Page 29 of The Demon’s Delight (The Demon Princes #3)

Chapter 28

Seir

I was able to walk right through the doors of the main building of my brother’s magic school, which honestly left me a bit concerned for the state of the school’s security. Not all that long ago, a fae had sifted himself past all the wards and stolen a priceless book directly out of a classroom. As I strode down the hall, I filed that away as something to periodically surprise test once things had settled down a bit. If nothing else, it was a surefire way to get under my brothers’ skin, which was one of my favorite things to do.

A quick peek in the dining room revealed the room was empty, though I could hear the clatter of dishes being washed back in the kitchen. The lingering smells from whatever delicious food had been served had my stomach rumbling. A real meal would not be amiss, particularly one of his head cook Grace’s, but I didn’t have the time.

I went straight for Vassago’s classroom next, the one the book had been taken from. I happened to get lucky and found both of my brothers and their wives ensconced there.

“Seir?” My sister-in-law Greta was the one to see me first, as she was standing at her worktable across the room and had a clear view of the door. I’d startled her, but she recovered beautifully, the vial in her hand not having spilled a single drop.

Everyone’s head turned to follow her stare, so I strode in, waving.

“Security is lacking at your school, Stolas .” I used my brother’s old name to further prod at him. He went by Rylan now, had for quite some time, but he’d started as Stolas ages ago and now used it as his surname.

“Clearly, if someone of your caliber just wandered in,” he shot back, grinning. “What brings you here?”

“Do any of you know much about nulls?” I asked.

“Hello, Seir. How are you? I’m lovely, thanks for asking. Just traveling through?” my brother Vassago teased, setting down his book. He rose from the armchair he’d been sitting in as I got close, tying his long hair up with one of his favored silver ribbons. As always, his silver and white clothing was posh and pristine. He pulled me in for a quick embrace, the thump of his hand on my shoulder a welcome familiar presence.

“Yes, hello to you too. I’m in a bit of a hurry I’m afraid. I don’t mean to be rude. What do we know about nulls?”

“Not much, except they’re exceedingly rare,” Rylan frowned, head tilted. He was the dark to Vassago’s light, his long hair loose and clothing black. “I’m assuming you’ve met one?”

“Yes, I believe I have.”

“Well, bringing them here is an option, though?—”

I shook my head. “We are operating under the assumption that she cancels out all magic near her, so I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.”

“She?” Rylan’s wife, Calla, piped up, interested in this new development.

“How close does one have to be for that to happen?” Vassago asked.

“ All magic?” Rylan’s curiosity was piqued, his own book set off to the side in favor of our hasty conversation.

“I’m not sure. For either question. We’ve become somewhat acclimated to one another, enough that I can use my wings some again.”

“You lost your ability to fly?” Rylan frowned.

“Yes. And fully shift. I think given enough time, it’s possible I could even bring her through a portal, but we’re not there yet, and as it stands, I can’t activate them anywhere near her.”

“That’s… significant, Seir. Your abilities are completely inaccessible?” Vassago asked.

“It’s not her fault. Besides, when I first met her, I couldn’t use my wings at all, now I can at least hover.”

“Fascinating,” Rylan rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger. “A null. I’ll ask Magnus to check the archives, surely there’s something there.”

“That’s what his son said.”

“His son?” Calla asked, so intrigued by the conversation she’d moved to the slightest little edge of sofa cushion.

“Yes, we came across Coltor Aurichal in the ruins of Emankor. In our presence within that space, he also couldn’t shift. It was he who suggested she might be a null, as well.”

“You met Magnus’s son?”

“The Emankor ruins?”

“What kind of distance before it’s not effective?”

Questions poured out from all sides, and I laughed as I raised a hand to quiet them.

“One at a time, please!” I chuckled, holding my hands up in front of me as if that would help me ward off the barrage. “I truly am in a rush, besides. I wasted far more time in Hell than I wanted to, and she’s camped by herself in the empty grassland between the Emankor Valley and Ravenglen. It’s possible we’re being followed, though I’ve seen no signs.” I hadn’t seen any in the first place, however, which left me doubting my ability to detect such a thing accurately.

“Camped? You’re truly traveling like a human?” Vassago’s head tilted, amusement playing across his features. “Is that why you’re smudged with dirt?”

“These clothes are fresh,” I argued. “But yes, truly.” I grinned back. “It’s been a wonderful experience!” Both of my brothers smiled back at me, and in that moment, I felt truly understood. New things were few and far between for creatures such as us, and I had always appreciated them more than most. “In any case, I wanted to see if there was a way to help her control her power. If she could turn it off, or even just relax the strength, that might be very beneficial. But to answer your questions: yes, yes, and I don’t know. Coltor seems nice enough, or did at least once we established we weren’t enemies. Indeed, the ruins. They’re fascinating, and I’d love to go back one day. And I’m not sure if it’s all kinds of magic. So far, it’s been effective on me and a stone kin but not on the powerful wards set around the ruins. We didn’t have accurate measurements to test distance for her range. So. Can you help?” They all stared. First at me, then at one another. I raised a finger. “Also, I’m pretty sure she’s my fated mate. Everything about me feels a little strange since I met her, and my chest is absolutely killing me right now. So really anything you can offer to help is greatly appreciated.”

Rylan and Vassago exchanged a knowing, open-mouthed look, and their wives perked up even further, particularly as I scrubbed my fist pointlessly across my shirt, trying to east the ache that refused to let up.

“Well, you could have led with that detail, Seir.” Vassago shook his head.

“Your mate?” Greta asked, coming around the table she was working at while wiping her hands on her heavy full-body apron. I wondered what chemicals she’d been working with, what intriguing new alchemical solution she might be crafting. But it was not the time.

