Eveline

The next few weeks past in a slow grueling blur of training and classes. There were no new leads on the Keltcher even with tailing Adam. Was there a way to infiltrate the Keltcher?

I was sitting at my desk late one night working on my assignment on chivalry code when there was a light rap on my door. I didn't think it odd as Neil was known to stop by late to bring me a snack he had stolen from the kitchen or even Alistor to tell me of the lower city.

"Coming!" I called as I walked over to my door.

I unlatched it and opened it slightly to see who was there, but I saw no one. I opened it a bit wider and peered around, but saw no one. Had I imagined the knock on the door? As I went to close the door, I saw a red envelope. My anticipation grew as I picked up the envelope. I closed and locked my door before with shaking hands I looked at the envelope. My name was scrawled across the front. I flipped it over feeling my heart pound with adrenaline. The wax seal had the Keltcher's symbol. Fear and surprise rocked my system like a heavy drink making me tipsy and light headed. Without another moments hesitation, I walked over to my desk and grabbed a knife to pry the wax seal up. My fingers fumbled with removing the parchment until I opened it up on my desk. It read:

Lady Eveline,

We invite you to join us at our next meeting. You can find us where the voices of the criminals are silenced so man and angels triumph over demons. We will meet after last bell at the toll. Do not be late.

It was signed by the Keltcher's symbol. A chill ran down my spine as my brain begin to work over time. What did the riddle mean? I had till tomorrow to figure it out and make it to the meeting. What could it mean? I kept scanning over the message trying to make sense of it, but nothing really came to mind.

"Where the voices of the criminals are silenced so man and angels triumph over demons. What does that even mean?" I whispered in frustration leaning back in my chair my hands resting behind my head and looking up at my ceiling. "What does it mean?"

Another knock came on my door and I got up quietly without calling out this time as I was still spooked from the message I had received. I unlatched my door and relaxed as soon as I saw it was Alistor.

"Alistor?" I asked. I glanced down at his hand to see the same red envelope he held awkwardly in his hand.

"From how your acting, I assume you received the same?" he asked in a hushed whisper.

I nodded and I allowed him to enter before promptly locking my door behind him.

"Do you have any ideas what 'where the voices of the criminals are silenced and angels triumph over demons means?'" I asked.

He sat down at my desk. "The only thing I can think of is the dungeons, but where? It couldn't be somewhere real known."

"The dungeons are a maze," I groaned. "There has to be something we're missing."

We sat in silence for a few moments before Alistor jumped to his feet. "I got it!"

"What?"

"Back in the olden days... there was a torture chamber that the king used. The part where they said 'where the voices of the criminals are silenced' fits that and the part that says, 'angels triumph over demons'. They used it mostly on the Dark Bloods which would fit them perfectly."

Sometimes it surprised me at how smart Alistor really was. He tried to play off his wit as just luck.

"It does," I said biting my lip.

"What's wrong, Eve?"

"It's strange they are reaching out to us now after all this time of trying to follow Adam with no luck. It just... it doesn't feel right."

"But it's our duty to figure out whose all taking it upon themselves to "cleanse" the kingdom. Don't you agree?"

I nodded. "Aye, but it's also very dangerous, Alistor. We have no idea the numbers they have, how long they've been around or anything more than their motives."

"High risk for high reward," he said. "There's no light without facing the darkness.��

"You're right... as usual, Renn."

He smirked a lopsided grin.

"Don't let it go to your head or you wont fit through any doorways," I teased.

"Me having an ego? Never," he joked back. "I better go back to my dorm. I need to finish my Reytor History paper."

I bit my lip. It was going to be a long night. I was only half way done with that assignment and barely started on my chivalry code paper.

"Aye me too," I said. "Tomorrow... then?"

"Aye tomorrow," he said as he walked over to my door and let himself out.

I locked it behind him and tried to finish my assignment, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. My mind was wandering to tomorrow and the Keltcher meeting.