door. He then heard a very close sounding thud. This peaked his curiosity as he turned the doorknob. But the door was locked. Lucian could hear sound coming from the room so he banged on the door impatiently.

“Open up!” he shouted, to which he finally received a response.

“Why should I?” said Luin’s annoying little voice.

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“I need to talk to you!” Lucian shouted hastily. “Really? Well I prefer not to talk to you. Judging by your voice! So go away!” Luin shouted back. Lucian was not about to play games. He was getting agitated and impatient. He pressed his palm against the door covering the keyhole. He then concentrated. He heard the lock rattle and he felt a little resistance. Most likely from Luin, but Lucian had no issue overpowering him. He heard the lock turn and the sound of a click. He then took his hand off the lock and turned the knob. The door swung open with no resistance and Lucian marched in.

Lucian immediately saw Luin who took a few steps back. His bedroom was quite large. Even larger than Lucian’s. A luxury afforded to him due to being David’s only child. His bed was a large mahogany four-poster with rose-colored sheets. He had several ornaments including a telescope, which looked out one of the windows, and a golden globe, which sat on a table. His room was messy, with books strewn about the floor. Lucian knew they were taken from the Library.

But Lucian also noticed someone else with Luin. For on the floor with a book in his hand was a young boy. Lucian recognized him to be Elliott Hatly. Elliott immediately stood up and ran to Luin when Lucian entered. He saw him try to hide behind the taller Luin.

“WHAT DO YOU WANT?” Luin asked furiously.

“What’s he doing here?” asked Lucian pointing to Elliott, who further hid himself behind Luin. Luin looked at Elliott and then Lucian. “He says he can’t stay downstairs. Their minds are too noisy. He said my mind was quiet. I felt sorry for him. Besides, he happens to know his literature,” he said smiling at Elliott. Luin’s anger then returned when he turned back to Lucian.

“Now why are you here? Your mind was so loud that it scared Elliott before you even entered the room”

“Are you still in possession of that newspaper from earlier?” asked Lucian calmly. “Yes” Luin answered. “Why do you want it?”

“I just need it for something” Lucian replied restlessly.

Luin rolled in eyes in annoyance. He then went to the corner of his room where he kept his coat hanger. He then reached into one of the hanging coats and pulled out a thin white strip of paper from one of the pockets. He then made his way to Lucian and handed him the paper.

“You’re not telling on me to my father, are you?” he said as he slowly handed Lucian the newspaper.

“No, betraying you serves me no purpose,” said Lucian. He then saw Luin look towards the Elliott, who nodded at him silently. Luin then reluctantly let go of the paper.

“Now get out of my room” he said with a dead seriousness.

“Of course” said Lucian as he swiftly turned around left the room. Luin closed the door the moment he stepped out.

Lucian then made his way to the lounge with the newspaper in his hand. He had no idea whether the others were still waiting for him. But he knew once they saw the paper they would not suspect him of anything.

He went down the stairs and went straight to the lounge. He could hear the sound of chatter as he approached the half open door. He swung the door open instantly making all eyes turn to him. He found that barely anything had changed since he had left. He saw that both Willow and Charles were now present, sitting amongst Benjamin and Charlotte. He saw that Joseph had taken his seat and that Lily was still not present.

“Oh look he came back!” said Benjamin with excitement. He then held his hand out to Joseph. Joseph groaned and rolled his eyes before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a silver coin. Benjamin enthusiastically grabbed the coin and put it into his own coat. It took Lucian a moment to realize what had happened.

“You bet on me returning?” he asked in confusion with a hint of disgust.

“Joe here said you ran for the hills. But I believed in you” said Benjamin.

“And I had ten Sorasy to lose” said Joseph with a smirk.

“It was all quite foolish” said James avoiding looking at both Joseph and Benjamin.

“You state that only because you had nothing to bet with,” said Benjamin taking the coin out of his coat and rubbing it with both his fingers while James watched. James received mildly insulting stares and sniggers from most of the room. Including his own sister Alice. But he simply rolled his eyes and looked away. Joseph then chimed in deciding they had spent enough time on childish argument.

