The elders picked at their dinner, barely touching the food. The day had been a disaster. After the attack on the campus, they had hoped to at least get a lead on the culprit. Not only had an unknown enemy attacked them, they managed to break the trust they had been building with Keshiema.

  Guilt-ridden for the sudden change in Keshiema's behavior, Samael downed a glass of wine. "She was supposed to be our savior and we have done nothing to gain her trust. Instead, we scorned and hurt her. We have pulled her away from her life and isolated her away from her friends. We have acted not much better than our fathers did when they took us from our homes." Samael closed his eyes, sinking into his chair.

  "Perhaps if we give her some time; a few more days off of training, she'll feel better." Beelzebub suggested.

  "We can't just give her time off training whenever something stressful happens. She'll lose her powers if she isn't ready before her twenty-first birthday. And that's the best-case scenario." Ayperos retorted.

  "In the worst case, she dies." Pyro agreed.

  "I'm not saying we do this all the time, but she's hurting right now. She feels isolated and trapped. We're lucky she didn't decide to stay gone with Phoradendron."

  "He could have kept her hidden for an eternity." Asmoday chimed in.

  "He's definitely taken an odd interest in her." Gaap looked up from his untouched meal. He had received news of the attack and returned as quickly as he could.

  "Why don't we just let him take over training her? He's more than qualified to." Merihim suggested.

  "That thing should not be anywhere near her. He'll corrupt her, turn her against the world." Eurynome snapped.

  "He's neutral, Eury, he wouldn't corrupt her." Ayperos scoffed.

  "So you agree with Merihim? Just let the thief take her?"

  "No, of course not, I'm just saying he's not the kind of person you're painting him to be."

  "I doubt he could train her. He can't interfere too much or he'll be taken to Ethera." Asmoday pondered. "Though her lineage may affect that." he mumbled under his breath.

  Eurynome growled in response, "I can't believe you would trust him."

  "I'm not so sure this is about Phoradendron being trustworthy, so much as it is Eury's feelings for Kesh." Gaap sighed.

  "You've got no idea what you're talking about!" Eurynome wanted to lunge over the table.

  "Eury, we've all noticed the way you look at her." Pyro pointed his fork at Eurynome while he talked.

  "That's enough," Samael grumbled. "We shall continue to train Keshiema. However, we will let Phoradendron stay. She seems to trust him, and having him around will make her more comfortable. Ayperos is correct that we do not have time to waste; Keshiema's demon blood will fully awaken in less than a year. We will continue her training tomorrow, but we can send scouts to find humans who may join our cause. She wants to gain their trust, so we will let her try. Eurynome, you seem to have the closest connection to Keshiema. I would like you to inform her of our decisions."

  "What makes you think I'm any closer to her than anyone else? Ayperos, Beelzebub, and Merihim have already trained with her."

  "Merihim's training consisted of unsettling mind games, and whenever she sees me she gets depressed about Ipos." Ayperos massaged the bridge of his nose.

  "And I have to return to my settlement soon." Beelzebub reminded him.

  "And why not Alex? She's his sister." Eurynome already knew the answer, but had to ask.

  "After what he put her through?" Asmoday glared at Stolas unapologetically. "He would do well to keep away from her for a while." Stolas remained quiet. His actions did nothing to protect Keshiema. He would be surprised if she ever trusted him again.

  "Fine, I'll speak with her after dinner." Eurynome quietly ate the raw meat on his plate and ordered the servant to bring another. 'If I'm going to speak with her, I'd best not do it while I'm hungry.'

  ***

  Dásos looked over at Keshiema. She sat at her desk, staring at the book, oblivious to his gaze. "So, I want to know what's in here?" she asked him, not looking away from it. "I mean, this only covers through the invasion, right? It's been a thousand years since then. They might not be the same people they once were. And it was a different time, a time of war."

  "Kesh, you know I can't make that decision for you." He fiddled with a dagger she kept on her coffee table.

  "You've read it though, right?" She hovered her hand over the cover, almost afraid to touch it.

  "I didn't need to. I've been around a lot longer than any of them." Quickly bitting his thumb, he glared at the dagger.

  "I just want to know who they are. Maybe I could get to know them. Eury and Beelzebub seem thoughtful enough. What if I can't look at them the same after this?"

  Dásos scoffed at the thought. "Personally, I can't stand the Reaper."

  She thought about how kind Eurynome had been from the moment she first met the Elders. "He's been nice to me so far. But so was Alex until today." Resting her head on the desk, she growled.

  Kneeling beside her, he patted her shoulder. "There, there, Little Sparrow, it'll be okay."

