Ava messaged Marc goodnight, telling him that she was going to bed, and then she snuck out. Although she wouldn't call it sneaking. The guards knew she was heading to the Record Room. Ava hated lying to Marc, but she had to. He was always overprotective, especially since the last battle. She knew he meant well. She just wished he'd let up.
The hallways were empty and quiet. Ava stayed light on her feet. This would be faster if she could teleport. Instead, she had to go the roundabout way, dodging the night shift workers and patrol, doing everything to avoid a snitch.
Once she reached the Record Room, she set her wristwatch in front of the monitor's screen. It lit up, granting her access. The door swished open with ease—if only the laboratory was this easy to get into.
The Record Room held two computers, each glass monitor was hooked to the wall, with a row of servers the UFE salvaged from the outside world. Unlike their cloud storage, these delightful servers could only be accessed on these computers, making Ava's job harder.
After logging on, she brought up the database to do a quick search for the numbers written on the stub: 05122062LC.
With each file scan, Ava flipped the piece of paper around in her hand. It was so fragile, already ripped at the top, near the corner. Dried blood stained the left side from poking out of her pocket for too long.
Someone must have slipped this piece of paper in her pocket at the Mercado. It could've been the Black Rabbit or someone else trying to reach out to her. Either way, this code better be worth it.
The computer trilled. Ava spun around in the office chair without caution and caught a dark shadow by the locked door. But there was no one there. Lights beamed from above. Her shadow projected on the dusty tile flooring.
Ava shook her head. She was just imagining things.
She took a quick look at the monitor. Nothing. The database showed no record of whatever was on this paper. These numbers were just a hoax to get her outside of her room.
No, she shouldn't give up so quickly. Maybe she just needed an extra set of hands. She needed to call Harry. He was the only guy Ava trusted to hack into the UFE server and find what information she couldn't legally.
Ava logged out of the system and left the room as fast as she could. With her phone to her ear, she turned the first corner. It rang and rang, and rang five more times before the bastard picked up.
Sensual music played in the background, mixing with conversations and laughter. The memory was nostalgic. Ava imagined the torn retro couch sitting in Harry's crowded room, with a mountain of dusty computers stashed in one corner. People mingled about, holding a drink in one hand, while they took a trip up to the clouds.
Harry inhaled with happiness as Ava exhaled in frustration.
"What's up?" His words slurred together.
"I need you to look up a number for me," she said, a little too loudly. Her voice carried down the hall, quickly finding it empty.
He started coughing, then took a few gulps over the receiver. She imagined it was beer. That was always his go-to drink. "Where's the please and thank you? I don't remember being your damn lap dog."
Walking down the next hallway, Ava glanced around, making sure no one was nearby listening. "Are you really going to make me remind you every time we talk that I—"
"That you're the only reason I haven't been busted yet? Dude, your threats can only go so far. You're running on fumes at this point after your last stunt two years ago," he said.
"I told you that in confidence."
"You told me that when you were shit faced. Dancing on bar tops."
Harry's words punched Ava right in the heart. No one knew what really happened on the battlefield that day. Except for her team, and those on a need to know basis, the public believed they were victorious. That was all they cared to know.
Of course, she couldn't keep it a secret for long. It drove her mad.
After the blistering silence, Harry mumbled, "I'm a dumbfuck. Fine! What do ya want me to look up? Wait—hold on."
Multiple whines and curses filtered through the speaker until the door closed shut. It was finally quiet on Harry's end and now more noticeable on Ava's. This eerie feeling crept up her spine. Goosebumps filled her arms.
She wasn't alone.
Ava made light on her feet and walked faster.
She told Harry what's on the slip of paper before he asked. He grunted, his fingers tapped away through the mic. "I can make no promise that I'll find anything, but I'll search through both new and old databases. Might take time. You know how hard it is getting inside the UFE's core complex without being seen."
"Yeah, that's fine. Whatever. And one more thing, I need access to the laboratory. The one I got a map for. Yeah, that one. The Council changed the freakin' passcode on me—"
Music struck hard, rippled through the hall.
It sounded so close yet distant. But it was definitely the sound of a piano.
"Those old geezers have it out for ya, still? They need to get a life." Harry's typing drowned out the song. "When you need it, shoot me a text. They might change it again before you can use it."
"Sure. Hey, I'll talk to you later." Ava ended the call and listened.
Silence. A deathly stillness fell over the hallway. Cool air nipped her skin. She tucked her hands inside the pouch of the hoodie and grabbed the knife's rubber hilt. Her sixth sense didn't pick up anyone nearby.
The piano started up again.
She turned and walked towards the ballroom, the only room that held one of the last pianos in existence.
The keys hit the strings in a soothing pattern. It eased away the painful memories, but the closer Ava approached, the more her heart sped. They shifted to a new song. She recognized it instantly and picked up someone inside.
It was her favorite piano piece.
Ava ran as fast she could, gliding at times, almost knocking over some decor on the way over to the ballroom. It might be a trap, but she didn't care. The code, and now, the piano music—it was all too coincidental.
