Two dark and blurry days passed before Viktoria Skybreak arrived at Gloomwood Manor, and when she did, Drake was in no mood to receive visitors. Lydia still breathed in Raylan’s infirmary, barely clinging to life, and no one knew yet if she’d make it.

As for his mother, they’d burned her body on a pyre in the center courtyard yesterday.

Drake had closed the study after what happened there. He knew he could open it again whenever he wished. He’d verified that even though he’d never set foot in that dark room, his mother’s invitation had been accepted.

Yet he simply wasn’t ready to step into that room. It might be his mother’s private study, but it was also the place where he had lost her. He wasn’t ready to clean out whatever was left of the eight-legged monster that took his mother away.

Arachnis. That was the name of the rarity the Eidolons gifted to Lord Kest, the fucking piece of shit who murdered the Lord Gloomwood left in charge by Marissa: Steward Joshua. After Lord Kest defeated Steward Joshua, he dropped Gloomwood Manor into a world of pain.

Drake had gotten the full story from Zuri in the moments where he could act like a human being without hammering his fists into a wall or staring sullenly at the floor. Lord Kest had ruled Gloomwood Manor through torture and fear for many years, and when he was finally defeated in battle by Lord Crow, many in the manor had secretly rejoiced.

They hadn’t known, then, what an asshole Lord Crow would be. They wouldn’t find out until later. Still, the reason they were thrilled to be free of Kest was because of the terrifying rarity he possessed: arachnis. He summoned two demon spiders to kill his foes.

As Lord Gloomwood, Joshua had been attacked and poisoned while visiting Shadowfort. He’d already been dead by the time his escort stabbed the demon spiders to death. According to Zuri, Lord Kest had always been able to summon exactly two spider demons. After he took power, he’d used them to gruesomely murder any thrall who displeased him.

Yet many years into his horrific reign, Zuri noticed an odd change in Kest’s patterns. When challenged in battle, Lord Kest summoned only one spider demon. For the next year and up until Lord Crow defeated him—distracting his remaining spider with hired mercenaries and then putting a blade through his heart—Kest never summoned two demons. Only one.

Now, and only now, did Zuri and Drake finally know where that other spider had gone.

Like all rarities, Lord Kest’s was vision based. He could summon his spider demons to anywhere he could see, and he could see through the keyhole into Marissa’s study. Apparently, the only thing Kest couldn’t do was unsummon a spider once it was out in the world.

He could only re-summon his demons once one was killed in battle. Zuri concluded Kest must have summoned one of his spiders inside the locked study in hopes of opening it from the inside. Instead, he’d failed, and his demon spider had been trapped.

Naturally, Lord Kest hadn’t bothered to tell anyone.

His mother’s death was thus tragically comedic. Kest hadn’t intended to kill Marissa Hughes. He’d simply been desperate to open a study, summoned a demon spider in a foolish attempt to break his mother’s ward, and lost one of his demons and then his life. Just another day in a world full of bullshit superpowers where good people routinely died.

Drake hated rarities. He hated this world, and most of all, he hated the Eidolons. Those fucking horse monsters were responsible for every bad thing that happened in this world, and what made it worse was that it would be so easy to fix. To stop this insanity.

This world’s gods weren’t distant, unknowable beings. They were right there, in the capital, and still they allowed... this. He hated the Eidolons. He’d also prefer to just stare at the floor. But he still needed to greet Lady Skybreak before Nicole gave up and closed the door.

He stood, took one deep, shuddering breath, and glanced at Nicole. “I’ll meet her.”

“I can ask her to wait,” Nicole said quietly.

He appreciated such courtesy. Nicole had been a lot more courteous since they returned to the manor, perhaps even kind. She didn’t even tease him. He almost missed her teasing.

Drake didn’t know if Nicole was finally starting to trust him or simply didn’t want to set him off again, but he wanted to think it was the latter. As much as he wanted to spend weeks grieving his mother, he was still a manor lord. He had responsibilities.

His mother smiled up at him. “Keep them safe for me. Lead.”

He stood. “Let’s go. And... sorry I’ve been such a waste these past few days.”

“You have every right to grieve,” Nicole assured him.

“Maybe so.” Drake strode through the door she now held open. “But unfortunately, I don’t have time to be useless. You said she’s waiting in the lobby?”

