As Ariadna made her way back to the ball, a red-haired boy slipped quietly out from his hiding spot in the corner and exited the grand hall. Castor glanced around cautiously before silently making his way to the dark garden beyond the light. He knew the layout well enough to navigate in near-darkness, weaving through the shadows like a whisper. There were others guests of the Ball present, but he deftly evaded them; they too seemed eager to stay hidden from view.
Upon reaching their designated spot, he found a pretty girl with blue hair, Visla and another slightly older gir, Flora with blonde hair already waiting. They exchanged nods, keeping quiet until their small group had gathered—four children of varying ages. The last to arrive was the eldest among them: the heir of the God of Night and Secrets Velor. He stepped forward, surveying the trio before him.
"I have confirmed she is one of us," he stated, a note of gravity anchoring his words. "The good news is that I will be her mentor for the coming years, allowing me to fully understand how she differs from us and from her own family."
"And what does that mean for us?" asked Flora, the blonde girl from the Goddess of Earth and Fertility, her curiosity piqued.
"I can't say for certain yet," he replied, his tone lowering. "You all witnessed her power; she exhibits a strange potency. None of us demonstrated such extraordinary abilities during our ceremonies. It appears she could rival the founders of our domains."
He paused, his gaze turning serious as he considered his next words. "But I'll learn as much as I can. Our next assembly will take place in about ten years, coinciding with my own ceremony of ascending to the domain."
He fixed his eyes firmly on Castor, continuing, "We'll keep in touch. I'll do my best to bring her to meet each of you… if she proves to be worthy of our circle. Otherwise…"
He hesitated, but the weight of the unspoken conclusion hung heavily in the air—if she wasn't an ally, she could easily become an obstacle.
"Then we'll be waiting for you," Flora affirmed, her voice steady. "In the meantime, we need to learn as much as we can."
He nodded, a sense of resolve in his posture. "Yes, maintain your current demeanor. Do not reveal too much of your emotions, practice piety, and adhere to your families' ways. If possible, earn their trust and position yourselves as heirs."
He gazed up at the moon, a sense of urgency threading through him. "It's time to disperse. Lady Ariadna will seek you out tonight." His tone softened slightly. "Be sincere; we want her to feel welcome among us."
Castor sneered, the bitterness surfacing. "Do we really need yet another pious creature? One who destroys and then prays, believing she's done some great good in the world?"
Flora snapped back, her eyes fierce, while Visla, the blue-haired girl, nodded in support of Castor. "Because all our families are just perfect! If she's like us, she might be the key to changing everything!"
"Now is not the time for this," Velor interjected, his voice firm. "We must remain united. It's time to go."
Quickly, they disbanded, slipping back one by one to the festivities. However, Castor lingered a moment longer in the garden, his expression troubled as he gazed up at the moon. He loathed her family with every fiber of his being, yet he recognized that the small girl had no part in their misdeeds—not yet, anyway. With a resigned sigh, he plucked a stray leaf from his silky, long red hair and started toward the ballroom once more, his mind swirling with conflicted thoughts.