The void cleared as I dropped to the ground. My head was swimming, my eyes stung from the smoke and ash, and my heart pounded against my ribcage.

  "M... make it stop..." the merary whispered. His voice was raspy, dry. His hands trembled.

  He had fallen into a heap, curled up on himself like a beaten child.

  "I'm sorry," he said, "I'm sorry..."

  Celeste quietly walked over, helpio my feet. Her eyes were filled with tears, but she kept them at bay.

  I looked around at the others.

  Strawberry, Currant, and Kitsune were staring at me in shock, and Bck Star and Albert closed in slowly, keeping a for danger.

  "What... was that?" Strawberry asked. Her voice was barely audible her ears drooping.

  "A... An Art," I replied. "Nightingale's...Lament."

  She stared at me, blinking several times.

  Then, she stared at Celeste and Kitsune.

  Kitsuhree tails were raised defensively, and his ears were twitg, while his face ale. "That was..." he breathed.

  I didn't say anything.

  He looked at Celeste, then at the fallen merary.

  And then bae.

  He gulped.

  "That's not possible," he whispered, his voice hoarse.

  I looked away.

  Strawberry ae stared at the fallen merary. "What... what happeo him?" Currant asked.

  "He's experieng the worst memory in his mind, o, in an infinite loop," I replied. "Nightingale's Lament doesn't impose a direct mana attack. It uses its target's ret, guilt, shame, sorrow, the worst emotions and experiences. I don't have enough mana to use it to its fullest, but if I borrow some I could turn it into a touch-activated teique. I'm not sure what's going to happen when I cel it, so I 't yet. I'll let him stay in the nightmare for a few more minutes."

  "You..." Strawberry said.

  Then, she sighed and shook her head. "I'll... process this ter. We should tie him up."

  She looked at Bck Star pointedly, like she expected him to pull ropes out of nowhere. He shrugged and produced two lengths of thick, sturdy cord.

  Currant looked at Celeste.

  "You are Elysia?"

  Celeste didn't say anything. I could feel the ay and nervousness radiating off of her.

  And I could sehat Currant was not angry, but more surprised and ed. His expression was unreadable, but he was trying to uand the situation.

  I wao speak up for Celeste but I was still exhausted, my body still ached and my head throbbed. I could barely stand, and I could barely speak. I had to force the words out of my throat, and evehey were hoarse, raspy. I was still reeling from the effects of the attack. The st time I'd tried it, I was knocked right out of my dream shift.

  "I..." Celeste began.

  "You don't o expin," Strawberry said, taking a deep breath and holding it. "We talk ter. Right now, we should focus on this asshole and making sure he's tied up. We have this versation ter."

  Currant nodded and looked away. Celeste took a shaky breath.

  Then, she closed her eyes and focused, and in a pink fsh she returo the Elysia I'd e to know and admire. Her ptinum blonde, almost silver hair was short and bobbed, her eyes were honey brown, and her silver and white outfit looked like it was desigo atuate her athletic, slim figure.

  Kitsuepped closer to me and put a hand on my shoulder. I looked at him. His expression ained, but there was also in his eyes.

  "You're not okay," he said. "You shouldn't have had to do that."

  I looked down and shook my head. "It's okay. I'll be alright."

  "You should rest. You've done more than enough."

  "I'm not going to let anyone else fight my battles," I told him. "Besides, we still have to get him tied up and there are more supervilins in the area. He didn't e along, and Arsenal was battling White Rose to defend Bck Star here."

  "White Rose is here too?! Wait, is that the sword-wielding dy in white with a rose on her shoulder?" Kitsune excimed.

  As if on cue, a slow repeating cp echoed across the street.

  We turned, armed.

  There was a man standing a good distance away, his hands csped together and a bored look across his face.

  He was thin, tall, and his eyes were bloodshot, with messy white hair that hung over his eyes in a fringe.

  He wore a simple white tunid trousers that looked more like pajamas than anything else. He was wearing sandals and his nails were long and painted bck. He looked like he'd just crawled out of bed after being up all night.

  I didn't reize the man, but he had an aura of absolute wrongness about him. He looked ordinary enough, if a bit pale and uhy. He looked like any other man you might pass oreet, but he was anything but.

  He felt off. Like something about him just wasn't quite right. There was an air of danger and a distinct sense of malice that I couldn't pce.

