Entry 9 - The Meeting at the Grinning Moon

By the time we were at the elevator, Nyx was growing more and more concerned. I hurriedly stuffed my camera into my bag, tightening the bag’s strap around myself so it wouldn’t jostle so much when I ran. My eyes flicked back to the single picture I still held – the one showing the ice cream truck parked in the alley near the plaza. It sat wedged in an alley between an antique shop and an old apartment building.

The elevator began its descent. Nyx shook my arm. “What’s going on? What has you so rattled?”

Night blanketed Nultock, and the city below was lit by various streetlights, eerily glowing sigils and vehicles. Shadows crawled in every alley, and shapes better left unnoticed crept from the shelter of the darkness before hurriedly out of view. I held the picture up, scanning the streets below. Sure enough, it was still there in the same spot, illuminated by a white street lamp.

I held the picture up, comparing the photos. Nyx leaned in to look. “I’d ask if you were craving ice cream, but your reaction tells a different story.”

“That thing showed up right after you left the Grinning Moon. Or something like it.” I muttered, waving the picture. “And guests started walking up to it.”

We reached the plaza level, and the capsule spun, turning so the doors faced the street. Ignoring my shoeless feet, I hurried out onto the concrete, holding the picture and glancing back at her. “When it showed up, it started playing this music. I got worried about it waking guests, so I went outside.”

“Jhin, we’ve talked about this. You shouldn’t be leaving the Grinning Moon at night.”

“I know, I know.” I put a hand on my eyes, quickening my pace. “But I was worried it’d wake up the whole building, and my job is to keep guests happy. When I went out to look, the back of the truck opened, and I saw that there was…”

My mouth suddenly felt dry and a wave of dizziness hit me all at once. I stumbled, nearly careening off the sidewalk and into a speeding car.

“Jhin!” Nyx grabbed my shoulder, stopping me from falling out into the street. The vehicle roared by, its horn letting out an explosive screech.

I righted myself, pulling away from her and sprinting across the road. Her hand narrowly missed me and I heard her call my name again, but I didn’t stop. She swore, something completely unlike her, but my need to confirm my suspicions, to make sure this was really the same truck, all of that completely overruled any form of caution I’d normally feel.

My eyes turned back to the picture, examining my surroundings to make sure I was heading in the right direction. The antique shop was just ahead; I could see lamps and chairs displayed in the windows. It should be…

Before I could even think it, a whir of color came speeding out from between the businesses in front of me. Old newspapers and debris flew in every direction. And then, while I was shielding my eyes from the debris and batting aside the fluttering newspapers with a hand, there was that music. A merry tune of steam calliopes and metallic tings.

The truck peeled out from the alley, pulling onto the street. I couldn’t see the driver, but this time I could just barely make out a pair of silhouettes in the front seats as they passed in front of the nearby streetlight. Maybe I imagined it, but I could have sworn they were looking at me. The truck continued down the road, taking a corner before I could snap another picture with my camera.

I hurried toward the alley, peering into the dark. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. A large dumpster sat against one wall. Graffiti lined the other, and the back wall was covered in dimly lit, glowing runes. It was so dark I couldn’t see anything on the opposite end of the alley.

The runes flashed in and out as I walked further in, stopping about twenty or so paces in with a frown. “What was it doing here…?”

“What are you doing here?” A masculine, gravelly voice asked from the darkness.

I jolted back, raising my hands reflexively. What I had thought were the runes flashing was a shape moving in front of them, a figure shifting in the dark. A sharp, dragging hiss like a blade being dragged against the concrete filled the air. My skin crawled and I took an involuntary step back.

“You look utterly delectable.” The voice cooed, almost flirtatious in its machinations. “What brings you here, my little snack?”

My words caught in my throat. I couldn’t see whatever was talking, but my fight-or-flight was quickly entering flight.

Nyx rounded the corner behind me, her hand wrapping tight around my arm. I glanced back at her, then back at the figure.

The black mass had moved up the wall, nearing the rooftops of the surrounding buildings. “Oh, now this is interesting.”

I could hear whatever it was climbing. With each movement, that piercing, scraping noise sent uncomfortable shivers racing through my body. The shape was now about halfway up. But it had noticeably paused, blocking out the glowing runes. A long, spindly shape moved slightly in the darkness. A fleshy, gray arm that looked far too thin to be holding the mass of the hulking visage upright momentarily made an appearance from beyond the shadows. But it twisted back in just as fast.

“Get. Back.” Nyx’s voice was a growl, and I couldn’t tell if it was directed at me or whatever was in the shadows. It had been a while since I had seen her like this. She was completely furious.

She stood in front of me protectively, one hand still clenched tight around my arm. An icy cold spread from where her feet met the ground, spreading patches of ice across the alley that crackled in every direction. My toes curled in response when the ice touched my feet. The wind around us picked up. Newspapers and dirt clouded the air around us in a violent twister. Her hair billowed out, waving in the wind. I watched as cracks of silver light traveled up her arms and face, illuminating the alley. Her eyes were growing brighter and brighter by the second, and the mascara lines beneath them were silvery white instead of their usual black.

A low growl rolled from the darkness, loud enough that I could feel it in my chest. I felt like at any moment, whatever it was would lunge toward us.

But before her light touched the thing in the alley, it clambered the rest of the way up the wall. I only saw a massive, hunched, silhouetted against the night sky as it hoisted itself onto the roof. Each move the creature made carried a significant weight behind it, limbs thumping thunderously against the structure.

And then it was gone.

Nyx settled. The silver cracks in her form receded, and the light around her began to fade. Newspapers fluttered to the ground around us, and the wind quieted.

She turned to look at me, her grip never leaving my arm. “We’re going.”

“But-”

“We’re going.” Nyx tugged me toward where Silver was still parked. “Back to the Grinning Moon. It’s getting late. I need to talk to Mando. And I want to get this into my room in my safe.”

She held up the booklet she’d been carrying with one hand.

“A-alright. Are you okay?”

Nyx nodded, but her silent reply did little to quell my worry. Silver honked and opened her doors for us. I slid into the driver’s seat and told Silver to head back to the Grinning Moon, then turned the radio to a news station.

We didn’t speak for a few minutes. I couldn’t tell if Nyx was mad at me or if her rage came from confronting whatever had been in that alley. My mind went back to the ice cream truck. That had definitely been the same vehicle, or at least a similar one, but I didn’t remember seeing drivers previously. I assumed it was because of the lighting from the streetlamp, but maybe that had been a different vehicle with lighter windows?

Then there was that shape. Had it been doing something with the truck? It had to have been; why else would it have just been sitting in the alley behind it? I’d need to give Detective Brand the picture I’d taken and tell him about this when he stopped back by the hotel.

“Tell me everything.” Nyx finally said, looking at me. Her anger had cooled, and she was back to her normal self–although she looked even more translucent than before. “From start to finish.”

So I did. I told her everything that had happened during the week after she left, from the ice cream truck abducting guests to the wizards showing up and arguing in the lobby to the shade taking the briefcase back and more.

Nyx listened intently. She didn’t interrupt. She didn’t ask for clarifications. By the time I’d finished my rundown, we were crossing the bridge leading back to the Grinning Moon.

“Do you think Mando is in tonight?” She asked.

I shook my head. “He tends to leave during second shift when things slow down a bit. That’s why I normally work second and third, since I can handle myself. This last week has been a little weird since the mists are coming up and he needed to talk to me in the morning.”

“Who’s working the desk tonight?”

“I think Dolly. Mivara was on first shift. Papa Criol should still be there, though.”

She rubbed her eyes. “I’m calling a meeting.”

“You can do that?”

“Well, you’re technically higher on the totem pole than everyone except Mando himself.” She said humorously despite her weariness, “You could call the meeting, senior groundskeeper.”

I managed a short laugh. “I don’t think Mando would appreciate me undercutting him.”

