Sasha slumps against the wall of the washroom, her face a web of purple veins. Her jet black eyes stare at the wall, her lips move wordlessly. I scoop her up and lay her down gently in the bathtub. Patting her down, I take her sending stone or phone or whatever they call it. Hastily putting on my clothes, I slip into the hallway.

"You okay, little guy?"

"I will be," I explain, my mind racing. "Is there a way we can get a message to The Captain?"

"Sasha is acting commander. She has access, why?"

I look back at the bathroom door. "She's... unavailable. Anybody else?"

"The head of her family could request an audience, but Chineelia is the head of her family. I'm not sure if there's anyone else."

Thinking about the incapacitated vampire in the room behind me, I nervously paced up and down the hall.

"Think," I say to no one in particular, catching a glimpse of the chess board in the sitting room.

She took it everywhere, played whenever she could. I stop and stare at the board state. Clearly, Chineelia had been playing herself again. Looking at the various pieces from this angle, detached from the action, I recognize a path of attack I'd never noticed before. The Captain would have seen it every game and been searching for a way to ride it to victory.

Realizing how ridiculous it all is, I kick the table. The pieces fly in every direction and the board hits the ground with a hollow thud. Something clicks and the wood shifts slightly askew. I walk over and kneel down beside it.

"She's going to be pissed I broke her board..."

I pick it up and the bottom swings open, scattering papers and a chunk of memory glass. Gathering the documents together, I sit down and read what bits of it I can understand. Bombings of military targets outside of El'Enara, character assassinations of political rivals, efforts to deceive the public about the war... I can't follow it all, but it seems like enough to sink a battleship.

I shove it all back into the board as Candi walks into the room, arguing with someone on the other side of a sending stone. An idea pops into my head, a genius one.

"Hey, Bearson. Who's the head of House Black?"

"Bursten Blanth, I think."

"Are they ambitious?"

Obera scoffs. "He's half-dragon."

"I'll take that as a yes." When she nods, I realize he can be the piece I need. "Okay, I'm going to talk to Kheelisha. I need you to stay here and make sure no one goes in that restroom."

She looks at the door then spears me with a suspicious gaze.

"She's probably going to try to kill me when she gets out," I offer.

"Then you'd best hurry, little guy."

"Great advice."

I run off to find Kheelisha and tell her my plan. Then I show her Sasha's sending stone.

"Can you call him?"

"Me? Call Bursten Blanth?" Her cheeks and chest darken. "I could never! I'm not even a second daughter, I'm a nobody."

I shake my head. Their politics confuse me, but I understand high school popularity. I take her hands in mine and give them a squeeze.

"First of all, you are possibly the most stunning creature I've ever seen. The word Nothing could never be the word to describe you."

She wraps her tail around me and pulls me into a big hug. "Oh, Marlon. I knew you loved me!"

"Wait," I squeak as she squeezes too tight. "Springing Chineelia is what's important right now. Aren't you a member of The House Black Hospitality Committee?"

"Yes, but I'm a junior officer. He'd answer the phone for someone like Guinevere, but not me..."

"Can't you call Guinevere?"

Early the next morning, I skulk around the lobby of The Ministry Building. Hiding as officials and reporters come and go. As the sun rises higher into the sky, the building gets more and more busy. Butterflies fill my stomach as I run through the steps of my plan. So many parts are completely out of my control. So many people I need to trust. My hands wont stop shaking.

There's a big commotion out front and people flood in. I watch from the back of the room as Kheelisha, Guinevere and the rest of the committee stroll into the building crowded around Mr. Bursten Blanth. As tall as Shaq and broader in every dimension, the man is massive. His horns sit on his head like a golden crown. Reporters swarm them trying to get a statement from the famous head of House Black, and his Roguish grin disarms them all. The man exudes charisma and is perfectly suited for the task at hand. He won't be able to help but make this trial as big as possible. His persona won't allow it.

"Mr. Blanth, why such interest in this vainglory case? Is it the threat to public safety or the blatant disregard for Ministry Law?"

"It's neither," he responds. "A prominent member of my House is being accused of a crime and I intend to make sure any and all of her wrongdoings are brought to light."

He casts a glance across the room and our eyes meet. I nod and he grins as he leans into his spiel.

"As paragons of the people of El'Enara, House Black will not stand for corruption within our ranks.'' He places his hand on the small of Kheelisha's back. "With the blessing of her family, I intend to get to the bottom of Captain Azi'Zoro's dealings."

The reporter places his stone in front Kheelisha. "Ms. Azi'Zoro, what do you have to say about all of this?"

"I say, the truth will see the light!"

The crowd of reporters murmur excitedly.

"She's laying it on a little thick, don't you think?" Obera says as she joins me.

"At least she remembered the line. She was so nervous about meeting Blanth, I thought she'd forget how to use complete sentences."

We both laugh.

"Well, it's time to go."

"Already?"

