Clara
"He goes to our university!?" Step yelps, nearly tripping over her own feet as we scramble to follow Alister into the elevator, mouths hanging open.
"The computer science department? I have friends there too but never heard about this guy." Zach says as he tries to think hard about it.
The elevator doors slide shut behind us, trapping us in silence. I turn my gaze to Alister's back.
Is he never going to tell me what he's hiding? He ignored me when I asked about it on the car ride here. Brushing me off, saying there was nothing. But I could tell he was lying. I didn't call him out on it then. I kept quiet the whole way.
What did you see that's so bad you have to lie to me too? I thought we stopped doing that. Stopped hiding things. Was I wrong?
We step out into the quiet hallway of the fifth floor with the faint scent of cleaning products. The walls are painted a muted shade of beige, the kind of color that feels like it's given up on being anything at all.
We follow Alister down the corridor until he stops in front of 506.
After pressing the doorbell, he steps back. Eyes glued to the door like he's expecting a show.
A second later, it creaks open, and a short, slight figure peeks out at us.
Bright ginger hair, messy and covering one eye. His one visible brown eye watches us nervously.
"Yes?"
"Hello." Alister says. "I didn't know you worked as a con artist as a side hobby." There's a flash of irritation in the guy's eyes. He takes a step back, his hand on the door handle as if ready to slam it shut at a moment's notice.
"What are you talking about?"
"That pendant you sold me 2 months ago! It was a scam, wasn't it?" I accuse him as I step forward.
"Whatever the case, we need to talk about that item. It's important," Alister says, staring down at the guy.
Simon's shoulders sag slightly. His grip loosens, and with a heavy sigh, he steps aside, pushing the door open wider.
As we walk in, the smell hits me immediately: a mix of stale pizza, sweat, and something vaguely like burnt plastic clinging to the walls.
We step into a cluttered, dimly lit living room. The walls lined with shelves stacked with dog-eared books, anime figurines, dusty computer components, and tangled cables. A massive, curved gaming monitor dominates one wall.
"Don't mind the mess." Simon calls out from the hallway.
In the middle of it all sits a black leather couch, almost buried under a mountain of blankets, clothes, and empty energy drink cans. I step over a crumpled burger wrapper, resisting the urge to wrinkle my nose.
"What do you want?" He says, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his faded jeans.
"The pendant?" Steph says as he shoves away the stuff on the couch and slumps down on it.
"It's not a scam." His gaze lingers on me. "It's not my fault careless people keep losing it."
The way his expression quickly shifts from annoyance to pure horror as soon as I pull out my gun and point it at him gives me quite the satisfaction. His eyes go wide in terror, and his face drains to a sickly shade of white as he stumbles backward, tripping over a pile of clothes and hitting the floor.
His hands tremble visibly as he slowly raises them in a placating gesture. "W-wait, please..." he stammers.
I find myself smiling a little too easily at the sight of him crumpled there. A moment later, I feel Alister's hand close firmly around my arm, gently lowering it.
He gives me a look—one brow raised high—clearly asking, Was that really necessary?
"Oh, come on. He was practically asking for it," I say, waving the gun lazily in Simon's direction. He flinches hard, like he thinks I'm going to fire just for fun.
Suddenly, he's scrambling up, bolting for the door like his life depends on it.
Zach, who had been leaning against the wall watching the whole thing unfold with mild amusement, moves faster than I expect. He lunges forward, his large arms snatching Simon around the waist mid-sprint, pinning him in place.
Simon tries to scream, but Zach's hand clamps over his mouth, cutting off the sound before it can even echo down the hall.
He struggles against the grip. As his hair shifts, I notice that his other eye is blue.
"Great, now he's jumpy." Zach sighs, glancing over at me with a lopsided grin. "You didn't have to scare him that much."
I smile innocently as I shrug. "My bad."
Alister says as he walks over to him. "We're not here to hurt you. We just want you to help us. We know about that pendant and the power it has."
Simon freezes, his body going still as he stares at him in open surprise.
"We don't care about whatever you do with it. However you scam people. We're not here for that." Alister adds dismissively.
Zach slowly lets go of him as he seems to calm down.
"How do you know about the pendant's power?" He asks suspiciously as he quietly steps away from us towards a metallic object on a table.
It takes me a second to realize it's a taser.
Alister continues casually. "It's a long story. What matters is that we need the pendant. Just know that we need it to find objects that we'll use to break a curse." He seems relaxed right now. Of course, there's nothing intimidating here.
"Does this curse have something to do with those gems on your chests?" He asks, causing everyone to stare back in surprise.