  "Why do you call me that?" A change of subject felt necessary.

  "Well, you're name means graceful, and the sparrow was often used by my people as the symbol for grace and elegance. And you're small."

  "Graceful? I've never heard that." When she arrived at the academy she had scoured every book she could access for even a hint about the origin of her name, looking for any clue about her heritage.

  "It's from the nomadic Ice-Daemon tribes from long ago." Seeing the curiosity in her eyes, he elaborated. "Did you know they could travel between the worlds? They were the first to discover the ancient gates. As a result, they developed strong language skills." Seeing her curiosity bubbling, he found himself leaning closer. "Some were even born with an innate knowledge of certain tongues." He looked deeply into her eyes as he spoke.

  "Huh." 'So that's where I get it.' Dásos's face was only inches away from hers. A thought started to form, but a knock on the door interrupted it, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin.

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  Rushing to the door, Keshiema opened it to see Eurynome. His cold eyes gave nothing away. "Keshiema, I need to speak with you."

  "Now isn't exactly a good time." Dásos stared down the prince, who looked surprised to see him.

  "Is it appropriate for you two to be alone in a closed room?" The hint of jealousy in Eurynome's tone made her skin crawl.

  Walking to the door, Dásos stood in front of Keshiema. "Bite me, Reaper."

  "Don't tempt me, Mistletoe." Eurynome growled, getting in Dásos's face.

  "Hey now, aren't you two a few thousand years old? Why don't you act like it?" She put her hands on their chests to separate them. With the two still glaring at each other, she shoved past Eurynome and walked out of the room. Frustrated by the men's behavior, she started down the hallway, trying to clear her head. 'Why are men so frustrating?'

  "Kesh, wait up, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." Dásos called to her. When she refused to acknowledge him, he teleported in front of her. "Look, I'll leave so you and Eurynome can chat. But if you need me, call."

  "Pretty sure if Eurynome wants to hurt me, I'd be dead before I could call for help."

  "Why do you think I don't trust him? Have you seen the way he looks at you?" His eyes told her he was holding something back, hiding truths behind questions. "It's like a starving man looking at a feast. I'm just trying to keep you safe." He pleaded for her to understand.

  "Is this how you're going to be, all territorial over me?" Her hair and eyes turned red, and her purple aura radiated from her.

  "Fine, I'll go, but if you feel threatened at all, please call me." Dásos teleported out of sight in a puff of green aura.

  Keshiema turned around to see Eurynome still standing by the doorway of her room. "The same goes for you. If you can't play nice, then leave."

  "I will do my best to tolerate Phoradendron in the future."

  Keshiema sighed. 'Hopefully he's not lying.' Her stomach grumbled loudly, protesting her accidental fasting. "You don't think the chefs would mind cooking something up, do you? I'm pretty sure the cafeteria is closed right now."

  "I'll have them prepare something. Would you meet me in the dining hall in about half an hour?" his pale green eyes shone as he smiled.

  "I'll see you there." She smiled back and realized she was getting used to all of the sharp-toothed demons around her.

  ***

  The meal set out before her was more than modest. Her mouth watered as she looked down at the small feast. "All of this is for me?" She asked, seeing only one place setting.

  "Everyone else has already eaten." He pulled out the chair for her, and she sat down. "I hope roasted chicken is alright?"

  "I honestly wasn't expecting much more than leftovers this time of night. Thank you, Eury."

  "It is my pleasure, Keshiema."

  "So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

  "Your training. I know you must not trust us much after how we have behaved, so we have decided to let Phoradendron stay if that makes you more comfortable."

  "It's not just what happened today. I don't know any of you well at all." She thought about her time with them. "And all Pyro and Gaap have done is flirt with me from the very start!" She huffed.

  "They do that with every woman they find attractive. It is in their nature." He tried to reassure her. "There were no real intentions behind it."

  "See!" She slammed her fork down. "Don't you think that's something that could have been made a bit clearer? It wouldn't hurt to know all of you a bit better."

  Eurynome looked away. "Do not be so sure. We aren't exactly saints." Regret clouded his eyes.

  "You were a Horseman, right?" he looked at her in surprise. "a lot of students attend this school. Some of them were around back then."

  "It's more than that. Just because the invasion is complete doesn't mean we stopped being Horsemen. That mark will stay with us forever."

  "Will you have to return to the front lines?" The thought of any of the Elders getting hurt troubled her, even if she barely knew them.

  "With Adramelech in charge, there will always be the possibility of another full scale attack. Especially with the way the humans have been fighting recently."

  Her heart sank as her thoughts returned to her predestined path, "Do you really think I have a chance?"

