In my former line of work, coincidence doesn't exist. Just opportunities.

"Since you're here, I have some things to say to you," I say, and gesture at one of the chairs near the work table. "Have a seat." Belatedly, I realize I'm telling people quite a bit to sit down. It's getting repetitive. "Or stand, whichever is preferable." 

Lily stares at me without a sound. The expression on her face falters in indecision. Eventually, she lifts her chin, brushing her platinum blonde hair behind one ear. "I have five minutes. Make it quick."

Both hands lift her the end of her plain skirt and she crosses the threshold. Though she is a head or so smaller than Henry, her posture is excellent in comparison.

It makes her seem grander, more mature for her age.

Bayiz takes a step back to allow her passage, but his eyes don't leave her slim shoulders. Ete, on the other hand, sits up slightly before standing up entirely to move to the side; the expression on their face is just as neutral, but slightly hungry, and their walk is feather light as usual.

It's the difference between a stone gargoyle and the wolf observing for a weakness to exploit. 

"Lysander?" Valentino squeaks from the door, voice choked for such a big man. "Should I-?" He points away from the door, and then at me. "For you-?"He presses presses the heels of his palms together, opening and shutting them several times. 

I have no idea what he means, so I wave him away. "Wait outside. Bring her to a different room later."

"Y-yes! Absolutely!" The door closes with a quick slam.

I gesture at Bayiz, who dutifully goes outside as well. As for Ete--

A quick glance shows that Ete is staying in the room, humming as they wander out to the balcony to look down below.

We've come at a good time; the auction has already started. Gradually, the sounds the regular auction-goers carry as a soft murmur, and the lights are starting to dim. On stage, there is a single spotlight on the auctioneer standing at a lectern. An assistant wheels out an item covered under an opaque cloth.

In this room, the sidelights begin to turn on to adjust to the dimness; they're not bright like modern lightbulbs, but they spread a soft warm glow like a fireplace. Some of that light brushes against Ete’s back, keeping them perfectly in view.

Lily is seated calmly, choosing the one closest to the door if she needs it. It’s a smart choice, Her blue eyes meets my gaze evenly as I take my time to sit across from her.

"What do you want?" Her hands are folded on her lap and she raises her chin. "Henry said I could come use this room without asking. And your name," she adds, as an afterthought. "But in all fairness, Henry was the one who offered. Is it my fault if I didn't ask for them?"

I was going to interrogate her, but people like her are smart enough. Callous enough. Lysander seems similar enough to me that he looked at benefits, so I suspect she understands. Her mannerisms are different here compared to those in the almost ballroom-like place before; here, Lily Evanheart has a personality beyond what two young men think her to be.

"Yes. Henry's very gullible. I'm sure it was very easy to make him think they were his ideas." I pause. "Does anyone know you're here?"

I don't believe Ms. Lily Evanheart--a most beloved sick daughter--would be able to escape the vigilance of her parents. She must have someone planted back home or able to stay here only in a short time.

Close-up, with her face uncovered and facing towards me without Roland in the way, I can see that at a glance, she's the kind of elegant-looking sickly girl that most people would pity.

Boys like my son would want to instinctively protect these kinds of girls. Even the back of the chair dwarfs her in size, and the shadows on her soft, thin-skinned face make her seem vulnerable.

Lily has pressed her lips together, tensing. Her eyes narrow. "If you are threatening me or you do harm to me, you'll find the consequences severe."

I laugh in surprise at how hostile it is, incredulous. "Your parents failed to raise you to be humble."

"My parents wanted me to live healthily to adulthood, and I sit before you as future crown princess of this kingdom," Lily replies. Her fingers pinch fabric at her skirt, and her gaze is flitting to the balcony. "We're both people with valuable time, Master Narh. Get to the point."

"You're very calm for someone who almost supposedly died."

"I'm breathing right now, aren't I?" She smiles, pleasant, unaffected. So, being poisoned is a regular occurrence? “And I don't wish to waste the time of one of our most esteemed merchants." You're wasting mine, is the implication. She must really want something in the auction.

