The north district of Phiana was undoubtedly the wealthiest in the city, ladened with the residences of nobility and offices to the government—and by extension, the church. Constructed with the finest masonry, these graceful buildings paved the way to the site of the night’s festivities.

A mere five blocks from the merchant’s harbor, residing beside Phiana’s grand opera house, was the city’s most exquisite banquet hall. Seemingly countless carriages stopped before its grand staircase to deliver banquet-goers while others approached from the street and made for indoors.

Ellie squeezed the skirt of her dress at the sight of so many nobles, until she remembered who the garment belonged to and immediately smoothed it back out. She followed Emmett to the sidewalk as sweat blotched her forehead in pinpricks. By no means was she dressed differently than the rest, but Ellie feared all the same that every noble there could merely smell that she was cut from a different cloth.

A hollow, nervous laugh cracked from her. “Well, aren’t I out of place?”

“I’m not sure I understand, Eleanor.” Professor Emmett gestured her up the stairs to the banquet hall. “Either way, you’ll be fine. Just breathe deep and if worst comes to pass, hide behind a pillar or retreat to one of the balconies.”

“Noted.” Ellie took one step up the stairs and tripped slightly on her heel. With the faintest cry, she plead to the Triad that only Their eyes saw it happen.

After the doorman verified their admission, they entered the foyer where every sight overwhelmed Ellie, for better and for worse. The banquet hall was a radiant white with elaborately carved golden accents following every edge and space in between. Matching, fully lit chandeliers draped from the ceiling and provided enough light that it could have been midday with a glass roof. Even the Holy Guard stationed throughout were difficult to look at with how their armor caught the light.

Sight was not the only sensory utterly awash. Pleasant flutes and strings, as well as cacophonous voices, filled the room and those beyond with sound, all while perfumes and aromas from the kitchen danced with one another in the air. It was enough to make Ellie gawk, but she refrained out of fear of drawing unnecessary attention to herself.

The banquet room was astonishingly less deluged, in part due to the open balconies which allowed the sea breeze to sweep through. Ellie took a deep breath of the fresh air and looked around. There were round tables all throughout that could collectively seat a couple hundred people. Aside from the people occupying it, the center of the room was left significantly clear for conversation and dance. At the clearing’s front stood a podium with two long tables behind and on either side that were hosting individuals both familiar and foreign.

Ellie was content to avoid conversation with other apprentices and stuck close to Emmett as he mingled confidently with his fellow educators. She snatched a flute of champagne from a passing server’s tray and sipped away as she observed the few delegates seated at the long tables. It was no surprise that there were humans, elves, and dwarves among them, but most of the delegates were what many would deem ‘monstrous’. Despite their appearances, the only one among them that surprised Ellie was a peculiar, older goblin woman among all those so well-dressed. She looked as though she’d been plucked straight from the woods, bearing a scowl and folded arms over her chest as she slouched in her chair, listening to a noble, lizard-like man rambling on beside her.

But the delegates could only hold Ellie’s attention for so long before it started to wander. On the far end of the hall were several nobles engaged in conversation, and enjoying his drink in their company was the Faust nobleman who Ellie had embarrassingly bumped into at the festival. The mere sight of his long, loosely tied raven hair, angled face, and dashing attire beckoned her away from the professors and through a thickened crowd of recent arrivals.

Ellie kept her stare fixed on the nobleman, but the closer she made it to him and his group, the faster they seemed to disperse. When finally the crowd thinned and Ellie reached where they had been, she looked all around and sighed when not a one was to be found. In defeat, she lifted the champagne flute to her lips and took a long drink.

“Looking for someone?”

Tensing her throat was all Ellie could manage to prevent choking on her drink after being startled by the voice behind her. Leaning against the nearest pillar was the nobleman, a glass of wine cradled between his fingers as he watched in both amusement and concern.

Ellie coughed lightly. “And here I thought I missed my chance.”

“Ah, so it was I who was sought, then. Yesterday’s encounter wasn’t enough?” He smirked beyond the rim of his glass. “How fortunate I am that someone so beautiful has taken interest in me.”

