The wooden door squeaked loudly as Nihja pushed it open, fanning the dust away from her face as she peered inside. Zena stepped in with a ntern, leaving it on the hanger for them. Emyri poked her head in, wiggling her nose and sneezing instantly.

  "Achoo! Dearest me." She said, rubbing her nose and coughing lightly.

  Nihja stepped aside, making way for the cat girls to explore the small room. It was hardly spacious, Syri felt she could reach from one end of the room to the other with just a quick leap. It looked to have been pilged before, the cabinet and closet were left open and devoid of their contents, with the door on the closet missing a hinge that left it tilted with the corner resting on the dirt floor. There were no carpets or flooring, moonlight pierced through numerous holes in the ceiling, and the window looked more like a small crater into the rotted wood with splinters decorating the frame.

  Syri frowned, looking toward Janette and leaning in close to whisper to her. "Why does this pce look so scary and old?"

  Janette looked apologetic, sighing as she stepped in to scan the room. "It's the bck district, the homes here are not very... hospitable."

  "Sorry. We looked around, but this was the best we could find with the time we had." Nihja expined, leaning against the wall behind them. "I sent out for some of the boys to bring in a few bedrolls to help accommodate for sleeping on the floor."

  "Could be bring in my carriage as well? It should be back at the Night Dweller's." Janette asked.

  Nihja nodded and walked out the door where the others stood waiting.

  KuliKuli and Felix stood outside the shelter, their attention focused on the carriage which housed Reta inside. KuliKuli was looking inside, watching the werewolf's tummy rise and fall as she slept in a curled-up position. Felix leaned in, resting his hand on her shoulder as she hung her head in shame.

  "Stop it. Stop looking at her like you failed her somehow."

  She turned to look at him, her voice wavering as she replied. "We promised to help her, and this is the best we could do. Locking her up like this, it feels wrong."

  "We haven't had a moment to help, we don't know where to look toward for her curse. And with all that's going on, it's silly to think this is somehow your fault for this. We're trying, isn't that all we can do?"

  "It's not good enough." She stated, turning around to face him. "We've neglected her when we promised to help her. Janette has a magic book, we can start there."

  "Whoa, okay." He said, raising his brows. "Once we go back to her house, we can take a look at it-"

  "But she has it with her, in her satchel. She brought it with her, she was reading it when we were figuring how to rescue you and my sister." Her eyes danced around as an idea sprouted in her mind. "It-it can give us the answers that we need, maybe it can help her! Maybe it can help us!"

  "Calm yourself, you're coming up with ideas you don't know will work."

  "Better that then to just stand here and wait for them to attack us or kidnap one of us again!" She stated, noticing him recoil and give her a funny look. Her eyes blinked repeatedly as she recognized his hesitance, lowering her voice once more. "Oh Felix, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

  "It's fine, but please." He cleared his throat, avoiding her pleading eyes. "Let's just, please, just focus on what happens now before we... jump to things."

  She stayed quiet, rubbing his arm before noticing Nihja approaching them. "Hey."

  "Hey yourself. Not going to see the pce before we leave?" She asked.

  KuliKuli turned her gaze back on Reta. "What happens with Reta?"

  Nihja sighed and pointed at a building down the road. "Do you see that? Used to be a prison before, but as Kershin Market expanded, new buildings grow bigger and more useful. All the old stuff is left behind, but they have their uses. The basement has a few cells, you can store your friend in one of them."

  "It looks old, would the cell bars be rusted from age?" Felix asked.

  Nihja eyed him. "It's likely they weren't meant for holding in any werewolves. But you have your sleeping potion, a bit of that would keep her tame for some time. When does she go back to normal?"

  Felix gnced at KuliKuli, both sharing puzzled expressions as Nihja got her answer. "Well, hopefully soon then! We can offer it for tonight but... look, this is the bck district. People do still live here, and people talk. I may be helping you here but everyone else is doing their best to help themselves. If anyone slips a word to the guards, you people are on your own."

  "Right." KuliKuli frowned. "I... I understand."

  "Good. Best you do." She turned her attention on Felix, looking him up and down. He shifted around uncomfortable, feeling a bit tense.

  "What?"

  "Hmm, your mate went through a lot of trouble to rescue you. Might end up on the run for quite a while, but I suppose she is used to hiding away with her being a cat girl and all." Nihja smiled. "She did that out of love, fancy that. I've read that stuff before, how is it like?"

  "What?"

  She giggled, shaking her head. "It's a silly thing to question, I suppose. Now is the part where you tell me that it's hard to expin in words, yes? I wish someone could, I have yet to attain it. To experience it for myself, to comprehend what that emotion brings."

  "You have some sort of connection to that man, the one who released us." KuliKuli mentioned.

  "Alphonse?" Her eyes lit up, like a spark of life emerged at the mention of his name. But it was snuffed out in a few blinks of her eyes, with her sighing with a look of defeat. "He has his uses, I suppose. He can pull in a few favors from time to time."

  KuliKuli's heart sunk as she recognized the look that the succubus shared, reaching out to touch her arm.

