Princess of Hell

The rough stone felt cold against my ear as I pressed closer to the building's exterior wall. Muffled voices drifted through the deteriorating structure, but the words remained frustratingly unclear through the thick masonry.

"…from the sixth circle…" Nyx's voice carried a note of urgency that cut through the ambient noise of the district. "…components are essential for…"

The rest dissolved into indistinct murmurs, lost in the building's acoustics and the constant background sounds of the Squalor District. I strained to catch more, but whoever Nyx spoke with kept their voice deliberately low, almost whispered.

"Can you hear anything?" Aria breathed beside me, leaning in close enough that her warmth pressed against my shoulder.

"Fragments," I whispered back. "Something about the sixth circle."

Isabella's eyebrows rose at this information. Pestilentia wasn't exactly a casual destination for Academy students—or anyone, really. The perpetual decay and toxic atmosphere made it one of Hell's most inhospitable regions.

Nyx's voice rose again, clearer this time. "We need to hurry. I think I was followed."

My heart skipped a beat. Had she spotted us during our pursuit through the district? I pressed closer to the wall, holding my breath as I listened for any indication of discovery.

A different voice responded, female but pitched too low for me to catch the words through the stone barrier. There was something familiar about the vocal pattern, though—a cadence that tugged at my memory without quite revealing its source. The tone carried authority mixed with what might have been affection, like someone speaking to a trusted subordinate or…

"…got the books you wanted as well," the voice said, finally loud enough for me to hear clearly.

I froze. That voice—I knew I'd heard it before, but the context escaped me. The speaker's accent carried hints of nobility, refined pronunciation that suggested education and status. But where had I encountered it?

"They're coming," I hissed to Aria and Isabella, pulling back from the wall. "We need to hide."

We retreated across the narrow street, ducking behind a collapsed wall that provided adequate concealment while maintaining sight lines to the building's entrance. The structure's shadow offered additional cover, though the stench from whatever had died nearby made breathing unpleasant.

Moments later, the warped door creaked open and Nyx emerged, clutching a canvas bundle of books against her chest while a leather bag hung from her shoulder. She glanced nervously in both directions before pulling her hood lower and hurrying back toward the district's northern exit.

"What do you think she got?" Aria whispered as we watched Nyx's retreating figure navigate the treacherous streets.

"I don't know," I admitted, rising from our hiding spot. "Books, obviously. But whatever she acquired from the sixth circle…" I trailed off, considering the implications.

"Pestilentia isn't exactly a place where first-year students are allowed," Isabella pointed out, adjusting her cloak as we began following Nyx at a safer distance. "Or second-year students, for that matter."

"Allowed is a loose term when it comes to demons," Aria observed with a grin. "But yeah, if you're caught going there without permission, expulsion is pretty much guaranteed."

"So what do you think she got from there?" I asked, keeping my voice low as we moved through the ramshackle streets. The question had been nagging at me since overhearing the conversation.

"Certainly she's not planning on poisoning anyone," I added, though even as I said it, doubt crept into my voice. What legitimate academic purpose could require materials from Hell's circle of decay?

We maintained our distance as Nyx retraced her path through the district, watching her navigate the chaotic marketplace with the same familiarity she'd shown earlier. The bundle of books remained clutched protectively against her chest, while the leather bag swayed with each hurried step.

The familiar voice from the building continued to trouble me. Its refined tones seemed so out of place in the Squalor District's crude environment, yet the speaker had clearly been comfortable conducting business in such surroundings. That contradiction suggested someone accustomed to moving between different social circles—someone with both noble connections and underworld contacts.

As we followed Nyx back toward the district's northern boundary, the architecture gradually improved and the air grew marginally cleaner. The transition felt stark after our time in the Squalor District's depths, like emerging from a nightmare into merely unpleasant reality.

"Look at her," Aria murmured, nodding toward Nyx's tense posture. "She's terrified someone will discover what she's carrying."

"With good reason," Isabella replied. "Materials from Pestilentia aren't exactly standard academic supplies."

The acrid fumes began to dissipate as we left the district's worst sections behind, though the stench of decay still clung to our clothes and hair. I found myself breathing more easily despite the lingering questions about what we'd witnessed.

