Kena walked beside Hope, her boots making a soft tapping sound on the golden city's busy streets.
The fight with those moving statues earlier had her heart pumping fast, and she still felt all excited inside.
But Justice's secret—and the way Hope stayed so quiet about it—kept popping into her head, bothering her like a little thorn.
Her green cloak moved in the wind, brushing against her legs, and the glowing stone in her pocket bumped her thigh with every step.
She wanted answers so much it almost hurt, but Hope wouldn't say a word.
His iron mask stayed closed tight, keeping everything he knew locked up inside.
They passed by a big market, and Kena's eyes got wide. The stalls were full of all kinds of things—bright red and yellow fruits, soft cloaks in every color, and shiny rings that sparkled in the sun.
Her stomach growled so loud she was sure Hope heard it. She turned to him, her face lighting up.
"Hey, Hope," she said, her voice quick and eager. "Can we stop and get some food? I'm so hungry I could eat a whole basket of apples!"
Hope looked over at her, his head moving slow like he was thinking it over.
"Yeah, sure," he said after a moment, his voice calm as always.
He reached into the pouch at his side, fumbling around for a second.
"I've got a coin here somewhere," Hope said. "You go ahead and pick something, Kena. Whatever you want."
Kena's grin stretched wide across her face. "Oh, you're the best, Hope!" she said, clapping her hands together.
She didn't wait for him to say more—she was already moving toward a stall that caught her eye.
There, on a wooden table, were pastries—round and golden, with a sweet honey smell that made her mouth water.
"These look so good," she said, turning her head to look at him.
She grabbed two, one in each hand, and held one out to Hope. "Here, you take this one. Let's eat them quick, okay? I don't want to wait another second!"
"Okay," Hope said, his voice steady as he took the pastry from her hand. "Thanks, Kena."
He lifted it to his mouth and took a bite, and she did the same. The taste hit her right away—sweet and sticky, with a warm, soft center that was just perfect.
She chewed fast, her cheeks puffing out a little, and smiled at him with crumbs on her lips.
They found an old crate nearby and sat down on it, their shoulders almost touching.
Kena wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and reached into her pocket.
She pulled out the photo she'd been carrying, holding it up in front of her face. She stared at it for a long moment, her brow wrinkling.
"Justice," she muttered under her breath, shaking her head slow. "He's still such a jerk, Hope. I can't believe how mean he is sometimes. Can you?"
Hope chewed his pastry a little slower, his eyes flicking over to her.
"Yeah, he's tough," he said, his voice low. "But you've got that picture safe with you, Kena. That's what counts."
"For now," she said, her frown deepening as she looked at the photo again.
Then she felt something—a little tug at first, like a breeze pulling at the paper.
But then it got sharp, and the photo yanked right out of her fingers, floating up into the air all by itself.
"Hey!" Kena yelled, her voice loud and sharp as she jumped to her feet. "What's happening to it?!"
The photo zipped away fast, like some invisible hand was holding it, playing a game with her.
"Thief!" Kena shouted, her words booming over the market's chatter.
She took off running after it, her cloak flapping wildly behind her like a green flag.
The photo bobbed through the crowd, dodging between people left and right.
Hope ran too, catching up quick. He pulled his sword out with a swift motion, the metal glinting in the sunlight.
"Kena, where'd it go?" Hope called out to her, his voice steady even though he was moving fast.
She could tell he was worried, though—his shoulders were tense.
"Right there!" she yelled back, pointing straight ahead with her free hand.
The photo darted past a stall piled high with fruit, weaving around baskets like it knew where it was going.
Kena pushed through the crowd, her shoulder bumping into a big stack of apples.
They tumbled down with a loud clatter, rolling all over the ground.
"Oh, sorry!" she shouted over her shoulder to the stall owner, who was shaking his fist. "I'll come back and fix it later, I swear! I promise!"
The market turned into a wild mess—people yelling, carts tipping over, voices mixing into one big jumble of noise.
The photo flew up high, then dipped low, teasing her like it was having fun. Kena jumped up, her fingers swiping at the air, but she caught nothing.
"Come back here!" she screamed, her face turning red from running and shouting. "That's mine, you sneaky little thing! Give it back!"
Hope was right beside her, swinging his sword through the air. The blade whooshed, but it didn't hit anything.
"Kena, it's too fast!" he said, his breath coming out hard now. "I can't get it with this!"
