Page 9 of The Demon’s Delight (The Demon Princes #3)
Chapter 8
Seir
“ I ’m not getting on your back, Seir.” Hailon shifted the pack on her shoulders—something else I’d tried and failed to reason with her over—and strode with purpose straight for the road, not even looking back to see if I was following. “But thank you for braiding my hair.”
Stubborn, wholly independent Hailon was back and unbending after a full night’s rest, it seemed.
I’d done as I said I would and washed the dishes in the predawn hours while gathering more berries to have with some hot grain porridge. Then, after we’d eaten, I’d cleaned up again and made sure she applied the healing ointment before sliding her feet back into the too-large boots. Finding her a suitable pair was at the very top of my list, even above locating us a horse or wagon, though either of those things would make our journey much less physically demanding.
After she’d been fed and had made a quick sojourn back to the creek to freshen up, I’d been brave and asked if she’d like me to braid her hair. Endless decades of practicing on myself, my brothers, and many others had left me skilled in weaving plaits for every function. Getting her uneven raven locks out of her face and away from her constantly questing fingers had been my absolute pleasure. Never mind the closeness such a thing afforded. The trust.
I wanted to pamper this woman who had seen nothing but an iron bed with a thin mattress, a worn sheet, and mistreatment the last several months. To my bones, I believed she deserved everything . That I was the one responsible for giving it to her. Those kinds of thoughts nagged at me more than I wanted to admit and had nothing at all to do with the fact she’d summoned me.
We were on our way early, while it was still pleasant, and the sunrise painted orange and pink all over the horizon. My traveling companion was efficient in her preparations for the day, which I appreciated. Breaking camp was a fast team effort and there was little fuss about anything. It was nice. Hailon was a wonderful travel companion all the way around.
The cool morning breeze and dew on the tall reedy grass too quickly gave way to full, brutal sunshine and no air movement at all. In fact, the day was a very close duplicate of the one before. Just one foot in front of the other until a quick stop for lunch that left me aching to throw Hailon over my shoulder so her subtle limp was no longer an issue and I could be assured of her comfort. I wanted to know what it was about her that made me itchy in this way, but I also enjoyed the mystery of our connection enough to leave well enough alone… for now.
The road was barren of travelers all day long, and we were walking at a pace meant to consume the long distance, so conversation between us was sparse. I was completely drained of enthusiasm by the time the small village finally loomed into view, something I wouldn’t have thought possible even a few short days before.
“I truly hope they have an inn,” I mused, wrapping my tail around my waist under my shirt.
“Ignus had to have stayed somewhere,” she answered thoughtfully. “Though in truth, I always suspected there was some kind of brothel he was utilizing, not necessarily a reputable inn. He always came home much less prone to violence than before he left. Calmer.”
I choked on the breath I’d taken, then laughed in earnest at her assessment. She spoke her mind plainly, and I appreciated that about her very much.
“You’re very observant, Hailon.”
“I didn’t have much to keep me occupied other than watching people,” she admitted, voice low but firm. “It was sometimes entertaining, though I did it mostly to figure out a way to stay alive. Maybe to escape.”
The anger that had quelled to a simmer in my blood perked up once more. Our footsteps in the gravel of the road were the only sound for several long beats.
“I always appreciated when his trips here coincided with research days. At least then I was able to get some rest without healing someone.”
“Research days?” Just the sour taste of the word in my mouth made me feel like finding a necromancer to bring them back again so I could have another slower go at their useless corpses. I’d met one once, near where my brother Tap lived. Interesting fellow with a biting, dark sense of humor. I made a note to ask after him next time we spoke.
“How you found me in the den, with the men? That was a research day. Most of them weren’t like that, though. That day was unusual.”
“ Everything about that was unusual, Hailon,” I scoffed. “And that’s coming from someone who lives in Hell.”
She cracked the smallest of smiles, glancing over at me with those entrancing eyes. “I suppose you’re right. But usually, they were just experimenting on me. Gathering samples.” Her fingers absently reached for her hair but stalled, finding the braids.
“Samples?” I asked, the word coming out more like a growl.
“Blood. Hair. They wanted to see if they could replicate my healing gift. Make a potion or something like that. To sell to people. It was always ridiculous, honestly. Seven of them to just one of me. I did my best to fight back but it didn’t take long for them to wear down my strength.”
I bit the inside of my cheek so hard I tasted blood, and my fingers itched for a blade to throw. Then something else she’d said rose through the anger. “Seven? By my count, we only left five bodies to burn.”
“There were two others that would usually come for those days. I don’t know why they weren’t there.”
My breath stopped. Stragglers could not be discounted. “Can you describe them to me?”
Hailon gestured with her hands as she told me about the two men I’d be returning to Olinbourg for once I’d delivered her safely home. “One is short, stout. Dark hair cut short. Dark eyes, mustache. Some kind of councilman.” I ground my teeth together. “The other looked quite a bit like Dr. Lang. I think they might be related, but don’t know for sure. He always spoke quietly but liked holding me still.” Hailon stopped walking and blinked hard. “Do you think they’ll come after me?”
“I don’t know. What was the ranking order of those men? You said the big one was in charge?”
“Yes, Ignus led the group, as far as I could tell, because it was his house, but Dr. Lang and the councilman had the power. They were all careful not to say too much around me most of the time, but occasionally something would slip. Do you think they might see what happened to the others and just… go away? Stay clear of the area so they aren’t connected to that house?” Her tone was hopeful, but I heard the undercurrent of worry.
“Perhaps.” I didn’t have words of comfort to offer. Men, especially the kind that would participate in the trafficking of people and experimentation on live subjects, weren’t exactly the kind I would expect to have high moral standards. But fear was a fantastic motivator. If they thought they might also end up dead, walking away would be an attractive option.
At long last, the little settlement came into view. First came a few outlying farms, though not many fences to separate them. Fields of pale-green grain, very like the roadside grasses, waved in the gentle breeze. The road split off toward them but never widened.
The town was an open one, with a single main street. I scanned the signs hanging over the doors on the buildings gathered around the center of town, finding what I was looking for with measurable relief. I’d hoped for a town large enough to host a clothier so we could find Hailon some things that fit her more appropriately, especially her boots, but we weren’t going to get those things here. However, a hot meal and a real bed would surely lift her spirits after all the walking we’d done.
“There’s an inn after all,” I told her, pointing at the building with a sign depicting a scythe and a barrel. “Come on. Let’s get something to eat and find you a bed to sleep in.”