The heavy timber door slid open once the AI scanner cleared them. Astra slipped on her silver mask, the wisteria pattern curling around her eyes. It didn't hide much, not that she was trying. Because of the exclusivity of this event, there were no cameras inside. None that she could see, at least.

Theo, on the other hand, wore a full-faced Venetian mask that concealed his face. It suited him. She was a shadow in this glittering crowd, while Theo's crown shone through, visible even when he tried to hide it.

At least, that's what she told herself.

They entered the foyer and met a grand staircase dressed in what looked like Persian rugs, though it might just as easily have been the work of some hipster. With these elites, it was hard to tell.

On the second floor the ballroom unfolded, a true shrine to old money. Chandeliers cast a golden wash across mahogany-panelled walls and a mash of Victorian mouldings with Deco geometry.

The upper level provided guests with a more private space for conversation and access to the balcony overlooking the fountain and gardens below.

Astra scanned the space, finding no trace of the smoke creature, only the faint, elegant scents of truffle oil, red wine, jasmine, and lilies.

She felt eyes on her. But to be specific, they were directed at Theo. Even masked, he carried the sort of presence people could not place but knew they should. Like a knight. No, a prince, Astra corrected herself.

Focus.

Her mind betrayed her anyway, conjuring flashes of long silver hair and armour lit with an otherworldly glow. She forced it aside. Not again. Now wasn't the time. She tucked it away for later. It seemed like something that person would need to know about.

Shifting her focus back to the room, Astra listened to the murmurs that surrounded her. They weren't just small talk. These were investors assessing Thomas like a stock option.

By the bar, a small knot of guests parted to reveal Athena, poised with the perfection of a classical statue in a flowing white gown and immaculate updo. Her "date" stood beside her, a nondescript agent in her father's employ who faded into the decorations.

Athena's smile was polite, veiled by her fan, yet Astra caught the flicker in her eyes and the too-regular glance at her watch. She had seen something she wished she hadn't.

"I'll stay close to her," Theo murmured softly in Astra's ear.

Astra nodded. He wasn't playing chivalry this time. He was worried. As he moved toward Athena, Astra remained alert, monitoring the perimeter.

"Ah, there you are, Thena," Theo's deep voice cut in smoothly as he positioned himself between her and a man whose gaze had overstayed its welcome.

Athena's smile became real for a second. "Theo!" she said brightly, lacing her fingers with his. "Gentlemen, allow me to introduce my fiancé."

Astra's eyes danced with amusement at the collective disappointment, but Theo's absence at her side meant…

"My lady," a voice as smooth and unwelcome oozed into her personal space. "Surely you wouldn't deprive me of the immense pleasure of your acquaintance?"

Of course.

She didn't even bother to count how many it had been so far. She made a mental note to thank Eydis for her "helpful" fashion tips. Perhaps a floor-length knit cardigan would have attracted less attention.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

The thought of Eydis's inevitable playful teasing made her heart skip, much to her irritation. Damn it.

The small smile that memory triggered had been a mistake. The man beside her clearly took it as encouragement.

"I assure you," she said flatly, "the deprivation is mutual."

Either too dense or too arrogant, he flashed the sort of smile meant to dazzle. She was not dazzled.

"How terribly rude of me. Allow me to introduce myself properly…"

"Unnecessary," she cut him off, stepping smoothly around him with a smile so brief it barely brushed her lips. She climbed to the upper level and claimed a clean view of the room below.

There.

Thomas, the only one not wearing a mask, drifted through the elite. Athena and Theo had both tried approaching him, but he dodged them each time. Pleasant expression, unhurried pace, yet the avoidance was deliberate.

Strange. Athena was not the kind you forgot. Golden eyes, golden hair, all very House Van Nassau. Anyone with the faintest grasp of Alchymian politics would recognise her. So why was Thomas avoiding her?

Unless he feared her.

Astra watched as Athena tried once more, Theo by her side. Thomas met his gaze with a casual smile, muttered something indistinct, and vanished into the crowd.

Interesting.

If Astra's instincts were correct, Thomas held insider intel from St. Kelvin's, probably the same source behind Natalia's leaked duel footage. If that was the case, he likely orchestrated the leak himself.

She glanced at the grandfather clock beside the stage: ten minutes to seven. In a moment Thomas would claim the podium for his hour-long address, and the audience would file into their assigned seats.

No one needed to hear the speech to predict its contents. He would promise to remake the Territory, rally the crowd against their favorite monsters: the smoke creature and the Eye. And heap fresh pressure on Ares Van Nassau, Alchymia's Chief Minister, to act.

To the elites it would sound like prophecy. They'd been dying to shake House Van Nassau's grip on Alchymia, since apparently a few hundred years of control hadn't been enough to figure things out.

Which meant catching him afterward would be impossible.

Maybe, Astra mused, a little… coercion might be necessary.

She needed to find him fast. He had vanished. Late arrivals jammed the corridor, champagne flutes welded to their hands, making the search difficult.

Astra was just about to head downstairs when raised voices made her pause. The velvet curtains over the private balcony stirred faintly, and she edged closer.

"You really think these stunts will get you elected, Tommy? Voters aren't that gullible," said a deep, older voice.

"Oh? Feeling jealous, brother? The numbers say otherwise," came the reply.

Thomas? And if it was indeed him, that made the other voice Noah. Why was he here?

Astra damped her aura in case Thomas could sense it. Even mirages, though, cast shadows.

Sensing unwanted gazes again, her fingers twitched, causing a nearby server to stumble.

The tray wobbled, glasses tipped, and red wine spilled across an elite's pristine shirt just as he stepped toward Astra.

"Oh my, t-terribly sorry, sir." The server floundered, though he seemed faintly amused, then sloshed a second wave for good measure.

While eyes turned to the spill, Astra slipped behind the curtains. Through a narrow gap she saw Noah's golden mask and silver hair. His hand was on Thomas's shoulder in a shove that failed to budge the man. Wine in Thomas's glass sat as still as ice.

Then the malevolence hit her. It rolled off Thomas like a poisonous fog.

"My, my, Noah. Physical violence? How quaint." Thomas mocked. "Imagine the great Noah Blackwood—star athlete, Father's pride—reduced to this."

Noah's hand dropped. "What have you done? You were always the frail one, always in hospitals, unless …"

"Choose your next words carefully, brother." Thomas sipped his wine without breaking eye contact.

"I don't know what deal you struck or what you've become, but on our father's grave I'll expose you. The apple never falls far from—"

"Go on, finish it," Thomas rumbled, "and you might find yourself praying for early retirement. Wouldn't want to disappoint your doting supporters with a tragic... accident, would we?"

Noah flinched, tore the curtain, and fled.

Astra melted into shadow as he passed.

"This isn't over, Thomas," he muttered. "I'll tear off your mask and burn your lies."

He vanished down the stairs. Only Thomas's laughter lingered, a sound no human throat should make.

Astra's fingers flew over her phone, but her eyes stayed on him.

"Oh, Noah, Noah, Noah-the-saviour, the shining example, while I'm just… 'Tommy'." Thomas cocked his head at an impossible angle, speaking to empty air. "Can I kill him now?"

He paused, seemed to listen, then smiled wider.

"Ah, the long game. As you wish, my lord."

My Lord?

The darkness around him was heavier than anything she had sensed before. It was hungrier and denser even than Tiffany's aura, as if feeding on something foul and unseen.

Without looking away she tapped out a message and raised a translucent shield across the exit.

Upper-level balcony, northeast corner, now. Thomas compromised. Purple entity, sentient.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.