Page 49 of Hell-Bound

“Sure, I’m just glad you’re not dead.”

“Of that, we can agree on,” he nodded excitedly. “But Ren, how is it that,” his tone changed, “you could be so incrediblydenseas to playmusicin the forest of Nahmir!”

Ren was shocked. “I…didn’t think I was playing very loud and—I couldn’t sleep—”

“Do youknowwhat happens to people if they die before fulfilling their contracts? Hmm? They turn into sleepers!” he yelled.

She clamped her mouth shut, embarrassed. It was her turn to flush deep red.

“Jester...I’m sorry. But look, no onetellsme anything! I’m floundering here! I barely have memories, and my sense of danger is part of that, I think.”

The Devil breathed out slowly, calming himself.

“You have to be more careful! I’m too pretty to be an emotionless husk! And I’m sure Azur wouldn’t be wild about the idea—at least not before we finish our errand. Just use that brain of yours next time,” he said, pointing to his temple and crossing his eyes. “Maybe keep that instrument stored for a while.”

Ren felt her disappointment manifest.

Wait.

“Where is it? Where’s my piccolo?” she sputtered, panicked.

Jester pointed to her side table. Whole and uninjured lay her precious piccolo.

“Calm down, Elfy. It’s your contract, remember? It can never be away from you, and it canneverbe broken.”

A twinge of discomfort. She hadn’t even thought about how breaking her contract mightalsomeanbreaking her piccolo. Ren opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by a groan from Jester.

Tendrils of smoke were rising from his palms and from behind his head.

“Gotta run, buddy. I’m being summoned.”

And with that, he vanished, but not before the smokey substance began rising off of her own body.

Ren, we need to talk.

Well, that isn’t foreboding.

In truth, Lord Azur, such-and-such of handsome stupid-land, wasn’t who she wanted to see, but she supposed she owed him at least a conversation after last night.

Before she could respond to him, she was, once again, standing in front of Azur’s desk.

She shivered as she was still only in a thin, silken nightdress, the sensitive buds of her chest pebbling. Ren stubbornly didn’t move to cover herself.

“Geez, can’t you give a girl two minutes to get dressed?”

Azur, sitting behind his desk, gave a momentary start before regaining his composure. He was again the symbol of poise—wings stored and immaculately dressed.

“Pity about your injury,” he said lazily, “a scar down your chest? And they were so perfect before.”

He returned his attention to a paper on his desk.

Despite herself, she crossed her arms, finally feeling exposed at his shameless reference.

“Did you need something? Or am I to stand here all day freezing my ass off?”

He gave a wry smile.

“As much as I’d love to discuss yourass,we have business to attend to. Now that you are healed, I need you and Jester to return to the forest of Nahmir and complete your mission. But first, what isthat?”