A light tapping stirred Keshiema from her sleep. Rubbing her eyes, she groaned and sat up. Managing to crawl out of bed, she opened her front door to find Hiro. The digital clock on her side table read 09:00. She grumbled, "Give me five minutes."

  "Alright." Hiro knew it would take her longer than that to fix her wild mane.

  After the five minutes passed, Keshiema opened her door again, her hair just as untamed as before. "Almost done. Come on in."

  "How did you sleep?" he asked as he took a seat in the armchair next to her standing mirror. "Are you still having night terrors?"

  "Not great, I think I was sore from training." She started on the tangles, going to bed with wet hair was a terrible choice. "Someone removed the bedroom mirrors, so that helped at least."

  He stared as she quickly, nimbly worked the knots in the knee-length locks. "Haven't you thought about a shorter style?"

  She glared at him as she brushed. "No. Why would I?"

  "As a warrior, it must get in the way. And it gives your opponent an advantage over you."

  "Nothing's happened yet." She knew he was just being protective, but it irked her. "And it's not like we're playing friendly on the training grounds. You should know that." She thought of the scar she had given Tommy five years ago, one of her biggest regrets. The bullying had amped up after that.

  "Just because it hasn't happened doesn't mean it won't." he argued.

  "My mom loved my long hair." She ran the brush through the black and gold strands. Shimmering galaxies swirled in her forlorn eyes as she remembered the human woman. With a shake of her head, she returned to blue. "I was going to go see Cresil and Sonneillon today. You want to tag along?"

  The change in subject bothered him, but Hiro remained silent on the matter. "Cresil? I wouldn't think you'd associate with someone like him."

  "He," she paused for a moment to find the right words. "He's kindhearted. I don't think I would've survived the last few years without him looking after me." Hiro gave her a doubtful glance. "Not to mention he's fun to hang out with when I'm not feeling like doing anything."

  "So it's a lazy day?" He asked, holding back a chuckle as he rolled his eyes.

  Pointing her hairbrush at him, she winked. "Exactly!"

  "Well, you may have been given the day off, but I haven't. I have to attend to Uvall." It had been years since he left and he wished to enjoy their reunion. He was bitter about having to work, but hid it to avoid guilt tripping her.

  Setting her brush down on her side table, she pulled her hair into a quick half up style. "Is that where you go all day?"

  "The Hunters on campus take shifts as his guard, Throne Room Guards, and whatever other tasks the Elders assign us."

  "When do you have to go?"

  "My shift starts soon. Prince Merihim asked me to check on you and make sure you're getting around okay."

  "Merihim?" Keshiema raised an eyebrow. He nodded to confirm and she gave him a look that said "whatever you say." They left her suite, and she locked her door. "Actually, the place is starting to make sense,"

  "If you need anything, please let him know." Hiro insisted. "He may not seem like it, but he's quite chivalrous, in his own way. Asmoday, too. I'm sure the others would help you, but they'll be the most receptive."

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  She chewed her lip, thinking about inquiring further, but in the end decided against it. "If you say so. You seem to know them fairly well."

  "It is my place as a Hunter; working so close to Uvall means working with the Elders."

  "Well I'm headed out. Someone has to wake Cresil up or he'll die of starvation. Class has been out for a couple days so he probably hasn't gotten out of bed."

  "That's, uh, not good?" Hiro really disliked the lazy demon.

  "No, it's not." He smiled at her kind heart. "I'll see you later, Hiro," She smiled back.

  On her way to the men's dormitory, she thought about Hiro's statement, 'Asmoday and Merihim would be the most likely to help me?' She laughed at the thought of Merihim being kind. He seemed brash and rude. He had also used a very powerful spell on her the first time they met. Nothing about that screamed chivalrous.

  As for Asmoday, she had yet to have much of an interaction with him, so she would have to wait and see. But he was a Serpent-Daemon, so more than likely Marthim would fall under his command soon. And the farther she stayed away from Marthim, the better.

  'Marthim,' her eyes watered as she remembered waiting for him in the entrance hall of a mansion, dressed in an overly ornate ball gown. Searching for him in the gardens. Seeing him with Azazel. Their bodies pressed together, lips locked. His bite mark on Azazel's neck. The way he begged her for more as he broke their kiss to breathe.

  Keshiemas stomach churned, her colors a mix of green and onyx. His elaborate ruse had her completely convinced he liked her. Five years later, she still wondered if maybe he had, and Azazel had done something to make him act like that. 'He's the son of a Grand Duke,' she reminded herself. 'Like he'd fall for one of schemes. I was probably just too inexperienced for him and he got tired of waiting.'

  Arriving at Cresil's door, she shook herself to clear her thoughts. "Cresil!" Keshiema shouted while pounding on his door. "Open up before your food gets cold!"

  A demon walking down the hall stared at her as he passed. She rolled her eyes, all too used to the stares by now. A half-demon had no true place. Among demons, she was a low-class mutt. To humans, she was a monster. It would be a lie to say the judgement in his eyes left her unbothered, but at least he left her alone. "Damnit, Cresil." She mumbled. When the demon finally rounded the corner, she drew a small pouch out of her sleeve pocket. Pulling out a pick and tension wrench, she started working on the lock. "Stupid lazy demon can't wake up to even eat." She grumbled. She hated picking locks, mostly because she was terribly slow at it, even with her acute hearing. "I was gonna give you a key, but you can just pick the lock, you need the practice!" She grumbled, mocking Cresil's words from a couple of years ago. Finally, the lock gave way, and she pushed the door open. Bright green Impure Crystals sat on his cluttered work table. She put on her mask to filter out any crystallized aura dust. "You'd better be dressed."

  She crossed the room to his bed, carefully avoiding the sharp tools and weapons laid out on the floor. He always had various projects going at any given time. When she reached him, he looked her in the eyes with a defiant glare. "You're awake? And you couldn't be bothered to open your door?"

  "It was more fun to hear you struggle with the lock." He grinned.

  "You been awake long?" She noticed he was fully dressed.

  "Nah. Just slept in my clothes from last night. That send-off party was insane."

  She sat on the foot of his bed and shook her head. "That party was three nights ago, Cress."

  "Damn, really?" he lifted his arm and gave a whiff. "Ugh! Yeah that'd explain that. You mind waiting in the lobby? I'll take a quick shower and we can get some fresh food. Food... didn't you say you brought some?"

  "You think I'm an idiot? I knew I wasn't going to wake you that fast." She strolled towards the door.

  Cresil feigned insult at her words. "Keshiema, you're so cold!"

  "Just get ready. And call Sonneillon. We'll all head to the cafeteria. There's something I want to talk to you guys about. If you hurry, maybe they'll still be serving lunch when we get there." She nodded at the alarm clock that read 09:30. He threw something at her as she shut the door. Whatever it was would have hurt, judging by the thud as it hit the door behind her.

  ***

  "I can't believe you managed to be ready in less than an hour!" Sonneillon exclaimed to Cresil as they crossed the quad towards the Cafeteria.

  "Me? Kesh, how long did it take you to brush your Hair this morning?"

  "That's none of your business," She turned up her nose.

  "Ooh, you struck a nerve." Sonneillon's mist trembled, marking a smile.

  "Must be nice not to have to do anything." Cresil remarked sarcastically.

  Keshiema laughed, "Oh, Cresil, you're green with envy!"

  "No Kesh, that's his hair, remember?" Sonneillon laughed lightly.

  "Oh yeah, I forgot it's not so dark when you actually wash it." She shoved Cresil playfully. He pushed her back, and she fell through Sonneillon, into a planter. They all cracked up as Cresil helped her out of the bushes.