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She’d found that contentment within the arms of a monster, after being thoroughly fucked by him. She’d even pretended their cuddle had radiated with love from both sides, rather than just her own.

That was more than she’d ever hoped for in her life, and she’d take that gift to the afterlife. She could tell Gideon all about it.

So, with a sniffle and renewed courage, she looked at Lindiwe. Her expression was one of sympathy, but Emerie gave the woman a thumbs up.

“Now, let’s go kill the king of Demons.”

Lindiwe grabbed her arm, giving her a stern, disapproving look when she tried to step through the portal. The woman took the lead, going first rather than Emerie – the human with the least protection.

With a heavy silence, everyone else followed swiftly.

Ingram stood in the sun at the edge of the Veil’s forest, staring into its mist and foreboding shade with a sense of... disquiet.

Something didn’t feel right.

Perhaps it was the ribbon bow he could feel flapping lightly against the side of his skull, or the sorrowful glint in Emerie’s icy-blue eyes when she’d given it to him, but dread nagged at the nape of his neck.

A soft gust of wind blew leaves resting around his feet towards the shade. The area was quiet. The world was at peace.

She was safe within Faunus’ yellow ward. She wasn’t alone; she had people to protect her.

So why did he feel like it was a mistake leaving her?

He wanted the elation he’d experienced just this very morning to return. He’d finally connected with Emerie and formed a physical bond with her, then thoroughly affirmed it over the course of the past day and a half.

Just the thought of it should make him shudder with satisfaction.

Instead, he was left cold as he searched for any sign of Faunus’ ward from a distance. It was too far and there was too much dense forest between them.

A large warm hand cupped the rounded joint of his shoulder. He glanced at it, the white protruding bones of the knuckles stark against dark-grey flesh, before he looked upon its owner.

“You will get used to the feeling,” Orpheus said, before removing his comforting touch. “It feels wrong to leave them, but it’s what we must do in order to provide for them.”

I am not alone in this feeling?He wanted that to ease him.

It didn’t.

“Come, we must move on. The sun is on our side.”

Orpheus turned, and Ingram looked towards Magnar. He nodded his fox skull in encouragement, and Ingram reluctantly followed.

At least this would teach him how to hunt for Emerie, rather than to slaughter in a mindless craze. It was the only reason he’d agreed to this.

Orpheus took the lead, and Ingram inspected the clothing he wore to hide his unique Mavka traits. Magnar too, wore pants and a shirt, but he’d chosen to forgo shoes.

Ingram was the only one naked, and he thought they both looked rather... ridiculous.

It also meant when he’d shifted from his monstrous form to his more humanoid one, he hadn’t needed to wait additionally for clothing to form. He’d been comfortably standing long before both of them when they’d reached the edge of the Veil’s forest.

All three had sprinted on all fours. Despite being followed and chased by Demons, none were foolish enough to attack. It’d taken them barely an hour to make it to relative safety.

They walked within the very slip of sun that touched the ground right next to the Veil’s cliff wall until Orpheus started them up an incline. It was steep, but wide enough that two humans could walk side by side; a Mavka just fit.

Just as the surface’s edge became visible, Magnar, who had been walking between him and Orpheus, dropped back. He glided his claws against the wall to keep himself from walking off the edge of their path, as he turned his head to the side to look at Ingram.

His green orbs morphed to dark yellow within in his bony eye sockets.

“Are you going to ask Emerie for her soul?” Magnar enquired, tipping his head. His antlers blocked the sun and caused streaks of shade to branch over the white of his skull.