From what I can hear, they seem to be selling other objects; none of them the phone at the moment, but all of them being sold for quite the sum. They'll likely save it for the end.

It's honestly a little funny, the longer I drag this out, She bristles like a cat.

It's fine. I currently have all the time in the world, and I want to see what kind of person my son has put his lot in with.

"Did you ingest much of it?" At my elbow, Ete has arrived with the tray and presented me the teacup. I glance up at them, but Ete's attention is on Lily. I take a cup.

"The poison? Thankfully no. Thank you," she adds. Ete has given her the other cup. She takes a careful, purposeful sip, but she keeps her eyes on me as if daring me to have poisoned it. 

“Henry gave you poison?" I ask, leaning my cheek on two fingers, without blinking. "Ete, wasn't it an nordic elixir made from an iceflower that you specifically asked him for?"

"Hmm?" Ete had been leaning with elbows braced against the railing, somewhat interested with the goings of below. Lazily, they shrug. "I wasn't listening. They’re selling chimera’s blood, did you know? It’s a delicacy if you prepare it right."

This annoying little--I click my tongue. "Did Henry give this girl poison?"

"Oh, no, no." Ete leans back and redirects their attention on Lily. "He came up to her and said the drink was his gift. She tried it and choked out blood, and then Roland decided it was poison."

Even that explanation is vague as it seems terrible plotted out. I furrow my eyebrows and pinch the skin between my eyes. Whoever the writer of this novel is, they do not seem to have been alluding to strength in Henry’s intelligence.

"Whether or not it was intentional, it happened and I can't save your son--not that you don't seem to already be doing something about it. If there isn't anything, may I leave?"

Lily is just as impatient as Henry is with just a little bit more awareness. No wonder they get along.

"Ms. Evanheart," I say, with the longest of sighs in my voice. "I will tell you a few things before you go."

"Yes?" Her voice is sweet, conversational, unaffected.

It's irritating. Do you think my son being beaten like that is a joke? Almost exiled where he would have died--I guess being at death's door throughout your childhood numbs you to it.

Still, I am his father. 

I lower my hand from my eyes and meet her gaze directly. "I don't want my son involved with you. I can't stop him and or you from taking advantage if you think it is beneficial. But I will warn you if you continue, it won't be doing you any favours."

I’m sure there are things I can do once I secure Henry a lifestyle, teachings, and a path in this world that will follow my plans for him.

"I'll see which works out for me better." She's already stood from her chair, brushing the wrinkles from her cloak. "Good evening to you."

Lily leaves quickly with the faintest scent of herbal medicine behind her. I hear Valentino mumbling to try to appease her as they stride down the hallway, leaving me to my own thoughts.

The auction is still going on strong, with bets rising higher and higher for a dragon scale. It seems this world has a fantasy bend to it.

Ete cocks their head back as they look at me from the balcony. "Are we staying?"

"No," I inform it, standing myself. Never mind the phone. It's late, and whatever happens, I'll deal with it tomorrow. I pass through the open door and gesture at Bayiz to lead as Ete mournfully treks after me. "Where's Akun?"

There's no reason for me to stay, as interested as I am in the underworkings of this place. Valentino comes to see us off, passing me a small drawstring bag with a sheepish, swarmy smile he calls a thank you for my patience and a gift from Ms. Evanheart and himself. Inside is a small orb and a good weight of gold coins.

The orb itself is worth quite a pretty penny as Ete informs me: a bribe from her to keep my silence about her presence here.

Eventually, we return to the outside of the building, where the driver is waiting.

Akun is in the carriage as it begins to move, waiting for me and holding a lacquered wood box with a hinge lid. Within is a modern smartphone, but it's old by a few years. The screen is chipped at the corner, and it's been well used.

"Wasn't this supposed to be put on auction?" I ask, turning it this way and that. For some reason, it seems very familiar. "How did you even get it?"

