Angel lay on the floor of the hallway, staring up at the cracked vaulted ceiling. The arcs, both broken and intact, crisscrossed above her in a poetic arc of life and decay. 

"This part of the castle is closed off for a reason" Creed said. He stood under one of the more sturdy columns, looking up at the spiderwebbing of cracks through the marble. 

"I know" Angel smirked "but if father wants to punish us for exploring, he should have locked us in the tower" she joked. 

"Don't say that" Creed growled "you know fully well that if he catches us here, that's exactly what he'll do"

"Then I guess he won't catch us" Angel smiled pleasantly. "besides, aren't you supposed to be watching the kids?" she tiled her head to look up at him. Her eyes glinted evilly. 

"They're locked up tight" Creed said, rolling his eyes. "they won't be getting out any time soon. And I've already fed them"

"What about water?" Angel grinned. Creed started to responded but stopped mid thought. He held up a finger, and slowly put it back down.

"That would explain them not moving much" he muttered. He turned and started to walk away. "I'll give you ten minutes before I tell dad you're here" 

"That's plenty of time" Angel replied, sitting up. "I just wish he would have left this hall better for sister. Her place is so drab" she stood up. "This would have been beautiful had I been in charge of fixing it up. But of course, it must stay the way it is until she comes back" Angel growled with a tone of disdain. 

"It's kept the way she already wants it" Creed said "broken, and abandoned. Like how she sees us" hate was in his voice. "She doesn't plan on coming back" 

"I know" Angel said, walking toward the rotten dark oak doors behind Creed. "If only father would figure that out too" 

----------

Max stepped in front of Colin and drew his training sword. He hoped it looked tough, though, it was going to be hard if Eric decided to attack them. The room he came out of had maps and plenty of other decorations that gave the feel of a strategy room he used in the on going war against his grandfather, Sky. 

Colin put a hand on Max's shoulder and carefully pulled him to the side. Eric stood staring, as if at a ghost. Max looked between the two confused. 

"You-" Eric said, quietly. "how did you get in here?" 

"Came in through the pool" Colin replied. He gave a small shrug. "we got lost trying to get out of here" 

Eric nodded slowly. He didn't seem crazy, like Max had expected. Every story grandad Sky had told him said that they were mad and crazy, their only goal to take over the surface world and gain it's resources for itself. Maybe it was only the king before, who started the hybridization programs.

"Did the guards process you?" Eric asked. He seemed calm for someone who had two strangers staring him down in his own home. 

Colin nodded. Max noticed for the first time the uncanny resemblance of the two. Their markings were almost exactly the same. Swirls, dots, and lines in the same places along their faces and exposed necks. Colin's eyes, a vivid black, stared right into Eric's, a dark blue. If it weren't for Colin looking several years younger, and his dark hair not being peppered with grey stress roots, Max would have called them brothers. 

Colin grabbed Max's hand and started to walk off down the hall. 

"Princey" Eric called. Colin stopped midstep. 

"You don't need to hide anymore" Eric smiled. Colin shook his head. "You-"

"As much as anyone likes to think, I can't come back" Colin said "I've heard the conspiracies. It's better for you if I stay dead" Eric fell silent behind them. 

Max stood awkwardly between. The energy in the room had shifted completely. 

"You can always come back" Eric said laughed. It was a sad laugh. "you're not just a conspiracy little brother. Things have changed. The traditions that hated you are gone. After father's death-" 

"Father's death changed nothing" Colin growled suddenly. "just because you came to the throne doesn't mean I would be welcomed. You're fighting two wars on two different fronts. Something as volatile as a dead prince rising from the grave will do nothing but show our family should not have power. If things settle down, then I'll come back" 

"Well" Eric smirked "you wouldn't exactly be coming back from the dead" he motioned for the two of them to follow him. 

Max followed Colin down the hall. The three of them walked in silence through plush carpeting and royal blue walls. The seal of the squid kingdom was printed on every door they passed. A sign above each room said what it was, but Max couldn't read it, as it was all written in squid. 

"Od uyo member uro gualange?" Eric looked over his shoulder at Colin. Colin nodded quietly. 

"Fo rcouse" Colin answered. Max looked at both of them startled. Eric chuckled. 

"Sujt ckeichng" Eric smirked. "Tsi eben a hilew ncise uyo vahe eben eher. Htaw aveh uyo eben pu ot?" 

Colin shrugged. "Viled Htiw na neder. Valtred het rowld" He smiled. "Pexerintmed htiw ewn  tionsop nda ngihts" 

Eric nodded. "Sounds busy, but did you really live with an ender? How did you manage to tame one?" He seemed impressed. Max was completely lost. He followed quietly as they walked into a fully furnished bedroom. 

"I didn't really tame him" Colin shrugged. He looked around the room. "This was mine" 

"It still is" Eric smiled "Technically speaking" he smirked. "The question is, what do we do with the human?" Eric turned his attention to Max for the first time.

"I've got to take him home" Colin said "After that, I don't really have a plan" he shrugged. "I'll probably go back to Phil" 

"Phil?" Eric asked 

"The ender" Colin said with a shrug 

"How did you stop it from eating you?" Eric asked curiously. He sat down on a lounge chair with his feet up. 

"I didn't give him coffee, first off" Colin said as he walked around the room. "but there were a few times he somehow got ahold of it and went a little crazy. Otherwise, he was pretty chill to live with" 

"Ah" Eric nodded "I hope to meet him one day. Now, what are we going to do with Sky's grandson?" 

All the color drained from Max's face.