She ran towards it regardless, because deep down inside, she still hadn't let Junipea go. Maybe if she got there fast enough, she'd find some glimmer of hope.
By the time she made it to the ballroom, sweat rolled off her neck and she was out of breath. She leaned against the door frame for support and searched the room. No one was there. It was completely empty.
A soft, chipped mural painted the ceiling with angels and devils. They stared from their stoop as if keeping a watchful eye. They held onto the chandeliers like a noose as a brilliant array of twinkles sparkled off the glass drops and upon the polished black piano and its worn leather bench.
During celebrations, music and laughter filled the hall, but tonight, Ava's shoes were the only disturbance of this silent night.
Her fingers drifted over the keys—over the blocks of ivory from a species long extinct. It was a miracle the piano lasted this long and stayed strong against the weathering of old age. Sometimes Ava regarded it as the true symbol of hope. If this instrument could last through the war, then the UFE could make it out alive.
Slow and steady she played a tune. Her fingers knew exactly where to go; they steadily remembered the tempos and keys, every rest, every soft hum, even the way the pedals pressed slightly in. Bit by bit, she created a beautiful melody as it sang all around.
The song was rusty, off tempo from not practicing. It had been two years since she last played. This was one of the few things only Junipea and Ava shared. For months, it felt wrong to play without him here and it still did.
Practice makes perfect, he always said.
The longer Ava played, the more music flowed from her body, her heart, and into the air. It was relieving, yet catastrophic. Enchanting, yet vulnerable. Like each key was unlocking the parts she kept hidden and was being driven out in full force, casting them into the wind for the world to see how broken she truly was.
Metal poles crashed behind her. She stopped mid-step. All her bottled up emotions quickly ran away and stuffed themselves back inside.
She turned on the bench and found a dark figure standing by the doorway. One of the decorative poles rolled around. He stepped further into the glow of the light and picked up the poles in a hurry. It was one of the twins. Ava sighed.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude. I just heard piano music and thought I'd see who it was—are you okay?" He cautiously approached after placing the poles in their spot.
"I'm fine," she said and wiped the tears off her cheeks. It was bad enough crying out in the open, but she couldn't let the twins see her weak—no one could.
After stuffing his hands in his sweatpants pockets, he leaned against the piano. "I'm surprised Marc isn't with you. He seems to like staying close to you at all times... he's protective of you."
From how casual he was acting, it was safe to assume this was Sam. If it were Mika, they'd start fighting exactly where they left off.
Ava tried putting a smile on her face, to match his and to ease her out of her emotional state. "It may seem like that, but he's just being a worrywart. That's all," she said, quickly adding, "He's not used to having his family around either."
His eyes narrowed. All these guys loved to narrow their eyes when they were suspicious. "You know him really well. Are you in love with him?"
"In love?" Ava choked on air. "I—I am not in love with him."
"Then why did you let him kiss you?"
So it was Sam who saw them in the garden. That surprised her. He never showed any signs, but then again, she hadn't been with him all day.
Since he clearly knew, there was no point in denying it. "You're right. He kissed me. I didn't kiss him. So maybe you should take this up with your Crown Prince."
Ava stood. This conversation was going in a direction she wasn't comfortable with. That didn't stop Sam from responding.
"One day he will refuse your hand and there's nothing you can do about it. You will never be with him. And you can't save him. Only he can save himself." Sam's voice was like a symphony, taking over the ballroom.
Ever since they got here, they've been pestering Marc and Ava about their relationship. Well, enough was enough. She was putting an end to this tonight. She turned on her heels, ready to give him a piece of her mind, until he said, "That's something I had to learn a long time ago."
This time Ava caught the anguish in his voice.
Whenever Marc spoke about his cousins, he always mentioned how Sam looked up to him. How Sam always asked him for help in training and tried to be just like him growing up. It never occurred to her there could be a whole other reason behind all this.
"Are you in love with Marc?"
He lifted his head and met her cool gaze. Pink blush crossed his face, wide-eyed and not sure what to say, but he didn't have to say anything. Ava understood.
A chime rang through the air.
Ava surveyed the room, searching for the source, but there were no instruments nearby that could've fallen over. It chimed, once more, towards the glass windows showcasing the garden and the moonlit veranda.
"Did you hear that bell?" she asked. "It sounds like it came from over there."
"What bell?" No longer leaning against the piano, Sam followed her gaze.
A shadow flicked across the glass as if a bird flew by. Another shadow flicked by, and then another until dancing shadows morphed into real birds. They flapped their wings, sat in the shrubs, while others darted together over the cement pavement.
Their caws pierced through the ballroom. The shadow birds formed into a dark figure in the night, giant wings spread out from this creature. Her hand bumped the knife in her hoodies pouch. It gave her a moment to collect herself.
Ava grasped the handle, but it was too late. She was transfixed, watching the creature's feathers float together and into the figure of a man.
He stood tall with confidence dripping off his jet black suit. It blended with the night. His eyes stared Ava down. She couldn't tell what color they were, but from this distance, they appeared lifeless, filled with nothing but void and cold-blooded intentions.
