By the time Valen finally freshened up, evening had already settled in.
Valen was sprawled out on the balcony, lazily strumming his guitar. The fading sunlight bathed the sky in molten gold. He plucked out the melody he'd been practicing, the song he planned to perform soon.
He was halfway through practicing the song he'd been working on when- knock knock.
Great. Always when he's in the zone.
With his mother, Sarenya, still in the bathroom, Valen set his guitar aside and went to answer. "Yes?"
A butler stood there. And this guy looked like he'd been ironed straight out of a fashion magazine. Uniform crisp enough to cut glass, face so spotless it was like he Photoshopped it every morning.
"Good evening, young master Valen," the guy said in this overly smooth voice. "There will be a family meeting tonight. Your family is requested to attend." He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a card, handing it over with the kind of flourish magicians dream of. "Please deliver this to Madam Sarenya."
Valen stared at the card. Blank. Totally blank.
He looked up, waiting for the butler to explain. But nope, the guy just stood there, all polite and statue-like.
"Cool. Mysterious blank card," Valen muttered, giving him a nod.
The butler bowed and left, probably to go polish his shoes or something.
Back inside, Valen flipped the card around a few times. Definitely not paper. Definitely not plastic. Heavier than both, but not quite metal either.
Must be something supernatural.
That's when his mom finally emerged from the bathroom. "Hmm? Who was it?"
"A butler," Valen said, handing her the card. "He gave me this. Said there's a family meeting tonight."
The second he said "family meeting," Sarenya's eyebrows furrowed. Uh-oh. Not a great sign.
She hummed. Except it wasn't a normal hum, her voice shimmered with siren power. The card vibrated and glowing letters began to carve themselves across its surface.
She read them silently, then announced, "There's a family meeting at the southern beach in an hour. Two of your cousins got into a fight. It'll be settled with a challenge."
"Oh." Valen's eyes widened, a flicker of curiosity lighting up his face. A siren fight, huh? That might actually be fun to watch.
Sarenya let out a long, weary sigh. "Get ready, Valen. We shouldn't be late… and make sure you wear the amulet I gave you." Her tone carried the resignation of someone who knew all too well how wild these "family matters" could get.
In reply, Valen pulled the pendant from beneath his shirt and dangled it between two fingers. "I've been wearing it since we landed."
Hearing that, Sarenya's lips curved into a smile. She reached out and pinched his nose lightly. "Good. Now hurry up and get ready."
By the time they arrived, night had already fallen.
The southern beach was alive with fire. Dozens of torches blazed against the dark, their flames flickering in the salt-laced wind. A wide circle of sand had been cleared, forming what looked like a round stage.
The torches lit the entire area in a warm, golden glow, while the rolling waves mirrored the fiery spectacle in glistening fragments. It was strangely beautiful.
People were gathering fast. Sirens, mostly, though a few normies also mingled at the edges, hesitant but curious. Valen scanned the crowd and immediately spotted some familiar faces. His jaw tightened, and his fist curled at the memory of the humiliating prank they'd pulled on him last time.
Petty as he was, he had already promised himself payback.
At the center of the makeshift arena, a handful of youths stood locked in a silent staring contest, eyes blazing with pride and defiance. Valen tilted his head. So these are the idiots at the heart of the drama.
Suddenly, a hush fell over the crowd. Every head turned toward the entrance of the beach.
An elderly couple, man and a woman in their sixties walked towards the beach. The weight of their presence pressed down like the tide. Instantly, the gathered crowd bowed in unison. Even Valen's mother inclined her head and firmly pushed his down too.
The pair made their way to a large tent pitched at the edge of the stage. Once they were seated, a man in immaculate attire, clearly some sort of high-ranking butler, strode into the middle of the arena and bowed low.
The old man's voice cut through the night, gravelly yet sharp. "Tell me. What was this farce about?"
The butler straightened, his tone crisp. "Young Master William and Young Miss Ava quarreled over who will represent the youth in the upcoming ritual."
The patriarch's gaze hardened. "Both of you- come here!"
Two figures scurried forward and dropped into deep bows.
The old man's scowl deepened. "Explain yourselves. William. Did you not say you would handle this matter?" His disappointment was heavy, like a blade balanced on his grandson's shoulders.
"I did, Grandfather…" William said, beads of sweat forming at his brow. "But it seems Ava… disagreed." He hissed the name with hatred.
The old man's gaze shifted. "Ava. Explain."
Ava lifted her chin, confidence radiating from her posture. "I believe I would make a far better representative. Therefore, I challenge William to a duel."
The crowd rippled with murmurs. William's fists clenched, knuckles whitening.
"Then I have nothing more to say. A challenge shouldn't be denied. William, do you accept?" The patriarch's voice was low.
"…Yes." William ground the word out between clenched teeth.
He wasn't afraid. Far from it.
But the audacity of this challenge burned hotter than any flame. For Ava to oppose him so openly, it wasn't just defiance. It was a slap to his authority, an insult to his power.
If anyone here even entertained the idea that he could be challenged, then it was about time he reminded them all exactly who he was.