Isn’t that what you’re going to be anyway? A whisper in the back of my mind hisses. I shake it out and face down the warehouse’s double steel doors. I pretend to sneak up to them, knowing fully well they have cameras trained on the entrance. Lake is waiting for them to move, split up, and then he’ll take them down one by one.
I keep expecting the front doors to open, but when I feel the hand over my mouth I realize I should’ve known better. Cults have to be sneaky. Three men come up behind the one who has me, all dressed in casual jeans and shirts, sunglasses and rings. They look like your average tourist. You’d never guess they were part of the Mutus, but I’m quickly learning nothing looks as it should in the world of alchemy.
“Be quiet,” The man with his hand over my mouth hisses. “Or we will kill you.”
You won’t, I say in my head. At least, not right now. But with the fingers over my mouth I can’t say anything. They steer me towards a side door I totally missed when I first saw the place. The inside is dim and musty, huge shipping containers crowding the floor and turning it into a maze of rust and sawdust. The door screeches shut behind me, and only then does the man lift his hand from my mouth. I instantly whirl around and get a good look at their faces - for future reference. If I have a future at all.
“What, no creepy robes? I’m disappointed,” I sigh. “Do you guys at least have weird tattoos? A skull, maybe? Maybe an ‘I Love My Homunculus’ across a heart on your shoulder?”
“Shut up,” One of them snarls. “And keep walking.”
“You could at least ask politely.” I trudge down the first block of containers, trying my best to look downtrodden. Men and women prowl on top of the containers, keeping watch over everything that goes on, but when I pass a hungry look gleams in their eyes. Homunculus. One of them jumps down and starts to sniff at me, my clothes, my hair, but one of my captors shoves him off.
“She’s for the Archduke only.”
The homunculus sneers at me, wiping away a very noticeable bit of drool from his lips, but retreats. I shudder and keep my eyes forward. I’m a hunk of steak that just landed in a cage of hungry dogs.
My captors direct me to the center of the huge warehouse, where a velvet couch and a expensive looking-carpet are set up. A side table holds a pot of hot chocolate and scones. On the couch sits an older man with smooth, slicked-back white hair. His face is old and wrinkled, but his eyes are as sharp and blue as a shark.
“Ms. Redfield,” He smiles, putting his book down. “How nice of you to join us. Please, have a seat.”
“I’ll stand, thanks.”
His smile widens. “You won’t.”
My legs suddenly give out beneath me, yanking me onto my butt on a nearby metal chair. I yelp in pain, my hips throbbing. The man laughs, low and soft.
“Much better.”
“How did you -”
“It’s come to my attention you’re new to the wonders of alchemy,” The man pours himself some cocoa and sips it thoughtfully, watching me all the while. “So I’ll forgive your naivety just this once.”
I open my mouth to say something, but my lips are sealed tight. I try to force them open, my blood rushing hot as I start to panic. This isn’t alchemy. Darius never did anything like this. This is something else - something horrible and total.
I’m not afraid anymore.
I’m terrified.
The man grins patiently. “I am Oliver Rothschild, Archduke of the Deep One’s most sacred family. And you, Ms. Redfield, are our bride. It’s so kind of you to join us at last.”
***
“My apologies,” Oliver sighs. “Am I moving too fast? We’ve just met, after all. You must be confused about some things.”
I’m quiet. He smiles.
“Come now. Don’t hide your feelings. Aren’t you confused about some things?” My head nods all on its own, like an invisible hand is forcing it up and down. The clamp on my lips lifts.
“Fuck you,” I spit. “Let my friend go.”
Oliver freezes, eyes growing colder than a frosted river. But it only lasts a second. He plasters on a bright smile, and leans towards me.
“My son is much like you. Willful. Disrespectful. But I taught him manners, just as I’ll teach you.”
My very ribs are trembling, but I can’t back down, not now. If I do, I’ll get Ellie and Lake killed.
“I know you, Mia,” Oliver presses. “Our eyes and ears are everywhere. The Idaho police department was very forthcoming with your record when I bribed them. They may not know, but I know what you did to your father.”
