The Burden of Trust

by Nikki Frank

  “Elita, Emmett, What’s wrong?”

  Elita’s eyes filled with tears, and Emmett reached out, taking my hand. “We lost your palace,” he whispered. “A minotaur mounted an all-out attack. He’s taken your palace and issued a direct challenge. He . . . he killed Dagger.”

  I gasped. Dagger was my regent and Talon’s father. And his wife was a source like Emmett. To prevent conflict over a source’s magic, they got bound to a single magical creature. When that creature died, so did the source. Talon had lost both his parents in one blow.

  “Where’s everyone else?” I asked.

  “Omri and Ferika are back guarding the Lord High Governor. He’s worried about the ripple effects. Talon . . .” Emmett glanced at the door behind him.

  I nodded and stood, opening the door as quietly as possible. Velor and Vixaria sat by my already packed bags and on the bed lay a still, green form. My heart broke for him once again. As a toyol, Talon would feel his close bonds as acutely as I did. This would devastate him. Worse still, I doubted he’d let me comfort him.

  I pulled Katriane close enough to whisper, “Talon just lost both his parents. Can you see what you can do for him? I need to decide on my next move.”

  She nodded. My heart constricted, and my stomach churned as she sat on the bed next to him—a spot which should have been mine. Turning, I blocked the image from my mind. The business of being demon lord demanded my attention.

  “My grandma raised me,” Katriane said softly. “I lost her five years ago, right after I turned twenty. I know how you feel.”

  The sound of a shuffle called my gaze back to the bed. Katriane had her hand on Talon’s shoulder, and he gripped her wrist, crying. Pain stabbed through my chest. My teeth clamped so hard the points threatened to snap off.

  “Iya,” I bellowed down the hallway. “Iya.”

  He came at a run, skidding to a stop in the doorway. “What happened?” he asked, looking around in confusion.

  “Change of plans. My palace has been taken, and I’m facing a direct challenge. Here’s how this is going to work. You take Elita as a representative of the Fairy government. Take Tomi as a representative of yours. Go appeal to the Goblin King. Explain what happened and ask for a pardon. While you do that, I’m taking my palace back. If you’re not back in one week with the order on our heads lifted, Talon and I are taking out the Goblin King ourselves. We’ll see what kind of assassins we really are.”

  Iya stared at me, wide-eyed.

  “Go,” I yelled at him, pulling my hair back and tying it in a ponytail. “They fucked with the wrong imp.” Tossing my ponytail over my shoulder, I ignored Iya following me. Instead, I went to the bed, sitting at Talon’s leg, patting him. “I promise to get justice for your parents. Come on, let’s go.”

  Iya grabbed my shoulder, pulling me away from Talon. “You’re not going anywhere until I’ve had my say. I’ve been trying to ease you into this, but it seems I’m out of time.”

  “Whatever it is can wait. My throne’s on the line.”

  I went to twist out of his grip, but he pinned me against the wall beside the bed, his arm across my chest, his body weight holding me.

  “Shut up and let me finish a statement.” He gave a snarl, and his eyes blazed. “I’m a demon lord too, remember? And I know of one problem which trumps your throne, or mine for that matter. The Goblin King is poised to take over the entire Borderlands,”

  I went slack under his arm. “What?”

  “And how would you possibly know?” Talon hissed suspiciously. He’d sat up on the bed, anger replacing his lethargy.

  “About six months ago, my father died after using too much power to protect his throne,” Iya explained. “He’d uncovered the Goblin King’s scheme. The king is planning a complete purge of the Borderlands. When he’s done, only those who escape to Earth stand a chance.”

  “And how could a goblin possibly accomplish that?” sneered Talon.

  “A magical infection. Goblin magic is immune. The rest of us are screwed.” The expression he laid on Talon reiterated his place as akuma lord. “Our trip to Earth gave the Goblin King an excuse to start a war and use his biological weapon. If we don’t stop him, everyone dies or gets trapped on Earth. But we can’t go marching in and attack. We can’t fight the entire goblin army. But we can take out the goblins who know the spell. The danger dies with them. We’ll have to do an assassination―starting with the king. Once we’ve captured him, we just have to make sure Prince Tezky will keep the peace.”

