17th December (Wednesday), Evening

Peter walked into the common room without a hint of a smile. His eyes were unfocused, like they were staring past us, and there was no flicker of life in them. His lips were cracked, his shoulders sagging. I recognized that look instantly. He'd seen—or heard—something weighing on him, something he didn't want to share. But because of who he was and who held sway over him, I wasn't about to let him keep it to himself. Maybe he sensed that too, because when our eyes met, he didn't even try to connect. He just looked away.

He shut the door quietly behind him, and Sophie practically sprang out of her chair, her excitement bubbling up before fading into worry as she caught his expression.

"Everything okay, Pete?" she asked, her voice softening as she approached, all that initial energy dissolving.

"Kind of," he said, voice low and tired.

"You don't want to talk about it?" she asked again, hesitating.

"I don't. I'm tired of talking, but… you deserve to know. If you don't mind, I'd rather take you somewhere else first."

"Where?" I asked, my tone rising without meaning to.

"To my Domain. I need to… clear my head a little first, okay?"

"Sure. I can take us," I said.

"Seriously? Can I see it?" Sophie piped up, her voice carrying a sweetness that cut through the tension.

"Of course, Soph. I'm sure you'll like it—and you'll always be welcome there," he said with voice carrying Authority, though his lips stayed pressed in that thin, unbroken line. Then he turned to me. "You don't have to take us, Alexa. I'll show you something instead."

Now he had my full attention. "Show it, then."

We both watched as he walked toward the door to his room. As his hand reached for the handle, shadowlight, dense and luminous—poured out of him. I'd never seen it spill from someone like that before, vast and misty, as if it had weight. He was swallowed in it, yet it flowed toward the door, seeping through the frame. He pulled it open, and suddenly a fresh gust of salty air swept over us, carrying the distant cries of gulls.

He turned back to us, gave a small, almost formal nod, and gestured us in.

"How did you even do that?" I asked, unable to stop myself.

"I wasn't sure I could," he admitted. "But it's actually as simple as they said. You go to the same place where it's anchored in Ideworld, use your Authority to open the way, and… that's it."

"Go ahead," I told them, waving Sophie and Peter forward. Once they stepped through, I slipped back to my own room, determined to try it myself.

I reached inward, into the core of my being, following the thread to my Domain. My aura brushed over it, feeling its quiet hum, like it was waiting for me. Open yourself. The thought came unbidden. I pushed at the door with my mind, and shadowlight erupted from every pore of my body, heavier than I'd expected. My soul strained, but the energy poured toward the door. When I opened it, my Domain was there, waiting. I stepped inside and shut the door behind me.

Almost immediately, my soul core began knitting itself back together in the Domain's presence. And then Liora came darting toward me, leaping and floating through the air like some joyful little rabbit.

"Lio, would you think about coming with me after all? I'd like to introduce you to my closest friends."

He glowed then, a green so bright and fresh it reminded me of apples just picked from the tree. It tugged at the corners of my mouth, and I found myself smiling without meaning to.

I gathered my focus on the pulse of my Domain and, with the weight of my Authority, told it to let me return. It understood instantly, no words needed. My vision dimmed to black for the briefest second—and then I was back, standing in front of my room's door. Liora floated beside me, calm and silent.

My way of traveling was, without question, smoother. Faster, cleaner and more precise. But the fact that I could do it Peter's way too? That was a piece of knowledge worth holding close. Lebens had never shared it—how could they, when their Domain was so far out of reach? The question gnawed at me: how had Peter even discovered it? Who told him?

The door to his room still stood ajar, but the view beyond no longer led to his Domain. Both of them were gone. I called up my Spellbook with a flicker of thought, then centered myself on the tether to Peter's Domain, pulling Liora with me.

The world shifted at once, pliant under my will, and a heartbeat later we stood inside the central hall of the island—his Domain. The maelstrom orb lay sealed within his soul core at the center, pulsing faintly but swirling violently. I gestured for Liora to follow as I stepped toward the beach, the same one where Peter had first brought me.

My Lóng, on a whim, chose not to float but to walk beside me instead. He padded across the crystal floor, peering down at the sea life shimmering just below the surface.

"That's where I meant to leave you when I brought up the Water Domain. Do you like it here?" He flared that fruit green again.

I felt a tug inside—relief mixed with a pinch of disappointment. I understood, though. His Domain was something I admired too. It felt whole, lived-in, real. Mine, by comparison, was still under construction—like a half-built house that might one day be beautiful but could just as easily stand empty forever. Potential's a tricky thing: a blessing to have, but a burden to keep.

Their voices reached me before their figures did. The corridors here were enormous, the kind of place where even a short walk stretched into minutes.

"That's magical," Sophie's voice floated down the hall, echoing softly.