“Well, that’s quite unfortunate, because we will be. When he walks in tomorrow, we’ll pull him in, too.” She folded her arms. “Besides, I’m sure he’ll want to do a meeting before the mists. This is a good excuse to knock out two birds with one stone.”

“He does always lecture us on mist protocols before they get here.” I agreed, before finally asking, “Did I make you angry, Nyx?”

She paused. “A little. I’ve told you time and time again that chasing after obvious oddities is going to land you in trouble.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I know you are, which is why I’m less furious now. That voice in the alley, did you make out what it was?” Nyx asked.

“No.”

Her hands clenched. “Pray we do not meet it again.”

Part of me wanted to ask what it was, but I had a feeling she didn’t want to elaborate. So I didn’t pry. Instead, I asked the most pressing question I had. “Am I in danger?”

Nyx didn’t reply right away, obviously considering her answer. Slowly, she said, “In my honest opinion, so long as you do not leave the Grinning Moon alone, yes. And if I am with you, doubly so. I don’t think it likes me very much. If you’re worried about the Witch’s Carnival, you should still be able to attend.”

“That wasn’t what I was thinking about, but that’s good to know.” I let out a relieved sigh. “Just wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to wake up to whatever that thing was standing over my bed.”

“The Grinning Moon has a lot of protections on it to keep guests safe. Our rooms in particular are even more fortified due to my own preparations. You would be most likely to be in danger while working the desk.”

“So nothing’s changed?”

“While I wouldn’t say that, it’s best to keep behaving as normal for the time being.” Nyx said, “Just be extra vigilant while working nights. If you see anything strange, do not go outside to confront it. Am I understood?”

I gave her a nod.

“Good.” Nyx folded her arms. “My biggest concern is that a similar vehicle really did show up at the Grinning Moon and the drivers saw you; they’ve now seen you twice. And because you went out of your way to investigate, they might think you’re a threat.”

“Should we talk to the police?”

“I don’t trust the NPS.” Nyx thought for a moment. “I have some experience with the POIS. They’re not horrible. At least the agents I’ve met are far less likely to try and trap you in a soul anchor just because you’re a spirit.”

“Detective Brand seemed interested in you when we talked.”

“Brand and I have history.”

The comment surprised me. “History?”

“We ran into each other out on similar errands. We had a conflict of interests, but eventually he saw things my way.” She glanced at me. “He’s good at his job, I’ll give him that. The man’s fairly renowned in the private occult security sector.”

I thought for a moment, “So I should be happy he’s on my case?”

“Brand only takes cases he’s personally interested in. So yes. It’s also why he tends to do the right thing, even if he starts with the wrong information. In my experience at least.” Nyx’s tone turned amused. “That said, I’m sure he’s not overly fond of me.”

“Why’s that?”

“I clubbed him with a vase.”

The casualness of her reply made me laugh.

Silver rolled up to the Grinning Moon’s parking lot. When the car started to roll itself toward the underground parking garage, Nyx put a hand on the wheel. “Park up top, Silver. I want you close to the doors in case Jhin needs a quick ride.”

“I’m not sure Mando will like that; we’re supposed to leave the parking lot as empty as we can for guests.”

“Mando will have to deal with it,” Nyx replied as Silver found a spot near the door.

I shrugged in surrender and the two of us exited the car. Silver honked her horn. I shushed her, “There are guests sleeping, you idiot.”

Nyx chuckled, “I think she’s just happy she got to be out all day.”

The car slammed its doors open and shut a few times, and I rolled my eyes. “We’ll go out again soon, don’t worry. Thanks for being our ride.”

Silver turned on her radio, playing a slow love song in response.

It felt like she was mocking me, so I threw up my hands and turned toward the Grinning Moon. “I tried to be nice.”

Canned laughter sounded from the radio before the car fell silent.

Nyx and I walked into the Grinning Moon together. Most of the lobby lights were dimmed for the night, but the area near the desk was well-lit. Billy was already asleep, snoring loudly from where he hung on the wall. At first I didn’t see anyone manning the desk. Curiously, I walked over, peering over the edge.

Dolly was currently riding on top of the small chest mimic, which was thrashing about wildly with a pen in its mouth. The two were twisting about on the counter, sending small spurts of ink flying in every direction. Dolly was desperately trying to remove the pen from the mimic’s mouth to no avail.

“Are you two having fun?” I asked.

Both the mimic and Dolly stopped, turning to look at me. The mimic spat the pen out of its mouth, letting ink leak onto the counter as its tongue lolled.

Dolly slapped the top of the mimic and walked over to his sticky notes, writing, “It keeps eating things it shouldn’t.”

“We should give him a name at some point,” I said with a small grin.

In response, Dolly wrote a word I will not echo here, earning choking laughter from me.

Nyx watched the exchange with her arms folded. “Has anything interesting happened?”

Dolly shook his head and wrote, “It’s good you’re back. This week will be busy.”

“I’ve heard.” Nyx sighed, “We’re having a meeting tomorrow morning. Can you be here?”

The doll nodded.

“Fantastic. It’s important for all of us.”

Dolly wrote, “Did you get Mivara’s book?”

“I did.” I replied, “But uh, Nyx is going to hold onto it. I guess she doesn’t like whatever she found inside.”

“Mivara isn’t going to be happy.” Dolly scribbled.

“I think people in this hotel need to understand that constantly poking into the occult has consequences.” Nyx said, “Especially Mivara.”

Dolly raised his hands in surrender before adding to the same note, “Hey, don’t look at me. I don’t care about the tome.” He threw the sticky note aside and wrote on a new one, “Where are your shoes, Jhin?”

I looked down at my feet. “Long story.”

He shrugged, then turned his attention back to Nyx. He raised a new posted note. “You’re looking very transparent.”

Nyx stretched, letting out a yawn. “I’m fine. Today was just longer than anticipated, thanks to this one.”

Playfully, she nudged me with her side.

“Sorry.” I rubbed the back of my head. “We’re heading upstairs. If you need anything, you know where to find us.”

Dolly drew a hasty thumbs-up.

I followed Nyx to the elevator, pressing the button to ascend. When we entered, to my surprise, she leaned against me. Her form almost faded into mine, like she was struggling to remain tangible. The line where my skin met hers was a blue blur.

“You should have told me you were so exhausted,” I said.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not.”

Nyx didn’t respond, instead closing her eyes while we waited for the elevator to reach our floor. We walked down the hall, and I couldn’t help but notice she didn’t float or glide at all like she usually did when she moved.

She put out a hand and a sigil flashed. Her door slowly slid open, revealing a dark space beyond. Nyx hesitated, then glanced at me. “Can I borrow you for a bit of energy?”

Before I could speak, she immediately started apologizing, “I know, I wouldn’t do it normally, and I try to avoid it, but it’s been...my job was...”

“Nyx.” I interrupted her.

She stopped.

“You don’t have to justify anything to me. I told you earlier if you needed me, I’m here. I can’t do the same things you can. I’m just...human. So you don’t need to apologize or beg or anything of the sort. Besides, it’s getting late anyway. Being drained just makes me sleepy. It’s perfect timing.”

“Thank you. Sorry.” She stepped through the entryway, motioning for me to come inside.

I joined her, looking around her room. To be honest, I was just thrilled she was willing to invite me in at all. Nyx never let anyone inside her living space, save for me on rare occasions. I wasn’t even sure if Mando had seen the inside.

Her room was similarly sized to mine; in fact, the rooms were practically mirrored. Unlike mine, however, hers was dimly lit by dozens of glowing crystals kept in vases and hanging from twine. Deep purple carpets sat on the floor, each with intricate black designs sewn into them. Potted plants with glowing petals sat scattered throughout the living space, mostly clustered in the kitchen and on the dining table. Hanging from the ceiling against one wall were hundreds of bells from different regions all over Nultock and beyond. Each was unique in its own way, either in size or material. Some had additional charms like feathers or twigs. Nyx ran a gentle hand through them as we entered, setting off a cascade of metal ringing, passing by the door to the restroom.

