Iris and Cumulus came to a compromise a day later. Cumulus explained the plan to DIa.

"So you ask Noctave if you can stay over at her house-"

"Oh, great idea, dad!"

"No, no, no.

You're supposed to do this to tell us what Umbrum is up to."

Dia shook her head. "Don't you have spies for that?"

Iris spoke, tense yet calm. "Now, listen to me Dia. The only way we can find that out id if we have someone inside Eventide, and that someone just so happens to be you."

Dia huffed. She didn't like being used as a tool.

Dia wrote a letter to Noctave asking if she could stay a night over. Noctave's response was an enthusiastic yes.

"We have plenty of spare bedrooms that were made specially for guests.It'll have to be on Urainia's side, though."

They settled on the 12th of June, a half-moon.

Dia acted calm and casual, but remained vigilant. She saw the staff divided between the star and shadow spirits. The star spirits served Urainia for the most part, acting as her handmaidens, cleaners, and cooks. Noctave is rather self-succificent, but she uses their help on occasion.

The guards were mostly made up of the shadow servants. Umbrum probably had domestic servants of his own, but the royals guard's numbers have quadrupled with all the shadow soldiers joined in their ranks.

She met a high ranking shadow servant in the stable, his horse next to Skypainter. A skeleton horse.

His eyes were dark gold. He had an indigo military jacket with gold buttons and multiple medals, straight cut pants, and heavy boots. His armor was relegated to arm and shin guards, and was an inch or two below her in height.

Dia was a bit intimidated, but she tried some friendly conversation. "I assume you're very high-ranking. What's your name?"

His expression turned from an intense stare to glee. An opportunity to brag was not to be missed. "I'm Superior Captain Gangre, Scourge of Illuminana and Master of the Blade! Don't feel a need to introduce yourself, ma'am, I know exactly who you are."

Dia wasn't endeared by his show off, but remained polite.

"That's a nice horse you have Captain."

His horse began to shoot smoke out of her nostrils. Dia felt dread creep upon her. Gangre patted her neck. "Easy girl, easy."

The horse's eyes began to glow. "I don't think Miara likes you. You should leave."

Dia found Noctave watering the garden on the other end of the castle grounds. Though she wasn't Moonflower anymore, the garden was lush and healthy.

"Dia! I'm so glad to see you!" They hugged each other. "I was wondering whether you like your boar with thyme or parsley."

Boar? What's a boar? "Well...what do you recommend?"

"Thyme, definitely."

Noctave picked some and put it in her apron pocket. "It's a blessing that your parents let you stay over, no strings attached."

Dia nodded, but with a hint of nervousness. "Yes, I was able to convince them to let me go."

Noctave gave her a mischievous smile. "You're pretty charismatic then, aren't you?" nudging her elbow. Dia felt a bit flustered, but remained composed.

But in the back of her mind, Noctave knew that Dia had an ulterior motive. There's no other reason that Iris or Cumulus would let her stay over.

Dia scanned the area for bystanders. Quietly, she asked her "Would you happen to know where Umbrum is?"

And there it is...

Should I help her out?

Yes, she needs to learn for herself

"If you want to find him, just call Noxis."

"Is there anything I need to do in particular...?"

"Just call his name, and he'll show up."

"Hey, Noxis!"

Noxis appeared in his cat form. Noctave picked him up and gave him to Dia. Dia wasn't comfortable holding the soft, hairless, four-eyed, four-horned, cat-shaped void of darkness.

Her silence annoyed Noxis. "Stop staring and tell me what you want."

"Uh...well...What's Umbrum up to?"

Noxis glared at her, making Dia extremely nervous. She started to sweat, even though it wasn't very hot.

"Well, if you're that curious, Umbrum is busy scratching up poetry about the existential emptiness of life."

Noctave became furious. "My father is not Tenebrisi! How dare you-!"

Noxis cut her off. "Calm down, Noctave. I just can't tell riddles from poetry, even at the best of times."

Dia remembered something. "Could it be his memoirs?'

Noctave nodded. "I'm sure he has a lot more to add now."

"Oh definitely."

Noctave showed her where she'd be staying that night. The walls were painted with various galaxies and stars, there was an hourglass-shaped rug, a metal table with a chair, and a nightstand with books that were picked out especially for Dia.

"This is nice, Noctave. Where's your room?"

"In one of the spires. I suspect the location in the heavens strengthens my magical power. It might do the same for yours."

Dia made a mental note of that.

"Would you like to see it?"

Dia nodded, "Later, OK?"

She wrote in her journal about what she had noticed about Eventide Castle.

Noctave's room fit her well. It had the delicate sensibility of a princess's chambers with lots of witchy artifacts. Mirrors, candles, vials of potion, large caldron, and a knife. Dia noticed a certain tome on Noctave's bookshelf.

Verdunne's Book of Blood Magic 3rd Edition. Dia was, frankly, horrified.

"Noctave...why do you have a book on blood magic?"

Noctave's face turned red upon Dia finding her secret. "Uh...you never know when you'll need that knowledge."

"You really are related to Umbrum, aren't you?"

Noctave wasn't sure how to feel. I might as well be proud to be related to Umbrum. It's not like I can get another biological father, and he is always kind to me.

And yet, Dia still sees Umbrum as a monster...

which means now she sees me as a monster...