“Yes.”

“Then we won’t keep her waiting. Lady Skybreak is... was... a good friend to my mother. If she’s come to pay her respects, I want to let her do that.”

As they walked, Nicole spoke again. “Lydia’s doing better this morning. Her eyelids fluttered several times. Raylan is now more certain than ever that she’s going to—”

Nicole gasped as Drake turned and snatched her arm. He hadn’t meant to do that, and he wasn’t sure if he should have, but Nicole didn’t pull away. She simply stood motionless.

Drake belatedly released her and shuddered hard. “Thank you.”

“For?”

“For giving me that news, and reminding me why I have to get my shit together. Lydia is...” He looked away. “I can’t lose her.”

Nicole watched him for a long moment. “She is rather special, to all of us.”

Drake nodded.

“So, shall we stop by and see her after Lady Skybreak finishes paying her respects?”

“Yes. I think... that’s a good idea.”

He had been to see Lydia, of course, many times since she almost killed herself trying to stop a demon poison that couldn’t be stopped. But he needed to see her again, after he spoke with Viktoria and they had a chance to mourn, together. Seeing Viktoria might help.

And Viktoria might also know some details about his mother he still didn’t know.

From his personal chambers, it was a short journey to the lobby. He arrived at the top of the steps to find Lady Viktoria Skybreak standing patiently with two people armored like Sky’s rangers, a man and a woman. He didn’t know either of them.

As he descended the stairs, Viktoria offered a somber gaze. “Lord Gloomwood.”

He nodded.

“I am so sorry to hear about Lady Marissa.”

“She was Lady Gloomwood,” Drake said. “We told everyone before she passed.”

“Then I am glad that the people here got to see her one last time... and that she got to spend some time with them.”

“We burned her yesterday and collected her ashes.” He swallowed against a lump. “Would you like to see them? Did... you want to pay your respects?”

“I did,” Viktoria said. “But I also came to deliver my daughter’s mirror. From now on, we would like to keep a line of communication open. I also need to speak to you in private.”

He’d suspected as much. “Is this basic manor stuff, or something more sensitive?”

“We should speak in private,” Viktoria repeated. “Lady Gloomwood would want that.”

His mother spoke again in his mind as if she hadn’t died two days ago. “It would be best if only we speak of the matters that transpired twenty-five years ago. Can I not convince you to speak with me alone before you invite the others?”

Drake had turned down his mother’s request the last time she asked. Now she could never ask again. Lydia was still on life support and Samuel was... somewhere.

Drake didn’t have the energy to track down the old man, and perhaps he owed it to his mother to listen to her advice just this once. Now that she’d never know he’d listened to her. Now that he would never be able to apologize for all the times he’d disappointed her or hurt her or simply ignored her because he’d been busy with his own shit.

Focus. Drake resisted the urge to slap himself. He couldn’t let his grief interfere with what his mother has asked him to do. Lead. He nodded to Viktoria. “We’ll speak in my chambers.” He looked at Nicole. “You mind waiting outside to ensure no one eavesdrops?”

She nodded firmly. “I can do that.”

“Remain here,” Viktoria told her rangers. “I fear nothing from Lord Gloomwood.” She left her reluctant-looking rangers and joined them. “Shall we go?”

Drake led the way back to his private chamber, with Viktoria walking at his side and Nicole just behind them. Nicole slipped past them with ease and opened the door when they arrived. Drake motioned for Viktoria to proceed him, then glanced at Nicole. “Thanks.”

She nodded and closed the door after he entered.

Viktoria walked toward his nightstand. “I’d expected it to look... well, different.” She produced Sky’s mirror from a slim pocket in her vest and placed it on the table, then took a slow look around the room.

“You’ve been in here before?” Drake asked.

“Many times. Even the walls remained unchanged. I expected changes.”

“I doubt any of the assholes who abused my people had any interest in interior decorating.” Drake took one calming breath. “Now, what do you need to talk to me about?”

Viktoria turned to face him. “Would you like to sit down?”

“No. I’ll stand. I like pacing.”

“Very well. First, a necessary preface. While I do know certain details about the circumstances behind your mother’s exile, I swore not to reveal those to any person unless she was unable to do so, and I was certain that person needed to know. Do you need to know?”