It’s my turn to go completely still. A wave of fire rushes through my veins, scorching me from the inside out.
“How many others know?” He asks. His expression is pleasant, almost kind. “Not very many, I’m willing to wager. And definitely not this Ellie girl. You wouldn’t tell her, would you? You wouldn’t tell anyone. How could you? They’d think you were a monster. They’d never speak to you again. Your own father, Mia.”
A toxic lump forms in my throat, choking out my ability to breathe properly. My memory flashes with blood, crickets singing, the trailer park’s muddy ground trying to swallow me, Dad’s voice screaming -
I squeeze my eyes shut.
“Your mother abandoned you. You’re all alone in this world,” Oliver leans in further, touching my knee. “But we’re here. Many of our members are just like you - orphans in this world. We are a family. We look after each other, ensure that we all have the means to live well and happily. We belong to each other. You belong with us.”
I try to recoil from his hand, but my legs won’t move. He’s keeping them there with his weird alchemy, somehow.
“I don’t want a family,” I grit out. “I want to be free.”
“And do you think the Sage Council will give you that freedom?” Oliver sighs. “They want to cage you, put a leash of money on you, and assign an alchemist to abuse you. There are stories, child. Many of our family are Azoth like yourself, who fled a cruel and brutal alchemist master. We offered them shelter, escape from a system that’s abused them for hundreds of years.”
My stomach sinks. He leans in, eyes ablaze with blue fire.
“The Sage Council is not your friend. Darius Montclaire is not your friend. They are enforcers, part and parcel of a wicked evil that has held control over alchemy for far too long.”
My mind flashes with the image of Darius’ beautiful, despair-ridden face as he sacrificed Amelie’s ring to protect me.
“You’re wrong,” I say, my voice suddenly strong. Oliver pulls away, and it’s my turn to lean in. “I don’t know about the Sage Council, but you’re wrong about Darius. He’s not evil, and he’s not wicked. And he might not be my friend, but he’s better than people like you who took my friend from me. He’s better than you. He’s better than you could ever be.”
Something in Oliver’s face cracks down the middle, and hot rage spills out.
“You ignorant little bitch!” He snarls. He throws his hand up and my body goes flying. I’m suddenly weightless, like a feather falling in a gentle wind. Except it’s not gentle - I’m forced side-to-side, rocked by an invisible hand twenty feet in the air. My bones creak, my neck cracks eerily with the force of every shake. The matson containers and the homunculus below look so small, the high roof beams closer than ever. One wrong shake and I’m nothing more than brainsauce on a steel rafter.
“Father!” I hear a distant shout. “Father, not the bride! Put her down before you anger the Deep One!”
The shaking stops. I start to fall in slow-motion, cradled by the invisible hand. When my feet touch the ground, I see my savior - a guy who looks like a younger version of Oliver, but much more handsome. His dark hair falls in his eyes, peacoat smart and crisp on his lean body. His eyes are the same shade of antarctic-ice blue, and in all respects, he looks like a bird of prey - sharp and vicious. He shoots me a quick look - something like a reassuring nod - and turns to Oliver, who’s now considerably calmer
.
“I don’t need you to tell me how to handle my affairs, Vox.” Oliver snarls at the newcomer. Vox clears his throat.
“Father, it’s not solely your affair. The other Archdukes would be displeased to know you harmed her in any way,” His voice is like velvet in a midnight shadow. “And word of it will get back to them.”
Vox motions with his head to the other Mutus hanging around the carpeted area and gripping their silver daggers that look much like Darius’s. Some of them look more disturbed than others. Oliver’s face pales, but he quickly recovers.
“I was testing her Azoth,” Oliver says loudly. “And I’m happy to report she passed. We truly have Lalei with us again, brothers and sisters.”
A small cheer rises up. Vox leans in over my shoulder while his father’s back is turned to receive the applause.
“The Reaper rescued your friend,” He says. “He was coming to get you, but he doesn’t know my father’s power. He would’ve been crushed. I offered to come instead.”