I step towards him. "If you saw them, then why didn't you ever say anything?"
He raises the taser at me, and I stop.
"I just thought those were accessories." He answers, keeping an eye on me.
"You didn't realize those were magical items too?" He says, completely unaffected. "Doesn't your pendant allow you to locate other objects?"
"I don't know that. I've only ever used it once." He replies.
"Did something happen?" I ask, politely, stepping closer, trying not to scare him again.
He looks at me anxiously before drifting his gaze to everyone in the room as he lowers the taser.
"Wait." He sighs, placing the taser back on the table, and goes to a room.
"He just doesn't have much of a presence." Steph comments, and I hum in agreement.
"Be nice. It's not his fault he isn't as assertive as everyone in class." Zach says kindly.
"Do you never hear yourself?" Alister asks him, incredulous.
"You guys do know I can hear you, right?" Simon says, glaring, as he enters the living room holding a small green box. "I literally didn't even go that far, and you weren't even whispering. Plus the door was open."
"Is that it?" Alister walks towards him, ignoring his remarks.
He opens the box to reveal the pendant. It's the same eye-shaped piece with wings sprouting from its sides and an eagle's head perched atop the eye.
"It's sort of like a family heirloom." Simon explains sadly. "It can't break. And it would only work for the firstborns of every generation. They would become the new owners, and they won't be able to get rid of it until they have their first child. But, in an unlikely event if the firstborn dies and has no off-spring to pass down on, as with my great-grandfather, it goes to the second born."
"What if there's no offspring?" Zach asks.
Simon just shrugs. "Guess we'll find out if it ever happens."
I tap my chin thoughtfully. "Does your family even know about its power?"
"We...don't know what this power is. All we know is that when activated, we fall unconscious and enter a weird dreamlike state in which we're flying in the air. When we look down below, there are certain spots or places that seem to glow." He says, looking uncomfortably at the pendant.
"Great, you can use that to find the items we're looking for!" I exclaim as I clap my hands excitedly.
"No!" He looks at me like I've offended him. "If you're in that state for too long, you start to get a seizure!"
We all just stare at him, stunned.
"Are you sure your family isn't the one cursed?" Steph blurts out, breaking the silence.
Simon folds his arms, trying to look confident. "I'm not doing it."
"You said if someone stays in that state too long, a seizure happens," Alister presses. "How long are we talking?"
He scowls. "I-I don't know."
"How bad was your seizure the first time you used it?" Alister asks, taking a slow step forward.
Simon hesitates. "It... wasn't that bad. If you're with people, they can shake you awake before it gets serious. If you're alone..." He swallows hard as Alister stands infront of him. "You wake up feeling sore, confused, like your skull's splitting open. You puke. A lot."
"Look, you're the only one who could help us." Alister says with such fake sympathy it's almost laughable. "Here's what I'll do. The moment you start showing the first signs of a seizure, I'll wake you up."
"Don't want to." Simon says stubbornly.
Panic flares in his features as Alister pulls a knife to his throat. "You're really testing my patience, aren't you?"
Simon yelps in terror, closing his eyes. "W-wait! I'm sorry! Please don't kill me!" He begs, tears streaming down his face. "I'll do it! I'll do it, ok! I'll do whatever you want!"
Alister's face contorts in discomfort. He sighs and pulls away the knife. As soon as he does, Simon runs upto Zach and hides behind him.
"You're all crazy!" He calls out as he wipes his tears.
Why am I feeling second-hand embarrassment?
Later, we tell him about the items and show him the pictures and watch as he wears the necklace, looking tense. He takes a deep breath, muttering a chant, and turns the iris of the eye in a clockwise direction before pressing on the eagles head.
Suddenly, the eye glows yellow, and Simon's iris glows the same color. His eyelids grew heavy before they closed and he fell to the ground, on top of the cushions we placed there conveniently.
I start the timer on my phone. This might not be the only time we'll need to use his power, so it's better to keep track of how long he stays ok while asleep.
Alister hovers over him, inspecting him closely and turning him over to his side.
20 seconds. Everything seems alright.
The silence and tension in the room are palpable as we wait eagerly.
Suddenly, his hand starts twitching, and Alister starts shaking him. "Wake up!"
I stop the timer. 30 seconds. 30 seconds is the limit.
His face scrunches up as Alister keeps shaking him until his eyes shoot open and he looks around in confusion.
"Map." He says pointing to the bookshelf. Steph walks over and grabs a folded white paper, tucked between the books.
As soon as Simon takes it, he searches for the place and uses a nearby marker to draw a circle. We all gather around him while Zach hands Simon a glass of water.
