Karabo drops Alba off at her apartment. Once inside, Alba heads to her room to change out of her school uniform and starts preparing dinner. Two hours later, Amanda walks in.

“Alba, I’m home!”

“I’m in the kitchen!” Alba calls back.

“I’m going to take a bubble bath!” Amanda replies, heading to her room to start running the water.

Fifteen minutes later, as Alba is about to tell her sister that dinner is ready, she notices an envelope sticking out of Amanda's coat. Unable to resist, she pulls it out and sees the school logo. Opening it, she finds a final warning about unpaid school fees due by the end of April. Shocked, she puts the letter back and sits down at the kitchen table.

Amanda, now changed after her bath, enters the kitchen. “That smells good! What’s up with you? You look like a villain about to poison her adversary.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about the school fees?” Alba asks, her voice trembling.

Amanda shakes her head. “You went through my stuff again.”

“That’s what you’re worried about?” Alba replies incredulously.

“I didn’t tell you because I wanted you to keep enjoying high school without worrying about money,” Amanda explains, trying to reassure her.

“I know we’re broke, and I’m sure this isn’t the only bill you’re behind on,” Alba says.

“Life got tough after what happened to Mom and Dad. Everything has gotten worse,” Amanda admits.

“Well, I have good news,” Alba says, trying to shift the mood.

“About what?” Amanda asks, curious.

“I got offered a job today,” Alba replies.

“What kind of job?” Amanda inquires.

“To work for ARMS,” Alba says, her excitement bubbling over.

“Are you going to take it?” Amanda asks, concern creeping into her tone.

Alba beams, “The salary won’t cover my education, but…”

Amanda cuts her off, “Don’t take this job just for the money. It should be something you really want to do.”

“I just thought I could help out,” Alba replies, confused by her sister’s tone.

“The accident made you grow up too quickly. You’re still in high school; you need to be a kid. Don’t worry about adult stuff—I’ll figure something out. Now come on, let’s eat and watch your favorite classic horror film,” Amanda says, her voice gentle.

Alba nods, unable to respond to her sister’s sentiment.

After dinner, Amanda falls asleep while watching a movie. Noticing this, Alba seizes the opportunity to call Sheila and steps out onto the balcony.

“Who is this?” Sheila asks, her voice brisk.

“It’s me, Alba. We met after the meeting at school,” Alba replies.

“Alba, do you have an answer for me?” Sheila asks.

Alba hesitates, knowing her sister wouldn’t approve of what she’s about to say. “How much does ARMS pay a full-time agent?”

“Starting point will be around 45,000,” Sheila answers.

“Still not enough,” Alba murmurs.

“Having money problems?” Sheila asks, her tone shifting to concern.

Alba hesitates again, weighing her words. “Yeah, a bit. My family’s been struggling since our parents passed away.”

“Let me be direct. I know about your school debt. I can pay it in a couple of minutes, along with your other debts, but you have to agree to join ARMS on a full-time basis,” Sheila states firmly.

“Why me?” Alba asks, suspicion creeping in. It feels too good to be true.

“In March last year, I created a new department with a new objective. I looked at promising agents and potential candidates, and you’re on that list,” Sheila explains.

Alba is taken aback. “Why?”

Sheila sighs. “Because you score between 75-90% on tests, but when I looked at your answering scripts, it seemed like you purposely got questions wrong. You’ve perfected the art of blending in with the crowd.”

“I never knew you were a therapist,” Alba replies sarcastically.

“Joking aside, you hide your true abilities because you don’t like the attention. You’ve concealed your main power, which isn’t just shadow manipulation—it’s darkness manipulation. And as I’ve learned, you possess telepathic abilities too,” Sheila elaborates.

Alba laughs off Sheila’s claim. “You’re reaching. It’s shadow manipulation.”

“No, it’s darkness. I know because the potency of your ability never changes, regardless of environmental factors. And your telepathy—before you deny it, let me explain. James, your close friend, has autism. He’s had multiple episodes at school, mostly triggered by loud noises or crowds. But after you were present when his sister calmed him down, the bell was changed, and now he can handle crowds without issue. This leads to two conclusions: either he cured himself, which is impossible, or he has a powerful telepath in his class who stops him from having episodes,” Sheila concludes.

