The scene where Nikas killed Hero fascinated Hallie.

It was a brilliant casting decision on Charax's part to have Nikas fill in for Agamemnon - a victim of Clytemnestra, aka Hero - who sought divine revenge through his son, Orestes.

Nikas played the character Hero killed and the one who killed her. Theatrical irony at its finest if she said so herself. Which she wouldn't, so thoughts would have to suffice.

Hallie had no comment on her character's involvement in the vindictive murder.

"Where at last will it end? When will the madness of fate shift its bed and be still?"

Hallie stumbled over the final lines of the play as every other member of the chorus said their lines without so much as a crack in their voices. She would mouth watermelon to pretend to be saying her lines, but she didn't want to cause Charax any more grief.

He kept his head down from the moment he arrived. She assumed. He got there before her or anyone else. Not the point.

His voice lacked its usual range and volume. The first few attempts at shouting stage direction were half-hearted and didn't last long. His passion was gone.

Cois was also gone. No one asked why.

The absence of the Taktikoí weighed heavily on the remaining actors as they scrambled to review lines from characters Charax assigned them to play and their original role.

The chorus - who Charax originally filled with eight mortals - he chopped to five. And even that was pushing it as it had Hallie and many others weaving through their parts to portray different characters, changing the pitch of their voices to practice not confusing future audiences.

For ten people putting on a play meant for thirty people, this was expected. Cois was the only one of them who thought this through.

Wait, but if he stayed, he could have helped Niobe, Doriskos, and the other Taktikoí with his income. Sure, it wouldn't be a lot, but it would be something. But then that would revoke his stance against Hero's methods, and- No, she couldn't do this now.

"Good." Meek approval from Charax. They should all be ecstatic. "That's it. You can go home. The Eumenides tomorrow."

Hallie bit her lip. Great. More lines for her to stutter out and turn into questions, even if they weren't written as questions. It didn't help that her new Melopénio mask and the amphitheater projected her voice for all to hear. So much for mumbling lines.

She ran her hand into the groove of the mask, tracing the notorious frown. The frown that amplified her lines for all to hear.

Hallie would never forget the face Hero gave her when she all but threw Hallie's Janus masks at her.

Her eyes were red-rimmed and bloodshot, bringing out the flush of her cheeks. It was possible to draw two lines connecting her thin, chapped mouth and narrowed eyebrows to create a rectangle.

The stone-cold hatred radiating off Hero was enough to make Hallie step back. Had it lasted a second longer, she would have gotten out of there. And she was glad she didn't. That would have caused Charax more grief.

As the day went on, Hero's mood didn't change. Some walked up to her with intentions of telling Hero off with well-rehearsed speeches and The Frogs references - they owed Niobe that much - only for their words to die in their throats with one look at the bitter Hero.

Hallie was just glad Hero didn't turn the play on its head and decide Clythemestra should kill Electra.

"You ready to go?"

Hallie took off her mask and whipped away some sweat that congregated on her brow. "Yeah. I just need to get my bag."

Nikas nodded and waited as she crossed the stage.

The bag was where she left it. Hallie carefully placed the mask in it and double-checked that everything was in there before slinging it onto her back.

"I'm ready."

"Okay."

Everyone else already left, having filtered out the moment they could. Hallie only spied Charax slumped over in the center of the stage.

She hesitated, then climbed the stairs after Nikas.

"'Sup."

Hallie shrieked and ducked behind Nikas. Good thing he had experience with being a human shield.

"Ryn! If I knew you were going to scare mortals, I wouldn't have agreed to come with you."

"Fine, fine. Sorry, Hallie. It's just me, Taryn. Remember? Kirphis's friend."

Hallie peaked out from behind her human shield. "Oh. Hi. S-Sorry."

Taryn - Ryn? - brushed her hair away from her face. "It's fine. Perhaps I was a tad abrupt. I'll give a warning next time."

"A tad?" Nikas asked as he moved to the side. "Had I not recognized your voice, I would have screamed too."

Taryn huffed. "I said I'll give a warning next time!"

"I'm sure they heard." Ryn-caller, a Sóma, gave a strained smile. A wonderful name, yes, Hallie knew.

"Anyway," Taryn clapped her hands together. "It's so great to see you again!"

"It is?"

Apparently, it was as Taryn administered the largest and longest hug Hallie ever received.

Her arms stuck to her sides like glue, even after Taryn let go. Had it been so long since she last had a hug that she forgot the proper etiquette? Actually, no, it wasn't. Syagros hugged her before he left. She blamed him. Or should she blame whoever didn't teach Taryn the concept of personal space?

"Alright, that's that. Nice seeing ya'. C'mon, let's go."

And just as suddenly as they arrived, they vanished-

"Wait, who are they?"

Nikas pointed at Ryn-caller.

Taryn's hand hovered over Ryn-caller's, clearly itching to get out of there. Didn't she just say how good it was to see Hallie, or was her brain not processing events correctly anymore?

"Hi, my name's Miscenus." Ryn-caller gave Taryn a warning look and stepped out of her reach. "I take it you know Kirphis?"

"Y-Yeah," Hallie gulped. They looked approachable. But so had the Taktikós. "Kirphis helped me find my way around when I first got here."

Miscenus raised an eyebrow. "You're Hallie Nephus, aren't you?"

Taryn opened her mouth.

"No swearing."

"Fine - I already called her Hallie!" Taryn gave Hallie and Nikas a sympathetic smile. "I apologize, he can be a bit of an idiot."

"Ryn!"

"What? It's true!"

