The door closed softly behind him, ending the day’s session.

Ezra climbed the stairs and was about to enter the corridor leading to his room when voices resounded from the first floor. Since Ezra had set foot in this large house, it had seemed to him that apart from the barely perceptible presence of the staff and the Grand Master, the mansion was deserted and perfectly silent. He stealthily approached the stair railing and listened intently.

Two people were talking quite loudly, then a silence settled in. He then recognized the deep voice of Elmer White, which was interrupted by the slower voice of another man. The tone was acidic, the words chopped. Ezra descended the first three steps, focusing on the voice, then a few more stealthily, his heart pounding, until he reached the first landing. He let himself be guided by the voices, clearer and clearer, at the entrance of a dark hallway.

Behind slightly open doors, he sensed the presence of the Grand Master and his guest. Ezra strained his ear in the echo of the corridor, trying to learn more about the stranger.

"...We are sinking lower and lower, Elmer, only the academic results of our young ones prevent us from completely failing," said the stranger.

"I know," replied the Grand Master, without insisting. "And is that why you came to see me?"

"No, of course not," he continued, "I've learned that the late hostage had more than you informed us. She could not only move freely from one realm to another but also bring anyone into Inglorium."

The stranger spoke these words with even more acidity than the rest. Ezra himself felt uneasy.

"You are well-informed, which is why I count on the efforts of all our ranks, even the youngest," Mr. White replied in a neutral voice.

A brief silence cut off the conversation, then his interlocutor spoke again.

"You know I have always worked for the good of our species, and I put my humble skills at its service... and at yours, but if they can now bring the entirety of their force into Inglorium, we are already in a checkmate situation, and that's because of your bad moves."

The voice lingered on the last words, as if trying to contain bitterness.

"Thank you, Wren, I have never doubted your commitment to our ranks and our struggle. Nor your loyalty to me."

The stranger took advantage of a brief silence to continue.

"Do you have... a clear idea of what you plan to do? I can help identify young Ashvins, and I even offer to supervise their initiation."

"I know, and your talent will be precious in due time. There's no rush," lied Mr. White, "we are not yet outclassed, and nothing is certain about their massive entry."

"Are you so sure?" asked the man with mocking confidence, once more.

"Let's hope I'm not mistaken. For you, for us... for everyone."

The Grand Master's voice had become even rougher than usual, deeper, filling the room behind the door to the point where Ezra thought he was near him. He heard noise, the movement of a chair: Elmer White had stood up to end the interview. Ezra stepped back. It was time to leave, before the door opened.

Ezra, without waiting, ran to the staircase and climbed it in a few seconds. He rushed through the hallway, pushed open the door to his room, and shut it quickly, panting.

After slamming his bedroom door shut, Ezra leaned against the cold wood, catching his breath. The words he had overheard still echoed in his head, stirring a whirlwind of questions. Who was this stranger, this Wren, and what were these stories of disconnection? Ezra was beginning to understand the dynamics of this peculiar world, the struggle for power among its people. Could it be that his own were nearing their end? Curiosity and concern mingled within him. He decided he had to learn more, no matter the risk.

Hardly had he closed the door when there was a knock. The butler didn’t wait for Ezra’s permission and entered.

"Mr. White has important matters to attend to tonight and won't be present for dinner. If you wish to eat, it's now or never," he stated.

Ezra ate mechanically, his thoughts still on the conversation he had eavesdropped on. Each bite seemed tasteless, his mind too busy deciphering the puzzles he encountered day by day. Why did it have to be so complicated? He pushed his plate away, barely touched, and stood up abruptly. He needed to find answers, and he had an idea where to start: the library.

Upon asking the butler to accompany him to the library, the latter shook his head in disapproval.

"The library is closed tonight for security reasons," he informed.

Ezra insisted, his voice firm.

"Mrs. Seleth specifically asked me to read a crucial passage from a book for my training. It's essential and cannot wait."

The butler, albeit reluctantly, nodded in acquiescence at Ezra's insistence. They headed towards the library together. Ezra followed the butler, amused by his waddling gait, like a duck crossing a pond, unconcerned with the ripples it creates.

He took out his enormous bunch of keys – what a hell to live in such a large property, Ezra thought – and unlocked the door with one of them. Ezra entered first, his eyes quickly adjusting to the dimness.

Moonlight filtered through the colored stained glass windows, casting dancing shadows on the rows of books in the library.