It scared her. It stabbed fear into her heart.
She took a step back, those hollow eyes trailed her every move. They felt like they were searching her soul, twisting it under his will and ripped out pieces to take with him.
"Reaper."
Sam growled. He put on this angry front, but his clenched hands told a different story. They trembled by his side, growing paler by the second. She yanked her knife out and prepared to fight.
The man walked forward with long strides. Ava braced herself, expecting him to break the glass, but he did the unexpected. He walked straight through it.
Holy shit sticks.
That shouldn't be possible. Ava never heard of an ability where some could just walk through the glass like that. She'd never seen someone just form out thin air from dark shadow birds either. He was a demon. A full-fledged walking demon, who had a mind of its own and crazy abilities to go with it.
And Ava was his target.
Sam grabbed her hand. They left the ballroom just feet away from the demon man and ended up in the foyer to their homes. Ava held the knife to her chest as Sam dragged her through the door.
The guards shifted into a salute. Their formal greetings gave her some sanity in this insane situation. "Someone just attacked us in the ballroom! Tell the patrols to search the grounds for a man in all black, tall and knows how to use the shadows! And can walk through glass!"
They took a few seconds to register Ava's words. She didn't blame them. She was still in shock from watching the demon man walk through the window.
Sam pulled her towards his home. By the time they were through the threshold, the guards were making calls. The door barely shut before Sam waved his right hand around, his index finger drew out blue character lines in the air for protective barrier.
A wave of energy casted from the koto spell, moving through the room, under Ava's feet, until it came together at the highest point in the ceiling. His movements were quick, as fast, if not faster, than Marc.
She searched, waited, hoping to God that demon man didn't show himself here. Sam did the same as they stood in the middle of the room. They continued holding hands, afraid to let the other go.
"What are you guys doing?"
Sam screamed bloody murder as Ava swung her knife. Darious caught her wrist and took the knife with little to no effort.
"Whoa. You almost took out my eye there," Darious said through a tight smile. He kept the knife close to his side and was still dressed from this afternoon's shopping spree. Ava was so freaked out she didn't care about his annoyance or why he wasn't asleep.
Sam clung to her. She hugged him right back.
"A demon man just attacked us in the ballroom. And he just walked through the damn glass. Excuse me if the last thing I'm worried about is stabbing you in the eye!"
"It was a reaper. He might still be out there," Sam said, sounding calm, but his arms still trembled. "We need to tell Marc."
Darious reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a cell. "I'll call him then."
"No need. I heard Sam's scream all the way from my bedroom."
Marc stepped out from the kitchen shadows, dressed in sweats and a plain black shirt. He glanced between the two of them. "I thought I should come check it out. What I wasn't expecting to find is you, not asleep in bed."
His smoldering gaze ran over Ava's hoodie to the running boots strapped over her tight pants. It was clear she wasn't wearing clothes appropriate for bed. "I'm starting to believe half the things you tell me just aren't true anymore," he said. "It's disappointing."
Marc's words always affected her and she hated it. Those last ones hurt the most.
"Instead of lecturing her about lying to you, we should be investigating the ballroom. Sam said they were attacked by a reaper just now," Darious said.
"Are you sure it was a reaper and not another assassin?"
Sam stood taller, so sure of himself. "He formed from the shadows and walked through the glass. It had to be a reaper."
"I can walk through the shadows, and with koto, you can walk through glass. It could be they have an ability to walk through objects." Each word chipped at Sam's confidence and Ava's fear. He started looking tired and weary after Marc's response.
Marc summoned his long sword to his hand. "We'll still check it out. Do the guards know?" Ava told him yes but he hardly acknowledged she spoke.
Marc and Darious left, after Darious asked for her knife's sheath. She was so angry with herself. She knew for a fact if she told Marc about the piece of paper he'd burn it in a second. So she refused to admit she made the wrong decision tonight.
Ava plopped down on the couch. There was no point in returning home. One, she felt too hyped up to sleep. Two, Darious took her favorite knife. Three, she wasn't done talking to Sam yet. "Do you really believe it was a reaper?"
Sam paced the room, looked out the window, checked the koto scripts. "I don't know. I thought it was. But I could have been wrong."
Marc's words got to him, too.
"So it's safe to say you also believe they're real. The gods and reapers."
He stopped pacing to stare her down like she'd grown two heads. "How else can you explain what happened!"
Ava dropped her head back against the cushion and stared at the shimmering ceiling. "Since I was born, someone has always been trying to kill me. Marc might be right. It could've been just another assassination attempt."
The couch pressed in when Sam sat right next to her. His warmth was soothing, making her tired and calm. "If you don't love him, then you must like him a lot," he said.
They were back on that again. She sighed. "I don't know what I feel anymore."
Sam said nothing, yet gazed into nothingness. Ava wondered how long he'd been in love with Marc, when he first realized he saw Marc as more than family. She wanted to ask, but the way Sam was staring showed exactly how Ava felt.
Hopeless.