  Nihja pulled away, pacing toward the carriage where their werewolf friend slept. "You can stay there for the night. We leave in the morning, I'll need to check in with the kobolds by the river pass. They should be able to escort you out of the city. We'll have your carriage waiting for you at the bridge, then you can be on your way home."

  "What about Reta?" KuliKuli asked again, looking to Felix. "Janette's carriage doesn't have enough space for her to fit."

  "Nevermind that she would be dangerous to be around." He reminded her. "Even with the potion we have, there's a lot about her curse that we don't know of."

  "When did you know about her curse anyhow?"

  Felix shrugged. "She pounced on me in her wolf form, but she resembled more of a woman then. Like a monster girl almost, her appearance was much tamer in comparison. She's more wolf tonight. She said that the transformation gets worse each time. But-"

  He paused, leaving Nihja in suspense. KuliKuli's ears shot up as she came across the same realization as he did.

  "That's right, she was back to normal by morning!" KuliKuli excimed. "Maybe that happens again?"

  "We can only hope. Maybe that book Janette has could help." Felix offered. "You did say it could give us some answers."

  "Well now I feel stupid for not realizing that sooner." KuliKuli chuckled with a facepalm.

  Nihja stood back unimpressed. "Riveting. we'll come round by sunrise. Don't sleep in. Oh! I nearly forgot, we'll need you to keep an eye on your cursed friend."

  Felix looked surprised. "Me?"

  "Yes, you. None of us would risk ourselves for her. Besides, sounds like it would align with that promise you both made her." She smirked, crossing her arms with a confident look.

  KuliKuli growled but Felix pced a hand on her arm. "It's fine, I'll do it then."

  "But why you? We just got you." She whined, holding his hand and dropping her head. "I don't want to feel like you're gone again."

  He smiled and picked her head up by her chin. "I'll be close by. Just for tonight."

  "Can I come with?"

  He gave it some thought. "It would be best if you stayed with your family, maybe catch up on things? Besides, I don't pn on being alone there."

  "What, because Reta will be there?" She pouted.

  He chuckled. "Not exactly."

  "Why me? What on your mind decided I was the best companion to guard a werewolf!?"

  "Shush-sh~shhh, keep it down!" Felix whispered, raising his hands. He peeked to their right side where Reta slept with cuffs on every limb. He froze upon noticing her ear flicker once or twice, his skin growing cold and his eyes wide open. Janette winced and csped her mouth shut, feeling the front bangs of her hair tickle her face as she didn't dare sweep her fingers to adjust it.

  The pair shared a troubled look, each holding their breath and staring at their friend. Reta budged slightly, readjusting her head until she settled down. Once they heard a faint snore from her, they felt like they could breathe again.

  "That was close." Felix exhaled, wiping the sweat off his face.

  Reta huffed and swept her front hair away from her eyes, tucking behind her ear. "More of a reason why I'm the wrong person for this guarding stuff. What in Desiree's name gave you the bright idea that I would fair better over a mother Nekomata whom, might I add, I have witnessed take on three armed men. And one of them was nearly twice her size! Why me, Felix? Why?"

  "Okay, okay, listen to me here. I asked for you specifically because," He paused, giving Reta a quick gnce. "I asked for you because KuliKuli mentioned you have that magical book with you."

  "My book?" Janette leaned back from the crate she sat on, her hands falling on her p. "What do you want with that?"

  "We need to know more about KuliKuli's background."

  "Huh? Last time we tried that, she didn't react so well."

  "I know. That's why she chose to stay behind." He expined, pointing at the satchel on her p. "You said before that we can ask it anything."

  "It's not that easy, I had this since I was tiny." She said, digging into her bag and exposing the aged book to wave it around. "You can ask it anything you'd like, but it only tells me things I already know."

  "Things you know?" Felix scowled, holding the book in his hands. "Are you sure? We tested this before and it knew KuliKuli's name."

  She snatched it from him and left it wide open in a bit of frustration. "Don't believe me? Ask away then! I didn't want to push for this thing because it didn't get me anywhere."

  "Get you anywhere, is this thing supposed to move you around?"

  She rolled her eyes. "Look, I ask and ask and ask again and it tells me what I know or it tells me that it doesn't know. Oh but I did learn one thing, you don't actually have to write into it. Just ask away and it can answer freely, write Vardare?"

  "Vardare?"

  "It's its name, the name of the book. Watch." She pointed out, drawing his attention to a bck spot of ink spiraling around in the yellow pages, expanding in size and shape before spreading out into several lines of cursive writing. "That says yes, thank you Vardare."

  She sighed and pced the book in his p, burying her head in her hands to stifle her whining noise. "Felix?"

  He looked up from the book.

  "Do you ever... have those thoughts to yourself that maybe... things would be better if you walked away? I'm not saying I would, but... it's difficult, you know? Of course you would know, what am I saying? We just saved you from an execution, I'm such an idiot!"

  "I didn't, I wouldn't dare leave you guys, but I'm ashamed to admit the idea has been tempting before."

  He gave her a minute before responding. "So what stopped you? From turning around and going back to your old life?"

