empire, and you know it.”
“I do,” Kalon muttered, stealing a glance at me, as if I’d made him do a most horrendous thing. It was an interesting dynamic for me to follow—Kalon softened visibly when he was around Trev. These two really were thick as thieves, and this whole line of questioning made Kalon extremely uncomfortable. He didn’t like causing Trev such distress. I could almost sympathize with his torment, had it not been for the deception I was clearly capturing from Trev. Then again, Kalon should’ve been able to sense it, too. After all, his hearing and smell were as good as a vampire’s, if not better.
“I do apologize for making you feel this way,” I said, offering a polite bow. “We just had to make sure.”
I decided not to pursue him directly anymore. With every second that passed, I became increasingly convinced that secrecy was a better path. Kalon reached out a hand, and Trev shook it firmly, his expression mellower.
“You got the trophy and the coins, but what did you choose for your grand prize?” he asked the Rimian.
“You know what I want,” Trev said. “You’ll be receiving a letter from the Blood Arena with my official request, soon enough.”
“Whenever you’re ready, I’ll be glad to welcome you among the Aeternae,” Kalon replied. “You’ve most certainly earned it.”
They bid each other goodbye, and we left Trev to finish cleaning his armor, making our way out of the arena and back toward the palace. By the time we reached the main boulevard surrounding the Blood Arena, there were barely a few souls left around, most of them uniformed staff members cleaning the steps.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” I said after a while.
We walked down a side alley, flowers bursting from ceramic pots on both sides. The afternoon was settling across Visio with its bold pink and red streaks, the haze thickening in anticipation of the evening. This was powerful magic, I thought, to keep three planets blurry from curious outsider eyes. I’d often thought about its purpose, and it still reeked to me. I hadn’t brought it up again, but I did keep it in the back of my head, ready to whip it out if needed.
What sort of nation would want to live like this, secluded from the rest of the universe? Were they hiding something bigger than our minds could even comprehend at this point, or were they simply fearful, despite their apparent prowess and evolutionary superiority?
“My momentary discomfort is nothing compared to what Nethissis must’ve gone through,” Kalon replied, looking straight ahead.
“You do know he was lying, though… right?”
Suddenly, his eyes found me. “You’re quite observant, Esme. Those ears of yours are very good, indeed.”
“It’s not news. We’ve already discussed our biological similarities.”
“Still, allow me to marvel at all the wonderful things about you,” he said. “And yes. I know he was lying.”
“Yet you let us leave without pushing him more.”
He smiled. “I know you want to suggest surveillance—following him around. Or am I wrong?”
I couldn’t help but laugh lightly, pulling my mask off as we entered a darker, shaded neighborhood. “No, you’re absolutely right. I think he’ll lead us to the Red Threads, eventually.”
Trees stretched their thick branches overheard, blocking the setting sun from casting its soft light upon the three-story buildings that rose on both sides of the alley. We moved slowly, taking in every detail as we walked. There weren’t many people around, mostly Naloreans coming back to their homes, carrying baskets filled with fresh, strange-looking fruit and braided breads and square cheeses neatly wrapped in thin linens.
The air smelled of delicate blossoms, and the taste of blood had finally left the tip of my tongue. Fenyx’s Aeternae blood spill had left an impression on my senses, and I was only becoming aware of it now that I was away from it. It didn’t take long before I remembered similar sensations looming after Demetrius had been killed. It dawned on me then that there was definitely something special about the Aeternae’s blood, and it went past its ability to heal or its day-walking protein. These people were different. I wanted to understand exactly how deep this mystery went.
“I don’t think it’s wise for us to follow him around, however,” Kalon said. “He’ll smell us from a mile away. Unfortunately, I’ve taught him well. But I’ve got a couple of people I can trust to keep tabs on him.”
“But you’ll turn him into an Aeternae regardless?” I asked.
“He’s earned that