Marina gently stroked her horse.

“And then he just disappeared, out of nowhere. We’ve got plenty of strange people here at the park, but he’s definitely an exception.”

She brushed the mane of the gentle animal a couple more times before stopping and smiling.

“All done,” she exclaimed with satisfaction.

Suddenly, the air grew heavier, a sign that someone was nearby. The sensation wasn’t new; in fact, it felt almost familiar. Her instincts as a Blendbreed kicked in, making Marina turn around with a hint of worry: the guy from that morning was there, watching her.

“Hey... Shirei, right?” She noticed his gaze fixed on the animal. “Her name is Nebula, she’s my horse. Do you like her?”

The Blendbreed moved silently, closing the distance. Marina couldn’t help but notice how his steps made no sound, a sign of extraordinary agility and control. The boy’s stature was distracting; anyone would have imagined he’d prefer slower combat.

“It’s not that I don’t like her,” he said, tilting his head to the side, “but I was expecting something more... mythical, if you know what I mean.”

“Like what?” asked the girl, placing some hay in front of the animal.

“Pegasi.”

Marina burst into laughter. Realizing Shirei wasn’t joking, she quickly stopped. “Sorry, really,” she paused briefly to make sure she’d composed herself. “Pegasi are extremely rare. You’d be lucky to see one in your entire life.”

“In Greek mythology, they’re quite common, descendants of the original Pegasus.”

“Yeah, I’ve studied that story too. Medusa’s head and all that,” she shook her head slightly. “But those are just myths.”

The boy shifted his gaze sideways and glanced at her. “Maybe, but all of this could be considered a myth too.”

“What are you trying to say?” she asked, leaning slightly forward.

The Blendbreed’s voice was strangely comforting. Shirei was a stranger to her, but the calmness he carried was reassuring.

“I’m just reflecting on what I see and hear. Myths or not, they might have actually happened, don’t you think?”

“Are you saying there could be other pantheons like the Italian one? Look, unlike them, our history in the Mortal World is a secret. No one knows anything about us. Nothing.”

“Exactly. If they’re real, why hide ours and spread the others? Doesn’t that seem strange to you?”

“Well...” The girl was momentarily speechless; she’d never dwelled on that thought before.

“Don’t worry, I was just rambling. We can drop the subject if you want.”

“As you prefer...”

The Blendbreed simply observed Nebula, and Marina smiled thoughtfully. The relentless passage of silent minutes was starting to make her slightly uncomfortable.

Shirei seemed to read her mind. He sighed. “If you have any questions about me, feel free to ask,” he said before reaching out a hand to Nebula and gently stroking her.

“Are you a son of Cragar?” she asked, tense.

Shirei nodded, confirming her suspicions.

“So earlier, when I came back, you disappeared because you were in the Interworld?”

“Yes, I used a Spectral Travel. Why did you come back to look for me?”

“Mr. D’Agostini asked me to show you around.”

Nebula neighed at Shirei’s touch, seeming to have taken a liking to him. “That’s not necessary, nor is keeping an eye on me.”

That seemed like a veiled allusion to her, and Marina smiled guiltily.

The boy continued. “Why did he ask you... should I know you?”

But Marina’s mind was already too busy categorizing the information she’d just received. Another son of Cragar at Lilies Park, another Forbidden Heir—she was surprised Aena had allowed it.

“Are you okay?” asked the Blendbreed, his violet gaze invading her vision and making her falter.

“Yes, I was just lost in thought,” she mumbled after regaining her composure. “I think he asked me because not everyone here sees the sons of Cragar in a good light. Why do you think you should know me?”

“I don’t spend much time here, and for the duration of my stay, I remain in my room. You’re the third person I’ve spoken to since arriving at the park, and if they asked you to keep an eye on me, maybe they think they can... honestly, I don’t know,” Shirei covered his face with a hand and rubbed his eyes. “It’s clear they know my identity, but they still don’t want to reveal anything to me. This whole memory loss thing is killing me.”

Marina frowned. From Lyceum’s words, she had gathered that Shirei had only recently arrived at the park. She still couldn’t quite figure him out. She felt sorry for his lost memories but didn’t understand his distrustful nature.

To mask her growing doubts, she decided to steer the conversation toward irony and try to lift his spirits. “Regardless, I feel honored to be the third person you’ve spoken to here,” she burst into a loud laugh.

“I’m not joking.”

“Ah, I see,” she replied, disappointed by the failure of her plan. “I know it’s none of my business, but what do you usually do?”

Shirei gave Nebula one last pat and stepped back. “I train, every day.”

“Strange, I’ve never seen you at the training arena.”

Nebula wandered off again, so they had no choice but to leave the stable. As they walked toward the exit, Marina couldn’t help but notice their height difference. Shirei briefly met her gaze before continuing the conversation.

“I don’t train here; I’m used to training elsewhere.”

“Let me guess, if I ask where, you won’t tell me.”

The Blendbreed nodded. “You’re right.”

“See, you’re a man of a thousand secrets too!” she replied, laughing. “So... how about we train together?”

“Now?”

“That way, we can take a break by lunchtime,” she added, unsure if she could convince him. “Okay, listen, last week a son of Sidal beat me, and that can never happen again. Never!”

She was surprised by her own oddly proud tone, but she was willing to do anything to keep him from disappearing again.

“Sidal, you mean the god of war?”

“Exactly, ten points to the sons of Cragar! Apparently, there’s not exactly good blood between our houses, you know. War isn’t a wise choice... but hey, it’s our parents’ fault,” she rambled, losing track of her point. “So? You’re not scared of losing to me, are you?” she asked, trying to provoke him.

“I’ve already trained, but thanks for the offer.”

“It’s morning, Shirei. At least come up with a decent excuse if you really don’t like me.”

But the boy’s serious expression made it clear he wasn’t joking. Marina was confused—did that mean he trained at night? The sons of Cragar were always strange; she shouldn’t forget that, yet she kept making that mistake.

She wasn’t ready to give up. “How about a race? Let’s go to...” She looked up, thinking of a suitable destination. “The Thirteenth House!”

The Blendbreed sighed. “Fine, but I don’t usually hold back.”

Marina was quite proud of her speed. She had even won the relay race held at the park during the holidays once. However, Shirei’s confidence unsettled her.

Without waiting any longer, she decided to catch him off guard to gain an advantage.

“3-2-1-Go!” she suddenly shouted the countdown and took off at the same instant.