"Wake up! Please, wake up!" Stolas shook her shoulder gently.

  She swung her fist in his general direction and turned over, grumbling a quiet "Go away," as she covered her face with her blanket. Her entire body ached, and a fuzziness enveloped the memories of her dream. "Friskalia always remember their dreams," her Medics Professor's lecture came to mind. "If you ever have a dream you can't remember, you can be sure of one thing...."

  "Keshiema," Stolas interrupted the thought, and it disappeared into the fog still surrounding her mind. "The Elders have demanded to see you! Immediately!"

  "Well, if the Elders are involved, then I am sure Uvall told them if they wake me now, I will kill everyone on campus in an instant!" Keshiema hissed, her voice full of venom. She gripped her blanket, refusing to move.

  "I don't doubt you would try." Stolas held back a chuckle. "But you need to get up." When she grumbled again, Stolas turned her mattress over and stomped out of the room, mumbling about youths and their lazy attitudes. "And wear your formals!" he shouted before slamming the door.

  Keshiema looked at the barely risen sun. "Stupid mornings." Leaving her mattress on the floor, she stumbled to the bathroom. Turning the shower on, she realized it had been days since her last proper bath. "Stupid coma-like sleep." Stepping into the steaming water, she relaxed and let it rain down over her aching muscles. She stepped out of the shower, refreshed and ready to face the world once more. Throwing on her formalwear, she checked herself in the mirror. The absence of gloves left an icy chill around her hands.

  Waiting just outside her room, Stolas frowned at Keshiema when she entered the hallway. "Finally. We need to get going. And I have a lot of things to explain to you."

  Keshiema rolled her eyes. "As abrupt as this royal summons was, I'm sure the Elders would appreciate it if I didn't smell like I spent a week in the hospital with barely a sponge bath."

  "Let's go." He grabbed her arm and pulled her along with him as he walked.

  "Alright, damn. Can you let go of me?"

  "Fine." he released her arm. "But hurry. So first, you must bow as soon as you enter the Elder's Council Chamber. Do not move until they have spoken. Every movement you do make should be as quiet as possible! Second, do not speak unless asked a direct question. And always give a direct answer. Can you do that?"

  "Sure." She rolled her eyes at him again.

  "That's not a straight answer!" he snapped at her. She scowled at him, much in the same way she used to glare at her sisters. "Just listen to me. Third: when leaving, you must bow, walk three steps backward, and then turn around. And you can't leave until they say you can."

  "Shouldn't I curtsey instead of bow?"

  "No. You're a warrior." Stolas completely missed the sarcasm. "All warriors bow before the Elders. Gender matters not."

  Her professors covered all of this twice a year, though the information never applied to most students. Just outside the chamber doors, her heart raced furiously. The bright brick building stood in the middle of campus, standing out among the more modern buildings. Gargoyle statues on the rooftop guarded the old cathedral, ominously looking down upon all who might enter. An intricately carved mural decorated the large wooden doors, depicting legions of demons marching out of Hell into the human world to wreak havoc during the Apocalypse. "Is that all?"

  "One more thing. It's important. They are terribly powerful demons, and they will use these powers on a whim. Whatever you do, you must not look directly into their eyes. It could offend them."

  "Then let's go." Her gray eyes and hair betrayed her confident voice.

  After giving her a moment to take everything in, Stolas put his hand on her shoulder. "We cannot stall any longer; they are growing restless." With a deep breath, she turned back to blue.

  Stolas pushed open the large doors, revealing complete darkness. Keshiema's eyes flashed gray again, but as she swallowed the lump in her throat, her blue eyes quickly returned. "Don't look them in the eyes..." she whispered to herself and walked through the doors.

  Keshiema dropped to her knees as the large doors closed. Stolas stood by her side with his arms behind his back. 'Be quiet. Don't move. Be quiet. Don't. Move. A. Muscle.' Her mind raced. The silence lasted a lifetime. She wanted to scream. Her eyes fully adjusted to the darkness before one of the Elders finally spoke.

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  "You may enter." The deep voice gave Keshiema a jolt of fear. Stolas waited for her to stand before moving forward. Following her brother's lead, she crossed the room, noting the Seal of Solomon etched in the cement floor. Eight demons sat on great thrones before her. Aura radiated from each demon, combining to create a thick mist. The darkness made the large room feel small and suffocating. When they reached the inner circle, Stolas gave her a nudge, and she dropped back down on her knee.

  "Stolas." The same demon spoke loudly. "Please come to the top of the seal."

  "You have shown great strength this last week in saving your sister," Another demon spoke. His voice had an odd tone that reminded her of a buzzing fly. She knew it must be Prince Beelzebub. "We approve of the actions you have taken and applaud your heroism.