“Now, let’s not get too carried away.” Few times had Ellie flirted in her life, yet now it felt oddly natural to her. “Besides, surely a man as gorgeous as yourself has a multitude of suitors lined up that fit the House Faust criteria far more than I ever could.”

The nobleman quirked his brow and flashed his signet ring at her. “Very observant.”

“Oh, I can’t take credit. It was my brother who noticed.” Ellie sipped her champagne for additional courage. “I saw you from the other end of the room and thought it a good opportunity to apologize for yesterday.”

“Apologize?” he chuckled and stepped closer. “Haven’t we already danced this waltz of apologies? After all, it was I who—”

“Okay, I get it. No need for an example.” Ellie stood beside the nobleman as they watched the banquet room in silence. Anyone else there would have frozen her in her tracks if they spoke to her so coquettishly. Why then was a man from one of the wealthiest and most powerful houses any different? “It’s strange,” she laughed, deciding to share her thoughts. “I barely even breathe the same air as the noble class of Phiana, yet speaking to you feels almost natural. It’s like I’ve known you for ages. How ridiculous is that?”

Ellie turned to the nobleman, who had watched her with solemn eyes that stirred in her a similar emotion. “But I do know you.” She lingered on her breath. “Don’t I?”

The look shared between them felt nearly as long as eternity.

“You do, Ellie,” he muttered. “As intimately as I know you.”

A confused mumble was all Ellie could utter after the shock from hearing the nobleman speak her name had otherwise paralyzed her. Hearing it again from further in the crowd instinctively drew Ellie’s attention to the source, where she spotted Emmett waving her over. All around them, delegates and guests were returning to their tables, indicating the start of the speech.

Ellie hadn’t the luxury of time to speak to the nobleman after the revelation that he may have been tied to her missing memory, especially as he had vanished from her side without a trace. She hadn’t looked away more than a few seconds, yet with such haste he was completely out of sight. In exasperation, Ellie drank down the last of her champagne and joined Emmett and two other professors and apprentices at a table near the center floor.

A quiet swept over the hall as a man adorned in the white and gold robes of a Triadean bishop took to the podium. He raised his hand to hush the remaining murmurers and looked out over the guests with a soft smile.

“Esteemed academics and nobles of Phiana, I welcome you as we honor of our distant neighbors and celebrate now forty years gone by since all our Shards joined as one in the Sea of Clouds.” The bishop beamed with every word, his outward joy spreading to all in attendance. “Though the Joining feels so far in the past and yet our beloved Shards have not yet been fully united, this gathering is proof that given time, our lands and our worlds will be brought together along with an age of prosperity for all united beneath this sun.”

He raised his hands skyward with his last words, then the bishop held his speech for a brief intermission, allowing everyone a moment to clap in agreement. But when he motioned his hand to hush them yet again, a subtle darkness had befallen his face.

“But are we of Shard Enmyda not already prosperous? Do we not already thrive on our own? Opportunities though there may be for further prosperity, inviting off-worlders into our midst would undoubtedly deliver terrors from the shadows of other Shards.”

The increasing concern marring the faces of the delegates reflected all in attendance. Ellie shared a side-glance with Emmett and knew that the gaping pit in her chest was not hers alone.

“What cost must we pay for a union between our Shards, and who would prosper most from uniting with we who’ve entered our longest era of peace? Those with enough troubles of their own, certainly.” The bishop gripped the edges of the podium and leaned forward. “Surely you, the people of Enmyda, can see the variety brought to us from these foreign realms? Radiant beings such as ourselves, naturally, but are there not also those who resemble savage beasts who once terrorized our lands? Barbaric lizard-men? Putrid goblins? Loathful orcs?”

Several among the delegates and the guests clapped their hands over their mouths in appall while others rambled quietly but angrily among themselves. Ellie could only watch in horror at the embarrassment unfolding as a bishop of her faith made a mockery of her home Shard.

“Only those blessed by the Holy Lady Herself have any right to walk the surface of Enmyda! All else are heretics to be banished back to the cursed Shards from which they spawned or sentenced to an eternity in everlasting darkness.”

