"Jaan, you don't understand," Heli starts, but Sena pushes him aside as Jaan steps between them and the cloaked Shadow gliding in through the door.

"I think he understands perfectly," she says.

Jaan knocks the Shadow to the ground and turns to face Heli.

"Get Jakah so we can get out of here," he says. "I'll be right behind you."

With the doorway free of obstruction, Sena pulls Heli through with a hard tug. Despite his attempts to turn and go back to Jaan, he's dragged along the white marble hall.

"Sena, stop," Heli begs. "I want to go back. I want to be with her, why doesn't anyone listen to me?"

She slows as she runs, and turns to look at him with a perplexed expression.

"Because you don't make any sense, that's why. Why can't you see the obvious?"

She yanks him forward before he can respond, not that he has a strong retort to give her anyway. He doesn't have an answer about why he wants to be with Lamia that he can put into words. He just does, like without her, he has no purpose.

"When did you get so strong?" he asks, marvelling at the tight grip Sena has on his wrist.

"I told you, this is enchanted," she taps the opal necklace under the silk scarf. "A- had the idea. It's an enhancement spell. Are you that surprised? You didn't think I was that fragile, did you?"

"Definitely not fragile."

She pulls him with enough force he'd have to really put in the effort to break free.

She stops suddenly, nearly causing the both of them to tumble to the floor. Heading towards them are two more figures in flowing dark robes, materialising between them and the grand ballroom. Heli feels like the world has slowed somehow, moving in slow motion as the Shadows begin to glide towards them. He realises also, no music is filling the hall. Instead the air is thick with muffled yells and the scent of blood.

"This way," Sena pulls him down a side corridor, and quickly through an unlocked door. She leans into it, daring him to try to go back out.

"Sena, this is silly, you can't hide from them in here," Heli reaches for the doorknob under her hand. Her eyes widen as they catch sight of something in the room behind him. He turns to see a sitting room of sorts, the walls lined with bookshelves and in the centre on a small sofa, the hunched figure of someone in a long velvet cape, leaning over something feather-covered in his arms.

The vampire slowly looks up, blood dripping from his chin.

"You will have to find another room," he says. "As you can see, this one is occupied."

"We can't go back out," Sena hisses, but this time it's Heli's turn to grab her hand and pull her towards the opening to another room just to their left.

"I'm really sorry, please excuse us," Heli says with a hasty bow in the vampire's direction.

They round the corner, out of sight at the same time as the noise of the door opening.

"Really, now," the robed vampire says. "This room is-"

Heli doesn't hear the rest as Sena pulls him along into a narrow passage through a plain wooden door. A small torch illuminates a winding set of stairs up to the floor above. They stop at the landing and try another door which opens up into a small, cold room. A large bed in the centre is bare, the nightstand equally unadorned. The curtains are open, lit candles on the sills facing down into the courtyard below. There are no more doors, no outlets unless they escape through a window. If there was some way he could ensure Sena's safety, he could just turn back and let the Shadows take him.

If they were here, Lamia might be as well.

There was nothing stopping him now from turning back anyway, even if Sena's strength is magically enhanced. Without a word, he turns and takes a few steps back towards the doorway.

"Heli!" Sena wraps her arms around his back. "I know Eugene said you're under a spell, but please, try to fight it, you can't go with them."

"Let go," Heli says. "You can get out of here, don't worry about me."

He pries her hands off and turns just as a Shadow steps onto the landing.

Slowly, the Shadow turns his head to face them. He hears Sena gasp as it raises its face, the only features visible are glowing red eyes.

"Please, don't," Sena grabs Heli's hand but again he pulls away. "Don't you remember the last time? You got trounced."

His mind fills with the image of carnival lights, the confusion of different songs and happy voices, and the Shadow raising its blade ready to strike. He had been so sure it was all a mistake. He shouldn't be surprised when this scene unfolds exactly the same.

And yet he is.

Sena grabs his arm again as the end of the sword swings towards him. She screams.

But instead of finishing the arc into his neck, the sword clatters to the ground, still attached to a cloth-covered hand. A flash of red shoves the Shadow aside. He looks up into the mask-covered face of M. L-.