"Yeah. The Ministry wants you back on your side of the veil by nightfall."

"I didn't even get to say goodbye." I turn to her, my friend through this entire adventure. "I'm going to miss it here... I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too, little guy." She tousles my hair. "Spending time with you was—"

I hug her tightly and, after a moment's hesitation, she hugs me back. She presses her forehead against mine and we lock eyes. Neither of us say anything, but it feels as if an entire conversation passes between us. When we break away, I feel a tiny pain in my heart.

"Who's taking me to the faerie ring?"

She wipes a tiny tear from the corner of her eye and points towards the building entrance where a group of white coats wait.

"The Vice-Minister hand picked your escort."

"Not Tombs, right!"

"No. He and Sasha disappeared as soon as Blanth demanded a public inquiry. Vice-Minister Glopp picked them." She smiles at my skeptical expression. "I took a look at the list. I think you're in good hands."

I smile, feeling a little better with her endorsement.

"Keep an eye out for Sasha. I have a feeling she's the type to hold a grudge."

"That she is, little guy. That she is."

Heading towards the waiting peacekeepers, my favorite fubby shyly walks over. She fidgets with her fingers as she looks up at me, unwilling to meet my eyes.

"What's up, Chai?"

"I just wanted to give you this and apologize." She hands me a jar of cream.

"What's this?" I ask, sniffing the vanilla-scented ointment inside.

"Ummm, Ms. Sasha has been paying me to put agaric spores in your tea." She shrinks away at the look on my face. "It's why the flame cap keeps coming back."

"What?" I say a little too loud.

She squeaks and tucks into a little fubby ball. I want to be mad, but I realize whether she was forced to take the money or had no other real options, she did what she had to do. I pocket the jar and give the little furball a parting pat.

"You take care of yourself, you little cutie."

With one last look at Kheelisha and Blanth, I let the peacekeepers guide me to my ride.

About an hour out of Gemknight city, the carriage stops on an empty country road and one of the peacekeepers riding with me jumps out.

"Is everything alright," I call after him.

With no response, I look out the window opposite the door. There are no familiar landmarks or anything I can use to get my bearings. As far as I'm concerned, we're in the middle of nowhere. Just when I get antsy and peek out the door, the peacekeeper jumps back inside and we continue on our way.

"That wasn't suspicious at all," I say sarcastically.

"Can't be too careful these days." The peacekeepers' silken voice makes all the hairs on my head stand up. Peeling off their face like a mask, she winks. "Hello, Mr. Smalls."

Eyes wide, I inch towards the carriage door.

"Ms. Hwang... I shouldn't be surprised, but," I point at the wad of skin on the floor, "I didn't see that coming. Are you here to kill me? I feel like I've made some enemies. Not a lot, but enough that murder and my name are being spoken in the same sentences somewhere."

"Relax," she purrs, getting up and sitting beside me. "I'm actually here to thank you."

"Thank me? Sure... I have to ask, where's the rest of you?" I pantomime a much bigger butt and scary spider limbs. I use the opportunity to stand, but she puts her arm over my shoulder and pulls me down into the seat.

"I'm an arachne. We're really good at concealing things." She rests her head on my shoulder. "You worked out way better than I expected."

"I did?"

"Yes. I'd hoped you would disrupt the initiative from your side, but you've managed to succeed where my friends and I have failed miserably. You've disrupted things on our side. Captain Azi'Zoro's trial will bring many of The Ministry's secrets out for all to see." She walks her finger across my scalp, her nails sending tingles down my spine. "I could kiss you."

"Please don't."

"Is that the thanks I get for saving your life? If I hadn't called in that tip, your vainglory friends would have been too late to save you."

"That was you?"

"It was. I had eyes watching you at all times." The eyes on her forehead open up and wink at me.

"Even when that maniac, Frost, tried to hypnotize me?"

"I knew you could handle that specific threat." She squeezes my cheeks. "That's why I chose you."

I slap her hands away, tired of the games.

"What does that even mean? You knew I'd be resistant to their mind control?"

"Of course. You're from a family of monster hunters."

"And that means..."

"It means, someone in your bloodline spent enough time over here that they developed resistance to monstrous abilities. Every successful monster hunter can follow their family tree and end up right here." She grabs a handful of my manparts.

I jump up and sit on the other side of the carriage.

"So now what, they put Chineelia on trial and she reveals their secrets? How does that change anything?"

"Atropa is a vampire sympathizer, someone who has no place in a seat of power. She'll be ousted because of Chineelia's evidence and one of the Vice-Ministers will take her place. With Tombs also implicated, it will loosen the vampires' grip on The Ministry. If things go as I plan, the next Minister will be an anti-oligarch."

"And what happens to The Captain in all of this? Everything I did was to keep her from getting executed."

She leans back, stretching her arms across the back of the seat.

"I'll do what I can. We owe you so much, it's the least I can do."