  Iya gazed at me, his face softening. “It’s why I wanted a pair bond. I hoped you’d come around naturally, or at least logically.”

  Talon’s chin quivered as he looked between us. “Why the pair bond? Aside from tormenting me?”

  “Power.” Iya’s eyes never left mine. “Your magic gets linked with your mate’s. No two demon lords have ever pair bonded. Plus, with your imp magic, it’s a powerful combination. We might be able to combat the disease if we’re sharing.”

  Talon slid down off the bed and slumped at my feet. “Why you, Livy?” he whispered. “You can’t seriously want to be mated to that . . . demon? What do you get for your sacrifice?”

  What did I get? I forced aside thoughts of Talon, irritation with Iya, and pity for myself. I had to look at the situation through the cold eyes of a calculating ruler.

  When I spoke, the words came slowly. The thoughts were barely solidified in my mind. “I get the knowledge that I saved even more people than I did by becoming demon lord.”

  Talon stood, his eyes sad. “You’re a good person and an awesome ruler. But I almost wish I’d pushed for a pair bond with you before I left.”

  “Almost wish?” I overemphasized his words, my eyebrow arched.

  “My bruised feelings aside, driving you into his arms isn’t what I wanted. Besides, I’m not convinced his motives are as noble as yours.”

  I shot him a half-smile. “I’ll learn to live with my choice, just like taking the demon throne. Sometimes life isn’t about what you want. It’s about doing the right thing.”

  Talon flopped back onto the bed, staring listlessly at the ceiling. “Then you’re really going to give the demon what he wants?” Tears leaked up from his eyes and rolled down his cheeks.

  “Everyone out,” I ordered.

  Iya shook his head, still keeping me against the wall.

  I growled at him. “Unless you want me to make your life miserable, get out.”

  Iya left hesitantly, followed by Katriane, Velor, and Vixaria. At the door, Emmett and Elita joined them. The copper square shimmered shut as the last person left.

  I sat on the bed beside Talon, took his hand, and kissed the back of it. “I’m going to need you more than ever.”

  He rolled his head toward me, scowling. “Will your new husband even let me stick around?”

  “If he wants access to my power, he will.”

  “Somehow, I’m not reassured.”

  “Talon, please. There’re so few people I can trust. Don’t be like this.”

  He let out a shuddering sigh, pulling his hand from mine. “I just lost my parents, and now I’ve lost you, too.”

  “You’re not losing me. I can’t rule without you. Before you were my boyfriend, you were my partner—an awesome partner. None of that has changed. As for our relationship, you ended that anyway. You can’t add it up as a fresh loss now.”

  He opened his mouth to protest, but I put a hand over his lips. “I get it. I really do. We’re both hurting over each other.”

  He pushed my hand away and turned his gaze back on the ceiling, chin quivering. “You never had to give up your parents and your love, then turn around and find the will to fight.”

  I bit back a raging snarl. “I didn’t? After Zaemon killed my parents and I found mysel
f tossed on a demon throne? I had only a few days to suck it up and begin purging his minions from my district.”

  “You had your friends and me to help you.”

  Now I wanted to slap him. “You have friends, too. And you still have me. I haven’t gone anywhere. Talon, I’d like nothing more than to allow you the time you need to heal. But there isn’t any. Everything between us can’t matter right now. Everything you’re dealing with can’t matter. You need to be in top working form. I need your service as your demon lord.”

  I bit my lip. “No. That’s not true. What I need now is my partner. I can’t do this without you.”

  Talon lay silent, listless. I waited for some sign of acknowledgment but got nothing. The minutes stretched, each one nagging me over the disaster unfolding around us. Each moment felt like a wasted chance to wrench our fate back from the goblins. Still, only the blink of his eyes and the rise of his chest indicated life. When the silence screamed in my ear, too loud to ignore, a new idea formed, driving my desperation in a more productive direction.

