My mind races, sprinting for answers to the questions that escape me.

"How is this possible?"

"Why is she here?"

"What's going on?"

No matter the depth of my enquiry, I reach only one conclusion...

I didn't plan for this.

I couldn't have. As far as I was concerned, my business with the Dread Mother and her deranged daughter was at a final end from the moment I left their mansion. Whatever this madwoman is doing here…

It cannot bode well for me.

Despite my fatigue, I push myself from my bed and stand. Sitting on the seat in front of me, Huntress crosses her right leg over her left, looks into my eyes, and broadly smiles.

'Who are you, and what have you done to my sister?' Hearing my words, Huntress' smile broadens. She parts her mouth, revealing her teeth, and begins to laugh. Each wail of tortured elation creeps under the skin of my back, coursing shivers down my spine.

'Very good, Nero, but I know who you are? Did you really think I wouldn't recognise my sweet boy when he's right in front of me?'

'Who is this Nero?' I say. 'What are you talking about? I am Logan of the Mohan Clan, and I demand you inform me as to the fate of my sister!'

The air around the madwoman begins to fizzle, and she retakes the form of the golden-haired physician. Though entirely transformed, her manic smile remains to taunt me. The woman stands to her feet, places both hands on my shoulders, and gently pushes down. Though recovered from my self-inflicted wounds, drained by the process, I lack the strength to resist her force. Without much effort, Huntress returns me to my bed before reclaiming her seat.

'That's not going to work, my sweet. I know who you are. I can see you clearly. Besides all that, don't strain yourself. I wasn't lying when I said you needed rest. Sure, I could have healed you without exhausting your stamina, but then I would have missed out on seeing you like this. You're adorable.'

The madwoman hops out of her chair, her smile never wavering, sits on my bed, and pulls me into her arms. I try to resist, but I can't. Her hold, too strong or my rebuff too weak, I'm powerless to prevent the woman's arm from reaching under my shirt or her hand from sliding up to my bare chest.

Giggling like a schoolgirl, Huntress restricts me in her embrace. She pulls me closer, close enough to feel her breath on my face, then moves her lips to my ear.

Powerless.

It isn't the first time I've felt this way, but it burns me nonetheless. Each second that passes in her hold magnifies my fury, yet I stay silent. The weak have no right to complain, and right now…

I am weak.

Temporarily or otherwise. By my own hand or through outside forces. The fact remains, while I lack the power to resist, I have no right to. However…

I will kill her for this.

Even if it means making an enemy of the Dread Mother or the World Witch herself, I will see her head mounted on a pole!

'I wish we could stay like this.' My assailant presses her ample bosom onto the square of my back and begins to nibble on my ear. Something stirs within me, but I deny the agitation; I refuse its call to disturb my objectives or dilute the intensity of my rage.

I allow my mind to slip into my thoughts, shutting out my present weakness for the promise of future retribution. Lost in a timeless of my making, I don't know for how long I've been in the woman's grasp, but as her heavy warm breath fills my ear, I feel her grip loosen, and finally, I am released.

'I'd just love to take you here and now, but I can wait. I want you at your best, my sweet boy. I'm getting excited just thinking about it. I'll let you feel for yourself if you don't believe me.' The madwoman grips my hand. With it, she slides my fingers beneath the waist of her skirt.

'I'm just teasing; that is unless you want to?' Sighing once again, Huntress surrenders my hand before pressing her lips to my cheek, unhanding me completely, and returning to her seat.

Fire, ice, and something else wrest for control over my emotions. Though raging forces vie for dominance, the combat diminishes the three, allowing no single aspect of my nature to dictate my actions. Without question, there'd be a winner in time, but for the present, the incongruous nature of my disposition allows me to banish the thought of what happened and focus my mind on more immediate concerns.

What now?

She knows who I am. Doubtlessly, her mother must also be aware of my presence here.

Do our goals conflict?

Can I use her to my advantage?

Spinning in a realm of questions, I attempt to latch on to anything that could aid my orientation. No scheme too outlandish, no thought too tenuous, I consider every possibility apparent to me, yet nothing denies the grip of my quagmire.

If the Dread Mother stands against me, there isn't anything I can do.

I've gone too far to retreat empty-handed. At this stage, if I do not secure the ether-crystals to advance into rank four, my life can be measured in months. War between the three Clans that rule over Gandel city is inevitable. I will be discovered as the cause. Without the means to defend myself or live as a maverick, it's only a matter of time before judgement falls, and I have nowhere to hide.

Father…

How do I escape this storm of my own devising…

'I thought our little playtime would help you relax, but you look as serious as ever. My sweet boy, I like a man who can take things seriously, but not all the time. Learn to enjoy yourself. I mean, think about where you are, what you're doing, and, of course, the breathtaking quality of your company. If you can't have fun at a carnival, you'll be a very dull boy indeed.' Huntress' words force me to lift myself and sit on my bed. Directing my eyes at the woman, I contort my borrowed face to reflect my purchased disdain and snort.