On the opposite wall we entered from was a single couch and more potted plants. A small television was set on the dinner table to face the couch. To her right was her bed, covered in quilted purple sheets and large pillows at the head. Beside it sat a nightstand with an old radio sitting on it, alongside a bookshelf filled to the brim with different tomes and scrolls. A handful of pictures sat pinned to a corkboard next to the bookshelf, mostly photos the two of us had taken together and one of a large silver bell.

Nyx knelt down by her bed, pushing the quilted sheets aside to reveal a large safe resting beneath it. Blue sigils on the safe flashed to life as she touched it, putting in a passcode before it opened with a beep. She put the booklet inside on top of a handful of other objects.

Beside the safe was her gun, although it wasn’t like any gun you’ve probably ever seen. The weapon was a little larger than your average rifle, with a wooden stock and metal trigger. But that’s where the normalcy of the weapon ended. From the base of the stock upward, the wood turned into an open, cylindrical frame with four wooden beams. A large scope sat nestled between the two upper beams, held in place by rope and metal clamps. Visible within the cylindrical cage was a long, glowing staff. Rope bindings tied to the frame kept it in place, holding it perfectly suspended in the very middle of the gun and allowing it to act as the barrel of the weapon. A crescent-shaped head with glowing purple crystals topped the rugged staff. Hundreds of runes were carved into the side of it, all different sizes and shapes. Small bells hung from the wooden frame and the protruding stick, and the entire thing let off a strange aura you could feel just standing near it. Nyx called it a magistle, but I usually just referred to it as a gun. She saw me looking at it and gently pushed it further under the bed.

“I hope that safe is heavier than it looks; not much will stop Mivara from something when she wants it,” I noted, not commenting on the weapon.

“It’s made of a special blend of metals. Blightsteel to stop spiritual incursion. Silver to stop those corrupted by dark magic. Iron for weight and additional thickness. Very little can penetrate this safe, and moving it would be extremely difficult.” She closed the door and let the quilt cover both her weapon and the safe. “Also, Mivara would have to deal with me if she were to ever break into my living quarters uninvited. Not that I think she could. There are many dangerous artifacts hidden within this room, and I cannot trust most to mind their business, her included.”

The thought intrigued me, but I didn’t pry. Instead, I looked at the pictures she had hung up.

She stood and walked to me, fishing through the camera bag I still had wrapped around my chest and picking out the photo she’d taken of us together at the food court. Nyx reached for a pin to add it to the corkboard, glancing at me. “May I?”

“Of course.”

Once she’d added it to the others, she smiled, examining her wall with an affectionate smile. Then, she stepped back and sat on her bed with a sigh. When I didn’t move, she patted the spot beside her. “Don’t just stand there.”

“I’m just trying not to impose.” I sat down and offered her my hand.

She took it, her icy fingers lacing between mine. “Are you ready?”

“Yeah.”

Nyx closed her eyes and leaned her head against my shoulder. For a moment, her form glowed a little brighter. Her hand slowly started to grow in warmth, a stark contrast to her normally icy touch. She exhaled, obviously pleased by the transfer taking place.

Being drained by a spirit is something most people experience passively. Even those not magically inclined carry amounts of ethereal energy with them. But we also carry other forms of energy. Heat. Electromagnetic energy. Our consciousness and our belief. Our emotions and our wants and fears. These things can fuel ghosts and spirits. That’s part of the reason a lot of so-called ghost hunters search for cold spots, hot spots, or electromagnetic disturbances. Most ghosts and spirits constantly drain things around them. It’s also why our electronics were so prone to failure here at the Grinning Moon.

When spirits get tired, they all react a little differently. That was something I’d learned working at the Grinning Moon. Nyx grew fainter and had a harder time staying solid. At times she even became intangible or invisible. Thankfully, it rarely took her long to recover. But every time it happened, it worried me.

What I do know is there’s no real way to kill a ghost or spirit. You can keep them out. You can contain or trap them. You can disperse or overload their energy so they can’t physically manifest. But the only way to really get rid of a spirit is via an exorcism, and I’m not even entirely sure what that actually entails when it’s done properly. I’d never had to see one in person despite our clientele, thankfully.

Despite this, I still worried for Nyx. She always put up such a strong front, and people seemed almost scared of her. Partly because she was a spirit (nobody wants an angry dead girl with a literal undying will chasing after them), but there was something else, too. Even Mando seemed to respect her authority.

And sure, she was a spirit. A being with undying will. But she was also still just a dead girl. A dead girl who would need someone to lean on. I was always one for fairy tales and stories. To an extent, I guess I wished I could be the hero of hers. Kind of hard to do when you’re so excruciatingly average, but that’s why I offered what little I could.

Without thinking, I had muttered the words, “What little I can,” under my breath.

“Hm?” Nyx questioned sleepily.

“Nothing.” I could feel the energy drain really taking root. My head felt heavy, and I was a little disoriented.

She stayed there for another minute before pulling her hand from mine. “I’ve taken too much already. Thank you, Jhin. That should be enough to get me through tonight. The Grinning Moon will do the rest.”

I looked her over. Nyx was obviously far more solid now, her skin radiating that blue, ethereal light I’d become so accustomed to. She still looked a little tired, but it was enough to reassure me she would recover quickly.

“You need to be careful about pushing yourself too hard.” I half-scolded, unsure if she wanted me to leave her side or not.

She didn’t move, still pressed against my shoulder, hair billowing around us.

“Nyx?”

It was only then I realized she was asleep, chest rising and falling slowly.

Gently, I rose and laid her down until she was on her back. Somewhat awkwardly, I pulled the other half of the quilt over the spirit, wrapping her like some sort of ethereal burrito. Once I was certain she wouldn’t roll out of the bed and she was plenty comfortable, I stepped back.

“Sleep well, Nyx,” I whispered.

Then I left the room, making sure to shut the door tight behind me. After testing the knob to make sure it was locked, I returned to my own living space. I set down my camera bag and pulled out all the photos we’d taken that day, spreading them on my dinner table and separating them by what I thought were their best attributes.

I hung the pair of Nyx I’d taken that I liked and the one of the Grinning Moon in the distance. But my hand eventually passed over the photo with the ice cream truck in it. Stretching, I sat on the edge of my bed and brought it up to my face, peering closely at the image in hopes of gleaning any new information. But the lighting in the alley was so bad it was impossible to see beyond the truck. Whatever the thing that had climbed up the roof was, I wouldn’t be able to see it. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I wanted to.

Before I laid down, I found a spare set of shoes I’d had lying under my bed, dusting them off and cleaning them with a wet cloth. They would do the job for now, although I did notice the seams were starting to come apart where the bottom of the shoe met the upper half. I’d need to get some new ones.

While I got ready for the night, I turned on the television, listening to the news babble on. Today, the topic was about the dangers of skinwalkers. Legal and occult experts were litigating whether they should be an accepted species in Nultock despite their predatory nature and innate ability to impersonate other people. The legal side noted the implications that could have on our legal system, while the occult side seemed more interested in letting them roam free. It was mostly boring stuff to me, but it was fine background noise.

Once I’d changed into lounge clothes, I passed out. My sleep was dark. Dreamless. Deep. The news buzzed quietly, but I didn’t process a word said. I must have been far more tired than I realized, because when my eyes opened, it felt like it had only been a few seconds. There was knocking at my door.

“Coming, coming,” I mumbled, getting out of bed and stumbling past the television as it rambled on about the morning weather.

It was Nyx, looking far more vibrant than the day prior. She floated a little above the floor. Before I’d even fully opened the door, she hugged me, pushing the rest of the door aside. I almost fell over; I was still groggy. But she kept me upright, floating me almost an inch off the ground.

Her cold touch woke me. “Well, someone’s in a good mood.”

“You tucked me in like I was a child,” Nyx said into my shoulder, letting us gently lower to the ground. “Between what you gave me and the Grinning Moon, I feel fantastic.”

I rubbed my eyes, chuckling, “Glad to hear it.”

