The Smiling Jokers' base was on Pangavini Island, north of the city. It was one of nine islands in the Dar Es Salaam Marine Reserve System and an important breeding, resting, and feeding site for various animals. Ghost sat on the mansion's roof, staring at the Indian Ocean, while the full moon hung in the sky with the stars.

The salty air didn't bother him tonight; he welcomed it as his thoughts lingered on his mother. Banishment to Limbo should've been a death sentence. So how was she alive? There weren't many studies on Limbo, since anyone who went there never returned. So assumptions and hearsay ruled, creating myths about the realm that you'd think came from a child.

"She asked me if I wanted to be free from this world's rules, from the laws set by the powerful to keep the weak in check while they do whatever they want. I said yes," the four-eyed revenant had said.

He presumed she had been quiet since her sentencing. The other revenants he had questioned hadn't said her name. Why was this one different? What changed?

Since The Court didn't know of the happenings in Limbo, they had proclaimed her death with the confidence of a simile. And if she had survived, then at least she was far from the earth realm, where she couldn't harm anyone. They believed there was no way she'd return.

But that wasn't the case anymore. For how long had she been sending revenants to the earth realm? Did The Court know? If they did, why didn't they say anything? And if they didn't, how would they react after learning the truth?

A migraine washed over Ghost's head, making him wince. He massaged his temples and forehead, chasing away the pain. There were too many unanswerable questions, and the one with the answers was in Limbo.

"Fuck," he muttered.

After his mother's banishment, Ghost lived in the streets because no orphanage or relative would take him in. The sorcerer community had dubbed him "The Cursed Child". But then, on his thirteenth birthday, Meretseger appeared before him and offered to be his scythe without forming a contract. She was Medusa's weapon until her sentencing when they parted ways. The deity said his mother had asked her to protect him, believing he needed someone to be there for him in what would become a cruel life.

Since reaper academies were free to those with a scythe, Ghost admitted himself to the one in Dar. There were protests from students, parents, and school staff. But the rules were clear, and no one—not even The Court—could prevent or expel him unless he committed an offense. Even though people tried to bait him into doing something that'd get him kicked out, Ghost ignored them and excelled at his studies.

He rubbed the tears from his eyes.

After years of trying to forget her, she occupied his thoughts again—he hated her. But she was his mother—he loved her. But she left him to suffer—he hated her. But she sent Meretseger to protect him—he loved her.

Ghost smacked his head repeatedly, groaning with anger.

"Lovely night, isn't it?" Ransom said from behind him.

Ghost turned to him and raised his brow. "Were you here the whole time?" He hadn't sensed him coming to the roof.

"Yes." Ransom sat beside him. He wore gray pajamas, flip-flops, a nightcap, and a white face mask. "I wanted to see how long it'd take you to notice me. You didn't. That's never happened before. What's wrong?"

Ghost sighed. Where should he start? If the sorcerer community found out about his mother's actions, they'd go back to hating him after they stopped bothering him. "What's the goal of it?"

"Of what?"

"The increase in revenant attacks. Why now?"

"Create chaos, destabilize the soul reapers, kill people—who knows? The Court ain't sharing whatever critical information they might have, so we're left wondering."

"I don't like wondering."

"Same. It gives me stress and ruins my skin."

Ghost snorted. "True."

After the protests at Dar Es Salaam Reaper Academy had stopped, Ransom was the first student to introduce himself to Ghost. He was two grades above him. Unlike the others, he wasn't scared of or hated Ghost because of his mother. He seemed curious about him, wanting to learn what kind of person Ghost was. Also, having Sango as his deity meant nothing terrified Ransom.

Ransom was also the reason Ghost joined the Smiling Jokers. After no squad chose him during graduation, he became a solo reaper. But after Captain Tomboy became the new squad captain, Ransom advised her to recruit Ghost as a way of showing the naysayers the middle finger.

Ghost expected protests from the squad members, only to find a bunch of selfish pricks who only cared about killing revenants. It was the first time he felt he belonged somewhere.

"Do you think someone is creating the revenants?" Ghost asked.

"Revenants are corrupted souls who survive by devouring living souls. They're the only ones who can enter and leave limbo. If a living soul enters limbo, they'll eventually become corrupted."

"But..."

Ransom turned to Ghost and raised his brow. "But what?"

"That's all assumptions. We know nothing about Limbo and how it works. Not us, the meisters, the court, or grim reapers." He tsked. "What if there's more to it?"

"Like what?"

Ghost clenched his jaw. He didn't want to say it, but it was on the tip of his tongue. "My mother's in Limbo—"

"And you think the increase is because she's creating more revenants?"

"Yes."

"Hmm." Ransom almost touched his face but stopped midway after remembering he wore a mask. "That's a sound theory, but your mother has transmutation magic. If she's still alive and is responsible, she can create as many revenants as she wants, but she wouldn't be able to send them to our realm unless—"

Ghost's eyes widened. "She's working with someone." His mind raced at the possibilities of who it could be. He wasn't as attuned to the political side of the sorcerer community as Ransom, so he couldn't think of a name. "Do you think The Court knows?"

"They usually know more than they let on. If your theory is correct, then the one working with your mother might be a member of The Court."

"The same court that banished her?"

"Same one."

Ghost sighed. "A group with powerful members always ends up with one or two people with evil intentions. What a cliche that'd be if it's true."

"It's almost expected, right?"

"Right."

"But what if I'm right?"

"Then we're fucked."

Ransom laughed. "Ain't that the truth."

"Let's find out who's helping her first, then we'll worry about the rest later."

"I agree."