"Ouch! Excuse me, can you be more polite when—"
"Throwing someone?" Sebastian finished smoothly, voice calm enough to make me want to punch him. "Miss Seraphina… I know what you're trying to do, but this is unwise."
I blinked up at him, my hair sticking out like a dying mop. "What am I trying to do? And… Unwise? You literally threw me out!"
Then his words sank in. "Wait… did you just call me Seraphina? You know my name?!"
Sebastian's expression barely moved, but I caught a faint flicker of… irritation? Amusement? Or perhaps both?
"Of course," he said flatly, scrolling something on the sleek tablet in his hand. "You're listed in the staff directory. Seraphina Vale. Temporary contract. Administrative assistant under—"
He paused, his brow arching slightly. "Ah. That explains it."
"Explain what?" I demanded.
"That you're still alive."
I blinked. "Excuse me?"
He gave me a smile that was somehow polite and terrifying all at once. "The last phoenix who dared step into this building didn't leave in one piece. You must have impressive survival instincts… or very poor luck."
My brain blanked.
'Last phoenix?'
Did he just imply I'm next on that list?!
"Okay," I said slowly, voice wobbling, "there's some kind of mistake. I'm not… whatever you think I am. I'm not a phoenix. I'm not anything. I'm human! Flesh, caffeine, and, you know… alive!"
Sebastian tilted his head. "Human?" He frowned like I'd just spoken a foreign word. "What makes us… dead?"
"No…" I held my forehead, searching for the right words. "I mean I'm not a phoenix—"
He ignored me, tapping on his screen. "According to your profile, you were transferred here three days ago from…" He frowned again, scrolling faster. "That's odd. Your file's incomplete. No background, no lineage, no skill record. Just your name."
His sharp eyes lifted, locking on me. "Who are you?"
Before I could answer, he suddenly grabbed my arm, firm, unyielding and enough to make me flinch.
"You're not a spy sent by the Pegasus Clan, are you?"
My mouth dropped open. "A… what now?"
He narrowed his eyes, voice low and wary. "Don't play dumb. Those self-righteous sky dwellers would do anything to infiltrate the dragon division."
"Sky dwellers?" I repeated, staring at him like he'd just admitted to being allergic to gravity. "You mean the flying horse people?"
Sebastian's expression didn't change. "Exactly."
I blinked once, then burst into laughter that echoed way too loudly through the pristine, marble-lined hallway.
"Oh, wow," I wheezed, clutching my stomach. "You guys really committed to the bit, huh? Pegasus Clan? Dragon Division? What is this, Mythical HR: The Office Edition?"
Sebastian didn't even blink. His hand stayed on my arm, his face a perfect mask of suspicion and mild offense.
"Alright, where's the camera?" I glanced around, squinting at the ceiling corners. "Come on, this is the part where you tell me I'm on some hidden show, right? Like Gotcha: Fantasy Edition? Or wait… are you live-streaming this?"
"Miss Seraphina," he said carefully, like talking to a toddler holding explosives, "there is no camera."
"Oh, please." I snorted, jerking my chin toward him. "Then what about you? What are you supposed to be? A snake? You look like the type who hisses in his spare time."
His eyes twitched. "Excuse me?"
"You know," I continued, waving dramatically, "slithery, secretive, all 'yesss, my lord' with a fake smile and a dagger under the desk?"
His lips thinned. "For your information, I am not a snake."
"Oh?" I tilted my head, grinning. "So what are you, then? So far I've heard phoenix, dragon, pegasus… What's next? Medusa? Oh—oh! Don't tell me… Werewolf?" I pointed at him excitedly.
He leaned forward just enough for his shadow to fall over me. "Sorry to break your excitement, but I am a basilisk."
"A what?!" I instantly stepped back, raising my hand, trying to digest what I just heard. "The thing from Harry Po—uh?"
His brows knitted in annoyance. "Who is that?" He waved a hand dismissively. "Never mind. You need to leave. Effective immediately, your temporary contract is terminated."