  "Boredom." She scoffed, smiling briefly and fanning herself. "Perhaps not, not really. I say that like I'm so sure, but honestly, I-I don't know. My life wasn't the most adventurous I feel, my parents would scold me often for getting into trouble out of my silly interests. One of them was researching Monster Girls, I suppose they're right on that aspect. Living in that mansion of mine, with all of that space and no one to share it with, or nothing to show from it, I fear that I've been wasting my life away just by making my parents proud. I want to make them happy, I'm their only child so they expect the best from me, but... "

  "They wouldn't approve of us as your friends, would they?" He asked with a friendly smile.

  Janette ughed and shook her head. "Not quite, no. But I would like to think that they wouldn't do anything to get you in trouble either. They mean well, they just don't understand sometimes. I thought that was silly of them, that maybe if I pursued my interests in secret then I would show them for being foolish. Now here I am in hiding, cowering away like the fool I am. I just want to figure out my life, I want to figure out how Vardare works, damn it! Stupid thing never came with instructions, just some silly birthday present father gifted me to shut me up for asking so many questions."

  Felix peered down into her opened satchel. "Janette."

  "Cheeky of him, giving me a book to repeat my own thoughts back to me. I suppose that's in line with him, always the smart one. Figured a way to get four-year-old me to shut up. Oh dad, I wish you and mum were here right now."

  "Janette."

  "What, what is it?"

  "You didn't let me finish." He shyly rubbed the back of his neck, giving the satchel a quick nudge of his foot. "Tootsie, you can come out now."

  "Tootsie is here?" Janette gasped, adjusting her hair and dress. "Wait, the fairy is here!?"

  "Voices, please!" He shushed her, digging into the satchel and raising his cupped palm from there. "Say hi, Tootsie."

  "Hi Tootsie!" The fairy buzzed lightly and giggled, waving her little grassy green hand in the air. "Lots of baggage, Janette has."

  "Oh shut it, you." She scowled, directing her annoyance at her friend. "Felix, how did you bring her in here? Nihja wouldn't have accepted this."

  "I uh, asked for a favor from Zena. We have some history, it's not important."

  "What-"

  "Focus! Tootsie, can you help us figure out this magic Vardare book?" He asked politely.

  Tootsie swung her little legs over his pinkie finger while humming to herself. "Hmm, hmmm-mmm, maybe so. You asked before and I answered, we fairies understand magic, old and new!"

  "Right, so I figured maybe our new friend here can help you with this." Felix expined, looking to Janette. "What do you think?"

  "I mean, it's worth a try." Janette replied back, closing the book and raising the cover for Tootsie to see. "You heard everything I said before, yes?"

  "That and more than I would like, yes!" She giggled, leaning over and rubbing her palm over the hard cover. "Vardare, Vardare, what secrets you hold stored in there. Oh-ho! Uh-huh, oh my. That so? Quite so, no no, yes no!"

  Janette stared bnkly at the fairy, her eyes gring back at a nervous Felix as she groaned to herself. "Felix, she's babbling to herself."

  "Maybe it's a fairy thing?" He sheepishly answered with a shrug.

  "Can't say I know other fairies, so I'll give you that." She breathed in, holding her breath to ready herself. "So, Tootsie?"

  "Oh, yes!" The fairy turned to look at her. "Do forgive me, your friend here has a lot to share about you!"

  "What on earth, whatever do you mean?"

  "Many secrets, lots to say! Oh, I like him, he has learned lots over centuries past!"

  "Centuries! Centuries! Just how old is this thing, and what do you mean by he!?" She stammered, raising her voice much to Felix's horror.

  "Janette, settle down please!" He csped his hands together, pleading and watching Reta with caution.

  "Done and done!" The fairy excimed, wiping her hands in triumph. "Vardare says he'd love to help, so help yourself and ask away. In text, he answers back to you, just share your woes and actions he will do!"

  "So I just talk to Vardare then?" Janette asked with uncertainty.

  Felix opened the book and froze. "The book, the Vardare thing, look!"

  The duo watched as more text started to follow through, forming line after line with Janette squinting her eyes and following through.

  "Turn the book around Felix, you have it backwards. There, right there." She paused, reading from word to word. "It can't be that simple, what do you mean?"

  "What is it?"

  "This is, it's telling me things right now."

  "Telling you how?"

  "Like, it's giving me instructions or something of the sort. Hold it steady for me." She leaned in closer, eyes scanning across the page.

  "What does it say?" He asked, raising his brow in confusion as Janette gave him a look.

  "It reads, I am Vardare, the Mage of Mind and Keeper of Knowledge. Pce your hand on my shape and your mind will be gifted onto me, your memories become mine to hold." She scoffed. "Yea, but what good is that? I need to learn things that I don't know about, not the other way around."

  "Patience." Tootsie spoke out.

  "Look, it's writing again." Felix mentioned, keeping his grasp on the edges of the book. "Now what does it say?"

  Janette swallowed as she read the text aloud.

  You ask and I'll answer. One hundred years of secrets I share onto you, J'Nette Ov Cicario.