“You’re - you’re not one of them?” I hiss, my hands and feet quaking. I can barely stand anymore - all my energy is gone, sapped by fear.
His mouth brushes my ear. “When I say run, you turn around and run.”
“Run where? This place is a maze.”
“Do you want to get out or not?”
I clench my fists. “Yes.”
“Then do as I say.”
He leans away from me, his eyes getting a far-off look, like he’s concentrating on a point in space I can’t see. The Mutus and homunculus alike are all staring at me, clear happiness written on their faces. Why are they so happy to see me? I’m a strong Azoth, but this is more than that. It’s like I’ve instilled…hope in them.
Oliver turns to face me, opens his mouth to say something, and then the world goes black.
Echoes of angry shouting resound, Oliver’s voice commanding someone to turn the lights back on, to find me and secure me. Vox’s voice whispers in my ear, his body so close I can feel his heat against my back.
“Run.”
I’ve never been afraid of the dark. But now, surrounded by Mutus and homunculi who’d love nothing more than to eat me or cage me, I’m terrified. My legs springboard me across the room, back the way I think the door is. I could be wrong. I could run into a wall, or a matson container, and I brace for it to happen. It has to. But it doesn’t. I keep running without hitting anything, the only thing I can see blackness and the only thing I can feel the wind around my rushing body. I’m either incredibly lucky, or suddenly in a new place entirely.
And then, light.
Bright, white morning light sears my vision. I blink away water, and I jump when a rough hand grabs my forearm.
“Let me go!” I scream.
“Mia, it’s me, it’s Lake,” Lake hisses. I blink more, red hair swimming into view. Another body rams into me in a tight hug, but I know from the hands and arms that it’s Ellie, and I feel all the tension in my muscles fade.
“Mia! Oh god, Mia! I’m so glad you’re okay!”
My eyes fully adjust, and I hug Ellie hard and smile at Lake.
“You did it. You really did it!”
He nods. “Thanks to you, and that creepy Vox guy. C’mon, we gotta get out of here before they see us.”
Lake leads us back to the portal, Ellie holding my hand tight the whole way. She’s quiet, and I’m too shocked to say much. Her apprehension at stepping onto the portal only lasts a second, and when she sees me smile reassuringly at her she relents. Lake speaks ‘bicallis’, and the world changes instantly - we’re back in the warm, musty haunted house. Only when we get out of it does Ellie speak.
“You’re going to tell me what’s going on when we get home, right?”
“Of course. It’s long overdue. I’m sorry. Because of me, you got -”
“It’s not your fault,” Lake insists, flagging down a taxi. “It was mine. I should’ve known they’d try to get to you through Ellie. I failed. I’m the one who should be sorry.”
His emerald eyes are uncharacteristically apologetic, and angry. Anger at himself, no doubt.
Ellie puts a hand on his shoulder. “Cut it out. You saved me. I owe you, me and Mia both do.” She turns to me as we get in the cab. “You guys aren’t really cousins, are you?”
“Busted,” Lake groans. “If you want, I can give her memorium -”
“No memorium. Ellie can handle the truth.”
Lake shrugs and goes to his motorcycle, following our cab. Ellie turns to me.
“What truth? The truth you guys are secretly involved in drug smuggling? Because that’s really the only logical conclusion I can draw, here.”
We wait until we’re home, safe from cab driver’s ears. Lake sits us both down and makes us hot tea with honey. Ellie demands rum in hers, and Lake laughs and pours me some, too.
And I begin to tell the story.
It feels surreal, telling Ellie something I only barely believe myself. I tell her everything, starting from that night we were attacked at the club. Alchemists, homunculus, all of it. I tell her all of it. Lake helps, explaining what the Reapers are, and who Darius is, what Alchemy really is. And finally, we explain the Mutus, and why they took her.
“That man Oliver,” Ellie murmurs. “He visited me when they first tied me up in the back. He knew, Mia. He knew about your dad.”
I flinch. Lake looks curiously at me.
“I know,” I whisper.
“How? How did he know?” Ellie presses.
