I couldn’t breathe. The feeling like the earth was taken from under my feet was so vivid. All my being was paralyzed from what I just heard. I fell on my knees.

“How?” I whispered in utter disbelief, “You can’t possibly know that!” I roared, my emotions booming all at once.

His chuckle covered my heavy breath. Then he just stepped on the balcony, summoned black, raven wings, and with a shot disappeared in the night.

I couldn’t move for what felt like hours with just one question swirling in my mind. ‘How?’.

Flashbacks of the most horrific night coming back to my mind. The smell of burning meat, the screams, and blood. So much blood. I took my head in hands trying to come back to reality and shake all it off. My painful scream filling the dawn.

‘I came out of my room because of the noise, rubbing the sleep off my eyes. When I turned the corner I stumbled on something. Looking down I saw Aria, my nanny. Why she slept here on the floor? Her eyes were open. My hands slipped off her neck when I touched her. There was blood. Like on the bird I saw last week. She was dead. But why? I love nanny? Why would she die? I ran crying to find mommy. When I reached the stairs I saw strangers, down, in the hallway, they were fighting with daddy and our guards. There was even more blood and daddy was hurt. Our butler’s chest was naked, and there was a hole instead of a heart. And mom’s maid was naked and gagging blood. An imp, our cook, was yelling out of pain. I screamed for daddy. But a male with red eyes turned to me and smiled. From behind me, a wave hit him throwing him all way down the stairs. But he didn’t cry. He laughed.

“Boring, old tricks Viviene?” he asked.

Then I was turned by mommy, she yelled at me to run and hid in my room.

And I did, I never saw her so scared and angry. As I ran I saw some more bodies full of blood. I slipped and fell on it. Before me, was lying Rony, my best friend. He was looking at me but not seeing. Then I saw his mouth red. Screaming I closed the door to my room.

I waited there in silence. Crying and trembling. What if mommy dies?

”Mommy?!” I whispered from under my covers when somebody entered my room. The smoke made it hard to breathe and the screams of different creatures were so loud like they were next to me. Mommy always told me that, good girls don’t cry. But I couldn’t stop the tears. I want my mommy. I uncovered my face and there was a male. Showing his sharp teeth he approached my bed with a sword in his hands, raising it over my head. But something came out of his chest. A sword. And when he fell I saw mommy. She ran over to me. Soothing my panicked state.

“Shh- princess, what I told you?” she asked me in a shaky voice. Mom was full of blood, and bruises. Her hands were trembling badly.

“G-good girls d-don’t c-cry.” I responded through sobs.

“Yes that is right honey, now daddy will take you on a trip.”

“No, I wanna be with mommy!”

“Lilith! This is not a bargain, you’ll go,” she stated angrily. Just then the door opened once again and daddy came in. He was looking like mom, with cuts and blood and the smell of smoke. They argued in silence about something then mommy hugged me so hard I couldn’t breathe and then pushed me in dad’s hands. The wall opened and we stepped in when another male entered the room with a big sword and red eyes. Mommy through him to the wall with her power. Her eyes bright red. That wasn’t good.

“Vivienne!” daddy screamed.

“Go, I’ll buy you time!” when she told this, three other males came in. They were grinning at her. The one whom she hit stood up and smiled telling them that mommy was theirs. Daddy screamed taking his sword but she pushed him back with a wave of her power.

“Take her away!” she yelled when the first male immobilized her. The others ripping her clothes to shreds. She was still yelling at daddy to take me away.

Daddy took me and ran through the wall, locking it just when the male with red eyes aimed his sword at us.

He sprinted for a long time, holding me close and crying mom’s name. We came out to a river, he put me in a small boat and after some time I saw our house on the horizon. It was on fire. Mommy won't come back anymore. And I won’t cry.’

I was brought back from this memory by a crying Jocelyn.

“Oh my G-god, Sky, y-you were scream-ming. I came in here, and, and you were on the floor.” She stuttered. I cut her off, raising a hand.

“It’s okay,” my voice sounding hoarse, and she looked at me like I grew two heads, “I am fine, really”, “if it’s not a the problem, please, prepare me a bath, and then go pack your things, here is not safe for you anymore.”