"Thank you, it is... great, but I don't feel like it's mine. Not yet." Peter said, his voice steady, unbending. It didn't echo at all—like the Domain itself refused to scatter his words. Maybe it was a courtesy it gave its ruler. Or maybe it was just him, shaping it unconsciously.

"That's understandable, given your history," Sophie replied, her tone gentling. "Can you learn about them here? Are their memories stored in this crystal somehow?"

"If they are, I don't know how to find them," Peter said. "And I'm not sure I want to know why they left me."

"It still hurts you?" she asked softly, the question hanging in the air just as they came into view.

Her eyes flicked from me to Liora, and she froze mid-step—like a statue, one hand clapped over her mouth, the other pointing straight at the dragon.

"What's that, Pete?! That thing next to Alexa!" she squeaked.

Peter stayed perfectly calm when he answered her, his voice even and quiet. "Yes, Sophie, it still hurts. And I have no idea what that is."

"That's someone I wanted to introduce you to," I said, stepping a little closer. "He's a Lóng, soulbound to me. His name's Liora."

Peter gave a small huff of a laugh, setting his hands on his hips. "You really do know how to steal Alexa, even the show. I should've guessed."

Sophie, meanwhile, had completely lost her composure. She bolted toward us, dropping to her knees in front of Liora like she'd just spotted a celebrity. To my surprise, he basked in the attention. He puffed out his chest, eyes sliding shut as he purred—a low, smooth sound like a car engine—while she rubbed his belly and the center of his head between his crystalline horns.

I glanced at Peter, who was strolling toward us at a more measured pace, and when I turned back, Liora had already climbed onto Sophie. His little clawed feet pressed into her knees as he leaned in, rubbing his head gently against her shoulders, careful not to scratch her with his horns.

"He's lovely," Sophie murmured, her voice slipping into the same tone people use for kittens or nieces in princess costumes. "The most beautiful creature I've ever seen."

Lio shimmered green in response.

"He flashes green for yes," I explained, "red for no, and yellow if he wants attention."

"That's so cool!" she squealed, hugging him tight. "Can I keep him?"

"You can take care of him when he's around," I said with a faint smile, then turned to Peter. "You feeling any better, brother?"

"Yes." Just that. One word, heavy enough to sag under its own weight.

I decided not to let it sit. "Who told you about the Domain entrance?"

"I felt like I could do it from the moment I first came here after claiming the Domain," he said. "But my suspicion was confirmed when I talked about it after my interrogation."

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"Talked with who?"

"A demon."

"What?" Sophie and I said at the same time, our voices ricocheting off the crystal walls.

"Turns out Agent Parker and Sull are warlocks," Peter went on, voice steady, almost casual. "They're contracted to a demon and this demon happens to be their department boss. Pretty cool guy, actually."

"What exactly is a demon?" I asked, trying to assemble the pieces in my head.

"He looked like a regular middle-aged guy. Balding a bit. Slightly overweight. Smoked like a dragon—cigarettes, one after another. But there was this… presence around him. Cold enough to crawl under your skin, directly in your soul."

Eldritch. That was the word my mind whispered.

"How do you even know he's a demon then?" Sophie cut in. "Couldn't he be some other monster?"

"They told me beforehand, and he confirmed it himself. They get their powers from him."

"They have powers?" she asked, her voice climbing.

"They showed them to you?" I added.

"Parker did. Sull's more reserved. But they were all very interested in recruiting me to join them."

I blinked. "Wait. Hold on. Excuse me? They arrested you."

"Yes," Peter said, his voice still level but the weight behind it obvious. "I told them what happened which in retrospect I should have been silent about, but I somehow could not remain quiet. And now they want to recruit me. They also know Jason's story about being abducted by some guy is garbage, but they played along to get me released."

"Do they know Jason himself is bullshit too?" Sophie asked, while I hesitated, unsure if we should go there.

"What?" Peter's brow furrowed.

"That wasn't the real Jason who showed up," I said quietly.

"No way. I talked to him. Apologized. He's real."

"Well, he's real," I said, "but he's not a he. He's a they. And they're the Shattered—wearing Jason's face to pull the FBI out of both our lives."

Peter didn't answer. He just dropped onto his backside and sat there, only a few feet from Sophie and Liora.

"But you invited them into our lives anyway, right?" I asked. No reaction. "Right, bro?" I repeated, louder this time.

"I said that I would think about it."

"I knew it. You know how I feel about authorities."

"I study law, Lex…" he muttered.

"Yeah. And lawyers are criminals too, aren't they?" His eyes locked on me, relentless. "Know thy enemy then?" Re-lent-less. "Okay, be one of the good ones if you so insist," I said, forcing a small smile, "and maybe get me out of trouble from time to time?" I fluttered my lashes for effect.

