I could still smell the musky scent of the dingy house.

Somewhere inside me, a flickering beacon remained. That I had managed to re-enter the place that had haunted me since forever. In a small way, it felt like a victory. 

I gazed out of the car window, feeling much more at ease. As if suddenly, the wind was gentler, the trees lusher and the sky bluer. I closed my eyes and rested my forehead against the glass. The cool surface felt good on my feverish skin. I let myself bask in the moment of what oddly felt like peace. Tranquillity. My skin seemed to tingle and I became aware of Aris' gaze on me. I looked at him from the corner of my eye and his cheeks turned pink. He quickly turned and fixed his gaze on the road ahead instead. 

I gazed at him silently, my mind wandering back to my home. In my relatively short span of knowing him, it seemed like I had been vulnerable in front of him too many times. But something about him strangely made me trust him. I couldn't quite understand, but it felt like he was magnetic somehow. Alluring. Or was it just me?

I had never had romantic feelings for anyone. I couldn't even describe it as being romantically attracted to Aris. I simply felt pulled in, in a way that was more than sexual. 

The scenery changed as we moved into the central square, huge houses and bungalows punctuated the wide roads. Being Saturday, the city market was in full swing. Vibrant and vivid. Almost as colourful as Fuegos. Although, something about the lack of street musicians and an array of junk food replaced instead by immaculately dressed people and much more lavish looking cuisine, gave it a sense of strictness that had completely lacked in Fuegos. Lyros seemed less flexible somehow, radiating a suffocating air of authority. 

"Where are we?" I asked, gazing around at the strange city.

"Lyros," Aris answered. His voice was low, hesitant. I realized he was scared. "I...my father's house will be right at the end of this road."

Just as he said it, I could see the colossal estate come into view. We moved in closer as the structure loomed closer to us. Its walls were pale gold, its vast iron gates decorated with tendrils. A large, sprawling ground with manicured gardens and ornate streetlamps dotted the avenue. It seemed simple, yet sophisticated. Pristine somehow.

"Wow," I gasped. "That's... beautiful."

Aris laughed humourlessly. "You've literally lived in the palace, Sunshine." He shook his head. "And you're amazed by this?"

The guards, recognizing Aris, opened the gates, and soon we were on the avenue.

"Greater beauty of something doesn't pale other beautiful things," I answered, shrugging. It was true that the palace was beautiful, but it had never felt like home. 

Aris started. "Did that...anchor thing impart you with wisdom or something?"

I smirked as we pulled up in front of the staircase leading to the main entrance. A man in a well-tailored suit came running down the staircase and opened the gate on Aris' side.

"Master Aureus." He bowed. "Welcome home. And many happy returns of the day."

The man was dressed in an immaculate suit. His beady eyes seemed to shift to me for a moment, widening slightly as I felt myself blushing. My stomach knotted nervously. I had never been to a friend's house, let alone one who owned estates. When it had come to the traditions and customs of what the elite in Evimeria followed, I knew nothing. Either way, it was hard to imagine Aris as anything else than what he was in front of me. 

"Thanks, Jon," Aris said, a slight edge to his voice. 

Both of us stepped out of the car as Jon spoke again. "Please, proceed to the main hall. Your father will be delighted to welcome you and your friend."

He bowed politely at me, even though I couldn't help feeling with the way he eyed me that he was already passing judgement. The thought didn't irk me in the slightest. If it gave people great pleasure to judge me, I was more than willing to grant that them.  

We walked up the staircase and through the open gates. Jon led us into the grand hall with two staircases leading upwards and hallways on either side. The huge gate in front led to what I assumed was the ballroom. It was mahogany like the panelling on the wall on either side of it, etched with golden tendrils. 

"Come on," Aris said and started walking towards one of the staircases. I followed him, gazing around curiously when the ballroom gates opened and a tall man and a young woman walked out, arm in arm. I stopped dead in my tracks, wondering if this was Aris' father, although the girl looked way too young to be his mother. In fact, as I observed her twinkling eyes and wavy hair, I realized she hardly seemed older than me. Revulsion filled in the pit of my stomach like hot metal pooling inside. 

"Ah! Aureus!" the man said, smiling. The  girl was peering curiously at me and I tore my eyes away from her, fixing them instead on the man. He had a large, thick moustache and dark, wavy hair. He had none of the sharp, chiselled features that Aris had and I realized he must have taken after his mother. 

"Is this your son, Victor?" the girl asked, smiling brightly. "It is wonderful to finally meet you, Aureus."