"I do not know which is the greater disappointment," M. L- says. "If it be that your devotion to Lamia blinds you to what is right before you, or if your promises to her take hold make you betray yourself."

Heli looks down at the mix of blood and dust now covering the floor. The Shadow groans as it quivers, trying to prop itself up with its remaining arm.

M. L- takes both Heli and Sena by the arm and in a flash, they're standing back in the entrance hall, between marble columns. A- steps from behind one, blood splattered in dark brown spots across the fabric of her skirt.

"There are more," she says.

Coming from the ballroom, more Shadows glide down the steps. Lights extinguish as they pass.

"You must leave, immediately," M. L- grips Heli's shoulders. "My driver should be waiting for you outside. I had your friends send for him."

"What about-"

As if on command, Jaan materialises beside him.

"There are four or so of them left," he says. "They're all coming this way."

"Of course they are," M. L- responds. "They are only here for you. They have no interest in the rest of the guests, for they know they would be defeated in an instant."

"Why don't we get everyone to help us then?" Sena says. "If you asked, wouldn't the Duke-"

"I'm afraid no," M. L- sighs. "They would not risk angering Lamia anymore than her henchman would them. They will not throw themselves into another's battle if they can avoid it. If Lamia wanted, she could wipe us all out just as quickly."

He gives Heli a gentle push. "And that is why you must go. You do not want them bearing a grudge for inconveniencing this little party any further. Besides, this will be a simple matter for us to take care of."

Jaan's hand rests on the hilt of his sword "I can handle it," he says.

"No, please. You must make sure they are not followed," M. L- says. "Though I think I understand." His eyes flick from Jaan to Heli. "I agreed to protect you, and so I shall. I am glad that I did. I see now what it is that she fears."

"Fear? What do you mean?" Heli asks, but Sena and Jaan both usher him towards the door.

"I shall explain upon my return," M. L- calls out. He turns to face the descending Shadows as Heli is pushed out into the night air, the door slamming shut behind them.

Heli reaches for the handle but Jaan grabs his arm. He struggles as he's pulled back down the steps.

"Give it up," Eugene picks him up and shoves him into the waiting carriage. Jakah is already waiting inside, and Sena climbs in after Eugene.

"We can't just leave," Heli says.

"Yes, we can. Sit down and be quiet," Eugene snaps.

Heli slides down in the seat next to Eugene, his eyes set to the floor and arms crossed. The carriage starts off and they pull away from the bright light of the castle's many illuminated windows.

"I'm sorry, Eugene," Sena says.

"For what?"

"They snuck up on me."

Eugene lets out a scoff. "I don't think that's anything to be sorry for. You weren't bitten, were you?"

Sena shakes her head as Eugene adds, "That's the best I expected, to be honest. All things considered, this outing was a complete success."

Heli turns, expecting elaboration but Eugene leans back, his eyes closed.

Thick, rolling fog fills the air by the time the carriage stops at M. L-s home. Only orange tints in the clouds above hint at the coming dawn.

Viken is already by the door waiting, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders as he steps out into the night to greet them.

"Those expressions don't tell me you had a good time," he says as Eugene and Sena hurry by him into the castle. "Where are the other two?"

Jakah shivers as he trudges through the mist.

"We had some trouble, they'll be along soon."

Viken turns his attention to Heli as Jakah also goes inside. He rubs his eyes and slowly blinks.

"Trouble?" he repeats. "He doesn't mean those wispy cloaked guys, does he?"

Heli takes a deep breath, but is distracted by the sound of hooves behind him.

"Where are the stables?"

Viken's eyes widen as Jaan approaches on his horse.

"Woah."

Heli points Jaan in the direction of what might be the building he's looking for. Viken's eyes follow Jaan as the horse trods along and around a corner.

"Let's go inside," Heli says.

"Oh, yeah," Viken reaches around Heli's shoulders and wraps him into the blanket as Heli walks up the steps. "So, what happened? Lamia's robed vampires didn't show up, did they?"

"Can I tell you about it later? I really just want to go to bed right now."

Viken sighs but from the way he's shuffling through the halls, Heli suspects he had stayed up all night waiting for them to return and was running low on energy himself.