“We should get downstairs. I already talked to Mando.” Nyx wiped my face with a finger, a small frown turning her lips. “You look exhausted.”

“I’m good, just give me a moment to get dressed.” I told her, “Want to come in?”

She floated fully through the threshold, looking around the room. I closed the door and picked out the same clothes from yesterday, walking into the restroom to change. “I won’t be long.”

Nyx nodded, taking a seat at the edge of my bed to more comfortably watch the television.

I took my medication, checking to make sure I had plenty left for the next week since the mists were coming. I’d have to ration and take two pills a day, but I’d be able to get through. Nyx was right, though. I was tired. The bags under my eyes had noticeably darkened, probably in part because of my offering my energy to her the night prior. But I didn’t mind. It was worth it to see her in a good mood, especially after how serious she’d been acting.

When I returned to the room, she stood up and approached me. With a small smile, she punched my shoulder. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough that it pushed me back a bit.

“Ow!” I complained.

“That’s for not listening to me yesterday.” She said, “Don’t think I forgot; I’m still a little mad at you.”

I rubbed my shoulder. “Has anyone told you that you hit hard for a spirit?”

“I’m tangible; it’s to be expected.” Then, her hand gripped my chin, and she made me look her square in the eyes. “You’ll be more careful from now on, yes?”

“You seem to forget that I’m the chief executive of trying to keep out of others’ business. The only reason I ran at the truck like that is because of those missing guests. If Detective Brand stops by, I want to have as much as I can to give him after seeing that.”

“Which is very brave of you, but you can’t help anyone if you get hurt.” Nyx moved her hand to my shoulder, her cool hand pressed against my gray hoodie. “Now, let’s get downstairs. The others are waiting.”

I nodded and opened the door for her, and she floated through. Before exiting, I grabbed the photo I’d taken of the ice cream truck and shoved it into my hoodie pocket. When I stepped out into the hallway, a floating pitcher of water almost collided with my head. I stopped in my tracks, raising my hands. “Whoa!”

The entire hall was covered in various plates, lanterns, candles, pitchers, flags, and dozens of other objects floating at varying heights. A childish laugh echoed off to the right. Then a door slammed, and I muttered under my breath, “Oh, they think they’re funny.”

Nyx was hovering a little further down the hall, waiting for me. The random objects parted to avoid her, continuing toward the elevator where a number of them had gathered. I walked to her, deftly dodging a floating cup with a sidestep. “What the hell is going on?”

“They’ve been like this all day.” She said as we walked toward the elevator. “It’s not surprising. Supposedly the mists will appear tomorrow night. The Witch’s Carnival opens tomorrow, starting the Day of the Dead celebration. Even I can feel a shift in the energy around the Grinning Moon.”

“Feels like any other day to me,” I noted, pressing the down arrow on the elevator. A bunch of floating objects crowded around Nyx and me, also waiting to head downstairs. I folded my arms. “I wish these poltergeists would give us a bit of personal space.”

Nyx shrugged. “Most of them have been here a lot longer than you; I don’t think they’ll have much interest in your complaints.”

The doors opened and we all piled in. Despite the fact that there were no visible bodies in the elevator with Nyx and me, it felt like we were packed in like a school of fish. Whatever the ghosts of the Grinning Moon were up to, I was certainly glad I was off the clock today. My weekend was already coming to a swift end. They always felt so short. Tomorrow I’d be back on the desk, setting up the hanging Day of the Dead decorations and dealing with all our check-ins before the mists arrived.

When we reached the lobby, the surrounding ghosts hurried out immediately. Nyx and I exited the elevator, and a parade of men and women pushed into the elevator after us. We got out of the way and observed the entourage. Most of them were wearing robes or colorful tunics with masks and wide-brimmed, pointed hats. Staff members working at the Witch’s Carnival.

I glanced into the lobby and was doubly grateful not to be working that morning. The lobby was a chaotic mess, with dozens of men and women sitting in the various lounge chairs and couches while more still crowded the front desk. Sir Theodor was walking among the newcomers, greeting them and offering to show them to their rooms. Meanwhile, Billy was baying irritably about someone repeatedly changing the channel on the television.

We walked into the lobby together. Mivara and Dolly were both behind the desk, taking turns filling out the ledger for guests and answering questions about our rooms and events. The door to the courtyard and ballroom was open, and a big sign reading, “The Grinning Moon’s Famous Brunch!” pointed out into the yard. I assumed the ballroom was open and set up for food, which meant Benzo was probably there serving his dippers and whatever other breakfast foods he decided to whip up.

“It really is busy,” I said.

Billy shot a look in our direction. “Yeah, I bet you’re glad you don’t have to be down here all day.”

“Oh, you know it.” I chuckled. “I’m enjoying the last day of my weekend.”

“Bastard, if I had legs, I’d get my own damn room.”

Nyx raised a brow. “You would have to have a job first.”

“Oh, because what you do is sooooo important.” Billy rolled his eyes.

To my surprise, Nyx actually seemed to get a little annoyed. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Billy.”

I intervened to smooth the conversation over. “He’s an idiot; ignore him. Now where is Mando?”

As though summoned by his name, Mando stepped out of the hallway we’d just come from and clapped me on the back. The gesture almost sent me into shock as I hadn’t been expecting him there, and my entire body went rigid.

Nyx’s mood returned to its better state, and she giggled.

“Ah, there you are, sonny. Nyx mentioned earlier you wanted to talk to everyone.” Mando said, removing his hand from my back and looking around the lobby. “Bad timing, but the guests will have to wait. Meet me in my office.”

He walked past us and toward the counter. Then, after realizing he wouldn’t be able to get Mivara and Dolly’s attention since his head didn’t even reach the top, he grumbled and walked around toward the glass door to physically get around the desk.

I exhaled, “He just scared the shit out of me.”

“We could tell,” Billy noted.

Nyx didn’t acknowledge him. “Come on, Jhin.”

I shrugged and gave Billy a wave before following her down the hall.

“Hey, you better fill me in when it’s over!” Billy shouted.

Nyx rolled her eyes and kept walking, breaking into a floating stride. We reached the end of the hall, and Moon was already awake and waiting for us.

“Ah, the pair of troublemakers!” His metallic voice rang. “You ready for the meeting? We’ve already got some interesting people inside.”

“Interesting people?” I asked.

Nyx clicked her tongue and glanced at me. “I should have mentioned. The Raylands showed up this morning. They haven’t checked in yet, but apparently they want to speak to the staff. They’re actually waiting in their fancy little car right now; we’re just getting this out of the way first.”

I blinked. “I didn’t even notice.”

“Yeah, we had to tell Billy to shut his mouth like thirty times because he kept ranting and raving about them being the embodiment of evil.” Nyx shook her head. “That deer needs to learn when to talk and when to remain silent.”

Moon noted, “Well, getting Billy to stop talking is like getting a hob out of the wall. It’s not going to happen without some force.”

“No kidding,” I muttered.

“Anyway, that’s not the interesting person I was talking about!” Moon interrupted, “The detective from the POIS is here. Walked in about five minutes ago.”

Perfect. I thought to myself. I can give him the picture and tell him everything I’ve learned.

Nyx, however, seemed suspicious. “And what brings him here out of the blue like this?”

“He has some things he wants to share with us regarding the ice cream truck incident.” Moon replied, “Your guess is as good as mine; we’ll find out soon enough.”

With that, the door to Mando’s office slid open. The space inside was the same as ever, although it was noticeably thicker with smoke. Detective Brand was standing at Mando’s desk, looking over a book that had been left open. A straight pipe smoked from his mouth, and he tilted his head up to watch Nyx and me enter the room. However, Brand wasn’t the only one waiting for us. Papa Criol also stood near the aquarium on the left wall, his wooden arms clasped behind his back.

“Djin!” Papa Criol turned toward us. “And da lovely spirit Nyx. How do da two of ya fare?”

“Good,” I said.

Nyx agreed, “Hoping this meeting is productive.”