"Spokane!?" Alister's brows shoot up. "We have to go to Spokane for this!?"
"That's where the goblet is." He shurgs.
"And the rest?" Zach asks.
He shakes his head. "It only works once a day. And you're left feeling tired the whole day still."
So it's like that compass that only worked once a week.
"Wait...this location. Isn't this Waywood Mansion?" Stephanie points at the map, and I immediately concentrate on it upon hearing the name.
"You mean the house owned by that man, Stanley?" I ask. The mere mention of the estate conjures up images of Stanley Carter, a man notorious for his inflated sense of self-importance and extravagant lifestyle.
The epitome of a narcissistic bureaucrat, with an insatiable appetite for luxury and a penchant for flaunting his wealth. His spending habits are as reckless as they are extravagant, with a seemingly endless supply of funds at his disposal.
The lavish parties he hosts at Waywood Mansion are the stuff of local legend, with each event more ostentatious than the last. The guest lists consist of the crème de la crème of politicians, business leaders, and celebrities in attendance.
"Ugh, I hate that guy. I always avoid him." Stephanie remarks.
"He's exhausting to have a conversation with. His son is even worse." I groan.
"I've never heard him not talk about himself." Zach adds.
"Just ask them for it?" Simon suggests, his voice laced with the kind of naïve optimism. "Explain your problem. Maybe they'll understand."
Except Alister, we all burst out laughing, unable to help ourselves.
"Yeah, sure, we'll just waltz up to Stanley Carter and beg for his precious goblet that no one has ever heard he had." I say, barely able to keep the sarcasm in check. "I'm sure he'll just hand it over with a smile."
"There's no way they'll just hand over something so precious to them. Especially not to people like us." Alister says, staring at the map.
I settle down beside Alister. "And even if we did try to negotiate, if they say no, we can't just walk away. If we don't get it by any means, we'll be forced to steal it. And once we do that, there's no way they won't know it was us."
"We have to find a way to sneak in and take it." Alister says, pulling out a blank piece of paper on the table and searching for the mansion on his phone.
"Stanley's mansion is surrounded by cameras and state-of-the-art security. Sneaking in is impossible. It's not just a matter of avoiding guards or cameras." I inform.
"It would be hard but... not impossible," Zach says, drawing a rough shape of the house.
"Wait. This might be where you two stop getting involved." Alister says in a serious tone.
"What?" Stephanie remarks, her eyes narrowing. "No, we're going with you."
"Steph." Zach says, continuing to work on the rough sketch of the floors. "Alister's right. We can't get involved in this."
Stephanie's gaze flicks to him. "We could help them."
Zach looks up at her firmly. "This isn't our fight. They can use their abilities to get the job done faster, and we don't need to endanger ourselves."
Stephanie's jaw tightens like she's ready to punch Zach right then and there.
It seems this was more than just entertainment for Stephanie. But...Zach's right. They don't really need to put themselves in danger because of us. We can probably handle it.
Zach opens his mouth, but before he can say anything, Stephanie raises a hand, cutting him off.
"I can make my own decisions, thank you very much. I'm sticking with them, no matter what. I gave them my word, and I'm not backing out."
Zach stares at Alister and then her before looking down at the sketch he drew of the house. I can see him thinking carefully about what to do. Not about the mission, about whether he should stay or not.
"We better come up with a foolproof plan." He reluctantly says. By his tone, I suppose he has decided to stick with us too.
A thought comes to my mind, and I quickly check my phone.
He draws a circle around the house to indicate a border and 7 tiny circles around to show cameras. "The border wall has cameras all over it, but I think there might be a blind spot."
"A party!" I blurt out excitedly, causing everyone to look at me in confusion.
I clear my throat. "Stanley had invited guests to a soirée on 14th May. It's the day after tomorrow! Wouldn't it be better to sneak in as guests? It'll be much easier too since we'll already be inside." I suggest. While it IS a good plan, I envision myself dressed to the nines, surrounded by opulence and mystery, with the thrill of the mission hanging in the air. It's like something straight out of a movie!
"Judging by that dumb expression, I'd say you just want to go to a party all dressed up." Alister remarks.
I place a hand on my chest, striking a dramatic pose. "Come on, people. Not only do we get easier access, a low level of electronic security and closer to getting the goblet, but we also get to enjoy ourselves in a glamorous night!" I exclaim, my eyes shining with excitement.
"I think she's right. There might be low level of electronic security due to many people around, staff will be busy with the guests, and making distractions will be easier. We'll be going as staff or guests to blend in and search in other rooms." Alister explains and I nod enthusiastically.
