The palace was alive with music. Candles flickered across the ballroom, chandeliers glittered, and Princess Juliette spun across the marble floor with a gentle smile that made the nobles adore her even more.
Outside, the guards patrolled with rifles slung across their backs. Their boots clicked against the cobblestones, the metallic rhythm of order.
Then the torches began to flicker. A shadow slid across the courtyard.
A boy floated down from the night sky.
Not with wings, nor on a machine—just drifting as though the air itself carried him. Mid-length black hair framed a pale face, his casual shirt and trousers making him look like a runaway teenager, not a threat. But the massive buster sword strapped across his back made the guards freeze.
"Identify yourself!" barked a captain, raising his rifle.
The boy—Ash—grinned. "Relax. I'm just here for a dance."
The order to fire came instantly. Rifle bolts cracked through the night, echoing like thunder. Sparks flared as bullets streaked toward him—
—and then slowed, twisted, and dissolved into nothing as his hand traced glowing black runes in the air.
Ash yawned. "Boring."
With a flick of his wrist, shadows surged outward. The ground cracked, tossing riflemen off their feet as though the earth itself rejected them.
Inside, Juliette's laughter died as the ballroom windows shattered. Guests screamed. Shards of glass rained down, and through the chaos, a boy drifted into the ballroom, floating just inches above the ground, his boots never touching marble.
He looked at her—not at the nobles, not at the guards rushing in with pistols drawn—just her. And more specifically, the gleaming relic at her throat.
"That shine…" His voice was soft, almost wistful. "It belongs to me."
"Stay back!" cried one of the guards, firing his pistol point-blank.
The bullet hit Ash in the chest. For a heartbeat, everyone thought it was over—until the hole where his heart should be flickered with black fire. The bullet vanished inside the emptiness. Ash only smiled wider.
Juliette stepped back, clutching the relic. "What… are you?"
Ash tilted his head, as if considering her question. Then, without another word, he floated forward, seized her wrist, and pulled her close. "The name's Ash".
Panic exploded in the room. Soldiers fired, guests screamed, chandeliers shook.
But the boy with no heart simply soared upward, dragging the princess with him as he darted through the shattered window. Gunfire chased them into the night, sparks raining down against the starlit sky.
His laughter echoed through the city below, light and careless, as though none of this mattered at all.
The wind howled around them as Ash carried Juliette higher and higher. She struggled against his grip, her silk gown tearing against the jagged glass still clinging to the palace window.
"Put me down!" she screamed, kicking at him.
Ash tilted his head, his black eyes glimmering like pits of night. "Down? But down is boring. Down is guards and bullets and dancing people who can't even smile without faking it." His grin spread ear to ear. "You'll like up better."
Juliette's heart hammered as the city shrank beneath them. Lanterns and rifle flashes blurred into specks of light, like fireflies trapped in glass jars.
And then she saw it.
Suspended in the night sky, half-hidden by drifting clouds, was a house. No—an impossible thing: an old wooden home with iron pipes jutting from its sides, gears whirring, and glowing engines spitting blue sparks of light. Metal scaffolds clung to its underbelly, and great fans churned like mechanical wings to keep it aloft.
Her breath caught. "That's… that's not possible."
Ash giggled. "Of course it is. I built it. Took me… hmm…" He tapped his chin, still holding her with one arm as though she weighed nothing. "A few decades, I think? Maybe more. Lost count."
Her blood ran cold. "Decades? But you—"
"Look Young?" Ash cut in, swinging them toward the floating house. "Yeah, I get that a lot."
He landed lightly on the wooden porch as though stepping off a street curb, setting Juliette down none too gently. She stumbled back, clutching the relic at her throat, while Ash casually shoved open the creaking door.
The inside was stranger still: a mixture of homey and terrifying. A threadbare couch, a wooden table scattered with books and gears, half-finished machines buzzing faintly with stolen magic. Strange runes glowed faintly across the walls, pulsing like veins.
Ash kicked off his boots and dropped onto the couch with a sigh, stretching like a cat. "Finally. Home sweet home."
Juliette stayed near the doorway, trembling, her eyes darting between the glowing machines and the boy lounging like this was all a game.
"You kidnapped me," she whispered. "The kingdom will—"
"—send guards, send cannons, send angry people with angry faces," Ash finished, rolling onto his back. He propped his buster sword against the wall, the steel gleaming under dim lantern light. "Let them. I'll just swat them away again. Easy."
She bit her lip, trying to keep her voice steady. "Then… why me? Why not just take the relic and leave?"
