Page 23 of Demon Bound

“In the hells, small animals stay silent and hidden. They would be killed by larger animals, otherwise.”

He was less prepared for the mortal plane than she’d guessed. There was so much he didn’t know about Heilune. Even the simple things. She wondered how long he could survive here on his own.

There were people here who hunted demons. Paladins, bounty hunters, soldiers and even city guards. This world was against him. Even with all his power, he could not stand up to it forever.

“Will you explain something to me?” she asked tentatively. “I always thought demons came to our plane because they were mindless creatures hellbent on tormenting mortals. But you are far from mindless, and you haven’t tormented me, at least. So why do you not return to the hells? Heilune is dangerous for your kind.”

He stood up, brushing dirt from his knees. “Whatever awaits me in Heilune, it is better than what I left behind.”

Raiya raised her eyebrows. Did even demons consider the hells to be, well, hellish? Or was Azreth’s situation unique? “What is it like there? I have studied much of this world, but not much is known about yours.”

“We have talked enough about the hells,” he said abruptly. “That book you have. There are runes in it.”

Her lips parted in surprise. “You searched my bag?” She realized he must have done it while she was sleeping in his arms. Not that she’d ever trusted him, but it felt like a violation of trust anyway.

“Yes,” he said, unapologetic. “To help me decide whether you pose a threat to me.”

“Oh?” She crossed her arms, amused by the idea that she could be a threat to him. “AndamI a threat, in your estimation?”

He didn’t answer the question. “You know runes. You read the runes in the dungeon when they tried to bind me. That’s how you knew how to break the mage’s spell so thoroughly.”

“Yes,” she admitted.

“Are you a mage?”

That was a bit of a knife to the heart. “No. Nothing so glamorous.”

She wasn’t sure whether he was pleased or disappointed, but hearing this information made him stop to contemplate something. She waited.

“I would like to amend our agreement,” he said.

She furrowed her brow. Their agreement was precarious enough as it was. “How so?”

“I require assistance with this.” He held out his hand. On his palm was a silvery, glinting square of runes. The ink had washed away, but the runes remained branded faintly into his skin. She had thought they’d broken the enchantment before the runes had a chance to become permanent.It appeared she was wrong.

“I was too late,” she murmured.

Azreth’s lips twitched downward. “What do they say?”

Raiya hesitated. She could lie if she wanted to. He would have no way of knowing. She could tell him that they would kill him if he didn’t return to his own plane, perhaps.

She glanced up at him. For a moment, she caught a flicker of something vulnerable in his expression.

He was alone here. Except for her.

Giving him a wary look, she put her finger to his palm. His skin was hot beneath the pad of her fingertip. Touching him felt like a sin.

“This one says ‘death,’ or ‘final,’” she said. “This part stipulates a promise. And this one means ‘lifelong,’ or ‘forever.’”

“What do they do?”

“I think it’s a piece of a kind of soulbinding. A spell that will keep you partially bound to Nirlan.”

“Bound in what way?”

“I’m not sure. It’s half a spell. Since it was interrupted, I can’t know for certain what the effects are. It could mean nothing… or it could mean that something bad will happen to you if you’re away from Nirlan for too long.”

There was a sudden heaviness to the air between them—Azreth’s quiet anger. “Can they be removed?”