Page 18 of The Demon’s Delight (The Demon Princes #3)
Chapter 17
Seir
H ailon twitched in my arms, a high-pitched whine leaving her throat.
“Shh,” I soothed her, using my fingers to comb through her hair some more. That always relaxed me, and she’d liked it before, so it was worth a try. I’d almost suspected a sleep paralysis demon was visiting her, but there was nobody else around that I could see. Besides, I doubted they’d try anything with me nearby, outranking them as I did.
At some point in our sleep, she’d spun and was now facing me. I had absolutely no complaints about that. Her arms were tucked up against her chest, her hands curled into fists under her chin. An intense frown plagued her even in dreams, and she tensed as though doing battle with something I couldn’t see.
“It’s alright,” I muttered, smoothing out the lines on her forehead and between her eyebrows with my fingertips. “Shh. It’s okay. I’ve got you. Rest easy.” I tugged her closer, hoping that the warmth and security of my hold helped. I pressed my lips to the place the lines had been, whispering oaths of protection directly into her skin. With the arm that was caught between us, I loosened her clenched fingers and held them with my own, feeling the thud of her steady heartbeat against the back of my hand.
I breathed the cool night air and the scent of her hair, far more content than I had any right to be. The beat of her heart matched up to mine, and I reveled in the relief that gave the incessant burning in my ribs. Other, lower aches just had to be ignored.
Before I realized I’d fallen back asleep, I was startled awake by my own snoring.
I detested the thought of leaving Hailon alone, especially since she was finally sleeping peacefully, but the fire was nearly guttered again, and if the chill of the stone we were lying on was seeping through my clothes, it would definitely be an issue for her.
The moon was still high, but dawn couldn’t be too far off. She’d worked for hours fixing my wounds, her focus so all-consuming I’d been both awed and concerned. I understood why she’d been such a prized commodity for those detestable men, and I was happier than ever to have removed her from such a vile situation.
I inhaled deeply once away from the stone shelter, filling my lungs with the rich smell of the forest at night. Dark soil and acidic pine mingled with dew as my hands and tail gathered sticks enough to revitalize the fire and leave a small pile to the side. I filled our small pot with water at the creek, taking a moment to wash my hands and face while I was there. It was on my way back that I saw it. The clear form of the castle that had once stood proud in the place we’d sought shelter.
Pillars and doorways revealed themselves in the moonlight, vines trailing up and over ancient walls, disguising them from daytime view.
Curiosity piqued, I adjusted the cloaks so they covered Hailon better and put the pot on some stones near the flames. Then I walked back toward the place where I’d landed after we slid down the hill. The more I moved, the more I could see of the once glorious structure illuminated by the moonlight.
Mentally reassembling the fallen walls, I approached the craggy remnants of one with reverence and placed my palm along the edge. With my boot, I scuffed some moss away, finding flat stone underneath.
“I wouldn’t leave either,” I admitted out loud. Realizing what I’d said, I hastily added, “If I were king of this place, I wouldn’t want to leave my lovely home either.”
“Smart amendment,” a low voice replied from the shadows beyond the ancient doorway.
Stepping back in surprise, I stared as a tall figure came into the splash of moonlight on my side of the ancient fallen lintel. He had a stern expression on his face, and long brown hair pulled back in three tight braids. A linen shirt and what looked to be leather pants encased much of his brawny form. One hand gripped the hilt of a sword, pulling it free from the leather sheath draped over his hips. The longer I stared at his face, the more fiercely recognition tugged at me.
“Oh! Hello. I’ve spent enough time with the fae to know I should take care with my words in a place such as this.”
“You shouldn’t be here, human—friend of the fae or not.” He frowned, shifting his weight in a way that put me on alert.
His blade swung through the air, whistling as it passed close to my face. I twisted my body and crouched in one smooth movement, retrieving my smaller blades from the hiding spot along my back as I took several steps back. I regretted having taken off my sword belt to sleep.
“Well, to be fair, we really didn’t choose to be here. Honestly, we were actively avoiding the ruins altogether, but our map has several things all wrong.”
“Is that so?” The large man and I faced off, my little daggers fending off his sword as he danced me around the open area between the crumbling walls, sword cleaving the air near my body the whole way.