“Well, the important part is Demon returned. And it appears that he had not come empty handed” he said while reclining on his chair. His words made all eyes turn to Lucian and particularly towards the paper he held in his hand.

“Care to share what you’ve brought, Demon?” said Joseph.

Lucian did not flinch. He sternly threw the paper onto Joseph’s lap. Joseph twitched in surprise but kept his position. He looked at Lucian with a surprised expression. Lucian simply gave them a plain look.

“Your suspicions are correct,” he said plainly. H watched as Joseph took the paper into his hands and read it. Some of the others including Benjamin leaned in to see it.

“I only found out about all this this morning”

“What is this? How did you get this?” asked Benjamin reading with his mouth open.

“I thought all Circulion papers were slanted!” said the equally shocked Alice.

“This is apparently an independent paper not paid for by the Circle. My cousin had it delivered through…certain means”

Joseph raised his eyebrow at him. “Well I suppose this proves that you are bound to no secrecy. And that perhaps there is another reason for us to be here,” Lucian looked around the room again. He still did not see Lily. He then felt like someone was looking at him. He looked over to the corner and saw Willow and Charles sitting together on opposite sides of the same table. They hardly spoke but Lucian saw Willow looking at him. Lucian assumed that they knew what was about to happen. Lucian saw Willow nod when she saw that he was looking at her. Lucian got a familiar unnerving feeling.

Lucian took a step back. He was about to turn around and leave but Alice noticed him. “Where are you going, Lucian?” she asked. Lucian froze, several heads turned towards him. Lucian shuffled his feet uneasily. “I’m going to look for Lily. She does not any of this either”

Benjamin raised his eyebrow at the sign of opportunity. “Well, it seems like he’s running off again! Shall we do another bet?”

“No!” said Joseph and James at the same time. “He returned once so I am certain he will return again,” said Joseph.

Just then, Willow finally stood up from her chair and approached the others. She quickly swiped the paper from Joseph’s hand and held it in front of her.

“Well Lucian has certainly left us a lot to discuss in his absence.” She said straightening the page. “I say we let him go and do what he must do”

She then smiled at Lucian. Lucian saw her tilt her head slightly for a short moment and immediately took it as some kind of gesture. Lucian looked at Charles, who gave him a very ambiguous wink. He also noticed Laura staring at Willow with a frown. But she said nothing. No one did. They had learned long ago never to question what a Morrow says.

“Ummm….alright…” said Lucian quite awkwardly. He saw Benjamin and some others whisper to each other behind Willow. Lucian gulped. He then turned around and left the room once more.

He tried to forget about what he saw as he made his way to the stairs. His plan was to go back to the hall. But thankfully, he did not have to go that far. For in the same moment he arrived at the top of the stairs Lily came running up the stairs at the same time. Her pace was so quick that she crashed into Lucian and enveloped him with enough force to make him take three steps back in order to balance himself.

“Ah!” they both shouted at the same time. Lucian then let go of Lily the moment he steadied himself. He then straightened his suit while she straightened her dress.

“Where are you going in such a rush?” he asked in confusion.

“You told me to come to the lounge! It just took me sometime to escape those all seeing brats!” she said with mild annoyance. She then looked at Lucian, “Where are you going?”

“I was going to look for you. But I suppose now I do not need to anymore” said Lucian who turned back around towards the lounge.

“But you do have somewhere else to be” said Lily. Lucian stopped mid walk and turned his head towards Lily. “What do you mean?”

“I met Lira on my way here. She said she wanted me to tell you that she wanted to meet you. It was part of the reason why I was in a hurry,”

Lucian was now curious. “Why does she want to see me? I thought I was too childish to be in her presence”

“She did not say. But she said it’s urgent” said Lily with a shrug. Lucian then remembered Willow and Charles’ odd gestures. He realized that perhaps this was what they meant. He then remembered what Willow had said to him earlier when he was looking for Luin.