Nyx's mysterious transaction had raised more concerns than it answered. Whatever she'd acquired from the sixth circle, combined with books from an unknown source, suggested research far beyond typical Academy curriculum. The urgency in her voice and her obvious fear of discovery only deepened the mystery.

As the last of the ramshackle structures disappeared behind us and the northern district's cleaner streets came into view, I couldn't shake the feeling that we'd stumbled onto something significant—something that might prove far more dangerous than simple academic curiosity.

* * *

As we emerged from the Squalor District's suffocating atmosphere into the relatively cleaner air of the northern boundary, Aria practically bounced on her toes with barely contained excitement. Her purple eyes sparkled with that familiar gleam that usually preceded either brilliant insights or spectacularly poor decisions.

"I told you so!" she announced triumphantly, spinning around to face Isabella and me with her hands planted firmly on her hips. "I absolutely told you there was something suspicious going on!"

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Aria," I began, but she cut me off with an emphatic gesture.

"No, no, no. Don't you dare try to downplay this." She wagged her finger at us like a professor scolding wayward students. "You both thought I was being ridiculous when I suggested we follow her. Isabella with her 'probably just academic materials' theory, and Lily agreeing that it was likely nothing interesting."

Isabella sighed, adjusting her cloak as we walked toward the Academy's imposing walls. "You're not wrong about there being more to the situation than we initially suspected."

"More to the situation?" Aria's voice pitched higher with indignation. "Isabella, she just picked up components from someone in the Squalor District who has connections to Pestilentia! That's not 'more to the situation,' that's a full-blown conspiracy!"

I couldn't help but smile at Aria's theatrical outrage. Her enthusiasm was infectious, even when it came packaged with relentless self-congratulation. "Alright, Aria. You were right to be suspicious."

"Thank you," she said with exaggerated dignity, then immediately dropped the pretence and grinned. "But I want to hear you both admit it properly. Say 'Aria, you were absolutely right about Nyx, and we should have listened to your brilliant detective instincts.'"

"I am not saying that," Isabella replied flatly, though I caught the hint of amusement in her ice-blue eyes.

"Come on," Aria wheedled, falling into step between us as we navigated the cleaner streets. "Just once. For my ego."

"Your ego hardly needs additional encouragement," I pointed out, but found myself chuckling despite the serious nature of what we'd witnessed. "Fine. You were right about there being something more complex happening with Nyx."

"And Isabella?"

Isabella maintained her composed expression for several more steps before relenting. "Your suspicions proved more accurate than my initial assessment."

"Close enough!" Aria declared with satisfaction. "Though I'm definitely remembering this moment the next time you two dismiss one of my theories as paranoid speculation."

As we approached the Academy's gates, Aria's expression shifted from triumph to practical consideration. "So, what do we do now? Should we search her dormitory? See what she's actually got hidden in those books and that bag?"

"I doubt she would hide anything significant in her room," Isabella mused, her analytical mind already working through the logistics. "Even without spatial rings like ours, she's intelligent enough to realize that dormitories aren't particularly secure. Other students, cleaning staff, Academy inspections…"

"Still worth checking though, right?" Aria pressed, her tail swishing with anticipation. "I mean, we have to start somewhere."

Isabella nodded slowly. "A reasonable first step, assuming we can gain access without attracting attention."

"Yes!" Aria pumped her fist in the air with unrestrained glee. "Finally, a normal adventure! No sewers full of vampires, no ancient laboratories with creepy liches, no mysterious elven villages in impossible locations. Just good old-fashioned dormitory infiltration and investigation."

I burst into laughter at her enthusiasm. The way she categorized our recent experiences made them sound like routine occurrences rather than the life-threatening supernatural crises they'd actually been. "Your definition of 'normal adventure' is somewhat concerning, Aria."

"Hey, breaking into someone's room to investigate mysterious magical research is practically mundane compared to what we've been through lately," she countered with a grin that was absolutely contagious. "Besides, this time nobody's trying to kill us or sacrifice a city to dark powers."

"That we know of," Isabella added dryly.