“I swear it. I can show you, if you like. Seems the artist was either having an off day when he drew it out or was setting up anyone who found it for disaster.”
“You shouldn’t have come here.” The clang of his steel clashing with mine vibrated through my bones, invigorating me. I’d caught his blade between the X of my daggers, and a joyful laugh bubbled up as I stepped back again, releasing his weapon. He grunted, the frown on his face intensifying.
“This is fun! I’ve not had such a worthy opponent in a while.”
He growled, slashing and lunging at me in earnest. I chucked as I turned, getting a running start toward one of the more stable-looking wall fragments. I used my momentum and the help of a fallen pillar to launch myself to the top.
“I swear! We aren’t here purposely. We’re on our way north. The road got odd once it started to climb. There shouldn’t even be hills here, according to the map. It felt like we walked into some strange magic. I got too close to the edge of the road, and it gave way. I fell down the hill, and here we are.” I shrugged. “I’m Seir.” I stuck out my arm, an invitation for a handshake that he did not and could not accept from so far below me. His head cocked to the side, his eyes squinted in a glare, but he said nothing further. “You’re stone kin, are you not? You remind me quite a lot of a gargoyle I know in Revalia. Also, I’m not a human, actually.” I waved at him with my tail and brought forth my wings, making a point to display my horns as well. My wings still needed a bit of mending from the fall, and I couldn’t fully shift, but it worked well enough to show him what I was.
“A demon?” He growled again, my true nature clearly more insulting than if I were only a human.
I put my hands up, gesturing that I meant no harm, though admittedly as I was holding daggers, the gesture didn’t have the impact I’d hoped for. “I’m no danger to you, nor, I hope, you to me. I’m only here to help my… friend”—I gestured to the glow of our fire and the sleeping silhouette of Hailon near it—“get home. Then I’ll be on my way back to Hell.” My stomach clenched as I said the words, the nagging ache in my chest flaring to a bright burn. Even the word friend tasted wrong, like I’d eaten a handful of ashes. “Well, I might stop by d’Arcan to see my brothers first. They’d probably be cross if I didn’t, and I wouldn’t mind seeing everyone.”
“Who is this stone kin you know?” he asked, taking several steps toward me, his blade still raised, but his body no longer tensed to strike. It did not escape my notice that he’d never actually answered my question.
“Well, I’ve met nearly the entire clan now, I think, but you resemble Magnus very strongly, particularly in the eyes. Are you kin to him? General Aurichal?”
“Who is your family in Revalia?”
I grinned, believing I’d gotten through to him that we were not enemies. After putting my blades away, I used my extended wings as a buffer and jumped back down to the ground, landing a few paces from him.
“My brother Rylan runs the Collegium d’Arcan. Vassago is there with him now as well. And their lovely mates, of course.”
The man blinked, his entire countenance softening. His head tilted again, his dark-brown eyes roving over me as though weighing how much of a threat I might be. Abruptly, he shoved the sword back into its sheath and put his hand out. His fingers clasped mine with a grip that went a step beyond firm. “I’m Coltor. Magnus is my father.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” I vigorously shook his hand with both of mine, unable to contain the smile that spread across my face. I was thrilled to not only have found the ruins, but an acquaintance of this kind. “I’ve had the honor of meeting your sisters as well, they’re both forces unto themselves.”
His face twitched into a knowing smile. “Indeed.”
“What are you doing all the way out here?”
He shrugged, arms crossed over his chest as he relaxed his stance. “This is my post.”
“Big draw for trouble, is it?”
“You’d be surprised. Usually just brigands or wayward travelers, but occasionally a demon wanders through.”
“Ah.” I chuckled and put my wings away.
“The odd feeling on the road you got is the wards. Most people turn back. Those that don’t are left to deal with me.”
“Oh?” I smiled at him, but his face was stone serious. “Oh. Oh! Are you the ghost of this place?”
The gargoyle dipped his chin in confirmation but said nothing further.
“Seir?” Hailon’s voice called out, her tone edged with stress.
“I’m here!” I called, turning back toward the stone shelter. “I put some water on not long ago, I could make tea? Something to eat? She’s sure to be starving by now. Won’t you join us?”
Coltor scanned the area then gave a short nod, following me back to our little camp.