I gazed at Aris, stunned by how worried he looked. His jaw was clenched, his eyes staring straight ahead. He was balling his fists so hard that I was afraid his nails would dig into his own skin. His ears had turned pink as if he was embarrassed and looking at the young girl and his dad still intertwined, I could see why. I kept an impassive face when his eyes nervously darted to me before he spoke through gritted teeth, "Likewise."

I felt a pang of pity for him. 

"And who is this young man?" Victor asked as he finally looked at me. I despised the way his eyes narrowed condescendingly, but for Aris' sake, refused to create a scene. He was clearly struggling hard against his father anyway.

"That's Ezekiel, father," Aris said quickly before I could answer.  "A friend from school."

His father mercifully disentangled himself from the girl and walked over to us. A poisonous blend of anger and hate rattled my heart when he glared ruthless daggers at his son.

"I think you are old enough now to answer only when spoken to, son," Victor said as Aris' face turned redder. I clenched my fists, hating the way his father had no problem with belittling him in front of a virtual stranger. I didn't have time to think about it though as he turned to face me quickly.  "Yes, who are you?"

I looked at Aris from the corner of my eye before I spoke, deciding to inject as much malice as I could into my words.  "Ezekiel Hunt, sir."

Victor's false smile disappeared completely. "Ah. The Ellerman's bastard."

I felt anger surge of anger, glancing sideways at Aris again and feeling my anger intensifying at the redness in his cheeks. I didn't particularly mind Victor's lowly jab, but I knew it would make Aris uncomfortable. Before I could say anything, his father turned to him instead and glared.

"I see your taste in friends hasn't improved much." He shook his head. "Are you trying to earn the discord of the Royal House by fraternizing with the half breed?"

At this point, I felt mildly amused by his behaviour. I couldn't help feeling sorry for Aris however, who looked like he would very much like to plunge into the depths of the earth. He seemed to chew his own tongue as he gulped and opened his mouth to say something. 

Victor sighed and waved a dismissive hand. "I wanted to wish you a happy birthday, son."

He smiled at him, and I felt an aching pang in my chest that was only too familiar. The way Aris' eyes had lit up at the smidgen of kindness, the way his irises seemed to search his own father. I knew that his quest was for kindness, although Victor seemed largely incapable of such an emotion. 

Never having had a proper family of my own, I had been devilishly jealous of people who did. I was lucky to have my dad, however. Aris on the other hand, had a family on flimsy papers that the onslaught of time had burnt into ashes. 

 "There is much to discuss with you," Victor continued. "Sixteen is a crucial age here in Lyros."

I didn't quite know what was crucial about that age. In Evimeria, people came of age at fifteen. But I knew traditions differed vastly from city and city and more intimately, even family to family. 

"Pardon me, sir," A woman said as she walked out of the ballroom. She wore plain black robes with a white apron and I realised she must be a servant. "The food has been set. I request you to proceed."

Victor nodded. "Let us dine, shall we? I have always found dining to be a great excuse to hold an uninterrupted conversation."

I trailed behind the three of them as we walked in torturous silence towards the dining hall. Aris' eyes kept flitting to me nervously. Just before entering the grand wooden doors, he suddenly reached for me and grabbed my hand. It took all my strength to master my impulse of slapping his hand away. He seemed to have a bit of a habit to express affection or emotions through physical touches, something that maybe someday, I would be fine with. After forcing my heart to calm down I raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'll be right back after freshening up, father," he said, his eyes still glued to mine as he pulled me away with him towards one of the corridors.

We walked into a huge bathroom at the very end of the hallway, not much different than mine back at the palace. Apparently, The Greenwoods had as much of a penchant for crystal and gold as the Ellermans.

Aris sighed, resting his hands on the gold-rimmed sink and leaned over it, biting his lip nervously before he spoke in a shaky, small voice that was so unlike him. "I'm sorry."

His reflection found mine in a mirror, his brows furrowed, his eyes devoid of their characteristic sparkle. I smiled softly, trying to reassure him. "That's okay, Aris," I said finally, deciding to throw in what I considered wry humour.  "I suppose a map of lineage is necessary to be worthy of some respect in Obscura."

Aris looked distressed, his eyebrows furrowing and bottom lip quivering. I felt another pang of sadness. Anything other than a cheeky glint in his eyes was strange. Out of place. In spite of my limited capability, I decided to try and comfort him.

"I can understand, Aris." I shook my head, moving closer to him as he finally turned to face me. "I can see that you're scared of your father. I...I used to hate mine."

His distress was suddenly replaced with something different. Almost thoughtfulness. As if he had heard something I hadn't meant to say, as if he had seen something I was hiding. His eyes seemed to darken momentarily as if he could suddenly see through the clothes that I used so diligently to cover my body. That he could see beyond the damaged surface and the scars etched even deeper. My skin prickled at the strange sensation. Why did it feel this way with him? As if he just knew?