“The eldest raven…” he thought to himself. He then pushed Lily aside and went down the stairs. Lily gave him a confused look before she made her way to the lounge. Lucian’s heartbeat increased when he went down the stairs. He didn’t know why. He reached the hallway and began walking in the direction of the living room. He then reached the corner and turned in order to face the hall. He could still hear sounds coming from the living room. He assumed that the adults were still in their ‘discussions’.

His focused his attention on the various sounds he heard from the living room. And by doing so, he neglected to look where he was going. As he tried to decipher what he was hearing, he ran straight into someone who was also in the hallway. However, whomever he ran into did not even move or react when he bumped into them. Lucian turned his head in surprise and looked at the person with his face pale with embarrassment. To his further dismay, in front of him stood Lira, who towered above him. She gave him a serious but plain look. Her dress too reflected this. For she wore a long thin black skirt with a black suit over a white shirt. She looked as if she had not even felt what had just happened. Lucian took a step back and stood firmly.

“Ah, Lucian. There you are. I was just about to go look for you, didn’t think you’re sister cared enough to give you my request.”

“I…uh” said Lucian. He found Lira very intimidating. Mostly due to her stern appearance and near emotionless voice. “My sister told me. And I came as soon as I could”

“Good” Lira replied. “Better late than never I suppose”

She then turned around and walked down the hallway towards the main hall. Lucian just stood still, he felt like he was rooted to the ground. Lira took a few steps forward and stopped when she realize Lucian wasn’t following her. She turned her head sideways and gave Lucian a disappointed look.

“I assume you’re going to follow me. Or do I have to drag you?”

Lucian gulped and immediately followed Lira. Lira walked all the way to the main hall wand opened the door. As they both stepped in Lucian realized that the twins along with all the other small children were now gone. He wondered where Lily had taken them. But Lira simply kept walking. She walked all the way to the back of hall. And stopped when she reached the rear wall. Lucian eagerly did the same thing.

“Your parents have asked me to teach you something quite important. Usually we would wait until after your ceremony. But there may be no time by then”

“What you mean ‘no time’? Is something else happening tomorrow,” asked Lucian, curious to see whether Lira would actually answer him.

“That is not for you to know” Lira said plainly. Lucian expected her to say that. Lira then turned to the wall and rubbed the ancient stone with her hand.

“Do you know what lies behind this wall?” she asked. Lucian shook his head.

Lira then gestured Lucian to step back. Lucian did so with haste. Lira then places her hand upon the wall. She closed her eyes. Lucian then heard the sound of grumbling, the sound of moving rock. He saw the wall change. The bricks parted and opened like a chasm. And from behind, it came a large slab of stone. The slab was smooth and undented with its only distinct feature being a circle shaped disk that rose out of its center like a short tree stump.

Lucian watched in awe as the wall changed. He had never known what laid behind that wall. But lira remained unsurprised. Lira then turned to Lucian and, with a tired look, pointed towards the door.

“Do you know what this is, Lucian?”

Lucian examined the stone. He particularly felt that the stone disk in its center seemed familiar. An image then appeared in his head. He remembered the disk, from an illustration from one of the books his mother had shown him.

“It’s a door,” he said turning to Lira. “A Flame Door”

“Good” said Lira, with the slightest shred of encouragement. “It seems that you know more than nothing. Which he more than I expected”

“Thank…you?” said Lucian nervously. Lira then stretched out her hand and snapped her finger. Lucian then heard a thud coming from the other end of the room. When he looked, he saw a large raven appear from behind the door. The raven flew through the rom at lightning speed with a black iron lantern in its talons and a matchstick in its beak. It flew through the air for a few seconds before perching itself on Lira’s shoulder. Lucian almost instinctively took a step back verily. Lira rubbed the raven’s head and throat. She smiled, to Lucian’s surprise. She then took the lantern and the matchstick and put them on the floor before she reached into her suit and took out a knife. She the noticed Lucian look uneasily at the raven, something she found intriguing.