"Lex, I'm immune to your charms."

"I know," I sighed, glancing at Sophie as her stare grew sharper.

"Your place is lovely, Pete," she said at last, her voice light. "And your dragon too, Ali." She was smoothing the ground, and I knew it—easing into something heavier. "Why isn't Zoe with us right now? You didn't tell her you're going out?"

"I told her," Peter said. "But she's working overtime tonight. Then she's got to finish a Uni project when she gets home, so she'll need to crash right after or she'll drop from exhaustion."

"I'll get her something for that," I said, already making a mental note. "Now tell me more about Sull, Parker, and their demon of a boss."

Peter leaned back a little, his gaze slipping toward the floor of his own Domain. "He's here because he likes Earth more than Ideworld. Says a lot of demons do. They all have their share of powers."

"Where from?" I asked.

"No idea."

"You know what he can do?"

"He didn't tell me," Peter admitted. "But Parker and Sull get their powers from their contracts with him, so maybe… something similar to what Parker does?"

"You think he's like a walking soul core?"

"Something like that." He shrugged faintly. "He was the one that told me I could visit my Domain anytime I wanted."

"Anything else?"

"Yeah." Peter's tone shifted just slightly, echoing the demon's words. "He's here to protect the city from Ideworld threats—calls it his favorite place. Says the Guild does a 'bloody piss-poor job,' exact quote."

"What do you think? You believe him?"

"No idea," Peter said honestly. "I don't read people as well as you do. He sounded genuine, though."

"What powers does Parker have then?"

"He told me they're called Crimson Aegis. He needs blood—fresh blood—to make them work. He can change even one droplet into a shield-like object fixed in place for a few seconds."

"That's it?"

"Don't know," Peter said, shaking his head. "But that's all he showed me."

"Why do they want you?" I asked, watching his face.

"They were intrigued by my truthfulness under duress, my Domain, and my law studies," Peter said. "They told me I'd make the perfect agent."

"Well, Peter," I said softly, "if you're hesitating because of me, don't. I know not everyone is perfect. If you want to join, go ahead. I'll still love you."

"I kind of want to," he admitted, disregarding my joke completely. It meant that it was serious. "It's interesting, it's physical, it's about protection—and it would use both my magic and my degree."

"Would they send you to Quantico?"

"Yes. Twenty weeks. I'd have to pass the entrance test, but they said all mages—no matter their Domain—ace it because shadowlight enhances their bodies. And with my Domain actually boosting my performance…"

"Twenty weeks is an awful long time," Sophie finally chimed in, her voice a quiet interruption. "What about Uni?"

"I'd drop it and then finish the course later."

"And you're sure you'd work in this demon's unit?"

"Parker said he joined that way. He was singled out by him, given powers to make sure he'd pass the academy and then the demon pressed the right bureaucratic buttons to land him in his unit."

"You've already decided, haven't you?" I asked.

"No. I'll decide after I talk to Zoe."

"But you want to go?"

"Yes. I just don't want to leave her for twenty weeks. It feels like we just got together."

"I could portal you guys around from time to time," I offered. "Just tell me when, and I'll make time."

"Would you travel to Quantico with me for that?"

"Nah. I can teleport to things holding my Authority now. Got an upgrade. So you'll just take something with you and voilà."

"Are you serious?" Sophie's voice jumped an octave.

"Yes. Why?" I asked again, my eyebrows rising.

"We could finally get our Paris vacation, that's why," Sophie said, her grin almost predatory now. "You can post something over there, and we'll just teleport when it arrives."

"That's actually something I hadn't even thought of," I admitted, half-laughing. "I'm not exactly used to traveling much."

"That power is wasted on you, girl. Jesus. You need a secretary—someone to organize you, manage your time, and figure out how to use your abilities properly."

"Got anyone in mind?" I shot back, joking.

"I'll send you my CV later," she said with a mock-serious tilt of her chin. "I'm studying finance and management, with a minor in magical shitshow."

"That's exactly the spirit we're looking for at Hopper Incorporated," I quipped.

"I like the name," Peter chimed in. "It fits—your obsession with rabbits and your teleportation powers. I could join your agency too, as a freelancer. After training, if I decide to go through with it."

"Wait. You guys are serious?" I asked.

"Why not?" Sophie said with a shrug. "We'd have you handling logistics, Me keeping the brains and schedule, Peter doing his watery stuff. I could probably even convince Nick to join."

"What would we even be doing?" I asked, laughing at the absurdity but also picturing it.

"Well, I don't know exactly what you want to do in Ideworld," Sophie said, leaning forward, "but if you let me in, I'd help you manage it. And I could take over Earth-related, time-intensive stuff tied to your abilities and to other people—while I figure out what they can do and how to make it all work."

