Page 89 of Mantle

“Oof,” he uttered, slapping his hand to his chest. “Message received. I heard you’d come into yourself lately. Beating back that Hellfire attack at the Guardian Compound was impressive. The supernatural world is rife with talk of it.” He smiled. “My apologies, Ariana. You misunderstand my intentions. I merely wanted to get reacquainted with you because it has been so long,beforeI conveyed what I have to tell you. Actually, what I need your assistance with.”

“What sort of assistance?”

He slid his hands into his blazer pockets. “You see, I haven’t just existed as a hermit for the last few years. My disappearance from public life had a purpose. I’ve been investigating Chimera Circle—in a way that the Guardian Movement and Aegis Watch could not. It has taken time, but I’ve now succeeded in my task of infiltrating them to the point that I possess vital information that can destroy their entire network in one fell swoop.”

I started at his revelation. “Why wouldyouinvestigate Chimera Circle?”

“I’m a hybrid, Ariana. Ancient Vampire-Sorcerer.”

“You’re abornhybrid. One of the first, but you only revealed your dual nature a decade ago.”

“Do you think I don’t feel for other hybrid kind who have been forcibly made?”

“I think you don’t feel a whole lot for anybody unless it benefits you.”

He stepped closer again. “What if I told you I’ve found a way to sever Chimera Circle’s neural network permanently? That I’m on the verge of a breakthrough—one that could collapse every lab at once?” His gaze burned into mine. “But I need your assistance. To sever the network, I require your veryspecialabilities—because it’s bound by Celestial power. It was a failsafe granted by the Celestial Plane after their spectacular failure at controlling Draco. They… invested… in Chimera Circle’s experiments, shall we say—and this protection was one of the resources they provided the network.”

“If this is really the case, it needs to be reported to the Guardian Movement immediately.”

“That’s too risky. Giving them this information would immediately put the situation in their hands—turning it intotheirintel, with action delayed by policies and procedures. They’d try to enlist a Celestial to assist with the severing, but none of them are technically Guardian Movement members anymore. This can’t wait. It needs to happen now—before the opportunity is lost. Chimera Circle’s senior officials already know I have this intel, and every wasted moment gives them time to reinforce the network, move labs, hide research… vanish entirely. I came to you becauseyouhave the power—and the authority to act unilaterally.”

He was using all the right words—persuasive language meant to sway me. Not just into agreeing with him, but into doing thingshisway.

But those “right” words? They were chosen for an older version of me.

The version hethoughtI still was—someone who had grown confident in wielding her immense power, sure, but who remained naïve.

Someone who, in his mind, was still distant from the inner workings of the supernatural world. Still that girl from the last time we crossed paths.

And that was his definitive error here.

Underestimation.

“You’re right—I absolutely do have the power. But there’s a duty that comes with that. My own personal duty—not some obligation others have tried to force on me. That duty is to exercise restraint when it’s needed. To be prudent about when and how I use that power. Because what I’m capable of doesn’t just affect me. There’s a cost I have to be mindful of.”

Now that the supernatural world didn’t fear me in the way they used to, there was no way I was going to do anything to jeopardize that. After me protecting the Guardian Compound that day, it had shifted things. People had faith in me, they saw the positives of my great power, not just the dangers. It was something I’d waited my whole life for.

“Facilitating the takedown of Chimera Circle would certainly qualify as aprudentuse of your abilities.”

“Show me proof.”

“What?”

“Show me proof of this major claim. You’ve been off the grid for years, then you show up here unceremoniously with this incredible means to destroy a group the Guardian Movement has spent years fighting against. Just like that. And all you’vegiven me is your word to go on. I’m not a gun you can just point and fire.” My eyes narrowed. “I’m not so easily led. I’m not unsure of myself—if that was what you were counting on.”

His smile faltered just slightly. But undeniably. There was a dangerous shift in his energy, a tightening of his stance.

“He is the masquerade. The living embodiment of falsity cloaked in charm and allure. He’s a fucking user.”

Kai’s words regarding Corvin.

I’d played if off back then, but I hadn’t denied the truth to them.

And, here and now, I saw it clear as day.

An insidious ulterior motive beneath the polished perfectly worded exterior.

Masqueradeindeed.

---