Masked, hooded strangers offering cream colored envelopes, it was not comforting, especially not in this town. It became clear though that the person or, whatever they might be wasn’t going to let him not take the envelope offered though, so after a moment he did. It was quality paper, heavy and slightly textured to the touch, sented strangely of burnt orange with just a touch of burning that lingered on the back of his tongue.

It put him in mind of ‘The Burning Man’ which was never a good start to things. Neither was the fact that the ‘person’ offering the invitation in the first place, vanished as soon as it was taken.
When he opened it a heavy key slid out and into his hand, the weight was pleasant in his hand, but then he had a soft place for Keys, the strange light metal wasn’t one he was sure he could name accurately but he hoped it wouldn’t prove to be anything like Neil Gaiman’s key to Hell.

He read the invitation after turning the key over in his hand a few times as though there might be some clue about it’s origin.

The Court of the Sorrowful One
requests your attendance on the eve of the red moon
at a dance to honor the tithe of the otherworld.

Come alone or in a pair.
Please arrive at moonrise and appropriately dressed.
The unmasking will occur at moonset.



The Sorrowful one, he remembered that name mentioned before, sibling to...Pax wasn’t it? Hadn’t they been described as something like, mopey? But, an invitation to go to Other Ashdown, for a dance? A Masquerade it seemed as well since it mentioned unmasking, that or there was going to be something quite terrifying like face peeling.
But Pax was there for Heliodora right? He rubbed at his arm and bit hard at his lower lip, If it was to see the Sorrowful one, maybe…

He rubbed his arm and set the invitation down on the counter before pulling up a seat and staring at the invitation.

What was it that book in the library had said? The crown and the sword were interchangeable, the stars were fixed. While he was still unsure of Heliodora, and if that meant she’d be trapped no matter what they did, maybe there was a chance that it would give them some clues, some way to find answers, and maybe a way to try and do something good.

He pulled open a desk drawer and fished out a ribbon. He strung the key on it before looping it carefully around his neck. Time to send out some text messages and see who else had gotten an invitation.


((Word count IDK))