  “Please don’t be mad, Talon,” I said softly. “I’m going to try something to get you up and moving.”

  He blinked at me with eyes full of fresh tears.

  “Katriane, come here for a sec,” I called to the doorway.

  She came in hesitantly, but I moved with new purpose. I kissed her again, measuring a small amount of power, then hurried to kiss Talon before he figured out and dodged. My lips hit his, and he froze in shock. Twisting, he tried to get away.

  “Take the power,” I hissed at him, keeping our lips together.

  Still, he fought me. I closed my eyes and shoved the magic out of myself and into him. If Iya could use his magic to control mine, surely, I could share this with Talon. The demon magic gave me such a power rush. Hopefully, it would counteract his depression and fire him up.

  He must have gotten some because he suddenly switched. Instead of trying to get away, he pulled me in and drank the power. Being fed off pulled strangely at me, something like having my demon magic separated but not as violent. Snarling filled my ears, and claws raked down my back.

  “You gave him too much,” Katriane yelped.

  I grabbed Talon’s face and focused on his brown eyes with the cat-like slits. “Talon, control this. Be the master of the magic. Harness it so we can save the Borderlands, reclaim my throne, and avenge your parents.”

  He let out a noise: half-growl, half-sob. A fight visibly raged inside him. Emotions played on his face. I understood the turmoil, but I also knew if anyone could control the power, he could.

  Finally, I got a calm but short nod. “Thank you, Livy. I’m ready.”

  I nodded, biting at my lip. His agreement brought to the forefront what I was about to do—willingly create a life-long bond with someone I didn’t love. My vision blurred, and the first tear slipped down, hanging on my chin.

  A soft thumb ran across my chin. Talon spoke gently, “I wish you could find the bright side of this like you want me to do. I have enough sadness of my own right now. Like it or not, I still feel yours, too. You’re right. I haven’t completely lost you. And you won’t lose me. With my parents gone, losing us would tear me apart.” He rubbed his face miserably. “We’re more than friends. Not lovers, but part of each other.” He pressed one soft kiss to my forehead before waving Katriane toward the door. “You might as well get the others.”

  Iya entered the room, a carefully controlled neutral expression on his face. My other four friends were followed by two shi I didn’t recognize.

  “Seinaruhi, Nobi, may I present the demon lord, Olivia.” Iya pointed in my direction.

  Both shi lowered their massive heads in a bow, the male’s shaggy, shining red-gold hair covering his face.

  “It is a huge pleasure, Mistress Olivia.”

  The male shi had a deep, wild voice that churned my stomach. I’d never talked to shi much. It would probably get easier with familiarity, like my dragons.

  “Thank-you . . .?”

  “Nobi.”

  The female’s face popped up, spread with a toothy smile. “Seinaruhi. But please, call me Naruhi. The master does.”

  “Oh. Um, if you’re comfortable with that.” I glanced at Iya, who shrugged.

  Velor, Vixaria, and I were barely past being formal with each other. I certainly didn’t have nicknames for them.

  “How long have you served Iya?” I asked.

  Naruhi let out a purr. “Since infancy. Nobi and I were little more than kittens when we were sent to his nursery. A young akuma needs sturdy playmates.”

  “I can only imagine.” And I could: baby Iya sitting on the floor, red skin and fuzzy fire hair blurred with red-gold fluff as the little akuma tried to wrestle and singe the tiny shi. The idea made me giggle.

  Iya gazed at me strangely.

  “What?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “Nothing. I . . .” He shook his head again. “Naruhi, Nobi, the dragons are Velor and Vixaria. The human female is the demon vessel, Katriane. The human male is the source, Emmett. The fairy is Elita. And the one on the bed is dinner. Feel free to eat Talon.”

  “No―” I started.