“A telepath? That’s a stretch,” Alba attempts to downplay.

“It would be if he didn’t have an episode while away from you during the holidays. Speculation becomes fact. He hasn’t had an episode in over three years, which means you've improved your range,” Sheila replies.

“What if I am?” Alba asks, intrigued.

“Come work for me. I’m starting a new department in ARMS focused on researching the history and existence of all species on Earth,” Sheila explains.

“Isn’t that common knowledge?” Alba queries.

“We live in a world where thousands believe the Earth is flat. There’s a lot we have yet to discover, and you can be part of that,” Sheila responds.

“Okay, I’m in. But what about my debt?” Alba asks.

“Perfect. Don’t worry about it. I’ll buy 49% of your sister’s salon. When she accepts, I’ll clear its debts, and she can use the funds to take care of yours. I’ll also add a clause that allows her to buy me out later if she chooses,” Sheila explains.

“Thank you,” Alba says, relief flooding her.

“It’s nothing really. Catch you on the flip side,” Sheila replies.

Alba takes a deep breath, feeling a mix of anxiety and relief. She knows it won't be easy, but at least she’s taking steps to solve her family’s financial struggles. Just then, her phone rings. It’s Miri, sending a picture of her new pure gold hairbrush set.

“Man, she’s doing the most,” Alba mutters.

Miri goes live on her social media account, singing, “BLACK GIRL MAGIC!”

“Get that camera away from me!” Bella shouts, clearly annoyed.

“Y’ALL CAN’T STAND IT!” Miri sings back, undeterred.

Bella watches Miri and starts to smile. “Miri, can you stop? Why are you so hyped in my room?”

Miri pauses her singing. “Because I’m talking about you, Bella.”

“I guessed,” Bella replies before Miri leaves.

Bella then makes a call to her home world. “Father?”

“What do you want?” Shaka asks, his tone sharp.

“How is life?” Bella asks, trying to keep it light.

“Let’s skip these meaningless pleasantries and get straight to the point. Why did you arrange this video?” Shaka demands.

Bella clears her throat. “What if I told you I could get a new job at ARMS?”

Shaka’s revulsion is palpable. “You are royalty! A princess of Mars! And you choose to boost the military might of another planet? Shameful!” he replies, slamming his fist on the armrest.

“But... I can help,” Bella counters, her voice trembling.

“Lower life forms should suffer,” Shaka states coldly.

“I…” Bella’s voice cracks.

“We are done here. You continue to bring shame on our family,” Shaka says before ending the connection.

Bella sits in front of the black screen, tears in her eyes. Covering her mouth, she begins to cry silently. Miri, who had been nearby, hears her muffled cries and stops. She sees Henry, Bella’s royal guard, heading to the room, and stops him.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“Why?” Henry asks, concern flickering in his eyes.

“Some things words can’t fix,” Miri admits softly.

Henry sighs and walks away to return to his post.

“That old man never changes,” Miri mutters to herself, grinding her teeth. She heads back into Bella’s room. Upon seeing Bella in distress, she embraces her, allowing Bella to cry in her arms.

Gugu puts on her shirt and checks her notifications before placing her phone back on the nightstand. “I think Miri can be too much,” she says.

“You’re talking about a girl with a pure gold pen here,” Will replies, handing Gugu a can of soda.

“Thanks,” Gugu responds, taking the drink. Will sits beside her on the bed. “So, today you put up a good fight.”

“You mean when I got knocked out?” Gugu asks, raising an eyebrow.

“You had her worried, though,” Will counters.

“Yeah, and that led to my victory,” Gugu says sarcastically. “Enough about that. Let’s talk about you and ARMS.”

“Not sure they would want me,” Will admits.

“What? You got a temporary contract today from ARMS. That proves they want you,” Gugu states.

“Yeah, but my father is the leader of the western royalty, my mom owns a brothel, and my siblings aren’t much better—except for my sister,” Will explains.