“Why so pale? Do you still fear birds?”

“Of course not!” said Lucian, trying to save face. But the raven’s abyssal eyes made him shake. “Why would I be scared of a stupid bird?”

The raven then gave out a caw so loud that Lucian felt like ducking behind one of the stone columns. Lira did not react what so ever, instead she just shrugged.

“Blackfeather tells me he isn’t very fond of you either,” she said returning to her knife. Lucian could tell that the raven wasn’t fond of him. He wasn’t fond of the raven. They had a mutual hatred.

“I see why you and my brother get along. He too has an irrational fear of minks and otters and the like”

She then opened her palm and placed the knife blade on it. Lucian then heard her take a deep breath before slashing the knife blade across her hand in one swift motion. She gave out a painful gasp as blood began dripping from her hand.

Lucian approached her slowly. He knew what she was about to do. He watched as she took her bleeding hand and drew a circle with eight teeth on the stone disk with her own blood. She also drew a basic shape of bird on the center. Lucian could tell by a swiftness that she had done this many times before. She then took her uninjured hand and reached for the lantern. The lantern was special, made of solid black iron with a bright blue flame burning inside. Lira used the lantern to light the match with blue fire. She then held the match towards her bloody drawing. The moment the flame touched the blood the blood burst into a bright fire before dissolving in mere seconds. Lucian then saw the wall move again. He saw the stone slab slowly melt away and he saw sunlight peek out from behind it. The slab then melted away completely revealing the outside. However, this outside was different. Much, much different.

“No matter how many times I do it, it still pains me,” said Lira reaching into her coat again and taking out a long strip of white cloth that she used to wrap her hand.

“Why do you need the lantern? Why not use the fire in your blood?” asked Lucian.

“The lantern is safer. Less risk,” said Lira. She then shooed away her raven who flew to one of the wooden beams holding the roof in place. It perched itself between a gap in the beam and the ceiling watched as Lira took the lantern into her hand.

“Come, I don’t have a lot of time to teach you” she said walking through the door. Lucian followed her. He had always dreamt about going to the place behind the door, but now that he was here, it was not what he expected.

As he crossed to the other side of the door, the world around him changed. Suddenly, he found himself standing on a small floating piece of dirt. The house had disappeared behind him, with the only thing remaining being the door along with a small piece of the wall. In front of him and all around him was a void filled with floating piece of land. Some were pieces of building, others were pieces of roads and others were full of trees. They all floated aimlessly in an empty space that looked exactly like the sky.

Lucian couldn’t tell whether he was standing upright or standing upside down. Lira did not seem surprised or even impressed.

“Do you know what this is?” she asked.

“Mother used to tell me about this place. The place that only those who possess the Flame can access. The reflection of our world”

“Indeed” said Lira plainly. “This is the Mirror,”

Lucian looked in awe as pieces of familiar things like the building around his house floated above him. He saw the lantern in Lira’s hand burn brighter the moment they entered. That was because the air in the Mirror contained multitudes more Flame than the air in the regular world. Lucian never understood why. His mother had told him that the Mirror was their final afterlife. The place where their spirit and memories went once they had transcended their bodies. She had told him and Lily in countless bedtime stories that the reason the Mirror changed like the regular world was that new spirits kept coming with new memories, their energy manifesting and changing the world. Lucian had always been mesmerized by those stories. But wasn’t sure whether they were of fact or just simply the product of his mother’s wonderful imagination.

As much as Lucian was fascinated by all that he saw, realizing that the mirror was not all that he had imagined it to be. He was also confused as much as he was impressed.

“Why did you bring me here?” he asked.