"Hey," Simon says, softer now. "That ritual... can it really break any curse?" He glances down at the pendant. "Could it break mine too?"
My heart aches.
His isn't cursed. The seizures are just the side effects.
"It's—" I begin until I stop.
Warm fingers slide over mine under the table.
My entire body freezes.
Alister.
His fingers curl lightly around mine, and I side-glance him. He looks ahead, completely normal while holding my hand.
What—what is he doing?
My breath catches as my throat closes. My mouth had still been open to speak, but the words evaporated.
He speaks smoothly, as if nothing's changed. "It's likely that it would. I met a compass user once, I'll tell you the details later, but among his yellings, he called people like us, the object bounds, 'cursed ones.' So maybe that's what it is. Maybe these artifacts are cursed, and that's why they're stuck to us and only work for specific people. If the ritual works for us… it might work for you too."
Simon exhales, visibly lighter. The moment he relaxes, Alister's hand slips away from mine.
I sit still, heart slamming against my ribs. My hand—still tingling—lies useless in my lap. I stare at the side of his face because he still won't look at me.
He lied.
And I realize, with a sick twist in my gut, that he wanted to shut me up.
He didn't want me to tell Simon the truth.
Why? Why give him false hope? What is the point of that?
Without missing a beat, Alister then turns to Simon again. "By the way, how long will it take you to teach me how to hack?"
The room stills. We all blink at him, confused. Even Simon stiffens like he didn't hear right.
"What?"
Alister crosses his arms. "We'll need to hack the security systems once we're inside. Disable cameras, loop footage—basic stuff."
Simon looks like a deer caught in headlights, shifting awkwardly where he stands. "... I don't know how to do that."
Alister lets out a short, amused scoff. "From hacking into teachers' accounts to tweak your grades to breaking into celebrity security feeds just to catch a glimpse of them... You've got quite the skill set, regardless of how you waste it."
Simon's face turns a shade paler. He stares at Alister, completely rattled. "How do you even know about that?"
He just smirks, tilting his head slightly like he's known all along. "Relax. I haven't breathed a word about it until now. Frankly, I respect those kinds of sneaky talents. Especially now that I need them."
Simon rakes a hand through his hair, revealing his heterochromatic eyes clearly. "I-It's not something you can just learn in a day," he mutters. Then, after a second's hesitation, he looks around at us. "Let me join you."
We exchange uneasy glances.
"It's dangerous," I say. "We don't want to put you in harm's way."
Simon shakes his head, eyes downcast, the frustration and loneliness in his posture palpable. A loneliness I can relate to. "It's fine. I want to help."
"That's very kind of you to offer, but—" Zach begins to speak, putting on his best sympathetic face, until I cover his mouth.
"What we mean is," I give everyone a stern glance, telling them to shut up. "We're glad to have you, Simon."
He beams up excitedly, runs upto me and, to my surprise, hugs me tightly. "Thank you!"
I smile, but just as I'm about to embrace him too, he quickly pulls away with a frightened look on his face. "I mean, it feels good to have friends!" He says with a forced grin as his eyes flicker behind me.
I glance back, and Alister quickly looks away with a broken pencil in his hand.
On our way out of the apartment, after getting his number and forming a group chat, I feel a warm sensation inside me.
Genuine friends.
Suddenly, my phone starts ringing. It's Mom.
I swallow hard as I answer it.
"Hello?"
"Where are you? Just because you get a day off doesn't mean you can stay out of the house for hours!" She yells. Checking the time, it's 6pm.
"I'm sorry, I thought I had told you." I say, covering my hand over the phone so others can't hear it.
"Hi, Ma'am." Steph snatches the phone out of my hand. "This is Stephanie Hans. Clara was tutoring me on some things. I desperately needed her help, seeing as how brilliant she is, and she agreed to do it since I thought she got the day off."
I stare at her in surprise.
The person I despised. The one I'm most envious of. Helping me. Covering for me. She doesn't care if it makes her seem like she needs help.
After afew pleasantries, she hangs up and gives the phone back to me.
"She said a car is coming to pick you up. I forwarded the location."
"...thanks," I say and for the first time, I don't feel like I hate her at all.
She pats me on the back. "Your mom just needs to chill out. You're not a kid anymore."
The sudden flash of a camera grabs my attention. "Aww, look at you two. Growing closer as friends." Zach says, smiling brightly as he swings his arms over our shoulders.
I chuckle as Stephanie elbows his rib. "I swear, if I hear another cringe word out of your mouth, I'm going to kill you."