  "But we cannot afford to have the king's attention called to her just yet." This demon's deep voice gave her the impression of a giant beast. Gaap was supposedly a Dragon-Daemon and the largest of all of the Elders.

  "Adramelech recently finished his biannual global patrol and returned to Denim. You should take leave to visit him," the deep-voiced demon spoke again, and she wondered who it could be.

  "Hopefully your company will keep him from looking at the Academy too closely." This demon dragged his S's slightly. Prince Asmoday was an ancient Serpent-Daemon that everyone knew of. Remembering Marthim, she clenched her fists and focused on the present situation.

  "Please go make arrangements for your journey." This voice sounded familiar in a way that made Keshiema's hair stand on end.

  "Thank you." Stolas bowed, took three steps back, and turned to leave the room.

  "Keshiema Chaos." The warm voice used her chosen last name. Chaos was one of the few words in the papers that came with her adoption file that had not been completely blacked out. Even the birth certificate itself was covered in swaths of black ink.

  "You may stand and approach the top of the seal." The warmth in voice did little to calm her nerves, but it did tell her he was a Fire-Daemon. When she stood, her legs felt like jelly, but she quietly made her way to the top of the carved seal.

  "You have been with us for quite some time, Keshiema." A sudden nausea nearly floored her when this man spoke. And again, it was a voice she could not definitively identify. "I believe it has been twelve years since we sent young Hiro to fetch you. It was a vitally important task he received. You are not an average Hell-Child."

  "You share a mother with the Crown Prince." The warm voice soothed her, and her stomach settled down. "It is no secret; the atrocities Adramelech committed against demon women in his attempt to create a suitable heir. Luckily she escaped the king's grasp before Stolas was born."

  "She was the last woman that tyrant assaulted and she had to battle him off to get away." The nausea returned. "Unfortunately, she left him alive."

  "She wanted him to suffer." The familiar voice interrupted the sickening one. "Killing him would have been too swift of a punishment. She left him horribly wounded, but with the knowledge that he would not die. And before she left him, she made sure he would be unable to harm another woman in that manner again."

  "Oh, I love this part." A woman's voice spoke for the first time. "She cut off his," The woman paused. "Well, you know." Keshiema knew none of the Elders were female, but dared not look up. "With his own sword." The woman giggled gleefully. "This must be Keshiema."

  A gentle, soft hand slipped under Keshiema's chin, lifting Keshiema's face so their eyes could meet. A beautiful young woman appeared before her. Wavy, dark brown hair fell gracefully to her hips, tucked behind her ears to bring focus to her glowing amber eyes. Her cropped top and low-cut skirt emphasized her thin waist and full hips. The bright clothing accentuated her deep bronze skin. The woman had more skin exposed than covered. Her face soured as she looked Keshiema over.

  "Lilith!" The deep, powerful voice admonished the woman. "What are you doing here? And dressed like you were out dancing again?"

  "Relax, Samael." Lilith turned to face the Elders, putting her hands on her hips. "I'm just here to see what all the talk is about. Pitty you didn't let her wear the outfit I picked out. I imagine it looked gorgeous on her, with that slender waist, and those gentle curves." Keshiema wanted to cover herself, but dared not move. "She's entirely too short though. Even for a mutt."

  'Mutt?!' Keshiema's knuckles turned white as she balled her fists. 'Oh, let me kill her...'R,

  "We don't have time for this." The familiar voice huffed.

  "Not you too Ayperos," Lilith pouted. "Uvall tells me we have an important use for this child. Would you tell your little sister what it is?"

  Although Lilith annoyed her, at least Keshiema could now name a couple more voices. "Asmoday, would you please get a handle on your sister." Pyro's warm voice grew hotter with each word.

  "Getting a bit hot under the collar, Pyro?"

  "Silence, Lilith!" The drawn-out S's gave Asmoday's intimidating voice another layer of venom.

  "But Azzy, I-"

  "Leave, now!" Asmoday cut her off immediately.

  "Fine, but I'll be back when the mutt is gone." Lilith disappeared in a cloud of blue smoke that glistened like the night sky. Keshiema quickly returned her gaze to the ground.

  "We must apologize for the interruption." Samael still sounded annoyed. Frustrated, Keshiema tried to focus. Being unable to see the demons made keeping track of the conversation difficult.

  "What is on your mind?" This voice sounded softer than the others. It held a certain kindness, without lacking power.

  "There are a lot of rules to being in your presence, and I am finding it hard to focus." She winced, afraid of overstepping, but honesty seemed the best route.

  "You have a point." The kind voice felt like a cool autumn breeze. The dark aura dispersed, allowing light to pool in from the large painted glass windows above.

  "You may relax, young warrior." The words did not match Samael's threatening tone. The demons stepped down from their elevated thrones and moved to stand in front of her.