“Ah, I’m sure it will be.” Papa Criol reassured us, giving me a somewhat coy grin. “And how did ya fare with da spook who decided ta make my lovely store a temporary home?”

I rubbed my eyes. “Next time, more of a warning would be great.”

“Where’s da fun in dat?”

“Not dying is a good start.” I said, “You really need to get an exterminator in there.”

“Trust me, my boy, they already be on da way.” He remarked. “Dat ghost is bad news. And while I could deal with it myself, da Grinning Moon currently needs my assistance.”

Detective Brand watched the conversation with a small amount of interest, but I noticed his eyes on Nyx.

Nyx returned the stare, neither of them looking away from the other. I could practically feel the tension between them. Neither seemed entirely sure of the other. While it didn’t feel hostile, it wasn’t exactly friendly either.

“We’re not going to have a problem, are we?” Nyx asked Brand. It sounded like both a threat and a question.

The detective folded his arms. “Depends on whether you smash a vase over my head again.”

“Don’t get in my way and it won’t happen again, detective.”

Brand didn’t respond. He turned his attention to me, pulling his pipe from his mouth and blowing out a plume of smoke. “You certainly keep interesting company, Jhin.”

“You should have told me you two knew each other,” I said.

He returned the pipe to his mouth and leaned against the back wall, placing his hands in his pockets. “I’ve met most people who frequent the Grinning Moon at one point or another. Sort of just happens in my line of work.”

Mivara walked into the room behind Nyx and me with Dolly sitting on her shoulder. “What is this meeting about, anyway? We’re super busy, so it better be important.”

“It is,” Mando replied, joining us inside the room and closing the door. “This isn’t all our important staff, but you three man the desk the most, so you’re the most likely to see something. Jhin, I’m tasking you with filling Benzo in on everything after Brunch is over.”

I nodded.

Mando walked around the room to his desk, clambering up to his chair and grabbing a joint. He lit it and took a deep breath, then motioned toward Brand. “Go ahead, Detective.”

Brand reached into his trench coat and withdrew a dozen photos. He left the wall and stood at Mando’s side, spreading the photos across the desk. Every single one was of the ice cream truck that had shown up at the Grinning Moon in different places throughout Nultock. Each of the trucks had tinted windows, some less tinted than others. But even at their lightest, the most you could make out were the silhouettes of the drivers. It was impossible to actually see who they were.

“My apprentice, Collin, has been hard at work.” Brand explained, “We found these trucks all over the place like what you described. White. Pink logo in a language you didn’t recognize. We don’t recognize it either, but with how many runic languages and sigils exist in Nultock, that isn’t entirely surprising.”

Nyx stepped up to the desk. “We saw one, too.”

Mivara interjected, “Uhm, what are you guys even talking about?”

I realized that Mivara or Dolly had no clue what was being discussed. So I briefly explained everything that had happened to me on my night shift near the middle of the week.

Dolly wrote on a sticky note, “Possession?”

“Not possession.” I said, “I’ve seen a possession before; this was different. They were drawn to the truck like moths to a flame.”

Mivara scowled, “Comforting.”

“I did some digging…” Brand motioned toward me, “Jhin, you’re not the first person to report this. We talked to the NPS, and apparently there’s already an ongoing investigation. I asked if they wanted to come down here and talk to you, but they hate this place.”

Mando sighed, “I’ll probably make my way to their headquarters at some point after the mists and tell them what we know. Although they’re fairly useless on this property.”

“Just so you understand, there have been dozens of disappearances that are being linked to these trucks.” Brand folded his arms. “Lots of people going missing. And judging by the very vivid description you gave me of the back of the truck you saw, I can’t imagine they’ll be coming home.”

The thought was dark, and it didn’t sit well with me. While my job could annoy me, and the guests were often frustrating, I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. And when I was at that desk, the people here were under my care. If something happened to them, I felt responsible. There was also the whole risk of losing my medication and pay if I didn’t do my job well. And part of that job was making sure the building was secure to the best of my ability, especially at night.

“Fuck,” I finally said simply. “If only I’d caught it before it left last night, maybe we could have gotten a good look at the drivers.”

Brand tipped his tricorne hat, scratching his chin with a hand. “Exactly what did you see?”

I informed him of everything, from Nyx and me arriving at Pictograph Plaza to me accidentally snapping a photo of the truck. The shape in the alley, the voice. The way the truck had sped off down the road. I pulled out the picture I’d taken, adding it to the others. Nyx didn’t say a word, which concerned me. I thought she’d want to tell Brand what she saw in the alley. But she seemed hesitant to. I didn’t press the issue or even ask her about it. If she wasn’t saying something, she had a reason.

“Well, there’s definitely more than one truck,” Brand noted. “The windows are tinted differently, and you can see different blemishes on the vehicles.”

Mando tapped a finger on the desk, going over the pictures. Nobody spoke for several seconds.

“Do you have anything else?” Mando finally asked. “This isn’t much.”

Brand agreed, “It isn’t. But for only a few days of looking, I think this is a good start. We’ll be keeping an eye on things, so if you see something that’s pertinent–call our office on your scrying orb. I tried calling your landline, but the phone started speaking in another language to me. And for some reason, the voice on the line called me tubby? Might want to talk to your employees about that.”

“It uh...it just does that,” I muttered. “Trust me, we’ve tried fixing it.”

Brand sounded amused when he asked, “A possessed landline?”

Mando rubbed his eyes. “I’ll have Dave look into it.”

Nyx finally asked, “How long do you think it will take to figure out at least who owns the trucks?”

“I can’t say.” The Detective admitted, “This isn’t our only case, or our most important one. We have some very important clients demanding our time right now. And as far as I can tell, the NPS is already looking into this. So, I’ve been directed to put my investigation on the back burner.”

I frowned. “So you won’t be looking more into this?”

“No, I will be. I have a personal interest in this story.” He reassured me, “Collin is doing research as we speak. But it’s going to take time. These things are rarely ever easy, especially in a city of the supernatural. And with the mists coming up, coupled with the Day of the Dead celebration... things are going to be busy.”

Mando nodded, “Well, we appreciate your work, regardless. Make sure to stop by soon.”

“I’ll be by tomorrow.” Brand said, “The Witch’s Carnival opens, and I’ve been hired as security for the opening day of the event by one of the women there.”

Nyx raised a brow like she knew something, but she didn’t say.

Mando clapped his hands together. “Wonderful. I suppose that wraps things up then.”

The Detective retrieved his pictures and placed them back in the trench coat. He glanced at mine. “Do you mind if I take this?”

“Go for it,” I replied.

Brand took it, feeling the weight of the paper in his hand. “You’re a spirit photographer?”

“It’s a hobby.”

“Interesting.” He examined the picture. “You and Collin would get along. He’s a big fan of spirit cameras. Maybe I’ll bring him tomorrow. You two can talk shop.”

I blinked. “I...actually wouldn’t hate that.”

“Good. Stay safe, all of you.” He moved to exit the room, and Mando called, “Brand. There’s a pair of women outside with parasols. Send them in for me, would you?”

The Detective agreed, tipping his hat and stepping out into the hall.

Papa Criol moved to follow him.

Mando interrupted him. “Not my employees. Close the door.”

On command, the door shut behind Brand. I noticed he was looking back into the room when it closed, obviously interested in whatever he was missing. But he shrugged and continued on his way.

“We have two matters to discuss.” Mando looked at everyone in the room. “As you know, the mists are on their way. They will supposedly be arriving tomorrow evening. But this is a common occurrence, and I trust you all know the rules. No going outside alone. Keep the news on and listen for any warnings that pertain to our region. Now for what’s most important. Papa Criol, Nyx made me aware you sent Jhin into your shop yesterday while he was off to retrieve a book.”

Papa Criol shrugged innocently, a white smile flashing. “What do ya need ta know?”

Nyx raised her voice, taking control of the room. She looked from person to person sternly, her arms folded. “That briefcase you keep looking into. Why are you so interested in it, Mivara?”

