The City of Dolent was their next destination to pass through the Gates. A stone wall was seen in the distance, surrounding the entire area.

There was a golden palace that had over a thousand steps in the center. The city of Dolent’s buildings that surrounded the palace were beautifully sculpted and varied in size. Each section was in rows where markets, inns, and vendors could handle their business. Many Natura Borne walked the city grounds from one establishment to the next, haggling prices and exchanging the currency Shards for various things.

“There sure are a lot of people here,” Celra said, having had shifted from a full wolf form to her half-humanoid one before they entered the city.

Verona had given her a cloak to hide her ears, and her tail was tucked in between her legs to hide from the locals.

“It’s one of the many Cities that assign raids to Shikari and Legacy. People aren’t too kind of Demi’s and they don’t need to know you’re an Earthborne; so stay close to me.”

Keisha nodded. “So, where is the Gate?”

Someone bumped into Keisha and pushed her to the ground. Keisha fell hard on her hands. The sharp pain stung her palms.

Celra whispered to her. “Are you okay?”

Keisha nodded, rubbing her palms together. Seeing the scraps on her hand, Celra growled, and her eyes narrowed into slits. She jumped and went after the person who had knocked her over.

“Celra, wait!” Keisha called out. People were looking in their direction.

Before Celra could expose herself, Verona grabbed the nape of her cloak and pulled her back.

“’ Ay! What do you think you’re doing? Someone knocked Keisha and—”

“—you are going to get us caught,” Verona whispered. “You are a Demi, we hunt Demi’s, and Keisha is an untrained Legacy—with a brand I gave her—and born from an Earthborne and a Shikari that betrayed them. If you want to keep Keisha safe, you’ll think before you reveal your fangs.”

Celra growled. She retracted her claws and fangs from their state.

A cloak wearing Natura Borne watched them with wary silver eyes.

Keisha stood in the middle of Verona and Celra to separate them.

“We should keep moving. We’re drawing attention to ourselves.”

Putting their differences aside, they continued the path. Keisha gawked at the market and buildings of Dolent. There were fruits, foods, and a strange salty aroma that smelled like taffy coming from one stall. The clothing was different than what she recognized back home, and different shaped weapons were displayed.

Until they approached the scaling gray wall of the Gates of Hades. It was larger up close, giving the illusion that it touched the sky. There were several guardsmen at the front line of the gates.

“State your business,” one guard said.

“We wish to pass through the gates, Legacy business,” Verona told him.

“I’m afraid your request is denied. No one can pass through the gates.”

“What?” Verona exclaimed. “Since when? We need to get through the gates; it’s important.”

“There’s been aggressive activity lately with Demi’s and Shades running wild, Veils mysteriously appearing out of nowhere, many have forced their way into city borders. You’ll need to speak with Monarch Augustus Angelus II if it is a serious matter.”

“I don’t believe this,” Verona said, backing away from the gate. Keisha and Celra followed.

“What now?” Keisha asked.

“Me? I’m going to see if I can get an audience with Monarch Angelus and see if we can cut a deal.”

“And what about us?” Celra asked.

“Isn’t it obvious? We’re meeting back at the woods where you two will be out of sight and out of mind.”

***

KEISHA AND CELRA WERE left at the base of the hill from Dolent, while Verona left for the Monarch's palace to see if a deal could be made.

Keisha sat cross-legged on the ground and concentrated on her palm. She was practicing as Verona told her. She was trying to replicate the ball of light without saying a verse.

A small ball floated above her hand, and Keisha jumped excitedly. Her eyes widened, and her lips were pulled back into a grin. She wasn’t an expert, but every little bit counted so she could protect herself, her friends, and save her mamma from the Black Hand.

The Black Hand…and the Black Kingdom…And papà’s secret mission with uncle Virgil—they’re all connected, but how? Keisha scratched the side of her head and tried to think of a solution.

The ball of light shriveled and, in a blink, disappeared.

“Oh no! Come back—darn it.” Keisha slammed her fists on the ground and released a sigh. She was getting tired again. She would need to slow down to not run herself ragged and expose her Malia to darkness.

From her peripheral, Celra was in her wolf form, pacing in a circle.

“You know pacing isn’t going to make Verona come back any quicker.”

