Spider Lily

The next morning, Mirage approached the castle. It hadn't changed one bit since he'd last seen it – still huge and dreary, its pointed towers reaching high as if trying to pierce the heavens themselves.

But he was different. No longer a slave trapped within those stone walls, existing only for the pleasure of humans. He had grown so much stronger, traveled two worlds. Now he recognized the castle as a subpar attempt to mimic the German Gothic style, and it only made the family that dwelled within it all the more pathetic.

It was still early enough for a pink tinge to color the clouds, and that meant hardly anyone was up and about. And that meant Mirage attracted even more attention from the few who were. Not a single one wasn't gawping at him, and why not? In his Spider Lily disguise, he must surely be the most beautiful creature they'd ever laid their miserable eyes upon. The more of a stir he made, the better.

He told himself this, and held his head high, but it didn't stop his heart from slamming violently against his ribcage. And he couldn't deny that each step seemed to take a little more effort than the last.

Damn it all! Mirage curled his hands into fists. He had already made his decision – no turning back now. It would all be worth it once he obtained the Star shard.

Yet he couldn't stop his mind from drifting down the pathways of his Levia, seeking an icy purple fire. All he found was an aching void, of course.

Furious at himself, Mirage clenched his teeth. He'd lived most of his life without Victor's Levia; why should it matter if it was gone now? Certainly his Levia supplies did feel smaller, and it took more effort to maintain the illusion, but he wouldn't have to keep this up for long.

Even without the contract, he knew Victor was nearby. The damn fool had insisted on at least following him to the castle gates. Mirage could just picture him skulking behind a building like the stalker he was.

At long last – yet all too soon – Mirage reached the gates. The two guards instantly stepped forward, crossing their halberds.

Mirage didn't recognize them; then again, it had been more than five years. Plenty of time for Ziegler to hire new troops.

Batting his eyelashes, Mirage said, "I'd like to see the Master, please."

All his practice last night had paid off; 'Master' rolled off his tongue with ease.

The guards remained unmoved. "Do you have an appointment?" barked the one on the left.

An appointment. How dull. "Now, now," Mirage breathed, leaning closer. "Won't you be a dear and let me through? The Master will be delighted to see his Spider Lily again."

He watched them carefully, but they didn't react in any way to his statement. Either they were well-trained, or they truly had never heard that name. Which made sense; no doubt Ulrich Ziegler wished to keep his greatest shame under wraps.

"Don't joke around," snapped the guard on the right. "We won't let just any random demon through the gates of Ziegler Castle. Now shoo."

"Really now?" Mirage pouted. "The Master will be quite disappointed if he learns you turned me away."

With a whoosh of air, both halberds swung straight toward his face. "Leave," the guards said as one.

Mirage didn't back down. He already knew he'd get nowhere convincing these fools, but that had never been his intention. No doubt Ulrich himself had already seen enough through his security mirrors.

"Did you hear me?" The right guard jabbed his halberd forward, forcing Mirage to lean back to avoid getting poked in the nose.

Mirage responded with a winsome smile. "Let's not get too aggressive, boys."

"You – " The guard lifted the halberd.

Just as metal clanked from behind him. Both guards whirled around, staring in naked astonishment as the portcullis began to rise.

Mirage watched too, keeping his expression as serene as possible. Never mind that his heart pounded so loudly it drowned out his own thoughts.

Next the doors swung open, and someone emerged through them.

It was no use denying the cold sweat pricking the back of Mirage's neck. Cursing his weakness, he made himself remember how he had seen Ulrich Ziegler last. On his knees, hand clamped over his bleeding eye, the stupidest look of bewildered betrayal on his face….

But the image fled Mirage's mind when the person came into clear view. Rather than Ulrich Ziegler's imposing figure, it was a demon woman whose skimpy leather outfit clung to her ample curves, her short hair a shocking icy blue.