Gugu listens attentively, understanding the complexities of Will's family background. “That doesn't define you, Will. Your worth is not determined by your family's status or history.”

Will nods, appreciating Gugu's support. “My sister told me she joined Shield for the money, though.”

“People need money. We’re not talking about your family; we’re talking about you and your fear of overcorrecting by putting as much distance between you and them,” Gugu explains.

“When you put it like that, you make me sound vindictive and conceited,” Will points out.

Gugu opens her soda. “I come from a military family. Losing like that to Penelope? Do you know what they did?”

“What?” Will asks, a serious look crossing his face.

Gugu sighs. “They laughed at me and made a meme about me.”

Will shakes his head at Gugu's remark. “It’s not really the same, though. Your family serves the public; mine destroys it.”

“We don’t choose our family, but we choose who we want to be, despite what our family is or has been for generations,” Gugu replies before taking a sip of her soda.

Will never thought of joining ARMS like that. “You are wise.”

“Thank you. Coming from a military family isn’t all bad. The skills I learn can be used to get paid by joining ARMS, even though I’d be a pretty good MMA fighter,” Gugu explains.

“I would be excellent in the octagon,” Will says.

“One problem among the dozens in that plan: they don’t let vampires compete. So you’re out of luck when it comes to that dream,” Gugu points out.

“That’s not fair,” Will protests.

“Says the guy who can run at Mach 1,” Gugu replies.

“I can slow down,” Will retorts.

“Right. I guess you also do something about the power, reflexes, and agility as well?” Gugu asks.

“Maybe,” Will admits.

“What about the healing factor?” Gugu inquires.

Will shrugs.

“Face it, you can’t. So just join ARMS, and you can stay here with me,” Gugu says, leaning in for a kiss.

“I like the sound of that,” Will replies before they start kissing.

Gugu pulls away. “Shit! What’s the time?”

“Half past eight,” Will says.

“I gotta go. See you at school tomorrow,” Gugu replies, quickly getting dressed and leaving through Will's window. She jumps to the ground of the boarding house, and as she sneaks out, her phone rings.

“Hello?” she answers.

“Hello, lover girl,” Pretty says.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Gugu states.

“How is Will?” Pretty asks.

“Fine, thank you for asking. What do you want?” Gugu responds.

“What was the due date for the English book report?” Pretty inquires.

“On Thursday. Why are you—” Gugu sighs. “Wow, you haven’t even started the project, have you?”

“Maybe,” Pretty admits.

“You know you’re going to fail, right? But I will help you,” Gugu replies.

“Thanks! I’m in your room right now,” Pretty ends the call.

“What! Pretty! Hello!” Gugu exclaims, looking at her phone. “She didn’t just hang up on me!”

---

Anni chuckles, recognizing Miri's tendency for over-the-top antics. “Is it me, or is Miri wilding?”

“It’s not you,” Yasmin replies.

“And why are you video calling us?” Anni asks.

“Because of the contract,” Theresa answers.

“We have till Friday to respond, and it’s Monday,” Anni points out.

“I know, but I called all of you to know what you’re planning to do with the contract. Also, I won’t be signing it,” Theresa says.

“Why not?” Anni asks.

“This was supposed to be a decision made a couple of months from now. It’s too sudden, and I don’t like it,” Theresa explains.

“That’s the worst excuse I’ve ever heard,” Yasmin says.

“It’s not. This is called being sensible,” Theresa clarifies.

“Well, I’m doing it,” Yasmin declares.

“You do realize you won’t be able to smoke as much?” Anni asks.

“Yes, but it’s what I must do,” Yasmin replies.

“I’m not,” Anni states.

“Why?” Yasmin asks.

“A good demon is a dead demon,” Anni replies.

“That’s a bit morbid,” Yasmin responds.

“Yeah,” Anni agrees before ending the video call.

“She’s in one of her moods again,” Yasmin notes.

“I’m not sure if I want to join yet. There are too many dance tournaments coming up,” Mandisa explains.

“You haven’t lost a dance tournament since you were ten. Give other people a chance to win,” Yasmin remarks.

“But one of these days, someone may come and push me to the limit, and that gets me excited,” Mandisa says.

