“We don’t know much about it,” Valaine said. “It’s a disease that only affects the Aeternae. It blackens the blood. It destroys everything on the inside. It kills millions over the span of a week, if it’s not detected in time.”

“How does it spread?” I asked.

“There are a number of books on the topic here in the library. If the lord and lady supreme allow it, I will show them to you,” she replied. “But, in short, it’s carried through the blood of Rimians and Naloreans. It takes a long time, up to a month, for the symptoms to manifest. The worst part is that we don’t know which of them are carriers, since they never get sick themselves. Only the Aeternae die from it.”

“Have you tested them?” Sofia wondered.

“We tried. But every single Rimian and Nalorean that was tested over the years came up negative,” Kalon said. “It’s why it’s been so tricky to permanently root out. The thing is, it doesn’t persist. It comes in waves, every ten thousand years or so. For now, we’re in the clear, since the last time it spread was five millennia ago.”

“It’s deadly to our kind,” Valaine reiterated. “So, if you were wondering about the population ratios here, I figure you’ve got your answer now.”

Amal nodded slowly. “It’s a little grim, to be honest. And you haven’t been able to develop a cure at all?”

Kalon and Valaine both shook their heads. “Not for lack of trying. The disease is so quick not only to infect, but also to consume and disappear. By the time it’s done with an Aeternae, there’s nothing left but black dust. No trace of any living or even defunct organisms anywhere. It’s like we’re turned to dust,” Valaine said.

“Then why haven’t you let the Rimians and Naloreans be?” I asked. “Why not find another solution to your sustenance?”

The question drew Valaine’s ire. “Are you joking? Renounce the very blood that gives us life and strength, because of a few bad apples? No. That’s unacceptable. We cannot subsist on animal blood alone. It weakens us. It opens us up to attacks from Rimian and Nalorean rebels who have yet to let go of the fact that they are part of our empire now.”

So they chose to risk Black Fever death, rather than feed on animals. It troubled me, but I supposed I could understand their mindset. As it stood, the Aeternae were the strongest and most influential across three planets. Losing that edge would’ve put them at risk. It would’ve likely brought them closer to the level of the Rimians and the Naloreans. So they took chances, focused on quarantine protocols and hoped that as many of the Aeternae as possible would survive the next Black Fever.

“Perhaps we might be of assistance, should such a horrible day come again on Visio,” Derek said, changing the subject. “Amal here isn’t the only brilliant mind of our world. Her sister is just as sharp, and together they’re practically unstoppable.”

I’d almost forgotten this key aspect of Amal and Amane’s relationship. Ta’Zan had made them as two genius halves of an even more extraordinary whole. The closer they were to one another, the more capable and powerful their brains were. Taken separately, the twins were more than enough to find a cure for a deadly plague. Together, however, I had little doubt that they could, in fact, develop the right treatment that would eradicate the Black Fever forever.

“Provided our relationship stays friendly, I don’t see why not,” Valaine replied. “I’m sure our people would welcome putting a stop to this nightmare. It’s bad enough the Aeternae struggle to have children. Imagine losing them to this.”

That was all I could do. Imagine what devastation the Black Fever could leave in its wake. Looking at Valaine, I noticed how deeply she cared about this. I wondered if she’d lost someone she loved to this disease, but the topic was far too sensitive for me to broach so early in our acquaintance.

There was something about her that made me tick in ways I’d never thought possible. At the same time, Valaine also made me feel… uneasy. It was rather difficult for me to understand why. She had this aura about her, a presence of her own, so intense, so chilling, that it seemed to have been made of shadows. Was I the only one who got this sensation from her? I’d have to check with Esme. It can’t be just my instincts flaring, here.

Valaine was, undoubtedly, the most beautiful creature I’d ever laid eyes upon. Her reserved nature made her into a mystery that I was dying to unravel. She also came across as highly intelligent, though not keen on showing off this particular side of her—it enticed me even more, as I’d always had an appreciation for brilliant minds. She was different. Different from us. Different even from the Aeternae.

Her long leather dress hugged her figure in all the right places, with a silver chain running across her torso. It kept a black velvet cape hanging from her shoulders. From an aesthetic and sartorial point of view, Valaine was as much an Aeternae as the others. But her face, her expression, her dark eyes, they made her seem otherworldly.

A secret of Visio which I had to understand. How had she even come to be, in the first place?

Esme

Kalon and Valaine brought us to our quarters after the palace tour. I knew there were plenty of areas we’d yet to explore in this sprawling building, but I figured they didn’t want us poking our noses everywhere.

Agreeing to meet later, the two Aeternae left us to our own devices. Tristan and I had been given separate rooms, and mine was absolutely breathtaking. A spacious apartment, complete with a wide lounge area and an airy bedroom, it offered views of the north side of the city. The sky turned purplish red at sunset, quickly darkening as the evening spread across the realm. Thousands of houses and small villas fit neatly along the snaking alleyways. Trees poked out from everywhere, their rich green crowns swelling and casting deep shades beneath.

Lights came on in the streetlamps that lined every street. It seemed like afternoons were darker here on Visio—perhaps because of the haze. Workers had been tasked with refilling the oils and candles used to keep them burning through the evening. From my window, I could see them moving around the palace. One pulled the cart around, filled with oil pots, burners, and candles, while the other carried the ladder and used it to climb up to the top of every streetlamp. There were hundreds of such working pairs, all over the city. One by one, the fires lit up, their amber glow spreading.

Turning around, I gave myself a moment to admire the embroidered wallpaper depicting a lake at twilight, shades of dark red and orange glimmering beneath a rising moon. The scene was designed to cover all four walls of the lounge, giving its guests the impression of standing in the middle of the lake as the sun said goodbye for the day. The ceiling was black, meant to accentuate the wall art. Black curtains framed the windows, while the floor was covered in a soft, dark blue carpet—the lake itself, beneath my feet.

