Florzel tore down the steps to the body with Jenx and the girl at his heels. A small crowd had gathered around the corpse by the time they arrived, Vi, Yasha and Nibs included.

“What the fuck…” Florzel kept muttering. “What the actual fuck?” When they reached the ground floor Jenx tapped him on the shoulder and he spun around. “WHAT?” He hissed. Jenx gave a little shrug.

“I think you’ve never been to a party in these districts before...it happens all the time.” Florzel was left with a confused expression on his masked face as Jenx stepped up next to Vi who was standing there, looking slightly shaken.

“Oh, no,” Vi said. “Mexy…”

Mexy had been stabbed through the stomach. Her sunrise dress was stained red and brown with blood and viscera.

“Vi, I’m so sorry,” said Jenx. He patted her arm. She barely reacted, staring dully at the corpse.

“Certainly an unusual move to make the first casualty of the night the hostess herself,” Yasha said. “Bravo.”

“This wasn’t scripted, though,” Vi said. “I checked. Mexy’s not on anyone’s hit list. She’s by far one of the most popular organizers in the district.”

“Doesn’t look that way from where I’m standing,” said Nibs.

“Indeed,” said Yasha. “If this killing wasn’t scripted, then it’s boring. Something for the authorities to deal with. Ugh, won’t someone clean this up? The gore is asymmetrical and totally clashes with the overall theme.”

“I’ll call a twelfth-tier,” Vi said. “I guess I’m in charge, now. Emeri! Turn that music back on!”

Emeri obliged and a heavy bass beat throbbed across the room. The Gwami continued to dance.

Jenx turned to say something to the green-haired girl, but she was gone. Prince Florzel groaned.

“You idiot! It was obviously a distraction! Now she’s slipped away again.” He narrowed his eyes, speaking almost to himself. “I will have the neck of whatever G_D damn idiot let this happen.” He turned to Jenx now, green eyes narrowed. “Watch out my dear, because I am in a really bad mood.” With that he pushed his way through the crowd.

“Too bad she’ll never be able to make good on that BJ,” Yasha said, as two twelfth-tiers lifted Mexy onto a stretcher.

“That is incredibly inappropriate,” Nibs said. “She just died.”

“Honestly, Niblets, if you weren’t so adorable, I’d call you a bore. Why don’t we dance? Have a drink? Drop acid? Blow our brains out? Pick your poison, darling. Parties are meant to be fun,” Yasha said, draping an arm around Nibs’s shoulders. Nibs shrugged him off.

“Order me a straight whiskey, or shut your fucking mouth,” he said.

“Your wish is my command,” said Yasha, with an extravagant bow.

They both went off for a drink. Vi was ordering some lower-tiers around. Jenx craned his neck, hoping to catch another glimpse of the mute girl. Of course, she was nowhere to be seen. He wandered through the crowds, occasionally giving a polite greeting to a customer or half-answering a nervous question about the grotesque corpse that had just fallen from the ceiling. He had almost made it to the bar when he felt someone grab his arm.

“It seems I need your help again,” said Prince Florzel. “You’ve been able to connect with the little brat where no one else has. If she’ll come for anyone, she’ll come for you.”

Jenx stepped away. “No way,” he said. “I’m sorry, sir, honestly, but-- you can’t draw me into this. I’m just a glorified tailor. I’m not going to lead you to that poor girl.”

“Of course you’re not,” the prince said, “you’re going to lead her to me.”

He pulled Jenx by the arm into one of the aux rooms. He shut the door behind them, and locked it. The prince removed a memory stick from his pocket.

“They call this a psychic scream,” he said. “If I can get your head to broadcast this, doubtless she’ll come running.”

“You’re not putting anything in my head,” said Jenx.

“And you’re going to stop me, how?”

“Um,” Jenx said, looking around the room, “maybe--”

He picked up a wheelie chair and hurled it at the prince. Florzel sidestepped it, and it landed with a thud at the other end of the room. Florzel grasped the collar of Jenx’s gown and pulled him closer.

“Yes,” he said, “I am beginning to know what she sees in you.”

The door to the aux room slammed open. Florzel dropped Jenx. The green-haired girl stood, her hands balled into fists.

“Oh,” he said, “this was more effective than I expected. You really think you like him, don’t you?”

The girl made an animal growl in the back of her throat.

“Now, now,,” Florzel said. “If you come along nicely with your big brother, I’ll let your boyfriend live.”

The girl snapped her teeth.

“Petulant thing,” Florzel said. “Very well. If you can’t behave, I’ll have to take away your toys.”

He wrapped his hands around Jenx’s neck.

Jenx kicked him between the legs.

Florzel yelped and doubled over. Jenx ran around behind him.

“Prince or not, you shouldn’t push around people who are smaller than you,” Jenx said. He took the girl by the hand. He felt an odd jolt run through him. The girl smiled.

The went back out into the crowd.

“Jenx!” cried Yasha, running up to him, “you will never believe what I just accomplished!”

“Oh?” Jenx said.

“I got Nibs drunk!”

Jenx looked at the girl and shrugged. She grinned. They followed Yasha back to the bar. Nibs was staring at a growing collection of empty glasses. He looked up when Jenx arrived.

“Oh… Jenkssh,” Nibs said. “Did I ever tell you-- probably didn’t-- that you look absolutily stunning?”

“Um, no,” Jenx said, “I don’t believe you have.”

“‘Cause you are,” Nibs said. “Damn, this is a good drink.”

“I may have put something in it to hurry things along,” Yasha whispered. “How much do you want to bet he’s a blackout drunk?”

“That seems really dangerous,” Jenx said.

“For the love of-- Jenx, it’s the party. It’s supposed to seem dangerous,” Yasha said. “Who’s the girl, by the way?”

“The prince’s sister,” Jenx said, “apparently. We’re sort of on the run, at the moment.”

“Glamorous! You’re really moving up in the world. She’s cute. Eat her out for me, won’t you?”

“Yasha,” Nibs said, “you just made my soul vomit. Is that posh-- possible? Ugh. There’s something wrong with my head…”

Jenx led the girl away. “Um, sorry, about that. Let’s go see if Vi can help sort things out for you. I’m sure she knows somewhere you can stay where he won’t find you. Do you have a name?”

The girl seemed to consider the question. Then she shook her head.

“That’s really sad,” Jenx said. “You should have a name. Though I’m not very good at names. I always have Yasha come up with titles for my designs. But, looking at you, I think you look like an Aila. Is that alright?”

She nodded, smiling.

“Alright. Aila, then. Now, let’s find Vi.”