  Nobi roared with laughter. “I’m glad your sense of humor is intact, Iya.” He came over and pressed a nose to one of my cheeks and then to the other. “Iya is quite fond of you. It will be a pleasure serving you.”

  “Thanks?” I turned on Iya. “Even your servants knew? Obviously, you have our lives all thought out. Just so we’re clear, I’m absolutely pissed you didn’t see fit to fill me in from the beginning.”

  He shrugged. “I tried for something better than forcing you. Would you have done things differently in my position? Really?” He glanced around at the others. “Is this something you want to hash out in public?”

  “Who cares if they hear? The servants know our personal details anyway.”

  Iya glared in Talon’s direction. “Your friends from the Lord High Governor’s palace and the green one won’t.”

  “Elita and Emmett are two of my best friends. I’d share regardless.” I crossed my arms defiantly. “As for Talon, he stays. I’m not bonding with you and ruling without him.”

  “Unacceptable.” Iya crossed his arms in return, his posture becoming more defensive. “I don’t need anyone who hates me and loves my wife under my employ.”

  “He’s not in love with me anymore, thanks to you,” I spat. “And we all might like you better if you played fair.”

  “All’s fair in love and war.” Iya mocked. “I think that’s the human phrase, is it not?”

  “Then having Talon work for me is just as fair,” I threw back.

  “M . . . maybe I’ll go.” Talon inched off the bed. “I can wait back at your palace, Olivia.”

  “Stay,” I ordered. I harbored a good deal of raw feelings just below the surface. These boys were very close to breaking my control. At least Katriane safely held my demon magic, but I had plenty of imp to unleash. “Iya, you weren’t forthcoming about your real intentions, and now you want me to trust you blindly? Leave behind Talon and all his loyalty? What exactly do you want from me?”

  “I want to save the Borderlands.” His voice grew in intensity, snapping my temper.

  “As if an akuma is so altruistic.” I flung the accusation at him like a blade. “I’m still waiting to see who gets the bill for your efforts.”

  “You little bitch.” He bit his lip so hard it bled, and his tail swished angrily behind him. “For all you expound on equality in your district and go on about driving out all the evil, you never looked in the mirror, did you?”

  I staggered back a step. Everyone’s expressions ranged from shock to horror.

  The flames of Iya’s hair rose higher. “You’ve never seen anything in me but
the fabled demon. You seriously think I need payment before I’d save my subjects? Or yours? I’m no monster. I can’t watch innocent people die for no reason. We’re talking about the end of magic-folk and life in the Borderlands as we know it. Once the goblins rule here, do you think Earth will stay safe? With the goblin’s taste for human flesh?”

  I backed against the metal wall, gasping for breath. Every sentence made me feel worse. If he spoke the truth, then I was despicable. He strode across the floor, stopping very close to my face.

  “I made a play for your affection. Sorry it wasn’t to your taste. I knew we’d have to bond. I only wanted to spare myself the pain of your feelings for Talon—and maybe even have you learn to like me a little. Not that it did any good. I’ve seen how you really feel. My wife-to-be hates me. Partly because her heart still belongs to another guy and because the very creature I am disgusts her.”

  He put his forearm on the wall above my head and leaned in. “And yet I’ll still bond with you because without each other we might not pull this off.” He turned on his heels and disappeared out of the room.

  Chapter 12

  I slumped to the floor, chewing on the inside of my cheek, trying not to cry in front of the others. “I try so hard to be the good guy.” My face fell, resting on my knees. “I’ll never be more than a malevolent being.”

  After allowing myself the luxury of wallowing for a minute, the silence drove me to speak. I stood, rubbing my face.

  “Am I really so mean?” I asked Talon, hoping for some sort of redemption from him.

  He shrugged, sitting on the edge of the bed sulking. “You’re nicer to him than I’d be. Most other people in the Central Borderlands, too. You know what the prevailing attitude toward demons is. I guess he worked hard enough to save you that we . . .” he paused, his face screwing up as if he had lemons in his mouth, “Ought to give him a chance.”