Hi y'all! I'm not dead yet! Just out with a cold and college…and injured parents…

Have a happy Thanksgiving, if you're in America, if not, have a happy day, week, month, year, etc…
Hopefully I'll see you around Christmas!

Don't forget to please Read and Review!

Dante's PoV

Allegro slept until four that night, and when she woke up, she grabbed my sleeve, since Dad had sat her next to me on the couch.

"Daddy?"

"Over there." I pointed at him across the room.

Opal shook her head, and we all stared at her. Opal hadn't relaxed the whole time Dad had been in the house, and Pearl was trying to get her to relax.

"Sis, come on. Relax."

"Not good. Not good." Opal said, "He's not good."

"I'm gonna take her upstairs. She's having a little problem." Pearl dragged Opal upstairs.

"How has my daughter been?"

"Just fine without you." Allegro said, standing up, "You are not our father." She tilted her head to the side, "You don't smell right, you don't sound right, and you don't look right." She cast a glance at me, "How could you be fooled by this act?"

"By what? Allegro, I think you need to go upstairs, take a shower, get yourself," She reached out and slapped me as I spoke.

"You can't smell that?" She asked "You can't smell the death and disease that is saturating this room right now?"

"Allegro," I stood up, feeling light-headed, "You need to,"

"Dante, what did you eat this morning?"

"I ate," I frowned, the memory was slightly fuzzy, "toast, cereal, and had a cup of tea."

"What did you eat for lunch?"

"I," This memory was even fuzzier, "A…sandwich?"

"What time did Eve call me?"

"She called? I don't remember. Why does it matter?"

"Do you feel kind of sick, kind of dizzy?" Allegro grabbed my shirt front, yanking me down to her level. She stared at my face hard for a second, before baring her teeth and releasing me.

"kind of. Why?"

"It's a spell. Designed to confuse and block off memories surrounding your meeting with this person." Allegro back-handed him again, "Now, we need to get him out of here."

"If there is a spell, how come you're not affected by it?"

"Because I recognized it and cast a second spell to block his spell." Allegro said, "That's why I fell asleep. The spell knocks you out for a little while."

"Uppity little brat." The man stood up, "Yes, I'm not your father. But I know what happened to him."

"He was shot." Allegro said, "I saw the body myself."

"The shot is not what killed him."

"Then explain to me how he died." Allegro snarled, "Because I saw him die. I saw him get shot and he died holding my hand." Allegro's arms were shaking, "Who are you?"

"You saw him die?"

"Would a wolf lie?" Allegro snarled. I knew right then that something really was wrong.

"Allegro,"

"Shatterspell!" Allegro slapped the man who looked like our father. In an instant his disguise broke apart, and my mind was clear again.

"What was that?"

"Mindblur. New spell designed to copy Friendface and to dull the mind of anyone that comes in contact with him." Allegro stood in front of him, her arms folded across her chest, "Now, how the hell did you learn that spell?"

"Taught to me by the Professor before he left." The man smiled, "But I am not your enemy, Soluna-Allegra."

"How do you know that name?"

"Because I knew your mother. And Adges."

"Adges." Allegro got quiet. I could see the hurt in her face as I put a hand to her shoulders.

"And I know where your father is, Dante and Allegro Vale."

"Queen of Hearts'" PoV

I hate this muck. I hate this mire. I hate these situations dire.

Damnit! I'm starting to sound like that damned rhyming Club.

I looked up at the sewer cap above me, praying that was the right one. I climbed up the rusty ladder and lifted the cap a little. I was in the right spot. Thank god.

"Queen, come in."

"What?" I snapped. These people were so irritating.

"Location check."

"Like you need to know, you clumsy Spade!" I shouted into my mike before climbing from the sewer. I stretched and walked down the street, humming. People smiled at me and I smiled back, glancing at address numbers and street names.

"Can I help you?" A brunette girl asked me.

"Yes, I'm, um, trying to find my friend. Her name is Cassie?"

"I know a few girls names Cassie. What's your friend's last name?"

"Uh, last time I knew it was Reynolds, but she may have changed it in the four years since I last saw her."

"I don't know anyone by that name. Sorry." The young lady left me in the street. Frankly, I was appalled. She seemed familiar. I paused and turned toward the waterway, pretending to ponder the flow of the water instead of the girl. What had made her familiar to me?

Her eyes. Those were the same eyes as that boy that defeated me in London. She's some relation to him. A close relation. Very close. I frowned in thought, and it struck me.

She's a Casterwill. She's a descendant of the one who betrayed my family. Who left my family to die! I turned and searched for the girl. Where was she? She had just left me, not even a minute and a half ago. I stomped down the sidewalk, my eyes searching for her. Looking for any glimpse of that ragged outfit that suited her so well. How fitting that a ragged family would produce a ragged child. But her brother had been so, so clean. Could this ragged girl really be his sister? That boy was unquestionably a Casterwill, his actions and his 'I'm better than you' attitude. This girl couldn't possibly be a Casterwill. I ducked into an alley and summoned my Gareon. He was my only power-bonded titan, and amazing at security details, "There's a Casterwill a few blocks from here." I brought up a mental image of her face, "Find her and follow her. I need information on where she lives." I touched Gareon's face and he nodded once before taking off.

Now, a waiting game began.

I hate waiting.

Sorry this chap is so short. Next one will be longer, I promise!

R&R please!

GracefulDancingWolf.