“Enough!” A elf-like man with the lower body of a snake and gilded in gold fabrics rose from his seat, thrusting an accusing finger at the bishop. “I have spoken enough with Triadean priests to know that this man is no bishop of their Order. Remove him at once!”

Not a single knight of the Holy Guard moved from their positions around the perimeter of the room. Their inaction stirred those in attendance to wonder if the man truly was a bishop but had lost his mind. Especially when he remained composed as the snake-like elf raised his staff threateningly.

“Striking me down would be unwise,” the bishop sneered, then gestured to the Guard by swiping his finger toward the guests. The knights drew their weapons and closed in around the nobles and academics. “That is, unless you hope to be blamed for senseless slaughter.” With a sweet smile, the bishop leaned over the podium and spoke clearly. “Fear not, people of Phiana. All will be well, so long as you accept our Divine Word. We have the best interests of Enmyda and will protect you from the off-world heretics who would bring you harm. But, give any protest, and we will take that as a sign of allegiance with these so-called ‘delegates’.” He stood up straight and looked down his nose at the people before him. “And may one speak for all.”

The apprentice beside Ellie summoned all force of will to stifle his sobs against the sword pressed at his neck. So focused was she on his terror that Ellie was taken by surprise when a figure strode out from behind a pillar, yanked her by her arm, and dragged her nearly screaming to the center floor. Emmett started rising from his seat, but was ordered back down by the guard holding the apprentice hostage.

Looming over Ellie as she was thrust to the marble floor was the man in black. He scowled at her and squeezed her arm to keep her place when she tried pushing away, then grinned to the false bishop.

“An excellent speech, Overseer Saverio. And as it so happens, my investigations bore proof that these off-world heretics had indeed brought with them an atrocious child of the dark, who had been lurking among the innocent people of Phiana.”

Saverio glared at the Hunter from the podium. “Continue.”

Isadore kept his eyes on his superior, gripped the hem of Ellie’s dress, and jerked it down just enough to reveal the repulsive wound above her breast. Unfathomable pain surged through Ellie’s body, forcing her to cry out. But even her own voice was foreign to her with how it was altered by the black bile building in her throat. Dark veins branched outward from the wound up to her neck and Ellie heaved with the surging pain. It was not entirely absurd for an onlooker to believe the man’s claims, what with the horrible sounds she made, how the color left her irises, and how her pupils grew thin.

“The nerve that our esteemed guests had to bring with them a demon from the darkness.” Isadore dug his gloved fingers into the flesh around the wound, forcing from Ellie another vile reaction.

“No,” Emmett blubbered out and stood from his chair only slightly. “No, I’ve known Eleanor since she was just a girl. There’s nothing monstrous about her. Please, don’t—don’t speak such horrible lies.”

Isadore watched Emmett from the corner of his eye and let out a pitying sigh. “You poor man. Tricked by the demon’s dark magic to believe a false past. It only stands to reason that you’d think you were defending a helpless girl when that’s precisely the lie the demon planted in your mind.”

“But that—” Emmett fell into his seat. “There’s no—”

“Fear not, people of Phiana.” Isadore jerked Ellie’s head back by her hair to expose her throat, forcing black fluid to sputter from her mouth. “To prove that we—the children of our Holy Lady—care deeply even for those Enmydans who have not yet seen Her light, I will take the head of this demon and liberate you from the plague brought by these off-world heretics.”

No sooner had Isadore drawn his knife than confused shouts drowned out the momentary silence as the Faust nobleman defied his captors and pushed through to the center floor.

“Unhand her, Isadore Renard, or I’ll tear out every limb from your body.”

The seething hatred in Isadore’s glare contrasted the smirk that formed as the Faust nobleman drew his attention. He then extended an arm to present him to the audience. “Overseer Saverio, may I present to you our most special guest this evening; the very last of Solange’s cursed vampiric bloodline, Janus Alscher.” He sneered and tugged Ellie’s head slightly. “No doubt drawn here by fellow creatures of the dark.”