“I do. I really do.”

“Then I must begin by asking you what your mother has already told you.”

Drake scowled. “Only what she could get out while she was dying from demon poison.”

As Viktoria winced visibly, Drake felt like a heel. “Sorry.”

“It is not you who should be apologizing.”

“I just... I miss her. I’m also pissed. At everything.”

“I understand.”

“Your world sucks. Your gods suck. Your blood pacts and your rarities and choosing leaders through death games are psychotic.”

“I can understand why you would feel that way.”

“But I can’t do anything about all that, so I’ll stop wasting your time with my complaints.” Drake took a breath. “I already know Mom was once engaged to Lord Galen Proudglade, and that the two of them were on the verge of merging their manors. After Galen got her pregnant with me, she asked the silverwood a question. What rarity would I have? It told her I would be able to emulate the rarities of others.”

Viktoria nodded.

“Given that knowledge, Galen... my real father, I guess... had the asinine idea to summon a demon and have me mix blood with it. Absorb its rarity. Which is mind control.”

Viktoria watched with comment.

“Mom tried to talk Galen out of it, since that’s fucking insane, but he wouldn’t listen. I get the impression he insisted on doing things his way and decided she’d live with it, which was idiotic given what I know about my mother. So to save this realm, she conspired with others to assassinate him, and after that, she chose to flee to Earth before I was born.” He considered all she’d managed to tell him. “I still don’t know why she had to do that.”

“Then you already know most of it,” Viktoria agreed. “I see no harm in telling you more, though I would ask you not reveal my part in this to others. Not even your steward.”

“Fine.” Drake was too tired to argue. “I won’t.” He always could, later.

“Given they had already formalized their alliance, no thrall who served Lord Gloomwood could assault Lord Proudglade,” Viktoria said. “That is, perhaps, why Galen felt like he could force your mother to agree to his plan even after she cut off contact with the manors.”

Drake immediately saw the piece of this he’d missed. “So you killed him.”

“One of my blood thralls did the deed,” Viktoria agreed. “Due to the proximity of our territories, your mother and I grew up together. We were always very close. When she came to me and revealed the dilemma she faced, I was shocked... but I had to help.”

“So how’d you guys sell the story that it was one of Mom’s battle maids who actually killed Lord Proudglade?” Drake asked. “I still don’t even know that guy’s name.”

“Tanner,” Viktoria said quietly. “He was good and brave, and it pains me that he will be forever labeled a traitor when he was one of the most loyal men I ever knew. As for our deception, the opportunity came when Galen asked me to meet him in private. He wanted me to act as a mediator between him and Marissa. He still believed he could win her back.”

“Of course he did,” Drake said sullenly.

“I met him, but not alone. Tanner was there. While he could not attack Lord Proudglade due to the alliance, he was also not compelled to defend him.”

“Since he was not part of Galen’s blood pact,” Drake agreed.

“My thrall, who I need not name, attacked Lord Proudglade while I distracted him. Once he was dead, Tanner then stabbed Lord Proudglade multiple times.”

“Because the blood pact only prevented Tanner from harming Proudglade while he was alive,” Drake said. “Once he was dead, Tanner could stab the corpse all he wanted. Clever.”

Viktoria continued. “Once the court’s suspicions of betrayal had reached a fever pitch, Tanner stepped forward and gave his testimony. He did indeed love Marissa, and he had stabbed Lord Proudglade to ensure they could never be together.”

“But he didn’t give the context,” Drake agreed. “He didn’t say he loved Mom as his manor lord, or that he’d stabbed Lord Proudglade after he was already dead. He didn’t say he’d done it to save the realm instead of out of jealousy. He let the court assume all that.”

“It was all we could do. We were lucky it worked at all. We managed to keep the court from coming after your mother, but the scandal rocked them even so. They made it clear that she should step down, but moreover, Marissa decided she could not risk allowing anyone to try to replicate Galen Proudglade’s mad plan. That is why she fled to Earth to raise you.”

“So why tell me all this now?” Drake asked. “It’s illuminating, I suppose, but it doesn’t change anything. Mom’s dead. Galen Proudglade is dead. Why come here and speak to me?”

“I needed to look you in the eye and decide if you intend to go forward with the former Lord Proudglade’s man plan.”