"Don't jinx it," I warned, though I found myself smiling as I got caught up in Aria's infectious excitement.

"Well then," Aria said, rubbing her hands together with anticipation, "let's get back and plan our next move properly."

* * *

Back in our dormitory, Bellas looked up from where he'd been quietly organizing some books on the desk, his blonde hair catching the light as he turned toward us with that familiar welcoming smile.

"Welcome back, mistresses," he said, rising gracefully from his chair. "How did your afternoon—"

"Sorry, gorgeous," Aria interrupted, throwing herself dramatically onto her bed, "but we don't have time for any fun and games right now. Business calls."

Bellas simply nodded with understanding, settling back into his chair without any trace of disappointment. He'd learned long ago to read our moods and adapt accordingly.

Isabella settled gracefully into one of our chairs while I perched on the edge of my own bed, already turning over the logistics in my mind.

"So," Aria said, staring at the ceiling, "we wait for dinner, then slip into Nyx's room while she's studying. Simple enough."

"Not quite that simple," I replied, pulling out the mental map I'd been constructing. "We need to consider all the factors. What if she doesn't go to the library? What if her roommates stay behind? What if someone sees us?"

"Those are all manageable risks," Isabella observed, her fingers steepled as she considered our options. "The real question is what we do with whatever information we discover."

I nodded, having already reached the same conclusion. "Which is why I think we should talk to Professor Moira first."

Aria's head snapped up so fast I was surprised she didn't give herself whiplash. "What? No. Absolutely not."

"Hear me out," I said, raising a hand to forestall her inevitable protests. "This isn't like our previous adventures. We're dealing with something that involves Academy students, potentially forbidden research, and connections to Pestilentia. Having a faculty member aware of the situation would be strategically sound."

"We've been fine so far without dragging teachers into our business," Aria argued, sitting up and crossing her arms. "Why start now?"

"Because before, our adventures were mostly outside Academy grounds," I pointed out. "This is different. Besides, it's not like we really needed faculty supervision when we were fighting vampires in London or investigating northern caves. But this? This is Academy politics and potentially illegal student research. Moira's expertise would be valuable."

Isabella leaned forward slightly, her analytical expression suggesting she was weighing the merits of my proposal. "Lily raises valid points. Professor Moira's position gives her access to information and authority we lack. If Nyx is involved in something truly dangerous, we may need official backing to address it properly."

"Plus," I added, knowing this particular argument would carry weight with both of them, "Moira essentially works for my mother. Her loyalty isn't questionable, and she already knows about my identity. She's probably the safest faculty member to involve."

Aria groaned and flopped back onto the bed with theatrical despair. "I hate it when you two gang up on me with logic. It's completely unfair."

"Logic tends to be effective," Isabella noted with what might have been the ghost of a smile.

"Fine," Aria said, though her tone suggested she was anything but resigned to the idea. "But if Professor Moira decides to confiscate our spatial rings or assigns us detention scrubbing cauldrons in the alchemy labs, I'm blaming both of you."

"Noted," I replied, already standing and moving toward my wardrobe. "Though I suspect Moira will be more interested in preventing potential disasters than punishing us for being proactive."

"Optimist," Aria muttered, but she was already getting up as well.

Isabella rose with her characteristic grace, smoothing out her skirt. "Shall we find her office, then? The sooner we brief her on the situation, the sooner we can proceed with our investigation."

"Assuming she doesn't forbid us from investigating entirely," Aria added with a pointed look in my direction.

"She won't," I said with more confidence than I entirely felt. "Moira understands that sometimes the most effective approach is to work with student initiative rather than against it."

As we prepared to leave, I couldn't shake the feeling that involving Professor Moira was the right choice. The components from Pestilentia, the mysterious voice I'd heard, the obvious terror in Nyx's behaviour—all of it suggested something far more serious than typical Academy rule-breaking. Whatever Nyx was involved in, we needed an adult perspective on the potential consequences.

"Alright," I said, checking that my spatial ring was secure and my appearance properly composed. "Let's go talk to Moira."

The three of us left the dormitory, our footsteps echoing in the corridor as we headed toward the faculty wing, each lost in our own thoughts about what we might discover.