“But-“

“No.”

After a warm bath, I changed in a pair of tight pants and a tank crop top. Putting a pelerine over myself to cover fully. I gave Jo one as well. When we stepped outside Ciel was waiting for me already.

I showed my face to the guard upon arriving. He let us pass.

“Go to your room, Jocelyn,” I said not waiting for her response.

I went straight to Tamor’s office. Waiting for him in there, while a servant waked him up.

He arrived faster than I thought. He was still in his underwear. After him, Rosalind came in and ran towards me giving a tight hug.

“What happened, Sky?” she asked me panicked, scanning my body for injuries.

“Calm down I’m fine”, “I brought Jocelyn back, I can’t babysit her all time, and the house isn’t safe anymore.”

“What do you mean?” Tamor tensed.

“Someone was there. Waiting for me.”

“Who?” they both asked in unison.

“I don’t know. But he warned me to stay away from Vadas and his circle. His warn was at his friend request.”

“Nonsense.” Ro exclaimed, “Why this friend didn’t come himself?”

“Maybe he didn’t want to be recognized.” Came Jade’s reply, startling me.

“Fuck! Jade next time walk in louder!” I yelled at him frustrated.

“I wasn’t expecting you to be here in the first place.” He scoffed.

“Well-“

“My opinion is-“Tamor’s booming voice interrupted our quarrel, “that this friend don’t think you’ll listen to him, that’s why he send a stranger.”

“That makes sense,” Jade and Ro said at the same time.

“Hey-“I mimicked offense.

“We all know how stubborn you maybe, Sky.” Tamor muttered, “But why he interfered now? You were on several dangerous missions before.”

“He told me something- that no one except me knows,” I mumbled under my nose. All of them had gone still.

“He knew my name.”

“But we all do.” Said Ro confused.

“No, I mean my real name. ‘Sky’ is a pseudonym as ‘Lylia’ is.”

Their jaws dropped. Except for Tamor.

“You knew?”

“Just that ‘Sky’ isn’t the real one. You thought a bit too long the first time I asked for it.”

“So what is your name then?” Jade questioned.

“Lilith”

There were a few moments of silence. As we processed information.

“There is more.”

I finally decided to confess to them. I told them everything about that horrific night. Highlighting the red eyes of my tonight’s intruder.

“This can’t be the same male.” Tamor reasoned, ”The previous one would rather kill you.”

“Maybe it’s some fairy we don’t know?” Jade stepped in.

“Hm, I never heard of a red-eyed, winged creature.”

“Don’t you remember any other details?”

“Just that he was strong and possessed some magical powers as well. This doesn’t give us much.”

Again silence dominated the room. I took advantage of it and sent Jade to check on Jocelyn. Now I should convince just two of them.

“What shall we do now?” I asked already expecting the answer.

“You’ll stop this mission.”

“But Tamor, I can’t!”

“I won’t risk your life like that”, ”There may be something we don’t know.”

“I defeated some really dangerous creatures, so I can take care of myself!”

“No! This is not about some bruises or broken ribs. In those cases, I knew exactly the result. But now-“, “there is something more” the last part he told mostly to himself.

“You don’t know that. We don’t even have an idea who could send this message to me”, “What if it was Vadas? He looked strangely at me at some point, more like glared. If he found out about me he could do this to make me drop the mission.”

“You get that this is another argument to end this? Moreover, you got too involved in your work.”

“I told you, he is just cute. Take a look at him. I’m not made of steel. It’s only physical.”

“Sky-“, “erm- Lilith.” Ro corrected herself, “She is right Tamor. Besides I have another idea. What if she spies after Dumarque for a while? Thus she’ll stay away from Vadas but still close to our goal. Technically she’ll follow the instructions.”

He thought about this for several minutes.

“Let’s try.” He finally said. I jumped happily in my seat. “Don’t get too excited, I still don’t like this. And, if something is off, you drop it immediately.”

“Deal.”

Unknown POV

So, she isn’t that scared after all? After all these years, am I losing my sinister charm?

And what to do with her now? She seems determined.

I was quietly watching the little bunch of troubles coming out of the house. Maybe it’s the right time to make some presentations.