  Kitsune, Currant, and Elysia immediately jumped in front of us.

  Strawberry and Bck Star joihe lianding side-by-side with the others.

  They all had their eyes fixed on the man.

  "Css Seven Striker and troller. Sanguine Sorceror, also known as El Mago," Albert recited. "Red Masque's personal interrogator and executioner."

  The man smiled at us. "You know me?" he asked.

  Bck Star growled.

  "Enrico," Sanguine Sreeted. "How has life been for you?"

  Bck Star growled. He pulled a pair of daggers out and stepped forward.

  The man smirked. "Oh? Why the hostility? Have I not been nothing but kind to you? To your family?"

  "You..." Bck Star hissed. His voice was raw and full of anger.

  "I've heard a lot of rumors, but it seems you've taken to the magical knights' side," Sanguine Sorcerhed, looking disappointed. "I'm so sorry to hear that. I had such a nice w retionship with you and Red Masque. Your brother and I had so many pns, Enrico."

  Bck Star narrowed his eyes, before responding. "You know, I've been thinking it over. About who could've sicced Scrapper Scuttler here on us. The Twins have wealth owing to their mother, but they're loyalists and don't have the ambition. I couldn't see Voltage betraying Arsenal, even though they don't see eye to eye right now. And I've already spoken to Bckwood. The Serpents have a strict hierarchy, so they wouldn't have been able to keep this a secret. You... you have a different story though, don't you?"

  "Oh?" the man said. "And what's my story then?"

  Bck Star scoffed. "I know how you think, and you're predictable as all hell. You're a sicko who enjoys t people. I know how much pleasure you got out of watg me suffer when Red Masque was training me. Why would someoh your talents stay by my brother all these years? The only reason you stayed was because my brother kept feeding you fresh meat. You stayed because my brother kept bringing in fresh victims, and because my brother kept getting new recruits, and because my brother kept you fed. You didn't stay out of loyalty, did you? You stayed out of hunger."

  Bck Star paused, taking a deep breath.

  "You're a monster. A predator. You enjoy t people and watg their pain. That's why you're here. And now that I've agreed to e bad help Arsenal..."

  "Turning on you..." Sanguine Sorceror finished, his tone dark. "Is that what you think I've done?"

  "You're a snake, Damian," Bck Star growled. "A real s like the guys in the gang. You have a reputation. And I 't believe I ever thought otherwise. The way you act... You don't care about anyone else."

  Damian grinned. "A I've been w so hard to keep the Knights and the rest of the criminal elements off of the gang's backs while Red Masque has been indisposed. And now that you're here..."

  "You do whatever the fuck you want, 't you? That's the only reason why you're here, to take advantage of the opportunity my brother's death presented," Bck Star accused.

  Damian shook his head, his messy hair swaying from side to side.

  "Now, now. I'm a man of many talents. You know I have many friends in the underground. I make sure the right people are io keep you and Arsenal safe," the man offered, his aura briefly fshio my vision.

  "I..."

  Somethi off the arm bells in my head.

  He was wrong. Something about this wasn't right. I could feel it in my bones. He was doing something. I didn't know what, but I could feel it.

  "You've got the situati, Enrico," Damian stated, his voice calm and soothing.

  Bck Star blinked, his eyes going unfocused, and then snapped his eyes back open. His gaze sharpened, his eyes fog on Damian once again, his expression turning from one of ao one of suspi. Damian didn't eve. He simply tinued.

  "Look around you, Enrico," Damian tinued, gesturing towards the others. "Look at all of your allies. You don't belong here, Enrico. These are not your friends, they're just people using you for your skills. You're not a hero. You're a thief and a liar. Arsenal just needs you to get her hands on the locked caches of Crimson Gang mohey're all using you."

  Bck Star blinked. "Would... would she?"

  "It makes sense," I affirmed. "And it's definitely something I'd expect a vilin like Arsenal to do."

  Yes. He made sense. Arsenal was a vilin. She'd use Bck Star to steal money.

  Damian smiled. "Exactly. Now, e along, boy. Let's get out of here before she es back."

  "Okay," Bck Star replied. "That makes se makes total sense."

  I blinked and turo look at him.

  "Bck Star?"

  Bck Star walked past me, stepping forward to Damian.

