Vivian stepped into Rake’s room uninvited.
The thin man barely even reacted to her presence. He’d been sitting at his table with his elbows propped up and fingers interlaced when she’d arrived, staring into the air blankly. The only sign Rake gave to reveal he was even a sapient being was a faint flick of his eyes in her direction.
Vivian couldn’t keep herself from glancing around the room. It was completely empty. There was nothing at all to be looking at. He’d probably been somehow communicating with someone remotely. She hadn’t even tried interfering with that. There were too many ways to pull it off, and anyone as powerful as a Faction Head would be able to circumvent anything but the most oppressive interference anyway.
“Rake,” Vivian said.
“Vivian,” Rake replied. “What do you want? It is uncouth to interfere at this time of night.”
“The fact you strung more than a few words together probably means I’m interrupting something you care about,” Vivian said. She arched an eyebrow. “Am I?”
“Yes,” Rake said. “You are.”
“Good. Then this accomplishes two things at once,” Vivian said. She walked up to the table. “But I can assure you that I’m about to offer you something far more interesting than whatever it is you’re doing. You’ve got once chance to hear me out. Then I’m leaving.”
Rake’s gaze lifted slightly to meet hers. It was impossible to tell if he was interested or bored. “Speak.”
“I’ll let you have your pick of the tournament. Anyone that isn’t already agreed to one of the other Faction Heads. I’ll send you right to their room so you can recruit them directly, without worrying about anyone interfering at one of the events,” Vivian said. “Direct to them. And I’ll do it tomorrow.”
Rake’s head tilted ever so slightly to the side. “Why?”
“Because I need you to do something for me,” Vivian replied. “I need about ten minutes of your presence.”
Rake’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“That doesn’t matter,” Vivian replied. She pressed her hands to the table before Rake and leaned down so they were at eye level. “I don’t expect you to raise a hand or use your power. I just need you present. That’s the extent of what you’re getting. Accept it or don’t. There are other Faction Heads. I have options. And let me be completely clear — I’m going to the Imperator right after this. So make your choice.”
Rake’s inscrutable gaze dug at her for a few seconds. Then the man’s head inclined.
“Very well,” Rake said simply. “I accept.”
Vivian smiled.
***
Maria appeared beside Baress’ bed, arising from a pillar of shadow.
The other woman glanced at her over the top of the book she’d been reading. Her lips pulled into a motherly smile.“You’re back soon.”
“The preparations are complete,” Maria said. “Every piece is in place and ready to be played. Tonight will be your best chance to accomplish your goals without being caught. Just remember our deal. When it’s done—”
“Yes, yes,” Baress said. She snapped her book shut and set it down on the nightstand with a hearty laugh. “I don’t care about Aqua Terra. The city is all yours. All I need is Vivian out of the way. Just make sure anything you pull happens after I’ve gotten what I need. Otherwise, our deal is off.”
“Don’t worry,” Maria said. “I’m no fool. I always work in the shadows. You don’t make it to my age by being so impatient that you jump ahead too quickly at the last moment. I don’t mind savoring my victory.”
“That’s precisely why we work so well together,” Baress said. She rose from the bed and snapped her fingers. Coils of iridescent green and black matter twisted into being around her arm to form into a long, hooked staff. “I’ll be sure to stay away from Aqua Terra after you’ve finished your work here. You won’t have to worry about me trying to interfere with your work.”
“I’m counting on it,” Maria said. “Are you prepared? We can begin within the hour. I just have to move the final pieces into the right positions. Vivian’s attention has already been diverted. And it will be very diverted for the rest of the night.”
“Yes,” Baress said. Her smile grew cold. “Do it.”
“Very well,” Maria said. “I will return for you shortly. It will be enjoyable to finally be free of this farce. The servitude has grown stale. It is about time I claim some power for myself.”
And then the shadows were gone.
***
“I cannot believe that Spider is Garina’s insufferable, un-killable little shit of an apprentice,” Kyyle seethed, pacing back and forth across the room. “Can you believe that? How could someone as rancid as him possibly have any taste?”