"No kidding, Hope!" she snapped back, her eyes glued to the photo as it danced just out of reach. "It's like it's laughing at us, the little pest!"
She spotted a broom leaning against a stall and grabbed it without thinking.
"Okay, let's try this instead," she told him, swinging it with all her might.
The broom smacked something—she couldn't see what—but the photo dropped fast, tumbling toward the ground.
Kena dove forward, her arms stretched out, and caught it just before it hit the dirt.
"Got you!" she yelled, clutching it tight against her chest.
A laugh echoed around them—high and sneaky, like a kid who'd pulled a prank.
Invisible footsteps pattered away, getting quieter until they faded into the market's noise.
Kena sat up, breathing hard, her chest heaving. "Hope, what was that thing?" she asked, her voice shaky from the chase. "Did you see anything at all?"
He slid his sword back into its sheath, looking down at her. "An invisible thief," he said, his voice calm again now.
"They're around here sometimes, Kena," he added. "They like to steal stuff just for fun. That's all it was."
"Fun?!" Kena snapped, her eyes going wide. "It took my photo, Hope! That's not fun for me—not even a little bit!"
She stood up, brushing dirt off her knees with quick, angry swipes.
"You got it back, though," Hope said, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
She couldn't see his mouth under that mask, but she knew he was smiling a little.
"You were quick, Kena," he said. "Really fast."
She glared at him, holding the photo even tighter. "Yeah, well, it better stay put now," she said, shoving it deep into her pocket next to the glowing stone.
"This place is totally nuts, Hope," she added. "Statues that move, thieves I can't even see—what's going to happen next? Huh?"
He shrugged, stepping closer to her. "It's Velmoria," he said simply. "Strange stuff happens all the time here, Kena. You're doing fine with it, though."
"Fine?" she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I almost lost this picture because of some invisible jerk! I'm not fine, Hope. Not even close."
She kicked at the ground, her boot scuffing the dirt. She was mad, and her heart wouldn't stop pounding.
"But you didn't lose it," he said, his voice soft and steady. "You fought for it, Kena. You didn't give up. That's what matters most."
She huffed, looking away from him for a second. "Maybe," she muttered under her breath. "I still don't like it one bit."
Her heart was still racing from the chase, thumping loud in her chest.
The golden city's glow didn't feel so warm anymore—it was like it was hiding tricks and traps everywhere she turned.
She looked back at Hope, her eyes narrowing a little.
"Hey, are you ever going to tell me about that twin thing with Justice? You keep dodging it!" she said.
Hope tilted his head, staying quiet for a moment. "Soon," he said, just like he always did when she asked.
Kena groaned loud, throwing her hands up in the air.
"Oh, come on, Hope!" she said. "You're like a broken record with that! 'Soon, soon'—when is soon going to be? I'm so tired of waiting for you to spill it!"
"I know," he said, his voice still calm. "It's not easy for me to talk about, Kena. Just trust me a little longer, okay? Please?"
"Trust you?" she said, staring right into his eyes. "I do trust you, Hope. You're my friend—one of the best I've got. But you keep secrets from me, and I don't like it. I feel like I'm running out of time here!"
"I get it," he said, looking down at the ground for a second. "I don't want to mess this up, Kena. I'll tell you when the time's right. I promise you that."
She sighed, rubbing her face with both hands. "Fine, Hope. But you better mean that promise. I'm not joking around about this." She smiled a little, though—just a tiny bit.
Chasing that thief had been wild and scary, but she'd won in the end. Small wins like that kept her going, kept her strong.
They started walking again, leaving the noisy market behind them.
The palace loomed up ahead, all golden and tall, shining in the sunlight.
Kena knew her time was slipping away fast, and Justice was still her big goal—she had to face him soon.
But Hope's secret—it was getting bigger in her mind every single day. She glanced over at him, his mask catching the light just right.
"You know I'll figure you out, right?" she said, her voice teasing now. "One way or another, Hope, I'm going to get that story out of you."
He looked at her, his eyes crinkling again. "I know you will, Kena," he said, his voice warm. "You don't give up easy. That's one thing I've learned about you."
"Nope," she said, her grin growing wider. "Never have, never will. You're stuck with me, Hope, whether you like it or not."
"Good," he said simply, and they kept walking, side by side.
The city buzzed around them, full of life and noise, but Kena felt a little stronger with every step.
She'd get the truth out of him soon—she just had to keep pushing, like she always did.