"Remember, sir, we only have a short time. Mr. White would not be pleased to find you here after curfew," the butler said, casting nervous glances over his shoulder.

Ezra nodded, but his mind was already elsewhere. He quickly moved between the shelves, his fingers brushing over leather bindings. He was searching for a book that could help him without really knowing what to look for.

Finally, his eyes landed on a worn binding, adorned with symbols and a golden inscription: “Epic of an Earthly Ashvin.” Carefully, he pulled the book from the shelf and opened it. The pages rustled under his fingers, revealing texts written in ancient English, accompanied by complex drawings and stellar maps.

The butler, standing near the door, kept a watchful eye on the surroundings, worried, and began to doubt Ezra.

"Did Mrs. Seleth at least give you the title?" he asked skeptically.

Ezra, focused, flipped through the pages, stopping at a passage that seemed to evoke the journey of a man between realms, detailing unknown rituals and artifacts.

As he was absorbed in his reading, a dull noise from the other end of the library made him startle. The butler paled. "We must leave, now," he insisted.

Reluctantly, Ezra marked the page with a ribbon and closed the book, slipping it under his arm. They hurried towards the exit, their footsteps echoing on the ancient parquet floor. Just as they reached the door, a sinister creak sounded behind them. Ezra cast a final glance back, but there was nothing but shifting shadows and silence.

He left the room, ran across the marble... and collided head-on with a man in the darkness. He fell backwards and looked up.

"Excuse me, sir, I didn't see you there..."

The man leaned over and stared at him. Ezra, sitting on the floor, met his gaze and immediately felt a tension inside him, as if this look reminded him of something very unpleasant.

"Well, well," said the man in his acidic voice, "a young boy here, how strange."

The butler hurried over and pulled Ezra up with a firm grip. For the first time, Ezra noticed an extreme nervousness in the butler.

"Go upstairs, quickly," he whispered in Ezra's ear.

But this time, Ezra did not obey. He had recognized the voice of the man who was talking to Mr. White just before dinner. Now, he could put a face to that voice. Dark, narrowed eyes, pale skin, short grey hair: nothing reassuring.

"You're not hurt, Mr. Wren?" asked the butler, positioning himself as much as possible between Ezra and the man. "This boy is clumsy, he's only been working here a short time."

Acorn Wren pushed the butler aside with one hand to get a better look at Ezra. A voice filled the space in the hall, coming to the young boy's aid.

"What brings me the pleasure of a second visit, Acorn?"

Elmer White descended the last steps to join them.

"I forgot something," replied the man with a slight smile, without taking his eyes off Ezra. "I don't regret it: it gave me the opportunity to meet this young man who hasn't had time to introduce himself... Is this boy part of some early recruitment?"

"My nephew," he replied curtly. "He's spending a few days with me." Acorn Wren finally looked up at the imposing Grand Master who towered over him.

"Your brother had a son? Happy – and surprised – to hear it. I didn't know he was married. To tell you the truth," he added, "I didn't even know he was alive."

Elmer White glared at him.

"A distant nephew, if you must know."

For the first time, the owner of the house turned to Ezra. The young boy felt as if a block of concrete was crashing down on him, so heavy was the Grand Master's look of reproach and anger.

"It's probably for that reason he doesn't resemble you, and to be honest, he reminds me of someone else, but who? Who knows."

"Indeed," he replied in an icy voice, "who knows."

Wren was about to reply, but the butler intervened:

"Your suitcase, Sir."

The man abruptly grabbed the leather suitcase and nodded his head.

"See you very soon, then."

He turned his head towards Ezra, gave him a small smile, and walked away, escorted by the butler.

When Elmer White heard the door slam, he lowered his gaze to Ezra.

"What were you doing here at this hour?"

"I'm sorry, I was just leaving the library room..."

He turned to the butler.

"What's all this about? You've disappointed me greatly."

"I'm sorry, sir," the butler simply said. "It won't happen again."

"Acorn Wren is anything but a fool; he'll soon find out who you are, Ezra. Yet, it seemed to me I had been clear: I didn't want anyone to know of your presence here, not even a member of the Council. And you didn't understand."

Ezra nodded, mortified.

"Yes, sir, but..."

"There are no 'buts'," roared the man. "There are rules, and you must follow them, that's all! Am I clear?"

Ezra fell silent. A deadly silence reigned in the house.

Ezra walked away without a glance at the butler. At the foot of the stairs, without turning back, he broke the silence:

"Now, off to bed," he declared.