“Why indeed…” said Lira. “Your parents instructed me to take you here, they wanted you to see it in case you had come here as a last resort”

“A last resort? A last resort to what?” asked Lucian curiously. Lira frowned. “That is not for you to worry about. All you need to know is how to unlock that door in case of the worst outcome”

“What outcome?” asked the unsatisfied Lucian. “Does this mean my parents are planning something else tomorrow? Is something going to happen after my initiation”

Lira sighed with frustration. It was clear that she didn’t enjoy Lucian’s annoying questions. But Lucian kept on berating her. For he wanted to know. This unfortunately, seemed to do nothing but increase the rate at which she became fed up with him. She then walked up to Lucian silently. Lucian stopped talking and felt a feeling of worry crawl up his spine as Lira approached him. Lira then grabbed his shoulder with her injured hand. Lucian began to panic.

“What are you doing?” he asked nervously.

Lira said nothing. She then used her injured hand to shove Lucian so hard that she sent him reeling towards the edge of the small floating piece of land they stood on. Lucian tried to balance himself but he tripped and fell off the edge. Lucian screamed as he went hurdling down the empty void, the land that he had stood on fading further and further into view. He was panicking to an almost faintish extent. But as he looked down, he saw something appearing below him. He realized it was another piece of land, land that looked exactly like the piece he had just departed. He saw Lira standing below him, watching him fall directly towards her. When Lucian finally came within grabbing distance Lira reached her hand out and swiftly grabbed him by the collar. Lucian’s fall was stopped dead and he was left feeling quite hazy and confused. Lucian looked at Lira with a terrified look while Lira looked at him furiously.

“Listen, Demon” she said coldly. “In the event that our worst expectations come to fruition the fate of your peers fall on your hands! Because unlike you they are too young. They will not have completed their initiation. So if you wish not to perish alongside them then I suggest you do as you’re told and listen to what I tell you! The business of the adults does not concern you. Understand?”

Lucian nodded with terror, his body shaking from his experience. Lira took him back onto the small island and let him go.

“I am only tolerating you because the lives of my brothers are at stake”

“But why? Why rely on me? Why won’t you do it? I would say you’re…more experienced,” asked Lucian taking a few deep breaths.

Lira sighed again. “The Morrows has foretold that, in the worst outcome, only you will have the ability to open this door in time. Since by then your ceremony will be complete and your Flame will be unlocked”

“So this is all based on the Morrows visions?” Lucian thought to himself.

“So is that it? My job is to hide everyone here until this ‘worst outcome’ comes to pass?”

“I…do not know,” said Lira. “All the Morrows told was that you will survive if you learn about the door and the Mirror beforehand. What he meant by ‘survive’, I do not know”

Lira’s words made Lucian feel even more uneasy. He did not know what to think. Lira then turned towards the door and began to leave. Lucian eagerly followed her, determined to leave this place.

Once they were both out Lira waved her hand at the door and it began to close. The stone slab began to reform and slide back in order to be covered by the regular wall.

“Is there anything else I need to know?” asked Lucian still in slight shock.

“Yes” said Lira softly. “You cannot stay in the Mirror for more than a few hours. Lest you want to lose your sanity.”

Lucian nodded as Lira spoke. Indicating that he understood. Lucian remembered Lira seemed to take solace in that fact, for she kept speaking.

“In the event that you need to open the door, you can find this Flame Lantern above the door to this room”

“Can’t I not use the fire in my blood to open it? Why use a lantern?”

“Neither you nor I have the experience required to harness the fire within our blood. And I suggest you do not try it. Even in a grave emergency”

Lucian kept nodding. Lira looked up at the wooden beams holding the ceiling. She snapped her fingers again and her raven, Blackfeather, came flying down onto her hand. She gave the bird the lantern, which it took into its talons. The bird then flew back out of the hall taking the lantern with it. Lucian was once again reminded of all the stories his mother had told him about the Mirror. But the ones he recalled now were cautionary tales. Tales about how those who went through the doors while being foolish unready ended up never returning. How humans who did not possess the Flame were thrown into the Mirror, only to become distorted, mutilated and monstrous as their bodies rejected the very air around them. He looked back at the now normal looking wall. He sighed and tried to tell himself that this ‘worst outcome’ will never occur.

“You will tell this to no one, understood? Not to your siblings or my siblings” said Lira.