Ash's grin faded for a heartbeat. His black eyes softened, almost thoughtful. "Because shiny things aren't fun if you don't have someone to show them to. Aaaaand also because I kinda can't touch it"
He sat up suddenly, leaning forward, his childlike grin snapping back into place. "So, Princess Juliette…" He clasped his hands together in mock ceremony. "Welcome to my home in the sky. You're my guest. Or my prisoner. Whichever makes you less angry."
Her only reply was silence—and the faint whirring of the house as it drifted through the night sky, carrying her further from everything she had ever known.
The house gave a low shudder as one of the gears shifted, sending a ripple through the floorboards. Juliette flinched, clutching the doorway tighter.
From the far side of the room, a voice spoke—calm, clear, and young.
"You're back late."
Juliette turned sharply. Out of the shadows near the staircase emerged a boy. He couldn't have been older than twelve or thirteen, with messy blond hair that caught the lantern light and a long, plain yellow tail swaying lazily behind him, the same shade as his hair, he wasn't human he was something else, a beastman. His golden eyes, sharper than any human's, flicked from Juliette to Ash.
"Who's she?" the boy asked, tilting his head like a curious animal.
Ash stretched his arms overhead with a yawn, ignoring Juliette's wide-eyed stare. "This," he said with a playful sweep of his hand, "is Princess Juliette. She screams a lot, but I think she'll get used to us."
Juliette's lips parted, her fear giving way to confusion. "Us?"
The boy padded closer, barefoot on the creaking wood. He wore a bright, short-sleeved hoodie the color of sunrise, paired with loose shorts in the same vibrant shade. Simple, comfortable, but unmistakably new—clothes Ash had clearly provided. Despite the splash of color, there was something feral in the way he moved, every step deliberate, balanced, like a predator deciding whether to strike.
He studied her for a long moment, then frowned. "She smells… like fear."
Ash snorted. "Of course she does. She's new. Don't be rude, Leo."
Juliette's throat tightened. "Leo…?"
The boy nodded once, almost formally. "That's my name. Don't worry, I won't hurt you." He glanced at Ash, his expression sharpening. "Unless he tells me to."
Juliette's pulse quickened, but Ash wagged a finger in mock scolding. "Hey, hey, don't scare the princess. You're supposed to be the polite one between us, remember?"
Leo rolled his eyes, his tail flicking behind him. "You kidnapped her."
Ash grinned, unfazed. "Details."
The tension hung heavy, broken only by the soft hum of the engines outside. Juliette's gaze lingered on Leo—the boy was clearly no ordinary child. His tail swished, his ears twitched at the faintest sound of the house's mechanics, and there was a rawness in his eyes that spoke of pain she didn't understand.
Finally, Leo crossed his arms. "She can't stay in the entryway all night. Are you going to show her a room, or should I?"
Ash blinked, then clapped his hands together. "Ooooh, look at you, being all responsible. Fine, fine—Leo, be a good host and show the princess her quarters. I'd do it myself, but…" He flopped dramatically back onto the couch, hands spread. "I'm exhausted from all the stealing and flying."
Juliette hesitated, glancing between the feral boy with the golden eyes and the grinning madman stretched out like a child who'd just come home from play.
For the first time since she'd been torn from her palace, she realized something terrifying.
Ash wasn't alone.
Juliette trailed behind the boy, her fingers still trembling as she brushed against the polished wooden rail of the staircase. The house hummed faintly, like a beast alive with gears and air currents. Every so often, a shiver ran through the floor, as if reminding her that they were impossibly suspended in the skies.
Leo walked a few steps ahead, his yellow tail swaying rhythmically. His bare feet made little sound against the creaking boards, and though his frame was slight, he carried himself with the confidence of someone used to the shifting balance of this strange house. His bright orange hoodie seemed almost too cheerful for the quiet tension between them.
Juliette swallowed hard. "Where… are you taking me?" Her voice came out sharper than intended.
Leo didn't slow down. "Your room. He told me to show you."
Her eyes darted around as they turned a corner, the corridor opening into a wide hall with windows that revealed swirling clouds and a faint blue horizon beyond. She gripped her dress, her voice lower now. "This… this place is floating."
"Of course," Leo said, as if it were obvious. He glanced over his shoulder, golden eyes flashing in the dim lantern light. "Scary, isn't it?"
Juliette's throat tightened. She nodded faintly.
"Don't worry." His tone wasn't exactly comforting—it was more matter-of-fact. "Ash built it. It won't fall."
That name again. Juliette hesitated before whispering, "Why do you stay with him?"
Leo stopped at the end of the hall, hand resting on a brass doorknob. For a moment, his tail stilled, the easy sway gone. Then he glanced at her, expression unreadable.