“Doubt it,” Yasmin replies.

“I will be joining ARMS. I think this is a fantastic opportunity that I can’t let slip by, and I can use my abilities on powerful foes,” Theresa declares.

“Just like that?” Yasmin asks.

“I wanted to see your reaction, but I always planned to join. It’s nearly 9, so I’m going to bed. See you both in 10 hours,” Theresa says.

“Okay, bye,” Yasmin replies.

“Bye,” Mandisa adds.

***

Rose walked into Anni’s room and stood in front of the doorway. “Are you okay?”

“On the 29th, it would have been Dad’s birthday,” Anni said quietly.

“Don’t worry about it,” Rose replied gently.

“Okay.” Anni sighed.

“I made you your favorite meatball sub with melted cheese,” Rose said, trying to lighten the mood.

“Melted cheese, you said?” Anni asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

“White cheddar cheese,” Rose confirmed.

“Don’t play with me.” Anni smiled slightly.

“Why would I play? Come on, let’s have dinner,” Rose encouraged.

“Okay, Mom,” Anni replied, feeling a bit better.

As they headed to the dining room, a few minutes of silence passed. “You seem weird,” Rose noted.

Anni stopped playing with her food. “I received a contract today.”

“What contract?” Rose asked, intrigued.

“To join ARMS on a temporary basis,” Anni explained.

“Okay, what do you want to do?” Rose inquired.

“I don’t want to join,” Anni replied firmly.

“You said the same thing about the Maritzburg School of Excellence,” Rose pointed out.

“That’s different,” Anni insisted.

“How exactly? You were just talking to humans you consider friends,” Rose pressed.

“That is also different,” Anni countered.

“It’s not your fault,” Rose said softly.

“Don’t,” Anni replied, tears welling in her eyes. “I was the one who went to town when he constantly told me not to go.”

“Humans have committed deplorable acts against demons, mostly out of fear. But mainly, it’s a hatred that’s been taught and passed down through generations. Your father did nothing wrong; he was just a demon used as an example during a boiling point of hatred,” Rose explained. “I’ve been in contact with Shield, and they’ll be overturning his conviction. The charges will be lessened.”

Anni felt a surge of hope. “Why tell me now?”

“I didn’t want to give you false hope, but you should join ARMS regardless of what happens with your father’s sentence,” Rose urged.

“I’m not sure if I want to,” Anni said hesitantly.

“Anni, you have an aptitude for being an agent. Your empathy allows you to get into the mindset of the perpetrator like no one else. Plus, you’re at the top of all your classes, including the ARMS course. It looks like you would take to this vocation like a duck to water,” Rose explained.

“I guess,” Anni replied, feeling more convinced.

“Just do it and see how it feels. Plus, you’d get paid, right?” Rose asked.

“Yeah.”

“See? Win-win. If you love it, you could join Shield. If I remember correctly, there’s a special agent position that works with police departments worldwide to solve cold cases or active ones. That would allow you to travel and fight bad guys like a real-life heroine. I remember the hero name you gave yourself—Black Snow.”

“That never happened,” Anni chuckled. “But I will sign the contract. Thank you; I needed to hear those words.”

“And don’t forget, next month is your possession. Has the infestation begun?” Rose asked.

“Yes, I’ve been having odd dreams for the past couple of months. But why is it called possession?” Anni wondered.

“Because it sounds cool,” Rose replied playfully.

“Okay, I’ve been doodling this image lately…” Anni pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to her mother. “You study runes; can you tell me what it means?”

Rose took the paper and opened it. “It’s Scandinavian Ase, a popular female name during the Viking period, which means goddess. How long have you been doodling this? Do you see it in your dreams as well?”

“The dreams started six months ago, and the doodling since the start of September last year. I can’t stop drawing the name. In my dreams, I walk through a dark forest barefoot to a distant cave where I engrave the name on the walls,” Anni explained.

“Okay, it seems that everything is going as planned. Don’t worry; everything will become clear to you next month,” Rose assured her.

***

Gugu drove into her parents' garage and walked into the house, trying to sneak past her family, who were having dinner.

“Gugu!” shouted Mr. Mkhize.