"Can't have been that interesting, then," he yawns.

"Did you sleep at all?"

Viken shakes his head. "I was a little worried, and I couldn't sleep so I went down to keep an eye out for everyone. We're all going to end up nocturnal. Except Taho, he's still normal."

"Who wants to bet on which one of them will wake up first?"

"Jaan, definitely. He's a heavy sleeper, but he actually gets up in the morning."

"Heavy sleeper doesn't even cover it. Why are they like this?"

Heli opens his eyes. Viken and Jakah both stare down from above him. He sits with a stretch.

"Unexpected," Jakah says.

"Can I help the two of you?" Heli asks. "Jaan's still asleep?"

Viken stifles laughter as he nods over to a lump of blankets on Heli's other side. Jaan's head is about to slide off the pillow, his eyes just slightly cracked open and one hand rests on top of the duvet. He makes no movement at all, not even a rise of breath in his chest. Heli picks up his exposed hand and lets it fall back down onto the covers. Jaan doesn't stir.

"Pretty weird, huh? I would say that's what you look like but he's even worse," Viken laughs.

Heli shakes his head. "I'm not surprised though."

"I didn't think you would be," Viken frowns. "How long did you live together? You already saw him like this right?"

Heli slides out of bed. "Where is M. L-?"

The laughter quickly stops.

"He hasn't returned," says Jakah. "Neither has A-."

By the time Jaan awakens, they still haven't shown up.

"Probably on account of the weather," Sena suggests, nodding to the window. Crystals of ice cover the glass. At first Heli thinks it's white from snow, but closer inspection reveals the cloudiness outside is thick fog. She and Eugene lean over the wooden table in the kitchen, snacking on bread. Heli stares up to the high ceiling, trying hard not to think about eating.

"He said he realised something about Lamia, and he would explain later."

"Oh?" Eugene raises an eyebrow. "What kind of something?"

"Something she's afraid of."

"That is interesting. He seems quite knowledgeable about a lot of things, do you think he'd have some different insight into your oath?"

Heli shrugs. "I should have asked him already. We'd had plenty of opportunity to talk, but I didn't think he really wanted to help me."

"He seemed fond of you in my opinion," Sena says. "You shouldn't be afraid of either of them, they're both very nice."

"He didn't try to burn your arm off," Heli mumbles. He glances around the kitchen. "Is there anything to eat other than bread?"

"Doesn't look like there's anything here for you," Sena answers, her mouth full. "Where does L- get blood?"

"Forest animals, I think," Heli sighs.

"Fat chance of finding anything outside now," Eugene says. "If the fog clears tomorrow, I'll go back to town and get some meat. I'm sure L- and A- are fine, they'll be here as soon as they can."

"Meat?" Jaan walks into the kitchen, his hands in his pockets as he surveys the room. He wears some of Viken's plainer clothes, and the dark palette suits him. His gaze lands on Heli, an eyebrow raised.

"When it's raw, it's not bad," Heli mumbles.

"Really? You eat flesh, like a common ghoul?"

Heli sees Eugene and Sena freeze mid-bite as their eyes dart from him to Jaan.

"Yes," he starts slowly. "I ate ice cream too."

Jaan pulls his hands out of his pockets, his mouth open. For a moment he's still, and Heli can't read his expression. Was eating food that much of a problem?

"I want ice cream," he finally says.

Heli lets out a relieved laugh as Jaan pulls out a stool from under the table and takes a seat.

"Since you came all this way, might as well tell me more about what's going on with you," Jaan says. "You want my help, so let's hear it."

Heli opens his mouth just as Viken walks in, closely followed by Taho and Jakah. With all eyes on him, he stops, his eyes dropping to the stone floor. He doesn't know where to begin, and he had thought he and Jaan could have this conversation in private. He considers just talking to him through telepathy, but his thoughts are so scattered, nothing he could send out would be received as intelligible. He doesn't want to talk about Lamia, certainly not in front of everyone. And some things he can't say aloud, even if he wants to.

After a few moments he lets out a long "Hmmmm."

Jaan crosses his arms and takes a deep breath.

"I understand completely," he says.