All eyes went to Mivara.

She raised her hands defensively. “Hey, you know me. I love those old books and reading about the occult.”

Mando agreed, “I can’t control what my employees do in their free time, Nyx. I’m not sure this is the proper environment to be lecturing her on what to and what not to do.”

“Regardless, that briefcase is bad news. Jhin did retrieve the book as you asked.” Nyx nodded in my direction. “I took it from him, and I won’t be returning it.”

Mivara started to protest, but Nyx interrupted her. “If you try to take it from me or my room, I will personally see to it you never set foot on the Grinning Moon’s premises ever again.”

“This isn’t like you, Nyx!” Mivara complained, “You’re threatening me?”

“I am.” Nyx’s response was incredibly blunt. “You do not know what you are looking into, and you have an absolutely horrid habit of poking your nose where it doesn’t belong. While Jhin is something of a trouble magnet, you actively look for trouble with your constant poking into the occult. I will not tell you to stop your research regarding paths to magic power, but I will tell you not to look into the briefcase itself further. Do you understand me?”

Her voice was deathly cold. My breath had started forming in front of me the longer she talked, and I hadn’t noticed.

Mivara, for the first time in a long time, finally looked cowed. She nodded, shuffling her feet.

“This is for your own good.” Nyx relaxed, then walked to Mivara and put a hand on the opposite shoulder Dolly was sitting on. “I didn’t even let Jhin look at the book. This isn’t personal; this is a safety precaution for all of us.”

“Can confirm,” I added, hoping to assist Nyx and comfort Mivara a bit.

Nyx turned toward Papa Criol, her gaze narrowing. “We need to talk in private.”

Papa Criol didn’t flinch. Unlike Mivara, he seemed unbothered by Nyx’s seriousness. “Ey, I had not had da chance ta read da tome myself. If someting in dere rubbed ya da wrong way, don’t come cryin’ ta me.”

“Regardless, I have questions for you.” Nyx glanced at Mando. “Is there anything else about that briefcase I should know?”

Mando thought for a moment. Then, he sighed, “Jhin?”

Surprised, I pointed to myself. “Me?”

“That’s right, sonny. When that shade paid you, he left you a crystal and a wrapped object.” Mando reached down into a drawer, pulling out a coin and tossing it my way. “The crystal is nothing special. But the cylindrical parcel he left was about twenty coins. And not just any coin.”

I stared down at the coin, turning it over in my hand. The color was a silvery off-white. On one side there were five stars connected by lines and surrounded by symbols like hexagrams, pentagrams, and more. The obvious head of the coin was of a man with an eye set at a diagonal angle.

Mando explained, “Obviously it’s not a universally recognized currency. These are different. They’re usually associated with cultist gangs and mobs like Hell’s Sidewinders.”

“I’ve heard of them.” Mivara blinked. “Don’t they steal occult artifacts?”

“Among other things.” Mando replied, “I know a guy who used to be in with them. Might still be in with them now; I’m not sure. Been too long since we last spoke. Regardless, if you run in those circles, these are extremely valuable. But if the NPS find these on your person? You’re definitely going to prison.”

Nyx narrowed her eyes. “Why would the shade pay with these?”

Papa Criol interjected, “If I may, da coins are used in dere circles ta call in favors. Jhin musta made one hell of an impression on dis spirit.”

“Great.” I muttered, “So the shade with the extremely sketchy briefcase may have been associated with the literal mob?”

Mando gave me a small but tired grin. “Welcome to the Grinning Moon, where nothing can be normal or simple.”

“No kidding.”

“It’s no wonder you didn’t want to discuss this with Brand here.” Nyx adjusted her hat. “I’d keep those coins hidden.”

Mando agreed, “Precisely why I haven’t given them back to Jhin. If they get found, I will personally take responsibility and explain how we acquired them to the police. Not that I think they will be, mind you. Should you need them for any reason, they’ll be in the drawer with our hotel’s logs.”

I nodded, although I doubted I’d ever need to make use of them. Talking to an occult-obsessed gang wasn’t high on my list of priorities, but this entire thing raised even more questions. Were those two wizards that fought in the lobby part of one of these groups? Perizo and Irutok.

Before I could ask if the names sounded familiar, a knock sounded at the door behind us.

“Ah, speaking of nothing being normal or simple. Keep yourselves nice and polite; we have some very important people arriving.” He raised his voice, “Come on in.”

The door opened, and two women with striking resemblances stood there.

One of them I recognized. Her long, black hair was up in an ornate bun today, covered in a dozen gold needles that all worked to hold it in place. She led the way, her red and black frilled dress rustling with each step. The woman’s timeless features regarded the room, her pale skin catching the dim light. In one hand she carried a closed black and red parasol.

Behind her was a noticeably younger woman, maybe around my age. Her orange hair hung in a long braid behind her, held by a deep green ribbon trimmed in purple, shaped almost similarly to a bat’s wings, jutting out to either side of her head. Much like the first woman, she carried a parasol – although hers was deep green and purple. The dress she wore matched the parasol, a dark green base that faded to a lighter green near her shins. It had a long slit riding up to her thigh on her right side, revealing a set of black stockings attached to garter belts. A single red ribbon was wrapped around her abdomen, and black frills lined the corset-like chest piece. Over the dress, she wore a long coat that ended in flared sleeves, the interior of which matched the deep greens of her dress while the exterior kept a deep purple that complemented the color nicely. Her platformed heels clacked against the wooden floor, and her red eyes glinted when she settled them on me for a moment.

“Miss Vi Rayland.” Mando addressed the first woman, “And her lovely daughter, Lulin Rayland.”

“How do you do?” The woman in the front with the black hair curtsied. “I believe I’ve met you before, Groundskeeper.”

The comment was clearly directed at me. I pointed at myself. “Er, yeah. Sorry about that.”

She chuckled, looking over at Mando. “Have the arrangements been made?”

“I was just about to get to that. Forgive us, we’ve had quite the busy morning.” Mando replied, putting out his blunt and leaning forward in his seat. “Jhin, the lovely lady behind Miss Vi has asked to be escorted throughout the property during her stay.”

Mivara raised a brow. “We do that now?”

“Jhin does it. You don’t.” Mando replied, “It comes with his new title, and the Rayland Corporation is an extremely important group of people. As such, we will do everything we can to make Lulin’s stay comfortable.”

That sounded like a load of horseshit to me, and I glared daggers at Mando. Having additional responsibilities randomly thrust upon me wasn’t something I liked. It wasn’t something anyone working anywhere liked. But the man didn’t break my gaze, motioning with his head toward the two women. He was obviously set on this decision.

I cleared my throat and stood straighter, realizing that while I wasn’t technically on the clock, this was a matter of important business to the Grinning Moon. “Of course, when I’m in tomorrow, I’ll do whatever is required. But I was supposed to be working overnight; is that going to be a problem?”

“You’re working noon to overnight now. I made some changes. And I’ll take care of those hanging decorations; I know you and Mivara discussed you putting them up.”

I nodded, “Yes, sir.”

“Thatta boy.”

Lulin chuckled from behind Vi, “At least the boy knows his place.”

“We expect nothing less from the Grinning Moon.” Vi looked at Mando. “Your little hotel has quite the reputation around here. I couldn’t find anything about it until we reached Nultock. But once I started asking around, everyone who is anyone recommended it.”

Papa Criol interjected, “Pardon me, Miss...but dat is partly because da city of Nultock is a little more spiritually oriented. Da Grinning Moon is the most haunted hotel in town. Ya sure you want ta stay?”

“We prefer to work with staff who are used to dealing with the odd. We also prefer they not question our decisions.” Vi’s response was simple. Short, but polite, with an air of warning in her tone. She didn’t seem very interested in talking to the voodoo peddler or hearing his feedback.

Criol raised his wooden hands and backed away, motioning for Mando to continue.