“The Mutus have eyes and ears everywhere,” Lake offers.
“Especially on the police force,” I add. Lake shoots me a surprised glance.
“That’s right.”
Ellie watches me carefully with her soft, understanding eyes, then gets up and hugs me. “It’s okay. I’m here.”
My hands are shaking so hard I can barely hold my mug. I put it down and clutch at her like she’s a life raft, an anchor in a raging sea. I won’t cry. Not in front of Lake. Not in front of Ellie. I have to show her I’m better, now. Stronger. Sometime between Ellie hugging me and letting go, Lake’s disappeared. The window’s open, so I can only assume he changed into his Alt and left to give us privacy. It’s nice of him. Too nice. When I’ve calmed down, Ellie looks me in the eyes.
“I believe you,” She says. “It sounds crazy, but I saw what Oliver could do. He showed off plenty. And I saw the homunculi - they had the same hungry look the boy from the club did. If you’re really a strong Azoth - if you could help stop those nasty fuckers - then you have to do it.”
I nod, smiling wanly. “That’s what I decided, too.”
Ellie squeezes my hand, tears coming to her eyes.
“But you’ll - you’ll be in so much danger. You could get hurt, or…die, and I - I wouldn’t know what to do with myself.”
“You’ve been so helpful already. You helped that night with Dad, and helped me get away from it all. You’re the best. You always will be. But you don’t have to protect me all by yourself, anymore. It’s time for me to protect you.”
Ellie sob-laughs, and buries her head in my shoulder.
“I was so scared, Mia. They had daggers. They told me they’d kill me.”
I put my arms on her back, rubbing soothingly. “Me too. But I promise - I won’t let them get you again. I won’t let them get anyone else, ever again.”
The knock on the door lasts only a second before it flings open, the locks completely useless. Ellie yelps and I brace myself to punch at whoever rounds the corner, but Darius’ finely-chiseled features dark with rage stop me in my tracks. He immediately strides over to me with fierce purpose and holds both of my shoulders, looking me up and down intently.
“Are you hurt?”
“I’m alright,” I steady my voice. “How did you -”
“Lake called me. Are you certain you’re unharmed?”
His hands move my chin softly, inspecting my face, and I shy away when his fingertips brush my scar.
/> “He just threw me around a bit, that’s all.”
Darius’s silence is deadly, and his eyes are more piercing than the sharpest sword. “He who?”
“Oliver. Oliver Rothschild.”
***
The name makes my blood race, my fists tighten. Oliver dared to take her. Her face is white and strained with exhaustion, her eyes duller than when I saw her last. He did something to her, disturbed the deep part of her soul that burns with golden fire. The firebird is dampened, worn but not defeated. Never defeated.
“Oliver and the Mutus believe you are holy,” I say finally. “They want you.”
“I kind of figured that,” She smirks. “You know, when they kidnapped my friend and called me their ‘bride’.”
“Lalei was the bride of the Deep One - their god. She had tremendous Azoth, as you do.”
“She was real?”
I nod. “For a time. She was a lovely woman, but when she saw what her Azoth could do in the hands of an alchemist, she was corrupted by the power. She started to believe herself the messenger of a ‘god’ she saw in her dreams. She was insane, but she was more charismatic than anyone I’ve ever met. She swayed alchemists to her side, and they bought her beliefs. Thus, the Mutus was formed.”
“But she died.”
I nod. “Over four hundred years ago. She told many prophecies - one of which was that she would be reborn around the turn of the millennium. Her followers would be able to know her by the strength of her Azoth.”
“So,” Mia looks up at me. “What you did - that Dark Repel alchemy that killed all those homunculi -”
“It only solidified their beliefs that you are Lalei,” I agree. “An error on my part.”
I pull the necklace from my pocket. The chain is silver, the color of moonlight on water with dozens of delicate filigree vines lacing around each other. The pendant is a blue rose carved from a single clear sapphire, silver leaves branching out from behind it. It glints in the moonlight, deep blue sparks of light flickering over her face as I hand it to her.