"The market owes the Nine many favours," Akun bows. "May I be permitted to depart, Master?"

All the permissions asking is too much in my opinion. "Just go."

As before, Akun departs by passing through walls.

To my surprise, the phone still has power, as if fully charged. The lockscreen picture features ayoung girl and...Henry.

From our world, because he's still wearing his uniform lopsidedly and so is she, and the brilliant smile of joy on his face is unrecognizable.

I gaze down at it, tracing the features, the laughter in his expression and feel myself grow somber. The seats are well enough that leaning back heavily against them is cushioned.

Eventually, I turn my gaze to the girl's face. I don't really know her, but she wraps her arms around Henry's neck and looks at the camera with a smile that reaches her eyes--the complete opposite of Lily Evanheart, even visually. Black-haired and eyes a dark-brown, her hand stretches out past the frame. She was the one who took the photo.

I test it. The phone is thumbprint locked.

Ete is peeking over my shoulder, swiftly swaying back and forth in the jostling darkness. "Want me to open it?"

"You can?" I watch as one hand extends and the finger touches the sensor. The screen flickers--black, white, with Ete's eyes peering back at me from the screen, with Henry and this girl's picture jostling back and forth. Then, I'm at the homescreen.

There's garbage apps, and the organization is next to none. I swipe through. Most of them are games, and others are some sort of couples compatibility ones. There are horoscope apps, novel apps, and all sorts.

Returning back to the homescreen, I tap on Messages.

There's quite a few conversations, so I tap it open. One is from someone called IGNORE, and the other one is called LIBRARY.

>>Henry, what the hell did you do? Ba left me a voicemail because he said the school wants him to pick you up! Did you get into another fight with that boy?

<<??? how come he knows? i thought u were primary contact

>>I didn't pick up. I was sleeping and I only noticed it after

<<And david and peter were both sleeping too?? lol guess that shows who cares

>>They're at a conference, you know it's not that easy. Besides, Ba is on his way. What happened? Is it that girl again?

<<no he just pissed me tf off

>>Henry, we've spoken about this. If you keep fighting, you're going to get kicked out of every school. 

<<ya

>>What do you mean 'ya'? This is your future

<<ya LOL

>>Henry? Update me. Ba put his phone on Do Not Disturb, so I can't even reach himn

>>Henry?

I switch over to the other conversation, which happened the morning of.

Henry, says the last message, I want to break up.

I truly do not know the version of my son that he shows to other people. In every other circumstance, I would have continued to remain ignorant and wouldn't have cared. Now, seeing it in physical form in front of me, it's practically uncomfortable.

At this moment of time, Ete is very quiet beside me, but their eyes linger on the side of my face long enough it might as well be drilling a hole in it.

"What?" I demand.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Ete slinks itself to lean against my shoulders. It's an uncomfortable weight; it's heavy at the same time absent of any warmth. It's a strange feeling: as if I'd decided to put weights on my shoulders, but I am standing on the bottom floor of a filled pool.

"It's youth," I answer, and close the phone.

"You're boring." Ete trills beside my ear in disappointment, and reaches out fingers to poke at it again. I stare again at the conversation log, before the screen switches to a random game, and then look out the window.

It's truly late at night; the moon is but a sliver in between the clouds, and it's grim.

"Are we moving home, Master?" asks Sewez politely.

"Yes," I respond, absentminded, as Ete enjoys playing 2048, sliding its dark fingers this way and that on the screen.

The carriage begins to rock on the cobblestones, jittering and jarring. I close my eyes and try to breathe through the clenching of my stomach. 

I've never had the privilege of knowing my father. My parents died early when I was young, and as my grandparents were already dead, I was raised by a distant uncle. I never troubled him because I was grateful for his hospitality, but seeing how strangely Henry texts even if he responds negatively to Elisa makes me realize there is no difference.

I grew up without a father. Henry might as well have grown up without one too.