Seiren fought not to gag when another splash of sewer water sprayed onto her boots. Slimy grey walls arched several metres above her, threatening to bless her with another gloopy kiss. All around, the sloshing of water echoed, akin to the songs of ocean waves, and punctuated by footsteps of the people she followed. Kaim had said these were waterways, not sewage, but the squeaks of rats in the dark corners and slimy growth on the moist walls did little to convince her otherwise. When Kaim said he had a method of sneaking into the palace, Seiren hadn't thought they'd traverse the waterways beneath the palace.

A weak light lit their way over the wet tiles and moving water, a sad ball of ochre almost smothered by the mist hovering above the ground. Seiren kept up, stifling squeals when her boots slid several times and she almost ended up sitting in the puddles. Five men, plus Kaim and a young girl, moved ahead, none of them bothering to check Seiren and Madeleine were keeping up aside from the girl, who threw them worried glances every so often. She hadn't said a single word, hiding behind Kaim and watching them with big, light-brown eyes beneath strong black eyebrows. She must be about fifteen, possibly younger, and wore her hair in two traditional Hannan plaits. She walked with a limp, as if putting weight down her right ankle gave her pain. Kaim picked her up whenever she tired, which was often, and set her down again at her request. Surely Kaim wouldn't have brought a handicap along if he wanted to infiltrate a palace full of guards — that would be asking for failure if she ended up falling over. But Seiren knew Kaim wouldn't answer her questions. For all his charming smiles and teasing questions, he divulged very little, and there was a stormy darkness in his eyes, as if he wouldn't hesitate to drop the friendly mask if needed.

The waterways were an endless maze, but Kaim's men seemed to know their way, even utilising makeshift bridges out of planks of wood left clearly for that purpose to cross fast-flowing rivulets and stowing the planks away just as quickly. Seiren shuddered when water dripped from above, running down her neck. She only hoped when she popped out the other side amongst well-to-do folk she didn't stink of the sewer.

The group paused at the bottom of a set of stairs that ran up into the shadows overhead. The men were hooded and — Seiren noticed just now — armed with knives and bombs at their waists. She caught Madeleine's anxious gaze. Just what were these people planning? A robbery? A raid?

Kaim's dark eyes bore into Seiren's when she met them as if challenging her to ask questions. She didn't say anything. The girl hid behind Kaim, fingers gripping his robe until her knuckles were white.

Kaim reached to one of his men, who passed him a package wrapped in an intricate cloth, scarlet with gold streaks. Seiren hesitated before taking it with both hands. It was heavy, smooth, and cold through the material, like a large metal egg.

"What is it?"

Seiren half-expected a rebuttal.

"A ceremonial blessing ornament made of pure moakite. A gift for King Fautos." Kaim's lips curved upwards. "Don't open it in case it gets dirtied. That gorgeous blue is for the king's eyes only — he opens his gifts once everyone has left, so you just have to give it to his receiver."

He jerked a finger up the stairs.

"If you head up there and follow the path, you'll end up in one of the back paths of the palace leading up to the dance hall. A sort of emergency exit, if you will. You can change into your fancy outfits there and blend in with the rest of the posh suck-ups."

One of the guys snorted. Kaim threw him a warning look.

"And you?"

Kaim winked at her. "We have our jobs. You keep your nose out of our business and we'll return the same courtesy. And now — we part. Fair well, mystery ladies."

The men gave each other grim, meaningful looks as if they'd anticipated this moment for a long time. Seiren was bursting with questions but knew they wouldn't say anything. They'd ignored her every question since they met earlier on that day. She didn't even know their names.

The girl paused as she made to pass Seiren.

"Hynn!" Kaim called. Hynn hesitated and then hurried to Kaim. She tugged at Kaim's robe sleeve and gestured, her hands flying before her. She didn't make a single sound during this. Kaim shook his head, saying something in such a low voice Seiren didn't catch a single word. The girl stared intensely at him before speaking with her hands again. He caught her mid-gesture and pulled her away, allowing her only a last, desperate look at the twins.

"You think something's up?" Madeleine said softly. The drip-drip-drip of water echoed around them.

"Does it matter? We're getting to the Daemonium."

"It seemed bizarre we got an entourage to guide us all the way here and now they're going away? I thought they wanted to get into the palace too."

