Wylan stood in front of the large mansion that his father and his far too young wife, Alys, resided in. It wasn't as welcoming as it once was when his mother was alive. Marya had livened every day they spent together. Her mere presence would bring them joy.

When she died, Van Eck took it terribly. To Wylan's dismay, the pain was honed into anger towards his son. No matter what Wylan did, it was never good enough.

"He's probably just upset to see you all the time because you remind him of her," Jesper said when Wylan brought up his family in conversation once.

"I wish that were the case. But I look like him. Just a weaker version."

"Not weak. Kind and good. Which is how you seem to describe your mother."

Now, the two hesitated before the grand entrance without a sound. It was beyond intimidating. If Wylan looked away, he feared the door might swallow him whole. It was foolish, but he figured it couldn't be far from the truth, considering what awaited inside.

"What's that pretentious bastard to you anyway? Whatever he wants to see you about can't possibly be that bad."

"Since you're asking, that so-called 'bastard' is my father and there is a possibility he wants me home so that he can kill me."

Jesper went closer to ring the doorbell with a smug smile on his face. "If he wanted to kill you, I'm sure he would've hired a guy."

Wylan returned a slight grin. Behind those confident eyes matched with that charming smile and untroubled swagger, Jesper was nothing but a boy living in hiding. He was a coward who wanted to seem brave, which made him reckless. Wylan knew it was what made Jesper Fahey so dangerous, but there was no denying how much comfort it brought seeing that assured gait.

Before Wylan could lose his courage and dart back home, the door opened into the great manor, revealing a lavish atrium inside. The man holding the door greeted the two who kept their composure as they entered in a silent panic. The awkward man in his servant uniform closed the door behind them before leading the guests into a parlor where Jan Van Eck waited with a small group of seemingly wealthy individuals.

Their dress was far more formal than what you would've seen around the dirtier streets of Ketterdam. You could say it was somewhere between what one would wear to a dinner party and what they'd choose for a business meeting, which Wylan supposed was rather appropriate. Comparing their choice of apparel to his and Jesper's, he suddenly felt rather exposed and uncomfortable in his casual-wear, as if he chose to come in nothing at all.

"Wylan, you're just in time to meet our guests," Van Eck was first to speak. He smiled and spoke more cheerfully than usual with a drink in his hand.

Wylan would've taken more time to nitpick his father's odd behavior, but he was taken aback by the faces that turned to see the son of their business associate. Four faces that immediately brought flashes of memories to his mind. Part of my dream.

The young man, not much older than Wylan closest to Jan Van Eck, stood tall in a perfectly tailored grey suit. His hands were in black leather gloves and held a cane with a crow's head. Upon his lapel sat a small pin of a crow to match it. He smiled and spoke first.

"Pleased to meet you." His voice came in an unexpectedly deep rasp that somehow had a smooth quality to it as well.

"I expected him to be taller." A Ravkan girl with long brown hair spoke next. She wore a simple blue dress that left her arms and back exposed and swept the ground lightly.

"What is with Ravkan's and their manners?" The Fjerdan said right after. He stood closest to Wylan and next to the Ravkan.

"I'd like to apologize on their behalf. They've been rather difficult together." Wylan turned his head to the last guest who stood in a black dress with her back against the wall. She was clearly Suli from her radiant dark skin and black hair tied in a side braid. As she came closer to the rest of the group, she seemed to walk on air and make no sound despite the heels she wore. "It's nice to meet you, Wylan." She smiled kindly.

"Yes. Um…" Wylan wasn't sure what to say. He couldn't help but believe he was dreaming again. How was this possible? He must've looked like a fool with confusion across his face, for his father spoke up.

"Say something, son." It was weird hearing those words from Van Eck.

"Yes," Wylan repeated, trying to collect himself. "Nice to meet you all. Um… This is Jesper Fahey," he said, gesturing to Jesper who stood a little behind his right.

"How do you do?" He greeted them with a small nod of his head, unsure of what to do as he attempted to assess the situation.

"This is Mr. Kaz Brekker, Miss Nina Zenik, Mr. Helvar over there, and that is Inej Ghafa," Van Eck stated, introducing the company in order of who spoke.

Their names. Wylan could not help but feel a chill down his spine as he looked to each one of them.

"These are my new business associates," Van Eck informed his son. "I'll be working with them for a while. I would also like you to get to know them. They seemed rather interested in meeting you."

"I felt it was something notable," Kaz Brekker stated. "When I heard your father had a son who was not in the business, it struck me as an oddity. And I must say that you may pose as a valuable asset for me in the future."

"Mr. Brekker is a man of business. Every acquaintance he makes is a well-considered gamble for guaranteed profit and safety," Ms. Ghafa noted. "A bright, up-and-coming merchant of Ketterdam, as many have been discussing, but also dangerous. Then again, who isn't in a business as sensitive as money?"

A dark pit had formed in Wylan's stomach as he gave her a slight chuckle.