"I knew you would," Heli replies. "You're the best."

"You didn't say anything though," Eugene tries to smack his arm from across the table but his reach is just short.

"The thing I don't get," Jaan says, "Is why you swore an oath to Lamia in the first place."

Heli's eyebrows furrow as he frowns. "Jaan, I was dying. We should have all been dead for years by that point."

Jaan looks at him with narrowed eyes. The rest seem to hold their breath, no one quite sure what to say next. Heli continues.

"And if I hadn't done that, what would have happened to the rest of you? You really think she would have saved you if I chose to die?"

"Did she tell you this before or after?" Jaan asks.

"Huh?"

"Did she explain how she was going to turn you before or after you swore the oath?"

With a groan, Heli leans into the table, his head in his hands.

"What difference would it have made?"

"You could have told us, we would have figured it out."

"Given what we've seen so far, I doubt Lamia would have allowed that," Eugene says.

Jaan taps the table with his knuckles as he thinks. "Is there any way to break the oath then?"

"Depends," Taho says as he steps beside Eugene. "Whether or not it can be broken depends on the exact conditions it was given."

"Nothing is ever straightforward, is it?" Jakah adds.

"Of course not. But in order to be a blood oath, certain things have to happen. First, the obvious, an exchange or seal made in blood. With vampires I would assume it's more of an exchange."

"Obviously," Heli mutters. "That's why I thought it was necessary."

"The only step left was to die," Jaan says. "All we had to do was drink the poison, and it was over."

"Poison?"

He doesn't seem to notice the look on Heli's face as he carries on.

"Made sense to me anyway, with healing abilities anything else would have been excruciating. Bleeding to death under normal circumstances is bad enough as it is without a body trying to fix itself at the same time."

"She gave you poison," Heli repeats.

"Yeah. Didn't you…?"

Heli rubs his neck as he shakes his head. No wonder no one else had seemed bothered. One by one the others had returned from her tower, going about their nights as if nothing out of the ordinary had otherwise happened. Not like him, having woken up covered in his own blood and too weak to even sit up.

"In addition to blood," Taho adds, breaking the silence that had fallen between them, "Terms are also stated. So what both parties are pledging themselves to. The exact wording is really important. Any sort of out would also need to be agreed upon. Make sense?"

Heli nods. "What would happen if someone tried to break the oath otherwise?"

"Normally, you can't. Which is really one of the more nefarious parts of these spells. They literally change how you think. No matter what you do, it would just subconsciously redirect your thoughts into upholding it."

"So that's why he keeps trying to go to her, even though he knows the Shadows will kill him," Viken concludes.

"Right," Taho taps his chin. "Breaking it would require a lot of willpower. And it would be painful, I'm sure. They're not like Eugene's debt spell that makes you feel mildly bad if you don't do what he wants. This would be a constant fight with your own body and mind. Quite possibly the only reason she hasn't come to kill you herself."

"If you know what the terms were exactly," Sena says gently, "it may be possible for us to figure out some way around it."

He thinks back. He remembers her telling him he needed to die in order to live, the deep bite into his throat, and waking up staring at painted stars. But her words are a blur.

"I don't know," he groans. "I don't remember what she said."

"Heh," Jaan lets out a shallow laugh. "The older I get, the more I see why M-" His eyes dart over to Jakah, standing behind Heli, and he stops. "You would have never made it on your own."

Heli turns to look at Jakah, but he's staring elsewhere, avoiding his eyes.

"It was over sixty years ago, how am I supposed to remember someone's words verbatim," he says.

"We're stuck then," Eugene sighs. He glances at Jaan. "You were brought here to keep him from running off every time one of those misty minions shows up. Any other ideas?"

"Keeping him in line, I can do." Jaan stands and places a hand on the back of Heli's shoulder. "Don't worry about that. The rest I'll need to think about."

"They're keeping something from me," Heli says. He sits at the edge of the bed where Viken is lying. The room is dark save for the fire softly glowing in the fireplace.

Viken rolls over under the blankets to face Heli. He opens one eye and props himself up on the pillow.

"What makes you say that?"

"Jaan was going to say something else. Jakah did something."

"When?"