"So… you want to be my new Penrose?" I asked, a laugh bubbling in my chest at the thought.

"No. Of course not," she said quickly. "You'd be the boss. I'd just help you manage everything."

"Sounds pretty good, actually," I admitted. "I told you, I've been reevaluating what's important to me. Pulling my friends together and making something like that… it sounds fun."

"I wouldn't feel so excluded from your world either," Sophie added. "And honestly, it sounds like something I'd enjoy long-term. But I want that Paris trip first."

"I'll give you something you can send there, Soph," I said with a smile. The thought flickered in my head, unbidden—if I was going to be the Penrose of this little enterprise, would Sophie be my Miriam or my Thomas? One handled the gallery, the other the darker work. Both indispensable.

"Thanks. I can't wait to go there with you. I wish we could bring all of our friends," Sophie said, her eyes bright.

"You mean Hannah, Elena, and the others?" I asked.

"Yes. It would be epic. But…" she trailed off, glancing at me. "I know how you feel about sharing your secret with people."

"Can't we do it anyway?" Peter asked, leaning in. "It's not like they'd remember how they got there. And we don't have to tell them it's Alexa's doing."

"That's actually brilliant, Pete," I said, my mind already spinning. "I could paint a mural of Paris or something we'd 'accidentally' stumble across. Make it a hidden portal to the place. It'd take suspicion off me, and, as you said, Reality would probably rewrite their memories of the trip anyway."

"So…" Sophie began, hesitancy softening her voice, "you'd actually do it?"

"Yeah. It'd be epic like you said. We'd just need to tell them we're going on a trip so they pack for something normal—maybe a resort somewhere in the state. I'll leave the logistics to you, just tell me where to paint the faux portal. And I'll definitely need to send something to Paris first to check I can actually reach it. Can you manage that, Soph?"

"Sure!" She jumped to her feet, fist closed over her chest like she was about to swear an oath. Liora startled at her sudden movement but stayed pressed to her legs, tail curling like a question mark. Men… they're all the same, I thought.

"That'll be my first task as your manager. You agree?"

"Yes."

"What do you say about New Year's Eve in Paris?" Sophie asked, excitement creeping into her tone. "It's exactly two weeks from now, and I didn't have any solid plans anyway."

"Sounds good," Peter said.

I just grinned and nodded. It actually did sound fantastic.

"Who will we take?" Peter asked.

"I'd like to take Nick obviously, but Hannah and Elena too. That means Tyler has to go—they're joined at the hip these days."

"Then we've got to take Evan. And Jason?" Peter glanced at me.

"Well, Joan said Jason should be ready by next week, but I don't know if he'd want to join us. I'll ask when I get the chance."

"Great," Peter said. "I'll take Zoe too, and she'd probably bring Peaches."

"Yeah, I need more Peaches in my life," I added. "That girl radiates so much positive energy."

"That means me, you, Pete, Nick, Zoe, Peaches, Elena, Ty, Hannah, Evan, and possibly Jason, right?" Sophie counted aloud. "Eleven people, Lex. Can you send that many?"

"I haven't tried yet," I admitted. "But I've recently portaled six-person teams plus their equipment without any issues. I'm sure I could handle it. If I can't do it in one go, we'll split into groups. I'll send one group first with either you or Peter—or both—to manage the rest on the other side. Then we'll play it off as something weird while my soul regenerates for the next batch. But deep down, probably due to my anima, I'm certain my limit's around sixteen right now."

[Yes, that's the case,] Anansi chimed in.

"We all have stuff to do, then." Sophie nodded to herself with a spark of satisfaction. "Invincible trio back together, killing it."

"That's what you call us?" Peter asked, a corner of his mouth twitching.

"Yes. You make sure about this FBI thing—just don't go running off before New Year's. And you, Lex, finish whatever projects you've already started if you can, and get me this thing for Paris pronto. I need it on Friday. Clear?"

"You sure you're not the boss?" I asked, laughing.

"I'll make sure you have the proper title on every document, girl."

"That wasn't my ques—"

"Yes, yes, it doesn't matter," Sophie cut me off, waving a hand like she was swatting away a fly. Then she glanced at Peter. "If that's all?"

"That's all from me," he said.

"Then great. Now, one of you get me out of here—I've got planning to do, and you both have things to finish. Don't get lazy on your asses. Also, Alexa, Liora's coming with me to my room."

Liora flared with a radiant rainbow shimmer of shadowlight, as if he'd just been invited to the grandest party of his life.

"But—" I started to protest.

"No buts. You'll take us to my room and explain how to take care of him."

"Okay," I answered, a wry smile creeping onto my face. Is this how Penrose started as well?

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