And why was I comforted by the thought? If he could indeed see through me, that meant that he knew everything about me. And yet, he decided to bear with me. 

"Your father?"

"Step father," I corrected, my insides turning into writhing snakes at the thought. Before my memories could unhinge and drown me, I quickly trudged on. "My dad, my birth father...I don't deserve him."

"Why do you say that, Zeke?" Aris asked, his voice almost a whisper. His eyes gazed at me with an intensity that almost made me recoil. He seemed honest. And more than that, the way he lowered his voice, the way he furrowed his brows slightly, the way his lower lip jutted out just a  bit- almost inconspicuous unless you were noticing everything- all of it pointed towards his  sincerity. As if he felt as anguished as I did. 

"Because I know what I am," I replied, my voice so low I was sure he wouldn't hear it. I regretted the words the moment they were out of my mouth. It was strange how often and how easily I let my walls down in front of him. I couldn't think of him as something other than a vaguely familiar stranger. And yet, I couldn't help but trust him. 

I tore my eyes away from him before I spoke something more that I would regret. My heart hammered and I clenched my fists, hoping against hope that he wouldn't push the subject. 

And miraculously, like always, he seemed to know exactly what I wanted. 

He sighed finally, "I'm ashamed of him, Zeke."

He didn't push me to reveal more. Patiently waiting. Was he using his strange emotional manipulation to have me shatter the walls I had hidden behind so earnestly for so long? And even if it was, why couldn't I find it in myself to care? Why did I suddenly like, even crave the fact that he knew more about me than I let on? 

He bit his lip, his eyes dark, remorseful. I let out an involuntary breath, relieved that he hadn't pursued the subject. He raked a hand through his hair. "You shouldn't have to bear this. Let us just leave."

I gaped a him as he quickly started making his way towards the exit, as if he was honestly contemplating leaving. Instinctively, I reached for him and grabbed his hand, my heart jumping to my throat at the raw contact. He turned around, his eyes wide, apparently as shocked by my action as I myself was. I dropped his hand, scalded at how natural and comforting his warmth felt everytime that I let myself feel it. 

"Let's just get this over with." I nodded at him.  

He sighed and we walked back towards the hall. We passed near a row of photo frames as I looked on curiously. A woman with wavy, strawberry blonde hair stood with a beautiful baby in her arms. Even in infancy, the characteristic sparkle in his eyes unmistakably told me it was Aris. The woman was smiling softly, her green eyes a spitting image of her son's. She was a woman of exceptionally striking beauty, something that she had passed on to him.

The delicious smell of a variety of dishes greeted my nostrils as we walked into the dining hall. It was a big room, a long table with high backed chairs at the centre of it. Grand, ornate chandeliers decorated the ceiling. There was a fireplace at one end, adding to the rustic charm. Scrolls upon scrolls of what looked like deeds hung framed on the vibrant red walls.

"Please, have a seat," Victor said as he gestured to the very end of the table. He and the girl sat on the other end. Aris went and sat opposite to them, at the very end of the table. He looked like he was on the verge of a breakdown, his eyes darting nervously around. Unsure of where to sit, I took a chair beside him, resorting to staring at the ceramic plates instead. My stomach felt queasy and I wondered if it had been a bad idea to tag along with Aris.

"I never got the chance to introduce you to Chastity Green," Victor said, as the first platter of food arrived.

The girl smiled. "I have been looking forward to meeting you, Aureus."

Her hazel eyes shifted to Aris, who now looked dangerously green somehow. Her smile was friendly enough, but seeing how close to our age she was, I could understand why Aris felt so uncomfortable. I felt uneasy, restless somehow that I couldn't do anything to make him feel better. Except perhaps rush the meal so we could leave quickly. 

"Tell me, son, how is that trickery of yours coming along?"

I stared at Victor who was now glaring at Aris with a condescending smile, which seemed to be his default expression anyway. Trickery? Was that what he thought Nuvue magic was? Vartiyahs were feared and revered all over Obscura. In Lyros however, or perhaps under Victor's reign, it was something to be repulsed about.

I was bemused at the idea of his father trying to belittle him, while in reality, a flick of his fingers would probably strangle him and his bigotry to death. I gazed at Aris, moved to comfort him and agitated by the fact that I couldn't. Somehow, I couldn't imagine him ever hurting a fly, no matter how cocky he usually pretended to be. 

I stared at the chicken in front of me, my appetite dying at the thick tension in the air. Aris spoke in a small voice, "I...It's okay."