"The part where Jaan said he was getting old."

Viken snickers and drops his head back into the pillow. "I don't think that's what he meant. You really think they'd keep secrets from you?"

"I didn't think so, but he definitely changed direction mid sentence."

"Why don't you ask them then?" Viken rolls over to face the wall. "I'm not trying to get rid of you, but I really am falling asleep."

Heli rises with a sigh. Viken's sleep schedule had been completely thrown off by his previous all-nighter. Still trying to catch up on rest, he'd gone to bed earlier than usual.

Heli had anticipated M. L- and A- returning as soon as the sun went down. The fog had cleared, leaving everything covered in a thick coat of ice in the early morning. But as the night wore on and the ice melted away under a light rain, there was still no sign of them. Eugene had set out earlier with Sena on a quest to acquire fresh food, but given the upcoming holidays and his dwindled supply of cash, they hadn't returned with much in hand, and none of it included blood.

Jakah and Jaan haven't complained at all, but Heli's stomach is starting to ache. The longer he goes without blood the more sluggish he becomes, slowing down from lack of energy in addition to the burning thirst in his throat. Though it may have been human, he'd only consumed a single glass full of blood at the masquerade in the past three days.

He doesn't find Jakah or Jaan anywhere in the castle, so he puts on his coat and hat and steps out into the cool rainy night. The sky is dark with clouds, but from the stable an orange light flickers. He doesn't wish to stand out in the wet, cold weather and teleports himself across the grounds, and reaches for the handle of the closed door.

"He didn't remember after waking up, so it seems to me like he's blocked it out."

Heli stops in his tracks as Jakah's voice carries through the still night air.

"Don't you think he should know what happened though?" Jaan answers.

"I don't," Jakah says flatly. "It's not going to help us now, and he completely lost it that night. Remembering that now would probably break him."

"I'm not sure it's-"

"Sh!"

Thinning sheets of ice crunch under Heli's feet as swings the door open and steps inside. Jakah jumps up from a bale of hay. A lantern hangs from a post overhead.

"I'm getting cold, I'll talk to you later," Jakah says as he pushes past Heli.

Heli stares as Jaan walks out from behind the horse and starts to work on brushing its coat.

"Alright, I'm not going to lie to you," Jaan says. "Yes, we were talking about the gaps in your memory."

"Sounded like something specific." Heli frowns. "Did I do something bad?"

"You're an undead creature of the night, everything you do is bad," Jaan laughs.

"I mean seriously. I must have, to get cursed."

"You are a curse."

Heli groans and drops down onto the hay bale Jakah had been perched on.

"I'm joking," Jaan says. "A lot of bad stuff happened to us, yes but it was never your fault."

"Yes, it is," Heli replies. "I shouldn't have-"

"Have what? Been a confused kid?" Jaan turns to him, brush in hand. "I would tell you to focus on the actual source of all your problems, but evidently you're literally incapable."

"You mean Lamia?"

Jaan nods. "If you can concentrate on remembering what she said when you made that oath, we can start working on undoing it."

He returns his attention to the horse which lets out a snort. His living horse, full of warm breath and a beating heart.

"Jaan," Heli starts. "How attached are you to that horse?"

"You're not eating my horse."

"What about just a little bite? It's a big animal, it won't miss a few drops of blood-"

"I said, you're not eating my horse!" Jaan shoots back an angry glare, then pauses and tilts an ear to the door. "Do you hear that?"

Heli leaps up. Outside, the sound of pounding hooves and turning wheels through the wet ground is drawing closer. He smiles in relief. He had a lot of things to ask about, and is curious about L-'s theory about Lamia. Heli should have asked him earlier, L- did seem to know so many things. He watches the golden carriage as it approaches and stops in front of him, the driver and his black horse silent as usual.

He stands back, waiting for the carriage door to open and L- and A- to step out, but instead the driver jumps down from his seat and reaches into his coat. He pulls two items and presses them into Heli's hands.

One of them is a mask, encrusted with jewels and dried, browned blood, and the other a single envelope addressed to Jaan.

"M. L- isn't…?" Heli starts but the driver merely glides back up to his seat, and with a tip of his hat, drives the empty carriage away.