  "You have so much potential. Ayperos told me you gave him quite the headache." He laughed lightly.

  Her cheeks were warm. "Yeah, but I was just following his direction."

  "But that's just it, Kesh; you were following verbal direction about telepathic manipulation. No one gets that on the first try. Merihim says your instincts are sharper than most battle-hardened warriors, you just need to listen to them. You're in the top five in most of your classes. But I need you to understand something. You are powerful, but if you're not ready when you awaken, those powers will consume you. If you're lucky enough to survive that, you'll be left as a shell of your former self. You'll be human but still look like a demon. If that happens, Adramelech will kill you. If you train hard, you're more likely to overcome the awakening. You'll be more powerful for it and I'm sure you'll be able to defeat him."

  "How, though?!" She raised her voice. "How can I defend myself against the king of demons? I'm barely an adult."

  "You've been an adult for five years now." He admonished her. "Most start missions by sixteen. The only reason you haven't is because you started the academy later than most. But, Uvall feels you're on the right path. He says that you're destined for this battle and as long as you stay true to yourself, you have a much greater chance at victory."

  "I don't want this,” she pouted. "But, we've been pitted against each other for too long. I know I should train, but I need to focus on getting to the rebel leaders."

  "Covert groups have already been assigned to track them. Once our forces find them, we can let you know. For now, though, can you please train?"

  She stared at her half-eaten meal for a few moments before pushing it away. "I'll continue training. But it won't be here unless one condition can be met: Once a week I get to go out and help look for the human leaders."

  Eurynome snapped his fingers, and a guard came in to retrieve the unfinished food. "That would give you real world experience with your powers. I will speak with Samael. He will not be training you. Beelzebub and Gaap will be switching places every week as your archery trainers. You will have 6 days of training and one day in the field."

  They continued the conversation as they walked towards her room. "Samael I understand; an accidental touch would not go over too well." She absently shook her hand, as if cooling it down. "Why are Gaap and Beelzebub trading off?"

  "They have colonies to attend to. Both were attacked recently and need extra support."

  "I think Beelzebub mentioned something about that."

  "Each of us has founded human settlements outside of Denim. We cannot let our forces know, of course, so sometimes these settlements suffer damage from attacking demons. We do our best to keep the soldiers away from them, but sometimes they stumble across a settlement anyway."

  This explained the attack the day she met the Elders. "Does anyone know about this? That could be our foot in the door for gaining an alliance."

  "For the most part, no. We use a disguise whenever we meet with most of the refugees. They would not trust us otherwise." They stopped in front of her door. "Even within the oldest settlements, few know who we are."

  "That figures." She huffed. "I guess I'll continue my training tomorrow, as long as my terms are agreed to."

  "And if they are not?"

  "Then I don't think anyone here is actually going to prevent me from leaving."

  "I would not allow anyone to hurt you, Kesh. And although you feel betrayed right now, neither would Alex."

  "Oh!" She exclaimed, remembering something. "Can I ask you how you've got a mental wall? You can't use telepathy, but I should still be able to reach out to your thoughts if you wanted to tell me something."

  "You mean in the dungeon. You tried to read my mind."

  "It just looked like you had something to say."

  "Only that I regreted letting you see me in such a light. The mental wall was raised by a spell-master centuries ago. All of us but Ayperos and Alex have one. We don't just hold our own secrets, but each other's as well. We could not risk any prying minds."

  "Alex and Ayperos being the only ones with telepathic abilities they can use to defend their thoughts?"

  "That is correct. It's getting late, Keshiema, I suggest you rest."

  "I think that's a good idea." She stifled a yawn. "Thank you for dinner, Eurynome. And thank you for listening."

  "Of course, and I will speak with the others about what we talked about, as well." He smiled. "Miskia almesa, Keshiema." He reached out his hand to her.

  "Miskia almesa." She smiled back, finally seeing the possibility for blossoms of friendship with the Elders.

  His mouth watered as her lilac scent filled the air. He let go of her wrist, resisting the urge to pull her closer and take a bite from her delicate neck. He walked away as she closed the door.

  Keshiema leaned against her door, cradling her hand. A small part of her felt that if things had been different, she might have developed a crush on him. The pain from their accidental touch was still fresh in her mind. If what everyone said was true, she should have died the moment she grabbed his hand that night. 'Maybe my self-healing kicked in by itself again.' The memory of the searing hot pain made her shudder. 'I'd best not test it again.' She told herself, banishing any possibility of desire.

  Besides, if she were being truly honest with herself, he was not the person she felt most attracted to, not in looks or personality. She shook her head as an image started to form. Being honest with herself was not something she was ready for.