The Party at Mount Soho

"I didn't know you were a princess", Haze said to her as he took the key.

"Of course cutie, I'm a princess", Neesha replied. "The princess of witches".

"What?!", Haze yelled and moved back, he put his hand on his sword, ready to draw it out at any time.

"You don't have to panick", The shop keeper said. "The princess is very nice".

Neesha smiled. "Yes I am, especially to cute boys like you".

Elena snarled beside him and Haze shot her a warning look. He didn't know if the princess of witches knew their mission here and he couldn't risk angering her, especially if she could be their ticket to the palace.

"You can go to your rooms now, I'll come join you soon".

Haze nodded and walked with Elena to the rooms.

The passageway was a very narrow one, floorboards groaned as they stepped on them, the scent of damp wood permeated the air.

"I have a bad feeling about her", Elena said as they passed through the corridor.

"I know", Haze replied.

They walked in silence.

"Do you think she knows why we're here?", Elena asked after a while.

"I want to cautious as possible so I won't assume yet but I don't think she does", Haze said.

"How do you know?", Elena asked him.

The shop keeper, she wasn't surpised that she paid for our rooms, it was almost like she was used to her being kind to people.

"Hmm", Elena grunted.

They walked in silence.

"Something's happening to me", Haze said. "I don't understand it but I'm changing".

"Is that why you wanted to choke me to death?", Elena asked.

"Yes, the anger built out of nowhere. I don't even know why it did, I've never been offended at being commanded", Haze replied, he rubbed his forehead in frustration.

"When did it start?", Elena asked.

"It's started ever since I got here", Haze replied. "But this is one is very recent, very recent, it started since… since… *, He racked his head trying to remember.

"Since I killed the old woman". He realized with surprise. "It started when I killed the old woman".

"The old hag?", Elena asked.

"Yes, do you think I absorbed something", from her.

"No, I've told you already, you can only absorb powers from pure monsters", Elena shook her head.

They reached Haze's room first. Haze stopped to open his door, from the corner of his eyes he saw Elena walk to her door which was next to his.

"Come stay with me", He said to her.

"But the princess...", Elena started to say.

"She wants us to sleep in different rooms, it's not time to sleep yet is it?", Haze smirked.

"No, I guess not", Elena replied and joined him.

Haze opened the door to reveal a simply furnished room. There was a medium sized bed in the room, a table stood by it side, there was a mirror at the adjacent wall, some flowers and a pair of slippers were all that constituted the room.

"Efficient", Elena said and Haze had to agree with her.

They dropped their bags, Elena sat at the edge of the bed and Haze sat on the chair, facing her.

"You wanted to kiss me, back there", Elena said.

"I did", Haze agreed.

"Why?", She asked him.

"I don't know", He said honestly. "Look I think you're very attractive but the whole cousins thing threw me off".

"Until now?", She said.

"Until now", He agreed.

There was brief silence.

"I wanted you to do it", She said.

"I know".

"I still want you to".

"I know".

"So what's stopping you?", She asked him.

"Nothing, I guess".

Haze looked at her and saw the expectation on her face, he leaned in towards her.

There was a sudden knock on the door.

Haze groaned. "Who's there?"

"It's me", Neesha's voice called back.

Haze had to admit, the princess had impeccable timing.

"Come in", He told her.

The door slid open moments later and the princess stepped in, she had a shy smile on her face that died when she saw Elena in the room.

"Oh, I thought you'd be in your room by now", She said to her.

"I'll go there to sleep. I'm not sleepy yet", Elena said in a curt voice.

"Oh", The princess said in a disappointed voice. She suddenly perked up again. "There's a party tonight, in the palace. The two of you are invited".

"At the palace?", Haze repeated.

"Yes, at Mount Soho", Neesha replied. "You know how to reach there?"

"We'll find our way", Haze replied.

Neesha went to the table, she wrote out something on a piece of paper and gave it to Haze, "this should get you in".

Haze couldn't believe his luck, he took the note and folded it into his pocket. "Thank you", He said to Neesha.

She beamed and kissed him on the cheek. "You're welcome cutie".

"I was going to stay and talk a little", Neesha said to him, she looked at Elena. "But, I think I'll go now. I expect you at the palace after nightfall".

She turned around and left the room.

"I hate her so much!", Elena snarled and started pacing the room. "So annoying!"

"Yes but she's useful", Haze said and raised the note Neesha left. "Now we can enter the palace".

"What if it's a setup?", Elena asked. "Why is she being nice to us? She claims it's because you're cute but what if she's lying?".

"If she's telling the truth, we'll be in the palace this night, and if she's lying, we'll be in the palace this night", Haze said. "I like the odds of that".

He got and paced around briskly then he stopped.

"Now take a quick nap, I need you to be refreshed for tonight", He said to her.

"What about you?", Elena asked. "Don't you need rest?"

"Me?" Haze said with a smirk. "I've never felt better".

It was true, his head might hurt a little but it was clearer than he had ever been, he knew what was coming and he was ready for it.

"Tonight, the Queen of Witches would return Hades' ring or die".

After it got dark, Haze woke Elena up.

"It's time to go", He said to her.

Elena rubbed her eyes, she yawned and stretched. "Already?"

"Yes", Haze replied already standing by the door.

"Can't we wait a little longer?", Elena asked and laid down again.

"No", Haze said and went back to the bed, he shook her vigorously.

"Okay, okay. I'm up", She snapped and got up.

Haze opened the door and was about to step out.

"You can't wear that", Elena said and pointed to the sword around his shoulder.

"Oh, right", Haze said and took it off. He held the sword in his hands and wondered how he was going to sneak it in.

"I know, how about you wear it under your clothes", Elena suggested.

Haze didnt like the idea of the cold metal touching his bare skin throughout but he didn't see any alternatives so he pulled off his top and turned his back to Elena to help him fasten the sword to his shoulder.

She helped him put it in place, then he wore his top over it. She then squeezed one of his cheeks when she was done.

"What the heck?!", Haze yelled and turned around.

Elena gave sheepish smile.

"Let's just go", Haze muttered and they left the room.

The journey to the palace wasn't too long but the sword at Haze's back made his body rigid and he walked stiffly, slowing him down.

The palace at Mount Soho looked more like a demonic cave than a palace. It had a huge entrance, tall and wide enough to fit the spider king. Lit torches decorated different points on the cave and Haze knew from the color of flames that they weren't natural flames.

Fifteen guards stood at the entrance alone, they weren't armed but on close inspection one would see they had metal claw instead of finger nails and they had fangs instead of teeth.

His sharp sense of smell told him they were more guards hidden from plain sight, watching their every move.

They don't play about their Queen huh?, He thought.

At the entrance, Haze tried to act natural, he kept a lazy smile on his face as he gave the guard the note, she read it and peered curiously at Haze and Elena. Then she gave them back the note.

"You can enter", She said and waved them in.

Haze was about to heave a sigh of relief when one of the guards suddenly stopped them.

"Hey you two, wait there!"