“Well that would be quite difficult, the Hatlys will read my mind the moment they see me,” said Lucian.

“Then I suggest you stop thinking about. You still have a ceremony to worry about,” said Lira simply. She then began to walk down the hall towards the exit. “Now if you don’t mind I have to get this wound healed”

“There’s going to be a war isn’t there?” said Lucian. “They shot the Mayor of Great Borough, that means war, doesn’t it?”

Lira stopped. Almost in surprise. She then turned her head back and looked at Lucian. “Where did you learn that?” she asked.

“Nowhere” said Lucian realizing it was perhaps a mistake to mention this information. “Just rumors”

“Rumors, eh? Well rumors are not reliable, are they? I suggest you keep your head out of the affairs of your seniors. You’re too young to understand the depths of Circulion politics”

Lucian nodded. Lira then began to walk away again. But she still wasn’t done. “Who else has heard these rumors?”

“No one” said Lucian hoping Lira couldn’t see through his obvious lie. Lira paused for a moment. Then she simply walked away. This time she did not stop and walked out of the room. Lucian sighed. He wasn’t exactly sure whether she believed him or not. But it didn’t matter to him now.

Lucian casually walked out of the room. He went out onto the hallway and closed the doors behind him. He looked up and saw the lantern hanging above the doors. He pondered what would happen if the worst came to fruition. He doubted whether he would be brave enough to save everyone. He felt a great burden as Lira’s words rang in his ears.

“The fate of your peers will fall on your hands”

He then turned around in order to get back to the second floor lounge. But as he turned to face the hallway, he saw Benjamin leaning on the wall in front of him.

“What happened?” he asked. Lucian opened his mouth to speak, but no words came.

“The fate of your peers will fall on your hands,” his head repeated.

“Nothing!” he said suddenly. “What are you doing here?”

“Lily said she saw you follow Lira into the hall. Laura said she read Willow’s mind and thought you might be in danger”

“Oh preposterous! Why would she put me in any danger?” he asked. Even he could tell the tone of his voice was suspicious. Benjamin raised his eyebrow at Lucian. But he didn’t question him.

“Well, I could tell by the look my sister gave me that she told you something. Perhaps about why we’re here”

“No, she told me nothing. She just instructed me on how to behave during the ceremony,” said Lucian.

“Hmmm” murmured Benjamin, who seemed to ponder something. Perhaps he pondering whether Lucian was lying or not. Lucian tried to hide his nervousness, but he wasn’t sure whether it was working.

“Well” he said finally. “I suppose she wouldn’t trust you enough to tell you anything. It doesn’t matter. Your newspaper has made everyone think we’re on the verge of war. Joe has even proposed we spy on the adults. The Hatlys agree with him but James and Alice say he’s a loon for even suggesting it”

“Do you believe any of it?” asked Lucian.

“I do not know,” said Benjamin. “But my father said that even he does not know the true extent of the Circle’s schemes. So anything could be the truth, if we choose believe it”

Lucian then decided it was probably best to change the subject before even he started to doubt his own assumptions. He decided on a less serious topic.

“Well your sister did tell me you still fear minks,” he said. “Is that true?”

Benjamin’s face turned a shade of red as his expression changed to embarrassed surprise. Clearly, he was not expecting such a change in subject.

“I…uh” he stuttered. But he decided not to reply to Lucian’s question. Instead, his deflected the question. “Ahem…” he said clearing his throat and straightening his posture. “Perhaps we should go back upstairs. Can’t have either of our parents realizing our suspicions, agreed?” he said with a smile. Lucian smiled back.

“Agreed.”

Benjamin then turned around and began to walk towards the stairs with Lucian following him. Lucian found conversing with Benjamin amusing. He knew both Benjamin and his little brother Morgan had entire oceans worth of outward positivity compared to their sister. Hence why he regarded Benjamin as one of his closest friends among all the other House children. But as he walked on cheerfully, he still felt those words ringing deep inside his mind.

“The fate of your peers will fall on your hands”