“Yeah?” replied Gugu.

“Can you turn this water into wine?” Mr. Mkhize joked.

“Because I got crucified? Real funny,” Gugu rolled her eyes and headed upstairs, ignoring the laughter from the kitchen.

As she entered her room, she saw a figure sitting on a beanbag in the corner with the lights off. “Did you come through the window?”

“Yes,” Pretty answered, her voice somber.

“We need to start talking about boundaries, spider monkey.” Gugu threw her bag on her bed and switched on the light, revealing Pretty sitting in a sea of blood. “I’ll get the first aid kit.”

Gugu hurried out of the room and returned with the kit. “I…” Pretty started.

“Take off your shirt,” Gugu said urgently.

Pretty removed her top and turned around. The sight of the wound on Pretty’s back made Gugu grind her teeth in frustration. Taking a step closer, she noticed the plastic covering the beanbag and the areas where Pretty was seated. Pools of blood had turned her shoes a deep red. “This is getting out of hand.”

“It’s just…” Pretty began.

“When are you going to start listening to me when you’re in a box?” Gugu asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

“That won’t happen,” Pretty replied firmly.

Gugu couldn’t believe Pretty was still defending him. “He put you in the hospital last year, remember that?”

“It’s not like that,” Pretty insisted.

"Let me get this right I hit you for no reason and blame you for my actions? Yeah it's not like that... Know what I will hunter him and gut him like the bastard he is." Gugu replied.

"He is my father." Pretty remainded Gugu.

“And you think that makes this better?" Gugu asked but all Pretty could do was look down at her own blood

"At least that monster stopped, but one of these days he won’t.” Gugu said harshly.

After Gugu disinfected Pretty’s wounds and removed the leftover curse energy that was preventing her from healing, she left the room to put the medical kit away and burn the bloody plastic. Meanwhile, Pretty headed to the bathroom to take a shower. Nobuhle, Gugu’s sister, noticed the bloody footprints leading outside. Following them, she saw Gugu crying and decided to clean the blood. She grabbed Gugu some clean shoes and headed to the fireplace. “Beautiful night, isn’t it? Here, change your shoes.”

Gugu turned away, tears streaming down her face.

Nobuhle sighed and placed the shoes beside her. “The worst part about your day was losing a training match and becoming a meme. Yet that pain doesn’t compare to this. The worst thought is that this probably happens every day, and you can only see it when it gets excessive, like what happened last year. You keep thinking about all the days you spent together, wondering how much of it you missed throughout the years. Since you’ve known her for a decade now, when did it start, or did it start before we even met?”

“I didn’t know you were a telepath,” Gugu replied sarcastically.

“Jokes. Do you want her to leave that monster of a man and stay with you?” Nobuhle asked.

“Maybe,” Gugu said despondently, hoping her sister had a plan to protect Pretty.

“Trying to get her away from one of the most powerful and richest men in the world using sheer force is a fool’s game,” Nobuhle explained.

“Then I should do nothing while my best friend gets abused!” Gugu replied angrily.

“Well, you can do something about it, but it will take a little misdirection on your end,” Nobuhle suggested.

Gugu smiled at her sister, always coming through for her. “What can I do?”

“ARMS!” Nobuhle said enthusiastically.

“What?” Gugu asked, intrigued.

After the conversation with her sister, Gugu returned to her room, changed into her pajamas, and got into bed. Pretty had stayed over so many times that parts of Gugu’s walk-in wardrobe were filled with Pretty’s clothes. Once Pretty changed into her pajamas, she climbed into bed next to Gugu.

“Can we cuddle like old times?” Pretty asked softly.

“Okay, but don’t say ‘cuddle’; we’re just spooning,” Gugu replied before wrapping her arms around Pretty. “Pretty?”

“Yes?” Pretty answered.

Gugu whispered, “I’m joining ARMS. I think you should too.”

“I don’t know,” Pretty said hesitantly.

“Please, your father has no power over ARMS. You can join without his or your mother’s consent, and we can stay together forever,” Gugu urged.

“I like the sound of that,” Pretty replied, her voice filled with hope.