  Of course Bck Star would go back with his fellow gang members. They're family.

  "You..." Elysia started. Her eyes widened as Bck Star tinued. She started forward but she stopped, scratg her head in fusion.

  I didn't move to stop Bck Star. He had to go with Damian.

  Strawberry turo me, stretg and yawning, and scratched at her ears, flig her tail. "Why was I so worked up? Bck Star was a gang member. It's where he belongs. We should let them go. It's just a matter of time until we have to fight Arsenal."

  I turo her, my head suddenly feeling foggy. "You..."

  The group gathered around me, looking at me expetly. They had their hands on their ons and their faces were impassive. The unscious Scrapper Scuttler tio whimper.

  "Let's go bad rest. I'm feeling huhngrry," Strawberry yawned.

  "Wait... wait a sed..." I mumbled. "Something's... wrong..."

  "What is?" Elysia asked, rubbing her head.

  "Ah, nothing at all," Damian reassured us. "Just let me ha from here. Bck Star knows better than to be in the pany of knight like you."

  Bck Star stopped mid-step and looked back at us.

  I shook my head, clearing it of the haze.

  I turo the rest of the group, and then looked at Damian, who had an expet, predatrin on his face.

  "I'm so happy that my little Enrie back to the right side of the w," Damian tinued, his smile widening as he stepped forward, his hand outstretched for Bck Star's shoulder.

  I looked at Kitsune, who had his head down and was staring at his feet curiously. Currant had an annoyed look on his face, as did Strawberry, who was scratg at her cat ears. Celeste was rubbing her forehead, blinking her eyes.

  Albert, however, had his eyes closed and was muttering something.

  "What?" I asked him, my vision swimming.

  "This is all s," Albert stated, his voice strained. He had a hand to his temple, his face sched up in pain and tration. "He's... doing something to our heads..."

  "Who is?" Strawberry asked, yawning. "Let's go home. We'll be safer in the dorms than anywhere else in the world."

  I looked at the rest of the group. They all seemed fused.

  fused and... tired? Their faces were drawn, their eyes drooping and unfocused.

  Except for Albert.

  He had his eyes closed and he was muttering to himself, ting numbers under his breath, his fiwitg.

  I stepped forward to stand beside him.

  Damian was still looking at me, smiling and waiting for me to make my move.

  Yes. Stao Albert. I was supposed to trust him, wasn't I? But Damian had a nice smile, he was trustworthy. I could trust him.

  I shook my head again, feeling a sharp pain shoot through it as I tried to clear the fog from my brain.

  Something was off about this situation, and my instincts screamed that it was.

  Damian's words echoed in my head, making me sed-guess everything.

  But Albert suddenly stopped his muttering, and his eyes shot open, his voice loud.

  "Five plus five equals ten, five plus ten equals fifteen. Three to the power of four is eighty-one. Five times eight is forty, forty times four is one-hundred and sixty."

  I looked at Albert. His eyes were wide and alert. His face was set with determination, his posture rigid and stiff. Why was he so worked up?

  I giggled. He was so silly, doing multiplication out loud.

  Albert looked at me, then to Elysia.

  "Elysia," he whispered, his voice urgent. "Something's... something's wrong."

  Elysia stared at him, fused.

  Albert shook his head before turning towards me. "Lux, he's doing something. I think... I think he's a telepath. Using some sort of mental attack. I... I'm pretty sure he is. He's..."

  I shook my head again. "That doesn't sound right... Why would someone like that help a supervilin like Red Masque with interrogation the hard way? He'd be able to mind read people and give them the information he learned."

  Yes, it made perfect sense.

  Damian turned his head, a my gaze. He looked into my eyes, and his smile widened.

  "Huh. An ordinary boy. No signifit mana signature, but he resist the artifact's Authority? It seems this anomaly is his only saving grace, then. How disappointing. You know what? I guess I'll just get rid of you now before you be a problem."

  He reached into his pants pockets, and produced a small khat looked like a letter opener. He threw the kh pinpoint accuracy, and the athame soared towards Albert, spinning as it did, the tip pointing straight for Albert's heart.

  I smiled at Damian, not knowing why. He seemed trustworthy and nice. And Albert...

  Albert...?

  I smiled at Damian a a sense of happiness at Albert being stabbed.

  Of course.

  It made sense.