The two continued to bicker, throwing jabs at each other most would consider highly offensive, but they both shrugged it off.

"Do we leave them like this or...?"

"I don't know."

Nikas brought his fist up to his mouth and cleared his throat.

Hallie shifted her position to look at Nikas, only to realize he wasn't looking at her. He was looking at a Sóma standing beside him. Oh, they cleared their throat. Cool.

The Sóma stepped forward. "Excuse me, children."

Taryn and Miscenus looked back at them, cheeks flushed.

"Children?" Taryn muttered. "I'm sixteen years old!"

The Sóma's face hardened. "Hold your tongue, child."

"My apologies." Miscenus glared at Taryn. She rolled her eyes.

"Do you need anything?" Nikas asked.

"Yes, I have a question." The Sóma's face smoothed over with a smile so fast it was difficult to believe it ever held another expression, not to mention one so snappish. "I heard rumors. Are they true?"

Hallie tensed, and beside her, Nikas did the same. Taryn looked bored, Miscenus questioning.

Did she mean the rumors about putting one of the ability groups in a class below Freed? The rumor that lost Niobe and Doriskos their jobs?

It was Hallie's turn to clear her throat. "W-We know nothing about those rumors."

Nikas folded his arms, face impassive. "But we do know they're not true. It's a ridiculous concept, anyway."

The Sóma sighed. "Yes, you do know. I saw you down in the amphitheater practicing for your little play. I don't mind if it is true, I am a Sóma myself. Although, you could already tell that."

Hallie's mind drew a blank. If she wasn't talking about those rumors, then what was she talking about? And what did practicing for a play have to do with anything?

Her blood ran cold.

No. That's not what she was talking about. Who would spread rumors about that? Bad question. Everyone would spread a rumor like that, true or not.

I don't mind if it's true, I'm a Sóma myself.

"Then, what rumors are you talking about?"

Hallie tugged on the sleeve of Nikas's roúcha, shaking her head and sending her hair flying from side to side.

The Sóma beamed. "That Charax fired all the Taktikoí in his cast!"

They ignored Hallie's pale face and Nikas's urges to stop talking.

"I laughed for a full five minutes after I heard the news. Of course, I had to see for myself if it was true before I believed anything my granddaughter told me. I saw you two down there - excellent performances by the way - and I could not help but see a dramatic difference in the cast's numbers. But I just had to be sure, so-"

"Shut up! Can't you see this is a sensitive topic for her?"

The Sóma stopped talking and blinked at Taryn. Then they narrowed their eyes. "I thought I already told you to keep quiet."

Taryn clenched her jaw. Hallie quivered.

"I-It's alright, Taryn-"

"No, it's not." She jabbed her finger at the Sóma. "They clearly don't have any respect for us and are heavily abilitist."

The Sóma shook with anger. "I'm sick of this insolence! You! I know you're Freed, your clothing says it all. Do not think I will hesitate to call the authorities. They will put you and your little friend here on trial."

"What? But I did nothing!" Miscenus cursed and bit the inside of his cheek.

Taryn put her hands on her hips. "Yeah, he did nothing. I can understand why they would put me on trial- who am I kidding? No, I don't. Still, why him?"

"He's Freed."

A three-way staring contest, one Miscenus tried and failed to stop and get out of.

"Pl-Please don't fight."

Nikas stepped between Taryn and the Sóma. "Hallie's right. Let's go home and forget this ever happened, okay?"

They stared at each other for a few seconds longer before the Sóma's face smoothed over again. "Fine." They flashed their traitorous smile and walked away.

"Koprìas."

"What did you just call me?!"

"Alright, let's get out of here." Miscenus grabbed Taryn's arm and pulled her away before she could tackle the Sóma. He jerked his head to the side as an invitation to follow. Hallie hurried after while Nikas consoled the Sóma before following himself.

"Hey, get back here!"

Nikas pulled up beside Hallie. "Guess that didn't work."

"Run!" Taryn yelled before sticking her tongue out. Miscenus yanked her forward and took off. Nikas shrugged and dashed after them. Hallie had to sprint to keep up.

They lost the Sóma almost instantly. Despite that, Miscenus had them all weaving through alleys and backtracking before he set his sights on his house.

"Are they gone?"

"Yes, Cenus. They never even tried tailing us." Taryn opened the door and went inside. "Perks of not having an issue with running."

Miscenus ducked through the door and motioned for Nikas and Hallie to follow.

"I guess we're staying for a bit."

Hallie's eyes wandered the room and came to a rest on Taryn sitting in the bigger of the two chairs, limbs sprawled every which way just like the last time she was there.

"So," Nikas said, settling onto the couch. Hallie scrambled to do the same. "How can you afford all this?"

Hallie almost fell off the couch. Taryn did fall out of her chair, tucking her body into a ball and rolling onto her feet.

"Just because we're Freed doesn't mean we can't buy stuff."

Nikas held his hands up. "I know. It's unusual, that's all."

Miscenus kept his head down and slid into the smaller chair. "We have jobs."

"R-Really?" Hallie's eyes opened wide. "That must have taken forever to get, and a lot of pressure to keep."

Taryn crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "You don't think he's lying? Or we stole the job from 'good, hard-working Kardiáns'?"

Hallie tilted her head. "No? Why would I?"

Taryn stared at her. She looked away, then walked towards her.

"A-Another hug?" Hallie choked out as Taryn once again enveloped her, pressing her string bag into her back.

She didn't answer, but let go after a few seconds.

"Okay, I have to go out again." Taryn strode towards the door as if the hug never happened. "I left a snack out there."

Miscenus gagged.