Janus gritted his teeth. “You conniving—”

“Ah!” Isadore returned the knife to Ellie’s neck. “May I remind you of the position that you and all present are currently in? It is not only the demon who stands to have their throat gashed, should the situation get out of hand.” He motioned to the nobles and academics still held at sword-point by the Solarists who had infiltrated the ranks of the Holy Guard. “Now, Overseer, please bear witness as I finish that which should have ended forty years ago, mere days before the Joining. Janus Alscher, if you would be so kind as to show the good people your true self.” Isadore tightened his grip on Ellie’s hair as incentive. “To eliminate any further confusion.”

Janus paused, not from reluctance, but in hopes of formulating some sort of plan in that split moment. Then, he reached beneath his cravat and into his waistcoat to retrieve the amber amulet. Giving the gemstone one last rub with his thumb, Janus pulled the delicate chain up above his head, his true appearance revealed as though he’d simply removed a mask. His skin turned pale, his irises shifted to red, and his fangs protruded with the hostility that boiled in his veins.

“Curious,” Isadore chuckled. “How did an amulet imbued with the power of our Holy Lady come into your hands? A member of our order that strayed from Her light, perhaps?” He threw Ellie aside, her visage returning to normal as the pain immediately subsided. “And in case the people need further proof that the man before them is indeed a vampire…”

From within his black coat, Isadore drew forth a small idol of the same solar staff worn around his neck. He then imbued it with a spell that, once outstretched toward Janus, forced the vampire to recoil in anguish. From a desperate instinct to survive, Janus’s fangs bared further as the feral side of him began retaliating. Isadore sheathed his knife and drew his sword, a twisted smile curling on his face as he stepped forward.

“Now, witness as I bring the vampire to his knees and remove him from his head.”

From across the room came a cackle that brought Isadore to a sharp halt. The old goblin witch stood from her seat at one of the delegate tables and gave applause.

“Such delightful folly and poignant theatrics!” she cried, then wiped a tear from her eye. Beside her hand she materialized a staff like a curled tree branch and slammed its tip on the floor in demand for attention. “Your little group must be made up of veritable imbeciles to not realize who stood in your presence. And to think; you honestly thought you had even a modicum of a chance to pull off this pathetic assault.”

Isadore tightened his stance, dropping the idol to his side which freed Janus from his hold, and glinted at his fellow Solarists as the air grew crushingly heavy.

“You’re certainly a simple lot if you really think everyone and everything is the same for each Shard.” The goblin snatched a few glass vials filled with dark liquids and crushed herbs from her pouch, then strung them to her staff with strange straws before drawing a pattern in the air. “Good people of Phiana, I highly advise you to cower beneath your tables as I show these fools how we deal with interlopers in Shard Elian.”

With another slam of the goblin witch’s staff, arcane symbols began etching themselves into the floor of the banquet hall. From those symbols appeared living armor; suits of steel animated by magic and holding no being within. The summoned soldiers turned to face the Solarists and engaged them in combat, allowing the hostages to retreat beneath their tables. Those closest to the main entrance chanced dashing outside in hopes of calling for the aid of the true Holy Guard.

“Despicable hag!”

Saverio lunged for the goblin witch in a blinding rage, but she merely grinned at him as the lizard-like man beside her leapt over the table and tackled him to the floor. He then gripped his head with his claw, and though Ellie could see nothing beyond the podium from where fear had frozen her to the floor, the gushy pop that came from behind painted an unnecessarily vivid picture of the Overseer’s fate.

Having lost Isadore’s ire to the suit of living armor intent on claiming his life, Janus sprinted around the conflict and dropped beside Ellie where he took her shoulders in his hands.

“Are you all right?”

“Honestly? No.” Ellie blinked away from the podium and pointed at the black puddle she’d hacked up when thrown to the floor.

“You need to come with me,” he insisted. “It’s no longer safe for you here.”

“You can say that again.”

“No, Ellie.” Janus turned her toward him. “Phiana is no longer safe for you.”

