The grand ball

[Ryker]

None perished. It was almost a shame. Ryker was quite interested in learning how these ghosts slaughtered men and women. Never once did he grapple at the power but for the very early temptation. He considered smashing an abandoned flute and gouging red lines into his own palm as a means to spring the power to attention, but his stealth was maintained regardless. 

Zacarias and the other guests wisely fled. Ryker wandered nearer to the man with another facial deformity, although he only recognized it for the flat movements the glass-eye swiveled in the socket compared to its brother. Perhaps the deformed found the deformed.  His companion was an interesting rodent, sniffling at the potential morsels in every situation. 

Ascendancy lived. The others as well. The woman pawed at the floor, bloodied. Poison crawled her eyes. Ryker stifled a smile. THAT was a woman he had to find again. 

The savagery of his thoughts were forced to silence, however, as he willed his attention to focus on the threats around them. ZARS and other military might flexed their muscles around the perimeter. Only the Ascendancy had the authority to stand them down. Ryker had no interest in becoming a target for their marksmanship practice.