Of course. The Master would hardly deign to step outside of the castle's protection himself. This was Rain, his personal bodyguard.

The instant her eyes locked with Mirage's, recognition sparked in them. Bullseye.

"Spider Lily. It's been a while," Rain said stiffly.

"Indeed, it has." Mirage swept the skirts of his robe in an elegant bow. "How nice to see you again."

"Why are you here?" Rain said, still suspicious. Mirage didn't miss the hand resting on one of the knives strapped to her thigh.

"Why else? Because I wish to serve the Master once more – if he will have me back. Over all these years, I've realized just what a horrible thing I did to him...and now I wish for nothing more than to atone for my mistake. Truly, I'm nothing without Master."

Thank everything he'd practiced the words so often in his mind. They came out soft and trembling, filled with a regret he most decidedly did not feel.

So what if saying these things disgusted him to his very core. It was no different from what he had done all those years ago, slowly seducing his way into Ulrich Ziegler's good graces, convincing him to kill that fool of a father, making him believe he had no closer confidant – only to turn the tables on him and finally earn the freedom he'd always longed for.

And after that, Mirage had never stopped acting. Simpering before the Infernal Lord, smiling at interviewers' asinine questions – how was it any different?

Rain still looked skeptical, but she jerked her shoulder at him and turned back around. As clear an invitation as any. Mirage strode past the nonplussed guards without a second glance.

The castle interior was as ridiculously opulent as Mirage remembered, all red-carpeted halls and portraits of sternly glowering Zieglers on the walls. But there were subtle signs of disrepair, like the fraying carpet and dusty unlit lamps.

Mirage tried to focus on these, the small differences. Anything to keep at bay the memories threatening to scurry out of the crevices of his mind.

It only became harder as they headed deeper inside, up several flights of winding stairs. The Levia throbbed in his chest until it almost drowned out his own racing pulse. Not just the deep, resonant power of the natural vein, but something sharper, colder. Like steel. A Levia he hadn't felt in years.

It was nothing. Nothing at all compared to the Infernal Lord's power.

There was nothing Ulrich Ziegler could do to him that the Infernal Lord hadn't already done, and ten times worse.

Yet by the time Rain pushed open a huge, heavily-carved door, not an inch of Mirage's body wasn't drenched in sweat. Thankfully, it was easy enough to illusion away. He followed Rain inside, hands clasped demurely, taking delicate, mincing steps. The picture of soft, sweet grace.

His feet sank into a lush carpet in perfect condition, not a trace of dust or fraying. Bookshelves lined the walls, crammed with grimoires. And in the center of the room –

A throne-like armchair. But that wasn't what caught Mirage's attention. No, it was the man seated within. Tall and broad-shouldered, his black hair slicked back, his features sternly handsome. It was so familiar Mirage momentarily forgot how to breathe.

But there were differences too. A few gray streaks in his hair, and perhaps most prominently, a patch covering his left eye. The sight of it stirred a spark of triumph inside Mirage, giving him the courage to step forward.

Ulrich Ziegler's remaining eye widened, trembling in astonishment, disbelief – and hope. The same hope from when Spider Lily had promised, 'I will truly be yours….'

It took all of Mirage's self-control to stuff down a hysterical laugh. This would be even easier than he'd thought.

Ulrich lurched to his feet, took several stumbling steps forward. "Spider Lily." His voice was hushed, barely breaking a whisper. "Is...is it really you?"

As he approached, Mirage's gaze flicked toward the scepter leaning against the chair – or rather the jagged crystal at its tip, enclosed within a cage of intricate golden wirework. Even from this distance, he made out the stars sparkling within its dark blue depths.

All those years ago, he'd only had the vaguest inkling the scepter was the source of the Zieglers' power. Now he understood just how important it was.

So when Ulrich reached trembling hands toward him, Mirage shoved down every last trace of disgust and flung himself into the wizard's arms.

"Oh Master, I missed you so much!"