Mando and Vi continued to talk back and forth to the room, but I really didn’t process any of it. My eyes went to Nyx. She was noticeably perturbed by the two women. Her eyes kept flicking from them to the ground at her feet, like she was trying to avoid staring. When I looked back at Lulin, she flashed me a white, toothy smile. For a moment, I swear her red eyes illuminated like a flare, glowing with an inner light. I stepped closer to Nyx instinctively.

“Jhin?”

Mando’s voice pulled me from the silent exchange, and I shook my head. “Yes, sir?”

“Tomorrow, Lulin has requested a tour of the Witch’s Carnival staging grounds. I’ll personally be working the desk to cover, so you two will be permitted to spend opening day there.” Mando explained. “When you’re not working the desk, you’ll be attending to her needs. I’ll be giving the two of you a buzzer she can press that will alert you when she needs your assistance.”

Again, this sounded awful. But I didn’t complain. I gave a nod. “I’m at your service.”

Nyx didn’t look happy, but she didn’t say anything either.

“Wonderful. For now, I will help her get settled into her room.” Mando hopped down from his chair. “Thank you again for your business, Miss Rayland.”

“The pleasure is all mine.” Vi curtsied again. “If all goes well, I’ll bring more of our family next time.”

Mando motioned for everyone to leave his office. I stayed back, waiting for everyone to leave – wanting to keep as much distance as I could from Lulin while I could. Something about her really rubbed me the wrong way.

When Nyx exited the room, I moved to follow her, but I hadn’t been the only one waiting. Lulin stood at the door, her arms folded, watching me closely. An uncomfortable shiver racked my body, but I tried not to show it, instead quickening my pace to walk past her. Once we were out of the room, I heard her follow behind us, the unmistakable rapping of her platformed heels against the ground behind me.

And then I felt a breath on the back of my ear. A small voice, quiet, almost a whisper, “Quite the tasty-looking mayfly, aren’t you?”

I whipped around, but Lulin was still half a dozen paces behind me. Far too distant to have been the source of the voice. But she brought a hand to her lips, covering her mouth with a smirk, like we were sharing some sort of private joke.

Before I could say something, Nyx’s hand found my shoulder. “Jhin?”

“Yeah, sorry.” I turned back toward her, shaking my head. Then I called out to Mivara, “Mivara, is Benzo working breakfast in the ballroom?”

She paused at the intersection between this hall, the elevators, and the lobby. Dolly nodded from atop her shoulder, and she agreed, “He came over from Zozo’s for it since we’re so busy. Were you going to fill him in?”

“I’ll probably need to wait until things quiet down.” I said, “I’ll wait in the lobby for an hour or so and then go find him.”

Nyx added, “I’ll come, too. I have a couple of things I’d like to ask him.”

“You two have fun with that; we have to get back on the desk.” Mivara walked into the lobby. I could tell she wasn’t happy about the whole thing with the book and decided to make up for it; I’d bring her something from Zozo’s once Benzo had finished serving brunch in the ballroom.

Mando, Vi and Lulin were waiting for the elevator. Papa Criol had somehow disappeared to God knows where. So I followed Mivara and Dolly. The moment the two of them walked back around the counter, they were swarming with guests either waiting to check in or with questions about the hotel. When I glanced at the clock in the lobby, I realized it was already past noon.

I entered the lobby, earning a shout from Billy, “So what’s all the secrecy about!?”

It was still pretty busy, so I said, “I’ll tell you when we’re slower. You should probably hear about this, but don’t go running your mouth, alright?”

“Please, I never run my mouth.” The talking deer head retorted.

“That is the literal only thing you are known for.” I rubbed my eyes and sat down on one of the nearby couches. Nyx joined me, placing one leg over the other and examining the lobby intently. I couldn’t help but feel she was sitting closer than usual.

My eyes wandered back to the chaotic mass of people at the desk. Mornings like this were super hard to work, mostly just due to the mental toll that came with dealing with so many people. I didn’t envy my coworkers' positions.

Billy chuckled, “You really can’t leave this place unattended, can you?”

“Seriously. Something else always pops up.”

“Like the Raylands?” Billy noted.

I shook my head. “Don’t even get me started.”

Nyx sighed, “I don’t think I like that Lulin woman very much.”

“Well, maybe she’s nicer than she initially let on.”

Billy snorted, “Ah, yes, the family that owns the aristocratic murder corporation is nice.”

“Not this conspiracy theory again. I am begging you, it’s driving me insane. Especially since I’m going to be in charge of showing her around the Witch’s Carnival tomorrow.”

“And he was never seen again,” Billy said dramatically.

“Please stop.”

Nyx put a hand on my arm. “I’ll be there, too. Don’t worry.”

“Are you sure?” I blinked. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to deal with her.”

“I don’t trust her. All the more reason for me to be around you.” Nyx shrugged. “Besides, it’s the Witch’s Carnival. We go opening day every year together.”

She was right, and I was honestly relieved to hear she’d be coming along. Once the lobby had cleared out, Nyx and I made our way out into the courtyard, following the path that led to the ballroom. When we were alone, I asked, “Nyx?”

“Yes, Jhin?” She floated along beside me, turning in mid-air.

“Don’t you think it’s a little odd the Raylands showed up right around all this ice cream truck and briefcase business?”

Nyx gave a small nod. “There are a lot about the Raylands I find suspect, to be perfectly honest. I think there may be more to them than there appears.”

“You do?”

We turned, making our way to the currently open doors of the ballroom. She explained, “They don’t...feel...human. Does that make sense?”

“No.” I admitted, “But I’ll trust your judgment.”

“Both women have a huge amount of ethereal energy around them,” Nyx murmured, obviously pondering the current situation. “Everyone has a bit, even humans who can’t use it. But not like this. I can feel it on them even while just standing in the same room. They’re either extremely powerful magicians or something else.”

With that pleasant thought in mind, we entered the ballroom.

Now, I’ll be honest. I’m not a dancer. I don’t even know how to dance. But whenever I stepped into the Grinning Moon’s ballroom, I kind of wished I did. The space was massive, with large floor-to-ceiling stained-glass windows on the right. Various arcane signets and runes made up the intricate designs, resting alongside the Grinning Moon’s logo. These windows overlooked the dance floor, a massive space tiled dark beige and brown with the hotel’s logo squarely in the center. It was set up for brunch, with dozens of large tables adorned in silvery clothes. On the far left was a stage with huge curtains that matched the clothes. To the right was a door leading into the hotel’s kitchen. We kept it separated from Zozo’s kitchen since Benzo’s restaurant and the Grinning Moon were, on paper, separate businesses. Although since Benzo serviced both establishments, in my eyes they were really the same, and the distinction felt pointless.

Speaking of Benzo, his window had migrated to a space on the right wall. I forgot to mention something important the last time I wrote about him. Benzo’s window can move. I’ve never seen it move while I was looking at it, but it can randomly appear in different places depending on where Benzo thought he was needed. I’d seen it show up on the side of a tree outside before, or even in the lobby of the Grinning Moon next to Billy.

The window was already open, and Benzo’s glowing red eyes were visible in the darkness beyond.

“Jhin and Nyx!” He boomed, “My two favorite customers. My supple little sandwich vacuums! Here for your dippers?”

“Lunch sounds good, if Nyx wants to eat.” I agreed, “But we were here for something else, first.”

Benzo sounded intrigued. “Go on.”

I glanced around the room to make sure it wasn’t too busy so that nobody could listen in on our conversation. There were only a few men and women eating at tables practically on the other side of the ballroom, so I felt certain we could converse in confidence.

“What was that book Mivara brought to you last time we stopped by for lunch together?” Nyx asked.

Benzo hummed for a moment. “Well, I’m not sure if I should be divulging her business.”

“It’s important.” Nyx pressed.

His tentacle snaked out from the window, waving in her direction. “Ol’ Mivara brought in a tome talking about warlock pacts and how to establish one safely. Or at least, as safely as possible.”

“Mivara seems to be reading a lot of material about that specific subject lately,” Nyx muttered.

