The night spread wide over Altor — a sea of rooftops bathed in silver light. Wind cut across the city, carrying the hum of the upper streets and the muffled cries from far below, where the underground veins of the city bled smoke and iron.
Shawn clung to Dan's broad back as they bounded from roof to roof. Dan moved like a living machine — heavy, sure, unstoppable — while Shawn's smaller frame clutched desperately to his cloak, teeth gritted as the rooftops blurred beneath them.
Above them, a dark shape darted through the night: Vantim, Audrey's hawk. The creature glided between shadows, its feathers reflecting Ghostlight. A Horus Hawk — a name Audrey swore was clever. Phantom, Shawn remembered the joke.
Every few leaps, the hawk would appear again, circling once, letting its ghostly-marked wings gleam before vanishing between spires.
"Almost there," Dan's voice rumbled, deep and low.
And then — there they were.
A few rooftops away, standing against the dim glow of the blue lamps of the streets, were three figures: Jake, the furball himself; Audrey, the devil wrapped in elegance; and someone new.
She was lean and draped in a hooded cloak, long red hair spilling down her shoulders like ribbons of fire. A marble-white mask hid the upper half of her face, catching the moonlight in sharp reflection.
Dan landed on the edge of a roof with a heavy thud, the tiles beneath his feet cracking slightly. Shawn dropped off his back and brushed himself off. The wind tugged at his jacket as he circled Dan's hulking form, eyes sharp.
Audrey was already there, her small figure whispering to the red-haired stranger.
"So this is where you disappeared to? Who's the redhead?" Shawn said, walking over to the furball.
Jake turned, his golden eyes glowing faintly even in the half-light. His coat swayed around him, the faint twitch of his wolf tail betraying his tension. "Venice," he said simply.
The word struck both Shawn and Dan like a blade. They straightened at once — the humor gone from their faces. Venice wasn't just a word. It was a code. Something serious. Something dangerous.
Even Audrey's grin faltered.
"What's going on, Jake?" Shawn asked carefully, his hand resting near the knife on his belt.
Jake sighed. His tone was even, calm — but his eyes betrayed the storm beneath. "This is… my friend. We've known each other a long time. Audrey discovered us, and I think it's time you all were brought in."
Dan said nothing. He didn't need to. His silence was heavier than most people's anger.
Shawn, though, narrowed his eyes. "So, your mysterious disappearing acts every month… were to meet her?"
Jake didn't answer, but his slight wince gave it away.
The redhead stepped forward, nudging him with her elbow. "Actually," she said lightly, "girlfriend now. Remember?"
Jake's ears flattened. His tail wagged once — traitorously
Dan's reaction was much quieter, as his eyes slightly widened, and then he nodded to the woman with red hair. "Pleasure to meet you," his voice rumbled.
Shawn wiped a tear of laughter from his eye. "Still doesn't explain why you used 'Venice.' You don't drop that word over a date night."
Jake's expression darkened. "Because she's not from the Underground City."
The silence that followed was sharp enough to cut through steel.
Elena glanced at him, a subtle nod passing between them. Slowly, she reached up, removing her mask.
"Shawn, Dan," Jake said, voice steady, "meet Elena Falmil — heir to House Falmil."
The name dropped like a stone into still water.
Shawn's grin froze. Dan's brows furrowed.
"Falmil?" Shawn managed, his voice cracking slightly. "Jake… what the fuck. How did you catch a noble?"
"Well, it was I," she said, her tone playful but edged with pride, "who caught the heir of the Lockvry family. Isn't that right, Fluffy?"
Jake's blush was instant. His ears twitched; his tail flicked wildly.
Shawn collapsed onto the rooftop, wheezing with laughter. "Fluffy?! Oh gods, that's— that's perfect!"
Even Dan chuckled, a low, rolling sound.
"Alright, Paprika," Jake retorted, shooing her hand from his head as she tried to pet his ears.
"Paprika?" Elena blinked. "Really?"
"You started it, Paprika," Jake smirked, golden eyes meeting her amber ones.
Elena huffed, her cheeks warm. Shawn, meanwhile, was still muttering between laughs, "Fluffy and Paprika… Saints preserve us…"
"What else, boss?" Dan's voice rumbled.