'What are you doing here?' I ask.

'Decided to drop the act, I see? Good. You might be able to trick a bunch of Clan drones into believing your performance, but I am a daughter of the Dread Mother. Our sect is well versed in all methods of shapeshifting. In all of Aspire, the only one capable of deceiving my eyes is my mother herself.' Leaning forward in her seat, Huntress pierces my eyes with her own.

I stare into her watery abyss; they begin to change. Brighter and brighter, her eyes start to shine. At first, I consider the phenomenon a trick of the light, but that thought is quickly dispensed with as her eyes begin to outshine the flickering glow of the gaslit lamps encircling the room. Her pupils vanish within the brilliance of the luminosity, and the light shifts from radiant blue to incandescent gold. I feel her glare within me, probing my every bone, organ, and cell. There can be no question; there's no hiding from the madwoman's sight.

'You see what I mean? Even if I didn't know you'd be here, I would have recognised you from the moment I laid eyes on you. Don't you know, my love? You can't hide from me.' As the last word leaves her mouth, Huntress closes her eyes. When her lids part and she can see once more, all traces of light vanish, and her pupils are restored.

'What are you doing here?' Softly, Huntress chuckles and leans back in her chair. She sways her head from side to side and runs her hand through her golden hair.

'You are obsessed, aren't you? I have to say it's one of your less attractive qualities. I'll forgive you, this time, after all, we did share a special moment together. The thought of it will keep me through the nights we spend apart when our business is over up until the day we inevitably meet again. Well, that's for later. While we're here, I think I'm going to live in the moment. Really enjoy our…'

What is she talking about? Every word that passes her lips is somehow more ridiculous than every other word she speaks!

The woman is insane!

She's a variable I can't predict.

A problem.

The woman is a problem I can't yet kill.

'But to answer your question, I'm here because of you.' Her words return me to the present. The Possible implications run through my head. Before I have the chance to contemplate the meaning, her continuous drone recaptures my attention.

'Mother dearest has been watching this Clan for quite some time.' Huntress says. 'You have interfered with her intentions.'

'Interfered? How? What does the Dread Mother want from the Blackshire Clan?' My words are met with the madwoman's laughter. Leaning forward in her chair, Huntress stares into my eyes and grins.

'What does mummy do best? She kills who she wants and takes what she needs.'

'What does that have to-' Lifting her index finger sidewards to her lip, Huntress shushes my words.

I didn't finish talking. Mummy dearest is aware of the plot against her. It continues because she allows it to continue. Once the Spirit Tree reached maturity, mummy was going to slaughter everyone here and claim the power for herself. Your little scheme to incite this Clan to war... Well, mummy wasn't best pleased when she learned of it. With the amount of bloodshed your war will result in, the tree will be forced to mature well before it's ready. When that happens, instead of naturally refining into Anima Electri, it will release all of its power in one moment then shrivel into nothing. Mummy isn't happy about that. No, she isn't happy at all.'

Shit…

'Her first thought was to expose you; end the war before it began. She's somewhat interested in you, not as much as I am, but the thought of your demise saddened her a little. Not enough to turn down the opportunity of awakening, but enough for her to frown a bit before condemning you to die. Luckily for both of us, she decided against that method. Instead of exposing you, she's going to help you.'

'And in return?' I ask.

'In return, not only is she going to take the majority of the loot within this stronghold, but she will also call on you for a favour you're not permitted to refuse.'

What favour could I possibly render to a rank-five Tension Master?

It doesn't matter. All that's important is she won't interfere in my plans. Provided that remains true, I can deal with her request, whatever it might be, another time.

'I agree to those terms.' Huntress sends waves of laughter in my direction. They crash into me, capsizing any hope of relief that dare float to the surface of my mind.

'They weren't terms, my foolish, little boy. They were a recognition of the state of play. Your assent is irrelevant. Though, I suppose it doesn't hurt if you happen to be willing. There are, of course, other matters for which you could consent. Since you're in an agreeable mood, I would be amiss not to remind you that a very beautiful woman is before you, and you can have her whenever you'd like.'

Thighs rub thighs as Huntress wettens her lips. Her eyes match her agnomen, and she uses them to inspect my body as a beast would its game. The woman slowly lifts herself from her seat and slides her hands across the bloodied linen sheet atop my mattress. Like a predator stalking its prey, she slides closer to me; her floral scent fills my nostrils. Before the woman has a chance to strike, her movements are halted by a knock on the door.

Proceeded by a mix of sighing and groaning, the madwoman retreats to her chair, straightens her skirt, and calls for my saviour to enter.

'My lady, my lord. I deeply apologise for my intrusion, but you have been summoned.'

Huntress stands from her seat and turns towards the well-dressed servant standing by the entrance of the room.

'Who dares purport to summon me? Do you not know that my brother requires rest?'

'I can only apologise for the disturbance, but I have been instructed to fetch the both of you.'

'Instructed? By who?' I ask.

'By the lord elders of our Clan.

'All five of them.'