The sofas and the coffee table reminded me of an eighteenth-century tea salon. The woodwork was exquisite, with fleur-de-lys-style bass reliefs along the edges, sculptural armrests, and fine silken tapestries stretching over the soft seating foams and wools. I took a moment to sit and fully take in the experience of resting in this place, while the sky continued to darken outside. A pitcher of fresh blood and several glasses rested on a silver tray in front of me, on the table. Below, on a bottom shelf, books had been left for me to read. I browsed through their pages for the better part of a quarter-hour, noticing the selection they’d made. They were all history books describing the rise of the Aeternae and their conquests of Nalore and Rimia, complete with ink illustrations.

The bedroom was just as wonderful, with a massive canopy bed. A window had been left open, and the ocean breeze swooped through and made the delicate tulle curtains hanging from the upper frame billow out. The posts were sculpted, depicting maidens with long, flowing hair, their hands reaching for the heavens. The flowers they held in their hands served as finials, and the headboard was upholstered in lavish dark red velvet, which matched the floral red-and-white ensemble of the bed covers and pillows—so many pillows…

“This is freaking royal,” I mumbled, noticing the giant wardrobe which had been fitted into an entire wall, the reddish wood commode with brass, rose-bud-shaped handles, the vanity table with its upholstered stool, and the plethora of perfumes and lotions nestled in a square, mother-of-pearl tray by the tilted mirror. “The home of a princess.”

Indeed, whoever lived here would clearly be given most special treatment. The lounge was restful and warm. The bedroom was sensual and elegant. The bathroom, I quickly realized, was a slice of ocean heaven, with gray stone brick walls, white marble, and brushed brass fixtures. Lights burned softly in the swirling wall-mounted sconces, and a white linen curtain covered the only window.

The tub, a giant white shell, was fitted with a drain. The faucet had two knobs, and I quickly realized they had a hot water system running through the entire palace. My first guess was a coal-powered base beneath the building, its fires used to heat the water before it was pushed through the moaning pipes.

It didn’t take long for me to slip out of my clothes and dip into the hot tub, which I’d enriched with several essential oils left on one of the white marble shelves precisely for this pampering moment. The air filled with relaxing aromas of lavender and acacia-like blossoms, as I leaned back and allowed the bath to work on my skin and muscles.

Glancing around, I smiled, feeling much like a princess. If this was the impression they’d gone for with this room, well… I had to give them an A+. They’d nailed it, and then some.

A knock on the door outside startled me. “Who’s there?” I shouted.

“Zurah, milady,” a delicate voice said. “Your handmaiden.”

“My handmaiden?” I asked, loudly enough for her to hear me.

“Yes. I am here to look after you and run your bath, if you’d be so kind as to let me in,” she said. This was a tad awkward, I realized. I’d already run my bath.

“I’m already in the tub,” I replied. “I mean, you can come in, but—”

“Oh, no!” I heard her exclaim as she stumbled into the room. I could see her through the open bathroom door, flustered and panting, tightly fitted into a servant’s black dress with a white lace collar and waistband. “Milady, I should have done this for you. Please, accept my apologies!”

I chuckled softly as she closed the outside door and meekly walked into the bathroom, her gaze stuck to the floor. She looked skinny, her skin dark, her eyes the color of ruby chestnuts. “There’s nothing to apologize for,” I said to her, comforted by the foam that covered the water in my tub. Not that I was shy, in general, but I did not know what the nudity norms were around here. Tristan and I had spent weeks with tribes where they barely kept a leather patch on to cover their privates, so I did not have any qualms about my own nakedness. “I’m the one who jumped into the bath, to begin with. I had no idea you were coming.”

“That is my mistake, my lady. I should have been here already,” the girl replied, her voice trembling. She felt awful, and I needed to get her out of this state. It wasn’t like she’d offended me in any way. “I should have been here to greet you. I am late, and I am sorry.”

“Please, there is no need to worry.” I sighed, smiling at her. “As you can see, everything is okay. So, you’re my handmaiden, huh?”

Zurah exhaled, as if a huge weight had just been lifted from her shoulders. I had a feeling she would’ve gotten in major trouble if I’d told anyone that I’d run my own bath. It probably had something to do with the service etiquette—likely very strict and punitive toward the servants.

“Milady, I am here to serve you and make sure you’re well taken care of while in these chambers,” she said. “Again, forgive me for my tardiness. I only learned I’d be serving you a few minutes ago.”

“That’s okay. Seriously. I won’t tell anyone, if that’s what you’re worried about, Zurah. It’s perfectly normal to be late.”

She smiled, completely relaxed, all of a sudden. “Thank you. I don’t know what I would’ve done, had I displeased you in any way. I like my job here.”

“You’re not an Aeternae, are you?”

She shook her head. “No, milady. I’m from Rimia. I’ve been in the palace service for six moons, now. While it can be… complicated, at times, I do enjoy it very much.”

“I see. So, you like living with the Aeternae?” I asked, curious to get insights from the occupied nations, as well, and not just their conquerors.

Zurah stared at me for a moment, then walked over to a corner cabinet I hadn’t even noticed until now. A dark blue velvet dress rested on a coat hanger, hooked against the wall next to it. I’d been so absorbed with the tub and the beautiful brass details and fragranced oils that I’d completely ignored the southern part of the bathroom. There were watercolor illustrations of ocean fauna and flora mounted on the wall, fitted in brushed brass frames that matched the bathroom fixtures. Zurah took out a large white towel from the cabinet and placed it on a small stool next to the tub.

“I am treated well,” she said flatly. But I wasn’t satisfied with that answer.

“But are you happy?”