No...it can't be so!

"Is that...an insult?"

It dawned on Dia that she shouldn't have said that.

"I just...I...Look, I'm sorry if I hurt you...I just...Blood magic is kind of..." Dia sighed, not being able to articulate her point well. "Just know that I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted. I'm going to make some potions. Wanna watch?"

"No thanks. I'm going to see Umbrum."

Dia walked out into the middle of the hallway, and called for Noxis.

Noxis appeared, visibly unhappy. "What do you want now?"

"Can I see Umbrum?"

Noxis narrowed his four eyes. "Why should I take you there?"

"Um...because it's polite...?"

Noxis scoffed. "Well, since you asked so nicely, I'll ask him if he wants to see you. Oh, and we know the real reason you're here."

Noxis gave her a look of devilish glee that made Dia shiver.

As she waited, she spotted a tapestry on the wall that showed a battle.

That's not just any battle! It's Umbrum's Seige of Illuminana! I didn't think he'd so proudly show such a failure as that! Thank the sun for mosquitoes and the rangers!

Noxis teleported back. "He's very eager to see you. Whether that's a good or bad thing, you will find out soon enough."

Noxis led her to the heavy door that separated Urainia's side from Umbrum's. He ordered the guards to let them through. On the other side, Dia created a ball of light so she could see.

Noxis glared at her. Defensive, she told him "I can't see in the dark, so kill me!"

Gladly, Noxis thought.

Umbrum's office was exactly as Dia imagined it. Maps of the world and stars, weathered tomes of lore, swords mounted on the wall, assorted military memorabilia, and no windows. Umbrum was dressed a bit more casually, mostly meaning he wasn't wearing a cape and armor. He sat behind a great desk made of pine from the northernmost reaches of Noctaria. Despite his short stature, his presence outshined Dia.

He was not pleased to see her.

"Maybe instead of sending his daughter to spy on me, he should look into the hidden sects of my followers?"

Shocked, she said, "There's no followers of yours in Illuminana!"

"That you're aware of." He reclined back in his chair. "If I have to take it over again, I'll definitely be going with an espionage-based route."

Dia's ruby eyes widened in fear. "You're not seriously..."

"It's just a pipe dream, don't worry about it! Though if Cumulus keeps doing this shit, I just might have to."

The silence between them was long and tense.

Noxis, in his human form, appeared, giving Umbrum Dia's notes she wrote down about the castle.

Umbrum skimmed through them, finding Dia had never found any of the many secrets of Eventide Castle. And there's many.

"I see you met Gangre. He took over the position from Vega."

Dia nodded, fearing to speak.

"I'm going to ask you a question, Dia. It's a simple one, but important, and you're going to answer truthfully.

Did you get close to Noctave to get back at me? Call me paranoid, but I can easily imagine it being a clever revenge plot on part of Cumulus'."

Dia was stunned. "N...no. I didn't know she was your daughter when I met her. Nobody did."

Umbrum was relieved, but masked it with a suspicious look. "Who else could her father be? Did you honestly think Urainia actually remarried?"

"Well, for all I know, she might've..."

"You don't know Urainia the way I do, then. I can't ever see me or her remarrying, ever. At least, I can't. I'd be angrier with Noctave for saying she's illegitimate, if being related to me wasn't somehow worse."

Dia wasn't sure what to say.

"I know I should apologize-"

"Don't. Cumulus should.

But I think we both know how likely that is. It's not as if you found anything interesting."

"You wouldn't have happened to have given her the book on blood magic, would you?"

Umbrum glared at her. "Get out, will you?"

The rest of the night was quieter, least until the main course of dinner.

When the boar was served, Dia was dazzled by its sheer size. Its tusks were gigantic, and its meat was delicious.

Umbrum, who was quiet for most of the dinner, shared this delightful factoid.

"They said that if you were impaled by the boar's tusks, you'll be damned to freeze in the deepest pits of the abyss."

Dia had nothing to say to that.

Urainia gave him a look that told him to stop. She told Dia "Ignore him. He does this all the time."

Dia went back to eating the boar, occasionally giving Umbrum nervous glances.

Much later that night, Dia was walking through the hallway by her room when she met Noctave.

"You seem deep in thought, Dia. Would you care to share your thoughts?"

Dia stared out the window. The night sky was beautiful, unless she's actually in space right now. But even if that's so, space is beautiful.

"Dia." Dia snapped out of it, and turned to Noctave.

"I was just thinking about Umbrum. And I'm not sure what to make of him. He seems proud and arrogant, but he has a tapestry showing his failed invasion of Illuminana. That seems a bit uncharacteristic of him."

"Well, your first impressions of a person aren't always accurate. Do you trust Umbrum?"

Dia felt flustered. "Uh...trust is a...strong word..." She laughed nervously.

Noctave put her hand on Dia's shoulder. "He just acts like that to mess with others, and people take it too seriously. I don't completely trust him either, but you can't put all your trust in one person, can you?"

"I suppose you can't..." Dia trailed off in thought again.

Noctave snapped her fingers, getting Dia's attention again.

"You seem very dazed. Sleep on it, and you'll be better off." She kissed her on the cheek. "Goodnight, Dia."

Noctave teleported away before Dia could respond.

Noctave is right, I should get some sleep. Thank god I have my earrings to protect me from bad dreams.