Ch. 92 – Walked Right Into Another Trap

Rhys walked out of the towering corporate complex alongside Marcus, recounting the disastrous meeting step by step. His best friend offered what comfort he could, though he chuckled and admitted he didn't feel quite as guilty anymore for eating his weight in complimentary pastries at the corporate food court.

"Don't sweat it, man," Marcus joked, slinging an arm around Rhys's shoulders. "We didn't need those suits anyway. We can definitely find someone else to back the catering business."

Marcus perked up, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "Hey, speaking of... why haven't you gone to Vespera for help with staffing? She practically considers herself your partner in this whole thing anyway."

Well, I can't do that because your 'girlfriend' wants my 'staff' in entirely the wrong context, Rhys thought with heavy, sarcastic irony.

Aloud, Rhys offered a vague excuse, muttering that he felt uncomfortable mixing business with pleasure since she was also his landlord. It wasn't entirely a lie, which made it easier to swallow. Marcus nodded in understanding, having experienced enough of Vespera's eccentricities firsthand—even if he was still completely, obliviously smitten with her.

Changing the subject, Rhys rubbed the back of his neck. "Hey... do you know an executive named Isha? I had the weirdest interaction with her before the pitch. It felt like she knew me, but I completely drew a blank."

Marcus furrowed his brow, thinking hard as they walked toward the transit plaza, but finally shook his head. "Isha? Doesn't ring a bell. Maybe she's from one of the outer dimensional branches?"

Before Rhys could press further or ask Marcus for another ride home, his phone began to buzz in his pocket. He pulled it out to see Lira’s caller ID flashing on the screen.

Relieved at the distraction, Rhys swiped to answer. "Hey, honey."

Lira’s voice came through clear and sweet. She had just wrapped up her shift at the Apex Spire and was getting ready to head out. "Hey, Rhys! I'm flying home now."

"That's good to hear," Rhys said, a genuine wave of comfort washing over him. After the crushing, humiliating defeat in the boardroom, all he wanted was to wrap his arms around his wife and feel normal again. "I'm heading back too. I'll get started on that special dinner for us."

There was a brief pause on the line. Then, Lira sounded a bit hesitant. "Um... actually, Rhys, do you think we could make a slight change of plans for tonight?"

Rhys let out a silent, internal groan. What fresh hell is it now? he lamented, feeling a familiar knot tighten in his stomach.

"Oh?" Rhys kept his voice even. "What's wrong?"

"Some old friends are unexpectedly in town," Lira explained, her tone brightening up hopefully. "And they invited themselves over—well, they invited us over, actually. They're hosting a little get-together."

Oh, that's not too bad, Rhys thought, instantly feeling a wave of relief. Just a normal dinner with friends. Finally, something simple.

The second those peaceful thoughts crossed his mind, the dark, towering silhouette of Omen loomed back into his peripheral vision, shaking its head with ominous mockery as if to say think again, idiot.

"That's wonderful, honey," Rhys lied smoothly, ignoring the phantom shadow. "I don't mind changing plans at all. Where are we heading?"

Lira read off an address, giggling softly. "They sent the coordinates. I love you, see you soon!" The line went dead.

Rhys turned to Marcus, who—thanks to his enhanced superhuman hearing—had caught every single word of the conversation. Marcus chuckled, adjusting his jacket. "Sounds like it'll be fun, man! Plus, I'm already dressed up for a corporate meeting anyway. Want a lift?"

"Yeah, sounds like it," Rhys replied, though his nerves were suddenly beginning to hum with a frantic, unexplainable tension.

A few minutes later, Marcus's flight tech touched down at the destination Lira had provided. Rhys stepped out of the vehicle and stared in disbelief. It was a massive, sprawling estate perched dramatically near the peak of a towering mountain, surrounded by cascading groves of blooming cherry blossom trees that drifted softly in the high-altitude breeze.

• Whose place is this?* Rhys thought nervously. Has to be someone with flight capabilities to commute up here every single day.

Before he could ponder it further, the front doors swung open, and Lira hurried out to greet them, wrapping her arms tightly around Rhys’s neck with a bright, affectionate kiss. Rhys melted into the embrace, the stress of the day momentarily fading away.

Marcus stepped up with a friendly wave, happy to see his friend and work partner looking a bit more relaxed. Lira smiled warmly at Marcus, telling him he was more than welcome to stay for the evening since he knew the hosts as well.

"Alright, I give up," Rhys finally asked, his curiosity and dread reaching a boiling point. "Who the hell lives out here?"

The heavy oak doors parted wider, and Shula stepped out onto the porch, flanked by her husband, Darius.

Rhys froze. Shula and Darius? he thought, a cold sweat breaking out on his neck. Okay, not thrilled to see them, but... wait, Lira said they were hosting.

Before he could process the Djinn couple, another figure stepped out from the shadows of the foyer. It was Seraphina, striking and imposing as ever, followed closely by her tiefling husband, Ging.

The visual contrast was striking. Seraphina towered over Ging, who looked remarkably smaller, frailer, and more exhausted than Rhys remembered him being.

Oh, damn, Rhys thought, his eyes widening in pure surprise. He... he really did get tiny.

At that exact moment, the dark presence behind Rhys materialized fully, pressing its cold, heavy form against his back like an executioner's hand.

Oh, yeah, Rhys thought with a grim, hopeless chuckle, his soul resigning to its fate as he looked out at the gathering of explosive, tangled history standing before him. I just walked right into another trap, didn't I?