The Red Bridge Alliance’s anniversary was quickly approaching.

  Lukai shared Si’s view on it. This alliance was a joke.

  The contract was established two years ago. Unio had passed their requirements without any shame. Shadows had won the battle, and yet Unio assumed that because Shadows lost many fighters, they needed to sign the agreement.

  Shadows signed.

  Unio celebrated. Shadows also celebrated, but for different reasons.

  … How many things did Unio families simply omit two years ago?

  Shadows signed because they didn’t care. They were developing their weapons separately; Lukai was aware.

  It was Shadows, Si to be precise, who contacted the OFF, unofficially. To start exchanging information, start talking. Because information was the key. Also was scattered.

  Current research, old research.

  Divided between their three organizations, fragmented, often meaningless bits of knowledge.

  Unio had most of the City’s knowledge, except the dataset of the Clar family. They also possessed all the current research.

  Except—because, of course, there was an exception. His father tried to cover it, but Lukai knew. The spaceships, the navigations used to steer the ships, but most importantly, to create Gates, control terraforming, and create the first connection—all information went missing.

  What was left didn’t make sense. And what a cover-up!

  Shadows. It was said they had the Sect’s datasets. And the Clar family’s dataset. Here, Lukai knew that the e.i. storage went missing. Si said they had information; their current research, he said, was complete. Yet.

  The e.i. was missing; Si didn’t deny it. They tried to hide this fact, but Lukai knew. Who wanted to know, knew already, and was looking for it independently.

  The OFF. Here Lukai sighed. He was aware. Something was odd.

  They had, unofficially, the Sect Academia’s materials; they had Elder Shi Yi Anders’s notes and the case. Considered lost by many, but they had it. And what? It also went missing.

  Lukai suspected it was someone connected to the attacks; it had to be. It was too close to these events, only months before the first attack.

  Someone found something in those materials and used it.

  What was it, though?

  Lukai had read it when he was much younger and hadn’t fully understood. Especially that the notes they had were in the Sect’s language. Translations were rough.

  What did he omit then?

  So many questions.

  Information was the key. Unio somehow, as if forgot about it. The families were embarrassing. That his father was allowing all the corruption…

  Lukai sighed. Now, he had an additional thought.

  How embarrassing, how very embarrassing.

  It was Unio to propose Alena as the contract fiancée. Precisely, one rich family, the Hal family. Lukai was aware of the grudge these two families had; it was quite an old story. Tara described it briefly.

  No real relationship, no family, was possible between Shadows and Crystalers because of the incompatibility of energies. Children, duals, they were dangerous; they couldn’t manage energy when young and were exploding. Literally. Children from Shadows and Crystalers were prohibited. It was not necessary—this ban. People didn’t do it, as they were afraid.

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  This alliance’s marriage was political—a paper one, two puppets. The girl that Unio offered, it was meant to be an insult to Shadows. The Alena girl was without energy and from a fallen Unio family.

  It also was a way to show rich families from Unio that they could be punished by Domini if they misbehaved. That his father did it this way… Tara Alena cooperated with the OFF and argued with Domini constantly.

  The girl chosen was the last descendant of the whole family; Nikola Alena never admitted who was the mother and never married again.

  It also angered the Hal family, as Nikola Alena was supposed to marry their girl; it was arranged for years. Yet, he ran away and married another woman, never admitting who she was.

  What a scandal it was.

  The Alena girl, proposed for the contract; she had no energy. For all in Unio it meant she was a weak neutral energy user without any talent to use Crystal implant. But all assumed she had an implant; implants were mandatory, so all assumed she was incompatible with Shadows.

  This marriage with Shadows would ensure the Alena family's fall would be complete.

  It also could be troublesome for Shadows. Si was the last son of Shadows Lord. Having a wife who couldn’t have any children—how great. Definitely, Unio families were pleased with their idea.

  … And the other insult, designed to ensure that Shadows would not talk to the OFF. As Luna, in Unio they were gossiping, she was the OFF General’s lover. His, Lukai’s lover.

  In fact, it was not rumored; it was the truth.

  All the reasons why the Alena girl was chosen were insulting for Shadows.

  Luna being dual… it meant her mother was Shadow. Not Crystaler, not Abilitier. Shadow, she had to be Shadow. Why did Nikola Alena hide her name, her surname? Who was she?

  Lukai would need to uncover. Together with Si, of course.

  Si. After it was announced two years ago, Si’s reaction was balanced.

  He was intriguing. Shadows Young Master was perceived as a warm, cheerful person. Lukai also thought like this: when they met, it was the first and the second impression.

  Then, though, he got to know Si more—they started unofficially cooperating.

  Si was the most interesting person Lukai had ever met.

  He looked at first as soft, but his power was in him, not only his energy, as he was, in fact, a full-energy Shadow; he just didn’t show it off. No, his other power was in him.

  People obeyed him naturally. He was charming and friendly. He could make people do what he wanted.

  Si was also curious. Some time ago, he asked Lukai to show him around the OFF. To describe what was what. What they ate. What they did for entertainment. Customs. Architecture. Art. Science. He wanted to see the research centers more than the Ability training places. Si asked how people lived.

  Lukai, after he showed Si around, had a thought—that he wasn’t very knowledgeable about these kinds of things about Shadows’ people, Unio’s people. Even about the OFF’s people, many details he himself was not aware of. Lukai was so concentrated on his duties that he started to omit others.

  To rule, one should know these details. Si was someone exceptionally inspiring.

  Si met Yura, the OFF Leader, Lukai’s mentor, and co-partner. He had after that a remark. Lukai had to agree with what Si had said, and this was disturbing when he analyzed it later. He still remembered it.

  “Yura? He cares about his goals. He isn’t concerned with people.”

  Si was the leader material. He certainly was the future Shadows Lord. And what was most interesting was that he was rejecting his power and his position.

  Lukai was intrigued even more.

  When they started to cooperate, the alliance happened. Luna Alena was chosen to be the fiancée. Back then, Lukai decided to talk to Si honestly the moment the alliance was announced publicly, as rumors were already circulating.

  He said openly that he had a relationship with Luna but ended it. Si asked if he had feelings. Lukai didn’t answer directly then; somehow, Si took it as some kind of answer and said that he would postpone the marriage. Si also added that he knew how humiliating Unio was playing them both, Shadows and the OFF. And he would not allow Unio to sow discord between them, so he would keep the engagement; it should protect the girl enough, but he would never meet her and would not fulfill the contract until Lukai confirmed the next steps.

  It was two years ago.

  Lukai managed his personal feelings and focused on a bigger perspective. He was busy, the OFF leader was acting strangely, and radicals were growing in power. Lukai was worried about the future of the OFF. The future of Abilitiers, as outside the OFF, there was no other group that was unifying Abilitiers anymore.

  They were the last ones.

  Luna… women were present in Lukai’s life. But there was no place for emotions; it was his past decision. He was always satisfied that it was like this. But somehow, about Luna, he was different; he couldn’t let go of her, so he never confirmed to Si to cancel the engagement and free her. She was bonded; he thought she was thanks to that secure and less scared.

  Shadows Young Master kept his word. He did not fulfill the contract of the Red Bridge Alliance.

  The anniversary was approaching, and this year they both had to end this play.

  … That Luna Alena was dual. How scared she had to be. It reminded Lukai how Unio was rotten. Energists. All prejudiced, creating divisions artificially. Forcing their energy, not giving a choice. Chasing those who were different.

  He needed to work hard. He needed to change it, definitely.