The other Apostles stared at him. He could tell they weren’t exactly following. Crone had been staring at a wall for the past few hours, and Audren was as checked out as always. But he didn’t care. Their contribution wasn’t helpful anyway.
None of them would understand.
The Apostles had never been aligned by anything other than their connection to Decras and power. Things such as taste could not be earned, no matter how much someone pursued power. That was just something you had to be born with.
But the idea that Noah was the same as him…
It filled Kyyle with equal parts disbelief and disgust. He couldn’t allow for it. There was no way he could let himself get shown up by some little brat from a laboratory empire. It was obscene. They were not the same. It wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be.
This can’t be allowed. I’ll have to get a better outfit for when I put him down properly, so he can be crushed in both spirit and body. I will not allow myself to be shown up. Especially not by Garina’s disciple. By all the gods. She thinks a dog collar is a statement. How could she have possibly found someone so fashion—
A chill ran down Kyyle’s back.
He spun. The other Apostles did the same. All of their gazes snapped to the wall, where shadows were bubbling up into the inky form of a woman.
“I’m with Baress,” she said, before Kyyle could speak. “It’s time.”
“Now?” Kyyle asked, blinking in surprise. “So fast? No. Hold on. The Truthseekers just made a move. We can’t—”
“Vivian is not here,” the shadowy woman said dismissively. “Drop the act. And it is precisely because the Truthseekers just made a move that we should act now. You are playing on multiple sides. Just because one angle failed to work out does not mean the other will. And this will further everyone’s purposes. By the time you’re done with this, we’ll all have what we want.”
Kyyle’s lips thinned.“You’re absolutely certain that now is the time?”
“Yes,” the woman said. “Baress has what she needs. We’ve found the location of the key. All that remains is to take it and slip away. Vivian will be too focused on dealing with bigger problems. Your Prophet approaches. He will keep Vivian occupied while we work. And, by the the time she realizes what’s happening, we’ll be done and there will be nothing she can do.”
Kyyle thought for a moment. Then he glanced back at the other two Apostles and snapped his fingers.
“As you say. I’ve been getting tired of this farce anyways. Get ready.” He looked back to the woman. Then his lips pulled into a thin smile. “Just give me a moment to change.”
***
Noah woke to a knock on the door of his room.
He blinked, sitting upright and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. It couldn’t have been more than an hour or two since he’d gone to bed.
“The hell?” he muttered, rising to his feet and walking over to push it open. The only people in the waiting room with him were Lee, Fist, and Brayden. He couldn’t imagine what any of them could have possibly wanted so late.
Noah pushed the door open.
Then he froze.
“Hullo,” Jalen said.
Oh. Right. I let him come back with me and sleep on the floor. Forgot about that.
“What do you want?” Noah asked. “I am not playing darts right now. It’s the middle of the night. I need to rest for tomorrow. There are still more rounds in the tournament. And, unlike you, some of us are actually participating.”
“Bah,” Jalen said. “Not everything I have to say somehow involves darts, you know. I’m not a complete addict. But now that you’re mentioning it… how about a team game? We’ve got 6 people. That’s enough to get some real competition going. 2 teams of 3. Or maybe 3 of 2? Either would work.”
Noah pinched the bridge of his nose, unsure if he wanted to laugh or sigh.
Then he frowned.
Jalen’s number’s didn’t add up.
“Wait,” Noah said. “Did you say 6 people?”
Jalen grinned.
Then he stepped to the side.
Standing behind him was a small demon with a river of long silver hair that hung down to her feet. She had a white ceramic mask embossed with a blue eye on its center upon her face, but that did absolutely nothing at all to conceal her identity from him.
“Surprise,” Jalen cackled. “I brought a friend in.”
“Hello, Spider,” Yoru said. “I hate to interrupt your sleep. But if you want everyone we care about to leave this tournament in one piece, you’re going to need to help me rob your ex-wife.”