Incredibly far from the metal palace, three people were sitting on a bench warmed by the morning sun. One of three was a gray eyed girl with sun colored hair, she was not more than ten years old. The other one was a beauty, has skin in creamy coffee color and emerald eyes.
The last one was a man in his twenties, although he did not have as unusual features as his companions, he was the most eye-catching figure on the scene with his confident stance. ''I'm sure Eve will learn everything she needs to know when she is admitted to the temple,'' he said. ''Some of us have murders to solve. I have to stop by the police station to ask if there is any improvement.''
''Come on, the cops haven't even started work yet,'' Vivian said. ''When will Eve ever get the chance to talk to a real Panwa priestess again?'' She smiled, looking at the little girl's excited face.
''I'm sure you can answer her questions another day. We need to go.''
Vivian sighed in an artificial manner, ''I see,'' she said with a sad voice. ''You're leaving an injured fox alone, while the attacker shape shifters roam the area.''
Thinking about it, Jason felt guilty. ''I think we can accompany you a little more. Where are we heading to?'' He stood up and gave her a hand.
Vivian hesitated, but finally stood up and took Jason's arm. They started making their way into the inner part of the temple quarter. ''Residents of the temple district live in these houses,'' Vivian pointed to the stone houses around. ''Most of them are goddess Nyx's people. They sleep during the day and continue their lives at night. That's why we have to be very quiet right now.''
Eve nodded with a serious face, ''How strong are they?'' She asked.
''Well... This is a weird question.'' She thought for a few seconds, ''Nyx priestesses and guards are too strong to be ignored. But their numbers are too few, maybe one percent of the entire human population. Also, Nyx is a pacifist goddess.'' She smiled as looking at Eve. ''You will find out soon anyway,'' Vivian said.
''What about Panwa?'' Eve asked.
Vivian's face brightened when she thought of her God, ''Panwa represents the link between predator and prey. He defends neither peace nor war, we believe in the eternal cycle of life and try to be one who survived. Have you ever heard that saying?''
Vivian thought for a second and continued, ''Here, 'Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.' That's how we live. Our goal every day is to be faster and stronger than yesterday.''
Eve shook her head, ''I've never heard of it. Where is Africa? What is the number of Panwa's followers?''
''Africa is one of the five habitable continents.'' She sighed, ''Sadly, our number is not more than Nyx's followers. Panwa and Nyx share the night, one suppressing the other would disturb the balance.''
''Share? How?'' Eve seemed quite willing to listen more.
''Night belongs to Panwa from full moon to semilunar, and it belongs to Nyx from semilunar to new moon. So that all nights of the month are shared,'' Vivian explained with patience.
Eve frowned, ''But...'' She said. ''You said last night you conveyed your farewell to the moon... If there is no moon tonight, who does night belong to?''
When Vivian and Jason suddenly stopped walking, Eve couldn't stop in time and hit them. Vivian looked around nervously, luckily, there was nobody but them around. Jason looked at the little girl, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Eve answered his gaze with innocent eyes.
''In the temple quarter... as well as after sunrise,'' Jason said and shook his head, ''Girl, you're pretty brave.'' Eve raised her eyebrows, it was obvious that she had no idea what she did. Jason sighed, ''Vivian, can you go on alone from here? I will take Eve home. We wasted a lot of time here.'' Vivian nodded and walked away with a pale face.
After that, they got the car and Jason didn't speak to Eve until they got to the mansion. In the garden of the mansion, Eve was unable to stand the silence, ''Did I say something wrong?'' She asked.
''Wait until the sun goes down, okay? We'll talk about this after that,'' Jason said. Eve was not satisfied with this answer but she had nothing to do.
There was a boy tidying the leaves and a dog watching him at the mansion's garden. When the dog saw Jason, it ran across the garden and came near Jason. Meanwhile, it scattered all the leaves the boy had settled.
''Monster!'' The boy called the dog through the flying leaves, but it was too late already. Nedim turned his desperate gaze to Jason and noticed the little girl next to him. Suddenly the boy's face turned red and he looked away. He went back to tidying the garden, he swung the rake, not realizing that it was scattering the leaves further.
Jason smirked and called the boy, ''Nedim, come here.''
''Yes!'' Nedim dropped the rake he held, scattered the leaves he had just collected, and came to them.
''Eve, this is Nedim, one or two years older than you. Nedim, this is Eve,'' Jason introduced them to each other. Eve nodded and Nedim blushed even more.
''I have things to take care of, has Nedim take you to Nancy and get something to wear, okay?'' Jason said to Eve and turned to Nedim, ''Tell Nancy I'll pay her later.''
Eve nervously nodded while Nedim said, ''Yes sir!''
Jason put his hand on the boy's shoulder, ''Introduce her to the kids of the neighborhood and don't let anyone bully her. I entrust the girl to you, do you understand?''
The boy smiled showing his teeth, ''You will owe me again,'' he said.
''I guess so, I will have to get even with you. We'll talk about it when I get back,'' Jason said.
The boy looked at Jason with serious eyes that don't match his age, "Promise?" he asked.
Jason responded to the boy with the gaze he deserved, "Promise." His voice and expression were serious.
Jason ran into old Zack as he left the two kids in the garden and returned to his car, ''Were you watching us?'' He asked Zack.
Zack nodded, ''Will you give the boy what he wants?''
''What does he want?''
''He wants to be like you,'' Zack said. Jason looked at him in surprise. ''No need to be so surprised, there are no other adults around he can consider as an idol. Do you want him to emulate gangsters?''
Jason frowned, ''By stating that way, you don't give me the option to say no.''
''That's why I stated it that way,'' Zack said. His gaze fell on the boy and the girl. ''So that boy is already at that age.''
''Which age?'' Jason asked.
''The age that men's hearts first broke.''