"Because I don't have anywhere else." He pushed the door open, stepping aside for her to enter.
Juliette peeked inside. The room was simple but surprisingly warm—soft bedding, a desk with odd little gadgets, a small lamp glowing steadily. It looked lived-in, cared for. Her chest tightened with confusion. Why would her kidnapper prepare a room like this?
She hesitated in the doorway. "You're not… going to lock me in, are you?"
Leo tilted his head, studying her with an almost feline curiosity. Then, with a shrug: "If Ash wanted you locked up, he'd chain the door. He didn't. So… no."
Relief flickered through her, though it did little to ease the gnawing fear.
Leo leaned against the frame, arms crossed. "You don't have to be so scared of me." His golden eyes softened slightly, though his voice stayed blunt. "I'm not the one you should worry about."
Juliette stiffened. "…Ash?"
He didn't answer directly. Just gave a small, tired smile and let his tail flick lazily once more. "Goodnight, Princess."
And with that, he stepped back into the corridor, leaving her alone with the hum of engines and her racing thoughts.
Juliette sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers tracing the fabric of the blanket. It was softer than she expected—warm, like something handmade. The small lamp by the desk hummed faintly, its glow steady against the shadows clinging to the corners of the room.
She should've felt relieved to have a room at all, but her chest was tight, her breath shallow. She was inside her captor's home. A house not even grounded on the earth, but floating, swaying gently in the endless sky.
Her gaze wandered to the window. Beyond the glass stretched clouds glowing faint silver under the moonlight, drifting lazily past. The world below was invisible, hidden in the dark. For a moment, she pressed her palm against the cool pane. A dizzying fear swept through her—one wrong step, one mistake, and she could fall forever.
Juliette quickly pulled back, curling her hands into her lap.
A sound broke the silence. A low creak, somewhere in the walls. Then a faint metallic groan, like machinery shifting deep beneath the floors. She froze, listening. The house seemed alive, its engines and gears sighing in rhythm, never fully still.
Her mind raced. How long will he keep me here? What does he want?
She thought of the boy—Leo. His words repeated in her head: I'm not the one you should worry about.
Her heart thudded harder.
Then came footsteps. Soft, deliberate. Not Leo's—these steps were heavier, slower, carrying a weight that made the boards complain.
Juliette's breath caught.
The steps stopped just outside her door.
Silence.
Her pulse hammered in her ears. She could almost feel someone standing there, just on the other side of the wood. Watching. Waiting.
And then, without a knock, a deep voice came—smooth, calm, yet carrying a presence that made the room feel smaller.
"Juliette."
It was Ash.
The door clicked open, the hinges groaning softly. Ash stepped inside, dressed as casually as before—loose black jeans and the button-up shirt, sleeves rolled to his forearms. His black eyes caught the dim glow of the lamp, reflecting just enough to remind Juliette of how unnatural they were.
He didn't look rushed. He didn't look cruel. He just… existed in the room with a presence that made Juliette press back against the headboard, her breath quickening.
"You're awake," Ash said simply, his tone more observation than greeting. He stepped closer, his gaze flicking briefly around the room—as if checking something about it—before settling on her again.
Juliette's throat tightened. "W-why… why did you bring me here?"
Ash didn't answer immediately. He tilted his head, studying her like one might a puzzle piece that didn't quite fit. "Because you don't belong where you were."
Her heart skipped. "That's not your decision to make!" she snapped, though her voice cracked at the edges.
Ash's lips curved faintly—not a smile, not fully—but something that carried the weight of amusement. "No. But I made it anyway."
The room fell silent. The soft hum of the house's engines filled the space between them.
Juliette tried to steady her breathing. "What are you going to do to me?"
Ash leaned casually against the desk, arms folding over his chest. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes never left hers. "That depends. On you."
Her brows furrowed. "…What do you mean?"
"You'll understand," he murmured, his voice calm but carrying something sharp underneath, like steel wrapped in silk. "In time."
Juliette shivered. She didn't know if it was from fear of him, or from the unshakable feeling that the floor beneath her wasn't floor at all—that she was suspended miles above the ground with nowhere to run.
Ash pushed himself off the desk, stepping back toward the door. His expression softened slightly, though his eyes remained unreadable. "Rest, Juliette. You'll need it."
And just like that, he turned and left, the door clicking shut behind him.
Juliette stared at the door long after he was gone, her chest rising and falling in uneven breaths. The house groaned again, shifting against the winds. She felt impossibly small—trapped between sky and silence, with only the memory of those black eyes watching her.