"Who cares what they want?"

"I care. Why go through all this trouble for us — and Kaim made it really clear he doesn't trust us and we shouldn't trust him — and the price we pay is to give the king an egg from Moakai."

"It's moakite, not an egg."

"Something's not right."

Seiren shook her head. This wasn't the time to figure out the whys and wherefores. The Daemonium awaited them and this was their only chance to get in.

They changed back into their glamorous attire at the top of the stairs and stashed the clothing Kaim lent them in the shadows. Clutching the offering, they joined the guests strolling down corridors, admiring the delicately-designed statues and carvings on the pillars. Jewels, embedded in place of eyes on the statues of daemons, glistened in the golden light from the torches set on the walls. The decorations would have been breath-taking if Seiren didn't feel so suffocated. The scent of meaty soup mingled with the stifling, nose-curling scent of incense, wrapping around her like thick fur-lined blankets and leaving her gasping for air. Thousands of eyes gazed with judgement on Seiren, making her shiver. She just had to find out where the Daemonium hid Kristen, she told herself, and then they would leave.

The guests, most of whom wore more elaborate clothing and glittering jewellery than Seiren and Madeleine combined, didn't give them a second glance. Seiren followed them into the grand hall, heart thumping, sweaty hands clutching the sleek silk with the moakite ornament inside. Pillars decorated with snake-like daemon sculptures of gold and silver wove up to the high ceiling, where paintings, as vibrant as Hannan clothing, stretched across the vast ceiling. Round tables covered with scarlet cloths stood from one end to the other. Seiren didn't have the Karman palace to compare with — her time spent there was fleetingly short before Rowan blew out one side of the wall and then Kristen attempted to kill the country. It seemed the Hannan royal family wished to wow guests before they even sat down at their tables.

Guards remained stood eerily still. Each of the attendees greeted King Fautos from the bottom of the steps. The Hannan king sat with legs akimbo upon his elaborate wooden throne, which was wide enough for two people, staring down at the guests with a severe expression. He wore a golden robe with slits down both legs, embroidered with designs so complex it made Seiren's eyes cross over when she tried to scrutinise from afar. On either side of him were a man and woman, both of whom wore stony facial expressions and stared ahead. If they wore armour, they would have passed off as guards, but they wore typical Hannan attire of robes in a deep navy with a golden sash at the waist, each clipped with a small pouch.

The Daemonium. The king's personal summoners.

At a glance, Fautos Tophalis didn't strike Seiren as the cold-blooded, callous, sibling-murderer Martel Solidor had painted him to be. He was a man in his mid-thirties with a neat black beard, a long thin face with smooth tanned skin, light brown eyes surrounded by long black lashes beneath stern, thick black eyebrows, and his thick black hair was tied back in a sleek plait running down his back. He reminded Seiren of a thinner Tahir Portendorfer, minus the crazy glee. His expression remained dark and serious as each attendee bent at the waist, maintaining the respectful gesture for several seconds with their offerings held out in front of them before the receiver moved forward to take the gift in Fautos's place and the guests were permitted to sit at the round tables. The pile of offerings, ranging from sculptures to dazzling jewels to cloths of the smoothest and brightest colours, grew as the minutes passed.

The two from the Daemonium stared at each guest with piercing eyes but didn't move a muscle.

"Let me speak," Madeleine whispered in Seiren's ear when their turn came.

Seiren bent stiffly at the waist and offered the large silk-wrapped egg at the king. Fautos didn't bat an eyelid.

"Name?" whispered the receiver, strolling forward.

"Eishet and Takara... Havris," said Madeleine in a convincingly thick Hannan accent. It was Kaim's idea to use the surname, convinced 'Solidor' would earn them the same scorn and probably worse treatment than at the gate.

The receiver's eyes widened and accepted the gift carefully as if it were every bit as precious as the king himself. Madeleine also bent at the waist and kept the stance before finally straightening with Seiren. Seiren's heart felt as if it were about to explode through her ribcage. The Daemonium's eyes bore like arrows into her skull. She averted their gaze with all her might and held her breath. When their offering passed, she and Madeleine hurried away and sat at one of the emptier tables at the side where several older guests were making polite conversations with each other already. None of them gave the twins a second glance, which was just as well, as Seiren was keen to remain as inconspicuous as possible before they made their exit.