Sebastian straightened, eyes narrowing. "Security," he called, voice smooth and sharp, "escort Miss Seraphina Vale out immediately. Do not let her linger."
Two burly security guards appeared in the hallway like clockwork, expressions unreadable, arms folded.
"Wait! Wait! Wait—hold on!" I flailed, backing up as if waving at them could buy me some time. "At least… at least let me know… Where do I live? How am I supposed to leave if I don't even know where home is?"
Sebastian's gaze didn't soften. "Your residence is irrelevant. Step aside."
I blinked, panicked. "Irrelevant?! My clothes, my—my ramen! My stuff! That can't just vanish into thin air!"
The guards exchanged one look and stepped closer. I squeaked.
"Fine, fine, fine," I said, waving my hands frantically. "I'll cooperate, but seriously… Could someone please tell me what city, street, apartment… Anything? Do I get a map? A GPS? A breadcrumb trail?"
Sebastian's hand tapped the tablet. "Irrelevant."
"Irrelevant again?" I shrieked, clutching my hair. "You can't just… Wait! Don't walk away! At least give me a hint! I swear, if I end up on a Pegasus rooftop somewhere, I'm suing!"
The guards remained silent, just waiting.
I took a deep breath. "Fine. Fine! Lead me. But mark my words… I am keeping track of everything. Every step. Every door. Every… shadow. You damn basilisk, I will remember this day!"
Sebastian glanced over his shoulder with her round, sharp black eyes, "Hope you have enough time to remember today."
"Ackk!" I shrieked the moment my legs no longer touched the floor. Those two burly security guards escorted me out immediately… One under each arm, like a very reluctant picnic basket.
They carried me down the marble stairs, past bewildered employees and glossy trophies, and out through the revolving doors. For a single dramatic second I imagined a crowd, confetti, and a cheesy announcer saying, "And today's eviction goes to…" Instead, it was just wind, sunlight, and the unforgiving slap of pavement as they deposited me on the sidewalk like yesterday's takeaway.
Before I could stand up, the same security guards came back and hurled a handbag at me.
"Ah, thank God," I muttered, catching it awkwardly against my chest. "At least I've got something to cling to while being treated like a rejected package!"
I opened it quickly, rummaging through the bag, desperate for any hint of a clue. "Okay, great… a purse…" I pulled it out and started flipping through its contents.
Then my hand froze on something small and rectangular. My identification card.
I stared at it, squinting. Name… the same. But wait… Race: Phoenix?!
"What?!" My voice cracked. I blinked, then blinked again. "I—how—? This can't be right. I'm human! Not… not some mythical fire bird!"
But my eyes caught on another line just below it.
Disability: Unable to produce tears.
I gawked. "Hahaha! Great, just great! A phoenix who can't cry tears! What now?!"
I threw my hands up toward the sky. "Ah, damn it! Vivian! Come out already! Stop playing your prank… I swear I might actually lose my mind if the next thing I read makes any sense!"
My voice carried farther than I realized. Somewhere down the street, a passerby gasped, then hurried off. And then another. And another.
Within minutes, I noticed flashing lights approaching. Sirens blaring. My stomach dropped.
"Wait… what?!" I yelped, clutching the little glass bottle like a life raft. "Why are there… police?!"
A squad car skidded to a stop in front of me. Officers jumped out, hands on their holsters. "Ma'am, step away from the scene and calm down!" one shouted.
I spun around, trying to catch my breath. "Step away from the scene? The scene? What scene?!"
They looked serious. Very serious. I waved my arms like a flailing bird. "No, no, no! You don't understand! I'm… I'm—look, I'm just a—uh—temporary employee! Phoenix! No! Humans! No! Ah whatever, officer, please help send me back home."
The officer tilted his head, eyes sharp and unreadable. "Raise your hands, Ma'am. And please cooperate. You are causing a public disturbance."
"Great, whatever…" I muttered, raising my hands.
The next thing I knew, I was sitting on a hard chair in a small police station room, the smell of disinfectant stinging my nose. Behind the desk, an officer tapped on a clipboard, looking completely unbothered.