He simply laughs. "Well, it's time to leave now." He turns to Alister, who's just blankly staring at the road as the two begin to walk away. "Bye, Al."
Alister, as if someone broke his train of thought, flinches and turns around.
"Head back to Simon's while you wait." He says as he strolls over.
"Alister," I say, eyes narrowing at him. I'm glad we're finally alone. "Get this through your twisted head—don't ever hold my hand to shut me up again."
He blinks once, then meets my gaze head-on. "Are you suggesting I use a different method?" That insufferable smirk curves the corner of his mouth as he leans in ever so slightly. "I'm not sure you'd like that."
My jaw tightens as I grit out. "Why did you lie to Simon? Why get his hopes up? How does that benefit you? Just what are you scheming this time?"
He tilts his head. "Those are quite the accusations." He says, feigning innocence like he doesn't have years of blood and secrets behind that calm facade.
I roll my eyes. "Oh please. You're always plotting something."
He steps closer. "What I find more interesting is how much you trust my supposed scheme to work. Enough to let me get away with everything. Deep down, you know... whatever I plan to do will benefit both of us in the end. Isn't that why you didn't call me out?"
Damn him—because he's not entirely wrong.
It might be related to what he's hiding from me—the things he saw during the memory transfer ritual. I still don't know what images were burned into his mind. He won't give me the full version of that story.
"There you go again, keeping secrets." I sigh. "Why won't you let me in?" I cross my arms. "Whatever you saw. Whatever plan you're coming up with."
"Maybe I like seeing how desperately you want it."
I almost laugh. Of course he does. Of course the sadistic bastard would get off on watching someone chase after the answers he's holding hostage. He wants to be begged. And probably have his weird psychological kinks scratched while he's at it.
Fine. Two can play this game.
I step closer, my fingers finding the lapel of his coat. I tug him down to my level, smirking. "You're not the only one who can make people want things."
Face inches from mine, his eyes darken, drifting to my mouth before meeting mine again. "Is that so?" he says, the challenge sharp beneath the surface.
"Oh yes." I whisper, letting the words roll off my tongue. "I'm really good at making people want things they didn't even know they craved."
His smirk curves just a little wider—but I notice the subtle tension creeping into his shoulders, like he's holding himself back.
"Confident," He says, wrapping his fingers around mine and pulling my hand away before leaning back. "And bold. But not enough to win me over. Whatever I'm planning, you'll know soon enough. And like I said, I'm not hiding anything from the vision. So there's nothing more to say."
I look away, folding my arms tightly and muttering under my breath. "Maybe I should just tell the others what a murderer and a big liar you are."
He chuckles—deep and amused, like I've just said something cute rather than threatening.
"I will tell you one thing." He says, in a serious tone. "Pursuing those three items will put a target on our backs," he says. "The kind we can't shake off. Hunters will start sniffing around, trying to figure out who's been stealing them. And from a bureaucrat—especially something as valuable as a healer's goblet? That's practically an invitation for chaos. We'll need to be highly cautious from now on."
Before I can respond, his phone rings. He checks the screen and clicks his tongue in annoyance.
Then he turns to me, his voice suddenly softer. "And remember these words,"
I barely have time to brace myself before he steps forward. One hand comes down gently on my shoulder, and then—like a slow ambush—he leans in close to my ear. I feel his cheek against mine, making my fists clench at my sides. There's heat in my face, and I pray it's his, not mine.
He speaks next to my ear, voice a whisper I feel more than hear.
"Until the curse is broken, live as if you're being watched. And heard. Every second. Of every day."
Then, just like that, he pulls back, calm and composed, as he answers the call with a disinterested tone.
I glare at his back as he walks away, the phone pressed to his ear, his voice too far to hear.
Arrogant bastard.
My fingers are still curled into fists as I watch him disappear around the corner.
Alister reminds me of a snake.
A python, to be precise.
Cold-blooded. Unaffectionate. They're not like loyal dogs or cats that curl up against your warmth. No, snakes slither close, quiet and unassuming, and wait. There's a moment—once they feel "comfortable"—where they stay near, press against you, coil around you gently. It feels like trust. Like affection.
But it's not.
They're just measuring you. Sizing you up. Weighing how long it'll take before they can consume you whole.
If you don't know better, if you don't know the signs... you'll wake up inside their stomach, gasping too late.
Every time he was suddenly kind to me, I felt my guard slipping, like my ribs had started to soften. And worse... I found myself struggling to put them back up. Not because I didn't want to, but because some traitorous part of me didn't mind it.
It angers me. To my core.
That he can see how love-starved I am.
Yet...I wish he hadn't left my room that night.