Shawn finally got up as his chuckle and his grin faded. "Thought so. You've got that look — like gears turning."
Jake exhaled through his nose, the corners of his mouth twitching. "You and Elena read me too well."
Elena smiled faintly. "Comes with spending too much time with you."
"Yeah, there is more, and it's serious. We need to find a guy," Jake said, as Audrey walked over, smirking at Elena.
Dan folded the barrels that he called his arms. "Who is this man that we need to find?" His voice rumbled out like a storm.
Jake sighed, his tail flicking in agitation even thinking of the man. "Forrest Young, we don't know where he is, but I suspect that his younger brother Gellen does. So I suggest we capture him." His voice became calmer and cooler, as usual, when he was telling his plan.
Elena glared at Jake, "You mean kidnap?" her voice cold.
Jake's calm demeanor broke at her words as he stammered. "E-Eh, yeah, kidnap."
"No," she said, her voice left no room for argument. "You already stirred up a lot of things, Jake. I suggest I meet with Gellen. Let him know I can help him out of the slave trade, and in exchange, he tells me where we can find Forrest."
"T-That… actually sounds better," Jake mumbled, Shawn chuckling at how his friend's plan got shot down like nothing.
"It will be very legal, also, I want in on this, these are the same courts that I will be walking into when I inherit the position of Head." Elean stood straighter, proud that she was able to keep Jake from committing more crimes.
"How does the whole inherit thing work anyway? It isn't usually the man who inherits the Head position, and the girl is married off." Audrey asked, looking up and down at her.
"Yes, you are correct, but due to me being a single child and my reputation in the courts of me not being able to be married off, thanks to some help," she said, looking over to Jake.
"And other factors in my family, I am the one who shall inherit the position of Head. But, if a child in a noble house is born with magic, they are defectively the one who inherits the Head position. My father was 1st among his siblings, so he became the Head. But my aunt Thalia was also born with magic, but she was the last of the four, so she became an Elder." Elena explained.
"So," Audrey asked, "anyone else in your family got it?"
"Not yet," Elena said softly. "But maybe…" Her eyes flicked toward Jake. "...someday."
There was a pause — the kind that weighed more than words.
Jake blinked, caught off guard. "Uh—" seeing 3 pairs of eyes on him.
"Seems like you'll have homework soon, Fluffy," Shawn teased.
Two glares shot toward him in unison — one molten gold, one burning amber.
Shawn's short stature shrank more. "Kidding! Kidding!"
Dan chuckled deeply. "You brought this on yourself, Shawn."
Elena and Jake looked at each other and blushed more, both agreeing to change the subject.
Elena cleared her throat. "So, can we agree with me meeting with Gellen?"
All nodded, but Jake added in. "Elena, Gellen may need… some persuasion to talk. I would like to be there, just in case, and you can signal me to reveal myself or when things are going sideways. But other than that, I will just watch."
Elena thought over his words for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Yes, I would like that. Leo doesn't have magic; having someone with magic in my back pocket for this type of conversation would be a reassurance."
"Alright," Jake replied, "Audrey, you're gonna use Vantim a lot more than usual."
Audrey chuckled, "Never thought I would become a messenger between two lovebirds."
Jake chuckled as he closed his eyes, but felt warmth wrap around him, and he looked down to see Elena hugging him. "I have to go home soon; we've been out later than usual." She said, reminding him that they could not be together like this all the time.
Jake nodded, "Alright, you guys head out, I will meet with you later, gotta take Paprika home," he said with a teasing smile. Elena blushed.
The group dispersed as Jake and Elena traveled through the alleyways and through one of the many ways from the underground surface and Altor.
They appeared in her room, rising through the shadows.
"Good night, my fox," he said after her stomach settled, and she smiled.
"Good night, my wolf." She said, as she pulled him close and their lips met, reminding them of their intimate night as they stood there in the shadows of her room. As they reminded each other through small touches of their moment together on the rooftop, before separating, both faces were red with heat.
"Maybe next time, my love." He said, his gold meeting her amber.
"Maybe," she whispered as her eyes saw his golden one disappear in the shadows. She lingered at the place he disappeared from, but she walked to her bed and fell on it, sleep taking her as soon as her head hit the pillows.