"If anyone asks anything, I'll answer," Madeleine said under her breath. "You just... pretend you're mute. Okay?"

Pretend to be like Hynn, the girl following Kaim Rouzarrien. Seiren could do that. It was easier that way. She could scout out the Daemonium in the meantime. Martel Solidor had said the numbers in the Daemonium never wavered from five, each great house offering their strongest summoner to protect the king: House Gulmore, House Delnargin, House Luddas, House Bunarsa... and House Havris.

That was why Kaim's surname suggestion sounded so familiar. Seiren's blood ran cold. She clenched her fists in the scarlet folds of her dress. It was dangerous to masquerade as part of such a famous house. Surely it would take but a moment for the Havris Daemonium member to confirm she and Madeleine were fakes and they would be killed on the spot. Perhaps that was Kaim's plan all along so they could smuggle in his gift and leave no trace.

She slid her hand across her lap to grip Madeleine's and opened her mouth. Madeleine caught her eye and gave a quick warning shake of the head and her eyes darted at the men sitting two seats away from them. They were within earshot.

"...should be careful what you say here, my friend," said the man in his thick, nasally Hannan accent. "Even if the guards don't report you for misinformation, the Daemonium have ears everywhere. You should think about your wife and children."

"I am thinking about them," said the one beside him in a grim voice. "That's why I'm moving out of Falnash come winter. I won't let my family run the risk of harm from the bloody insurgents."

"They are brutal, from what I hear," said a woman beside the first speaker, likely his wife. "When His Holiness King Fautos fought for his right to the throne, they kidnapped Princess Eleia — the poor cripple, she didn't stand a chance. She'd be dead if they weren't keen to use her as ransom. I suspect any day we'll see her dead body arriving in a carriage. King Fautos won't yield to pressures like that."

"And I should hope not!" said the husband with a snort. "If you give in to one threat, you'll get another hundred. His own wife and children would be at risk. If it were up to me, I'd shoot the poor thing anyway — what chance at life does she have? No claim to the throne, no way of communication, likely, you know..." He gestured at his temple with a twisting action to indicate an intellectual deficit. "It's kinder to put her out of her misery. I'd put all the insurgents out of their miseries."

"You don't even know who to trust these days." The conversation paused as servers placed on the red tablecloth steaming dishes of foods Seiren had never seen before. The nearest plate held green and red vegetables, smelling of a rich, sweet sauce and mixed with smoke meat. Beside it was a pile of buns moulded into elaborate flowers, each delicate petal blossoming beneath the kaleidoscope of light from above. What appeared to be a whole goat, its belly slit open and cooked, rested in the centre of the table, its innards filled with onions, potatoes, and various herbs, its exquisite, tantalising scent making Seiren's mouth water. The server carved the meat into sizable chunks before turning his palm upwards, indicating it was ready to eat, and retreated.

"I hear old Agaris Delnargin recently got chained because they thought he was selling weapons to the insurgents!" said the second man once the server was out of earshot. He reached out and took a handful of meat and a bun and began eating. Seiren followed suit. One bite into the soft bun and her eyes widened. Inside was shredded lamb, garnished with onion, garlic, and pepper, the spicy tang a delight on her tongue.

"I hear he's been steadily more and more against King Fautos since he fought for the throne."

"King Mephis — may his Holiness prosper in the distant lands — didn't name an heir before his untimely passing, after all."

"I hear old Agaris has been talking about foul play regarding King Mephis's death—"

"Hush!" the husband said, horrified, his sliver of goat pausing halfway to his mouth. "The Daemonium will smite you if they hear such disrespectful talk!"

His companions fell silent.

"The king and the Daemonium have been very busy, what with the civil riots out east and disease outbreak and famine in the north," muttered one. "I doubt they will be concerned with the gossip of old acquaintances of the family."

"Just because they've been busy keeping the country strong doesn't mean—"

There was a loud hiss, followed by panicked yells. Madeleine's head snapped up.

Before Seiren realised what happened, she was on the ground. Plates shattered around her. A blast of hot air swept over her body, making her eyes water. Her ears rang — she didn't recall hearing anything. A wall of stone rose and swallowed her and Madeleine whole, plunging them into darkness.

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