Celra grunted; her eyes did a slight lift in the air like she was rolling them. Keisha laughed. But the laughter died when Celra stopped and growled into the woods.

Keisha jumped up and called forth her Stanza, changing into her gold-armored form. She pointed the Steele in the direction that Celra was growling at.

Keisha didn’t know who it was, a passerby? A Demi? Celra wouldn’t have growled at anyone unless they were purposely trying to sneak up on them.

“Come out whoever you are, and you won’t be harmed.” Keisha tried to make her voice sound as threatening as Verona’s but failed when she squeaked as she raised it.

A fair-haired boy around her age held his pale hands in the air from the edge of the forest. He had vibrant gold eyes that glowed underneath his brown cloak, and his clothing looked expensive and regal.

“Who are you?” Keisha asked, looking at the boy. “Why are you sneaking around?”

“My name is Castelbeitro Arteyus Angelus.” He had a soft and melodic tone. “I was going—” His wide eyes extended upon seeing Keisha’s face and her eyes.

“Forgive me for being rude, but what is an Earthborne doing in the Illicit with a Stanza?”

Keisha’s eyes enlarged, having been careless to reveal her eyes to a stranger. “Hey, I’m a Legacy by blood.” The words slipped out before she could stop herself.

Verona’s going to kill me.

Celra growled.

Castelbeitro Arteyus Angelus stared at the wolf, his hands still raised, and looked back at Keisha.

“I swear to you I mean you no harm…Um, do you have a name I may refer to you as?”

Keisha chewed her lip. Her identity already blown, she retracted her Stanza and relaxed, seeing him as no threat. “It’s Keisha.”

He lowered his hands but did not step closer so he wouldn’t provoke her. “Just…Keisha?”

She bobbed her head. She wouldn’t reveal who her papà was; she wasn’t stupid. “So…Cas…Castel-be-Casbe—I’m sorry, would you be okay with a nickname?”

He tilted his head. A few strands of fair hair fell above his eyes. Keisha’s cheeks warmed at how pretty the boy looked— like a figurine or an angel.

“A…nickname? What is that?”

“You don’t have nicknames in the Illicit? I mean, it’s like…like a cute and short version of your name. My mamma and my friends back home call me Kei-Kei.”

His pale and thin lips moved as he mouthed the name. A boyish grin spread across his lips after a moment and his eyes beamed. “The name sounds delightful. I love it!” he exclaimed happily as he walked to her.

Keisha laughed. “Well, I’m glad you think so. And you can have people you like call you that.”

Keisha didn’t expect the sudden closeness when he came nose to nose with her. His pale hands grabbed her dark brown ones, and the bright hues of his gold eyes reflected off Keisha’s gaze.

“May you give me a nickname, Keisha?”

The blush appeared on her cheeks again, and her body grew hot with how close they were to one another.

Celra growled but didn’t attack yet.

“Uh, y-yeah, sure, let me see,” Keisha said, peering at the clouds so she wouldn’t have to look at his soft and beautiful features. “Let’s see, um, how about…Cas?”

Again, he tilted his head to the side. “Cas?” he repeated. He mumbled the word a few times and smiled after a while. “Cas, yes, yes, I love it. Thank you, Keisha, for gracing me with such a name.”

“Of course, it suits you.”

As the two relished and laughed over Cas’s new nickname, they were unaware of something in the trees. Celra growled into the forest but was taken by surprise as a leopard pounced on top of her.

Keisha pulled out her Stanza to help fight, but fatigue drained her when she tried to say a Verse. Her body was heavy, like being pulled into the ocean and her knees plummeted to the ground.

“Keisha!” Cas shouted. He raced toward her, but the large lion dropped from its hiding spot and stood in the middle of Keisha and a petrified Cas. Celra was distracted by the leopard and unable to come to their aid.

“Y-you,” Keisha managed to speak, looking at the lion. “Were you following us?”

The lion pulled its lips into a vicious grin. “Just keeping tabs on the Daughter of Dante Alighieri, you’ll make a nice reward if we were to turn you…and him in.” His attention on Cas.

“N-No, stay away…away.” Keisha’s vision started to blackout. “From my friend.”

Her body fell to the ground with a thud. She couldn’t hear any noise. She saw Cas shouting and Celra fighting to reach her before everything blacked out.