Victor tried to make polite conversation, perhaps laying the groundwork for something worse he inevitably would say at the end. He asked general questions about the school and the sports team, which strangely, was something he seemed to be mildly intrigued by. 

"So...I suppose there is no time other than the present to discuss a few matters of great importance," he spoke after a while. "There also tend to be certain...er.. family matters." His eyes flitted to me and I held his gaze, clenching my jaw in defiance. I had enough experience with bullies, but Victor had no say over me, unlike Elijah. He looked away after a few seconds of uncomfortably cold staring and I almost smirked in the tiny victory. "So I suggest we discuss them afterwards."

Aris shook his head. "I...I have an extra class. Fencing." He looked at his dad as he lied unflinchingly. "We need to leave soon. I think you should just talk to me now."

I was grateful that he had made an excuse, feeling awkward and at the same time affronted on his behalf. 

His father blinked. "Very well." He cleared his throat as he began. "I have received letters from the Evermondes. They seek to solidify our partnership as soon as possible. And I suppose an engagement is in order."

I sat stunned, expecting Victor to proclaim that it was simply some sort of a twisted joke. I glanced at Aris, raising my eyebrows at him. His cheeks were pink and he averted my gaze. I realized with an aching jolt that Victor was in fact, not kidding. 

I knew that often times, businesses and nobles had to form allies and transactions via matrimony. It was what had happened to dad as well. In fact, with the draconian patriarch Andreas, I was sure that had Elijah's marriage been in his hand, he would've been engaged by now. 

Aris seemed to turn a sickly shade of green as Victor continued.

"An engagement with Felicity Evermonde would be highly beneficial to our corporation. They have full control over the market of Terramour." He smiled. "Naturally, I said yes. You two have been close ever since childhood, so I knew it would be of no trouble to you."

The collar around my shirt felt suddenly too tight. I felt a strange pressure on my windpipe. 

"I...I'm not ready," Aris stuttered. His eyes flitted to me for a second so fleeting that I was left wondering if I had imagined it. "Felicity is an acquaintance. Just that."

His father raised his eyebrows. "I was just an acquaintance to your mother," he said. "Although...I expect Felicity Evermonde would not be a mongrel of her standards."

I felt repulsed. Victor was reminding me more and more of Andreas, stooping to the lowest levels of using his own son for political gains. I sucked in a deep breath, my ears suddenly warm. I couldn't fathom the idea of Aris getting married due to some reason. It was sudden. Immature and downright cruel for both him and his future wife. 

I gazed at him, hoping to express some reassurance through my eyes alone, but I had always been a spectacular failure in expression emotions. Simply because I seemed to have too many of them swirling around my chest like an unleashed, starving beast searching for prey. He remained quiet, his eyes fixed on his untouched food. 

"I also expect you to accompany me to Terramour around next year, at the Zenithium festival. There is a great surge in demand for fermented products. And you can get to acquaint with Felicity so we can arrange an engagement at the earliest."

Aris seemed to be chewing his own tongue with ferocity that made me afraid that he would hurt himself somehow. I needed to do something. I took a deep breath, fixing my gaze on the glass of water in front of me. I stared at the glistening surface reflecting the cascading golden lights of the overhead chandeliers. I knew dropping it would create the shattering noise that triggered me so viciously. 

"You can hopefully accompany Felicity. Spend some time-"

Aris looked like he was about to cry. I realized I had underestimated just how terrified of his father he was. I vaguely wondered if his authoritarian habits went as far as Geoffrey's. I hoped and prayed that Victor's tyranny didn't transcend to physical violence. The thought of Aris getting abused was too overwhelming for me and almost by instinct, I reached for the glass and dropped it to the floor, pretending it to be an accident.

Maybe it was because my mind was already preoccupied with the though of Aris getting hurt that I didn't quite register the shatter of the glass which effectively made all the occupants of the room stare at me. Aris' eyes widened before his mouth opened slightly in realization. 

"Sorry," I replied, trying to look as apologetic as possible. I couldn't help but throw in a snarky remark, my stomach knotting in anger at the sheer fear on Aris' face. "As a half breed, it gets rather difficult to be around such grand cutlery."

Victor clenched his jaw and I almost smirked in satisfaction. I wasn't sure how Aris would take my remark, but I couldn't simply stand by and watch him get tortured. His father hardly thought anything of me anyway, I might as well be the lunatic delinquent he clearly thought me to be. 

He seemed to open his mouth to say something before Aris interjected,  "I... I am not feeling too well," He placed a hand on his stomach and spoke, "Please excuse me."

He rose, flashing me a meaningful look and leaving the hall in deathly silence. I sat there for a while, before excusing himself and following him, feeling a strange kinship.