Benzo shrugged his tentacle. “Well, you know what they say about humans.”

“What do they say about humans?” I asked.

“It’s in your nature to seek power even if it costs you everything.” Benzo chortled. “I suppose you’re the exception to that rule, Jhin.”

I narrowed my gaze. “Is that an insult or a compliment?”

“Neither. An observation.” The tentacle waved dismissively. “You don’t seek power. That comes with its own strength. You’re much harder to tempt.”

“Thanks, I guess.”

“Whatever the case, I wouldn’t worry too much about it.” Benzo said, “Humans like you and Mivara can’t use magic at birth outside of extremely rare circumstances, you know? Mivara’s only shot at even thinking of casting any sort of spell would be to use magic equipment a real magician made or making some sort of deal with a patron entity and becoming a witch.”

Nyx floated slightly upward, leaning forward in the air to look more closely at Benzo. “Mivara was talking to Papa Criol about this briefcase we had show up at the front desk. I read the tome before she got it, thanks to Jhin, and what I read was more than a little concerning.”

“Oh?” Benzo sounded interested. “Well, I love gossip.”

“I won’t speak too much on the contents of the book, but that briefcase...if anyone asks about it, I want you to let either Jhin or me know as soon as possible.” Nyx said, “Can you do that for me?”

The tentacle bobbed up and down like a nod. “Sure, that’s no biggie. Benzo takes care of his people.”

“Mivara mentioned something about a seance spell,” I remembered. “What was that about?”

“I think it was some sort of incantation to summon a dominant spirit to speak with, if I recall.” Benzo mused, “But again, she can’t use it. She’d be better off hiring a medium and using our seance chamber here in the Grinning Moon. Even non-magi can contact the dead if they use the right tools and try hard enough. I told her as much myself.”

Nyx sighed, “Let’s stop giving her ideas.”

“I’m just saying!” Benzo said defensively. “Listen, if I wanted to make a warlock pact, I would completely forgo spirits, anyway. I’d go straight to a witch or something. But I’m content with what power I have.”

“Well, if you hear anything strange...” I prodded.

Benzo agreed, “Of course.”

I then filled Benzo in about the Raylands and the ice cream trucks. He was obviously interested, his tentacle twisting excitedly as I went through all the details. Benzo had always been one for gossip, so even though this was serious, it was probably fun in his eyes.

“What a fun week!” Benzo boomed as I finished, “This is why I stay at the Grinning Moon! Mysterious trucks! The actual mob! Detectives and monsters in the alley! All very, very exciting. Please keep me up to date, my supple little sandwich vacuums.”

Nyx stared incredulously at the window. “You really need to start taking this a bit more seriously.”

“I am! I do!” He assured her, “But what a tale, isn’t it?”

I smiled slightly. “True. It’s definitely memorable, at least. We’ll try and keep you in the loop.”

“Good, good. Let me get your sandwiches; I’m sure you’re tired of standing around here.” Benzo’s tentacle disappeared into the dark mist beyond the window.

Nyx stopped floating, gently landing beside me. “Up to the roof after this?”

“Is it too early to drink?” I half-joked.

“You’re off; enjoy it while you can.” She winked. “Just don’t drink too much.”

“Nultock Rums?”

“Our usual.” She agreed.

When Benzo returned, we made our way upstairs to the roof. Today, the sky was overcast–a common occurrence just before the mists were set to arrive. As usual, our little table and cooler sat in their regular places. While I set the sandwiches out on the table, Nyx mixed the drinks.

We sat facing one another and clinked our drinks.

If it wasn’t obvious by now, this was something we did fairly often. We didn’t always talk the entire time. Sometimes Nyx brought a book, and I brought my camera. When you know someone for as long as we’ve known each other, there’s a point where simply being in one another's company is enough. It’s hard to describe unless you have someone like that in your life. You didn’t always need to have something to talk about to be enriched by one another.

Today, though, was all chatter. And that was fine by me, too.

“I still can’t believe that Lulin woman.” Nyx shook her head. “She’s lucky Mando wants us to play nice with her; I’m really not happy about the way she addressed you.”

“What was it she said? At least he knows his place?” I rolled my eyes.

Nyx took a bite from her sandwich, speaking once she’d finished chewing. “Even hundreds of years later, rich assholes are still rich assholes.”

It wasn’t like her to curse so openly, and the comment made me laugh. “Hey, not all rich people are jerks.”

“That’s why I specified.”

“Unfortunately, I feel a responsibility to play nice with guests even when I’m not on the clock.” I sighed, “It’s better that way. I don’t want to be working the desk the next day after getting into an argument with one of them and have them recognizing me, you know?”

“Mark my words,” Nyx said, taking a sip of her rum and turning her gaze skyward. “That woman’s going to be trouble.”

“We’ll make it work. We always do.” I looked out over the city of Nultock. “Tomorrow shouldn’t be too bad, at least. I’m honestly kind of excited about the Witch’s Carnival.”

Nyx added, “Shouldn’t your friend be coming by?”

“Bones?” I thought for a moment. “I’d have to assume so since he runs the carnival’s theater. We’ll find out tomorrow. I hope so, though; I want to make sure he’s doing alright. Is there anything in particular you want to do tomorrow since you’ll be coming with Lulin and I?”

She chuckled to herself, “Leave her and get some carnival food, just us two.”

I laughed, “Well, I’m on shift for eight hours. After it’s over, we’ll do something together before it gets too late.”

“Good.” Nyx looked over to Nultock. After a moment, she beckoned toward the city with her head. “It’s starting.”

Her words drew my attention to the city. The Centrifuge Tower was glowing a vibrant green, emanating a beam of light that pierced the overcast sky and split the clouds directly over the tower. Nultock itself was abuzz with activity. People were doing last-minute preparations before the mists. Boats swarmed down the river, passing beneath the bridge.

Overhead, dark figures were slowly descending from the sky. Each looked like a man hanging from a long, black cord that was connected to the back of their necks. They were featureless and intangible, shadowy figments that hovered silently in the sky. We called them the tethered ones, and they happened close to every time the mists were about to arrive, usually about a day before. Nobody in Nultock knew what they were. Nyx theorized they were some sort of spirit or ghost, but even she couldn’t confirm what they were. Regardless, they were an irrefutable fact of life here. Since they were harmless, most people paid them no mind. But I won’t lie–they made and make for quite the sight.

“Will it be safe to attend the carnival tomorrow?” I finally asked, “What with the mists coming and everything?”

“As safe as staying in the Grinning Moon.” Nyx replied, “The Witch’s always put up a ton of wards and spells to make sure the carnival grounds are safe. They’ve opened up during the mists before. I wouldn’t worry too much. Honestly, once the carnival leaves, the woods will be far more treacherous on even a normal night.”

I nodded, taking a drink from my cup. We both sat there in silence, watching as more and more of the tethered ones slowly appeared over the city.

“Nyx?” I finally asked.

“Yes, Jhin?”

“Did you have any luck locating your grave?”

She sighed, folding her arms. “No. Not yet. I’m waiting to hear back from my last job’s contractor. Hopefully, with luck, they’ll have a lead.”

“When you have a more tangible lead, we should go together.”

Nyx blinked. “Are you sure? It’s not really going to be a fun trip.”

“Yeah.” I looked at her. “I can’t do a lot for you. But I can at least be there, if you want that.”

She put an icy hand over mine. “I’d like that, Jhin. I’d like that very much.”

A small flurry of butterflies filled my stomach for a moment. I choked down the sensation, giving her a nod, hoping she didn’t see the warmth rising to my face.

We spent the rest of the day walking through the Grinning Moon, stopping by the desk to chat with Mivara, Billy and Dolly. After the morning rush, things had started calming down, and things actually felt relatively peaceful. I brought Billy and Mivara food from Benzo, much to their delight. But even as the five of us exchanged jokes and banter in the lobby, a simple fact remained, a worm that wriggled in the back of my mind.

This felt like the calm before the storm, and quiet never lasted long at the Grinning Moon.

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