Her brow knitted as she gazed upon the strange-yet-familiar man, then turned away when she heard her name called from nearby. Emmett’s terrified eyes bore into his student from beneath a nearby table. No amount of trickery from a cultist would convince him that she was a demon, and the way she looked back at him assured him of her true nature. But despite Emmett’s attempt to encourage her to hide with him, Ellie merely shook her head and touched Janus’s arm in understanding.

“Don’t worry about me,” she shouted. “I’ll be all right!”

Swiftly, Janus ushered Ellie through the chaos and toward the entrance. As they escaped, a shriek burst from Isadore when his quarry vanish from sight.

“How dare you flee from me, Janus Alscher!”

No attempt to break free from combat with the living armor that had engaged him would prove successful, as the relentless pursuer had firmly wedged itself between the Hunter and his prey.

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

The pair fled through Phiana’s streets and as far from the conflict as possible before the true Royal Guard had arrived. With Janus’s pace significantly hindered by Ellie’s mortal speed and her unreasonable heels, a relieved laugh nearly cracked from him when an audible snap came from her feet. Ellie wobbled to hold her balance, then stopped and yanked off the broken shoe.

“Gods damn it,” she huffed.

“Always breaking your shoes, aren’t you?” Janus chuckled, then shook his head when she furrowed her brow at him questioningly. “Never mind. We need to keep moving.”

“Look.” She firmly shook off his grip when he took her arm again. “I haven’t the faintest idea what in the Triad’s names is going on or even who in the hells you are. Faust nobleman, indeed.” Ellie ran her fingers through her hair and stared back at the banquet hall, now four blocks away. “But for some stupid reason, I feel like I can trust you. And because of that, I expect you to explain everything to me. Everything!”

“I will, I promise. But not here and not now. Come on.” Janus reached beneath Ellie to try and scoop her up, but was met with a yelp and a slap to his shoulder. “Please, it’ll be faster this way.”

“I think not.” Ellie yanked off the other shoe.

“Fine. But if I sense we’re being pursued, you get no choice.” Janus grabbed Ellie’s hand and dragged her further through the city. The patter of her bare feet clashed against the clack of his heels on the cool, smooth stones. Often did Ellie feel as though she were being pulled, but whenever there was a significant tug, Janus slowed his pace to better match her own.

“Just who are you?” she panted, and struggled to keep up. “Who are you to me? Why are you so familiar, and what’s happening?”

“It’s all right, Ellie,” he breathed. “I swear I’ll have your memories restored. Then everything will make sense again.”

“I know you from that week I went missing, don’t I?”

“It was most certainly longer than a week,” Janus heaved, and steered them around a sharp corner. “But please, let’s save conversation for later. Even for one such as I, it’s difficult to sprint and talk at the same time. I cannot imagine how it is for you.”

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

Lamplight flickered with every gust from Lillian tossing a little rubber ball against the wall beside her brother’s bed. From his desk, Irwin thrust his finger at the last word he read to keep his place, then whipped around and glared at his sister.

“Can you not do that elsewhere? Outside, maybe?”

“It’s dark out,” she said plainly.

“Then do it tomorrow.”

Irwin turned back only to slam his hand on the book when the ball bounced above the window in front of him and narrowly missed the frame by an inch.

“I hate it when you’re bored,” he whimpered.

A thunderous boom turned Irwin around again, this time to share a look of shock with Lillian, who shook her head innocently as she held the ball firmly in her hands. Knowing that it came from the first floor, the siblings darted from Irwin’s bedroom and made their way to investigate, praying that nothing had happened to their father.

“Lock that door,” a voice commanded.

The first sight the siblings saw was Ellie rushing to the side door and turning all the locks into place. The second was the tall, elven man doing the same to the front door. Lastly, they saw their parents standing baffled in their bedroom doorway.

“We don’t have much time,” the familiar elven man said as he turned to Ellie. “If Isadore evaded the Holy Guard—which is likely—then there’s no doubt he will pursue us here.”

“And even if you left, surely he’d still—” From the corner of her eye, Ellie spotted her family observing her and Janus. Exhausted and recognizing the next hurdle of the evening, she let her shoulders sag and tossed the broken high heel and its intact partner haphazardly to the floor. “Well, Lillian. I kept my promise; I came home tonight.”