“Yes, I’m fairly positive. We’re both having the pains. She summoned me!” I said proudly, not elaborating on the details of the fond memory.

“Right,” Rylan said, blinking slowly as he stared at me. “Bring her here. It’s a risk, but we can surely manage the consequences. At the very least, we can take some measurements. Perhaps the stone kin can make a suggestion for the rest. Magnus can check the stone kin archives for records about nulls, and I can consult on the mage side. There’s bound to be something there.”

“Perhaps Ophelia can help?” Calla suggested, a kind smile on her mouth. “She’s invited us to visit, should we have a need. We could bring her with us? If she had no effect on the wards around the ruins, perhaps that’s the safest place for her this close to the city?” She raised an eyebrow, clearly interested in such an experiment.

“She didn’t overpower the wards at the ruins, but we both felt their effects. Once inside, she cancelled out Coltor’s abilities the same as mine.”

“I’ll check my books as well,” Greta offered. “There’s bound to be something in one of those old tomes about muting or suppressing a power like that.”

“So long as it doesn’t also hide her healing ability, that would be great.”

“Healing ability?” Vassago asked. He’d wandered over to his own table and was messing with a series of small mirrors.

“Yes, she fixed me right up. I broke my leg and had a wing bone puncture my gut on our way into the ruins.” They all just stared at me. “It’s a long story, but she was taken from her home in Ravenglen for that ability. Taken to Olinbourg and kept prisoner in a house there. Forced to use that ability for her captor’s profit.”

Calla gasped, but I could also see the rage in her start to manifest. She was an earth witch; a very powerful one. The ambient tendrils of green smoke dispersing as she exhaled told me how upset the idea of Hailon’s situation made her.

“They’re all dead now, though,” I reassured her with a friendly pat on her shoulder, and the tendrils disappeared.

“Good.”

“Well, except for one. But we could definitely take him, should he show his face. In fact, he’s some kind of councilman. Perhaps you could put out an inquiry?”

“Of course.” Both my brothers focused on me as I relayed the description Hailon had provided.

“Hailon was very helpful there, actually,” I said proudly. “Took my dagger and dispatched three of them all on her own. It was beautiful.”

“ Your dagger?” both Rylan and Vassago asked at the same time.

“Yes, my favorite one! She just grabbed it right out of my hand.” I waved my arm around in illustration of how she’d slashed and stabbed, my heartbeat a proud thump behind my ribs.

My brothers exchanged shocked looks, sharing a whole conversation with their eyes. It ended with them both smiling.

“Is that her name?” Greta asked. “Hailon? That’s pretty.” Greta was a stone kin and Magnus’s niece, actually, which made her Coltor’s cousin. But she hadn’t known much of anything about her heritage until very recently. She was also part fae, the daughter of King Ris.

“Take this,” Vassago said as he came over. He handed me a mirror the size of my palm.

“Same words?”

“Yes, same as always.”

“You know I don’t have any luck with these,” I told him, grimacing. “I’ve broken what, six?”

“Nine, actually,” he corrected, “but we need a way to get in touch. I should’ve made you another ages ago, whether I was frustrated with your inability to keep them intact or not. Be careful with this one, yes?”

“I was careful with the others too,” I pouted, realizing I was acting every bit the petulant little brother but unable to stop myself.

“Be more careful. Keep it wrapped and in your pocket or something.”

“That’s where I had it the last time,” I muttered.

“What was that?” Vassago asked, head tilted to the side, arms crossed.

“Nothing.”

“You said she’s waiting for you?” Calla asked gently.

“Yes. I have to go. Thank you all! Once I get her home I’m supposed to return to Hell pretty much immediately.” I frowned. The more I realized I actually had to be separated from her for an unknown amount of time, the less I liked it.

“You’re going to leave her there?” Vassago asked.

“I have to go back to complete the summoner contract. Also, so my unit leader can process my reassignment. So, I can be here more. With her.”

“Will she be safe where you’re going?”

My heart clenched. “I think so. It’s her home. She’s trying to get back to a sick aunt.” Doubt began to fester.

“Oh, poor thing!” Calla gasped.

“But you said she was taken from there?” Vassago’s forehead furrowed. “We could send someone, perhaps. Just to keep an eye.”

“You have someone in mind?”

My brothers looked at one another. “Surely one of the stone kin could, if we can’t?” Vassago suggested.

Rylan agreed. “We’ll ask.”

“She’s not afraid to use her blades,” I assured them, as much as myself. “And she’s as stubborn as the day is long.” I found myself smiling.

Vassago nodded good. “And you have the mirror.”

“We’ll look into the archives for you in the meantime,” Rylan promised.

“And I can help make the arrangements for her to meet with Ophelia.”

“Ravenglen is not all that far, especially if you can find a nearby portal to have us use. But wings would be effective enough for that distance,” Vassago offered. “Even if we aren’t able to fly the whole way.”

“The horses are strong,” Calla said. “We can also send the carriage with someone.”

Rylan agreed, and I could see all the gears turning as they started to formulate a plan.

A warm sensation different from the burning ache I’d been feeling since being pulled away from my mate infused my chest. My brothers and I had been very close once, before we all went our separate ways and got lost in our own little lives. It was nice to have their direct support and affection.

“So lovely to see you again,” I said, rushing to give each of my sisters-in-law a quick squeeze and kiss on the cheek. “See you soon!”

“Hands off my wife!” my brothers both chided me, but I was already out the door and on my way to the courtyard.

Nerves had my stomach tight in the seconds before I concentrated my will and deployed my wings, relief flooding me as I found my magic right where it belonged.

I leapt into the sky, joy at being airborne again rushing through me as I pointed myself east, toward Hailon, and a future I was willing to do anything for.