by Aubrie Nixon
“Why ask permission? Even if I said no, you would just ask your question anyway. What you really should be concerned about is whether I will actually answer your question.”
“Ugh! You are insufferable. You did promise you would answer any question I asked. So if you consider yourself an honorable man, then you must satisfy any and all curiosities I have.”
“I have created a monster,” he lamented. “You do know what they say about curiosity…”
“Yes, that poor cat. I, however, am not a cat.”
“Ask away, my dear.”
“Why do you torment Zadkiel?”
Daegan raised his dark eyebrows. “I find his presence infuriating. He is weak. His performance on the battlefield is underwhelming. He is a waste of my time. He chooses to spend his life doing things he hates because he thinks he can change the world. Yet he does not have the courage to foster that change. And it pleases me to watch him pine for you. I suppose most people would feel bad for him, but I am not like other people. I find it perversely funny. He knows he cannot have you, yet he does not seem to care. Any man who wears his feelings on his sleeve so adamantly makes himself fodder for mockery.”
Sephera scoffed. “You have never seen him kill. His technique, his efficiency—it's a work of art. While I like to take my time, he is quick and merciful. He is stronger than you give him credit for. You have no idea the things he has done for me and for Nostorra.”
“I cannot comment on what I do not know, Sephera. I have never seen him fight or kill in such a way. I base my judgements on what I know, and what I know is that he is inferior to you and me.”
“You can’t pass judgement on someone you’ve known for only a little over a fortnight.”
“I’ll not argue that you view him differently from me. You see Zadkiel as the cup half full while I see him as the cup half empty. But he is the same cup and has the same lack of wholeness. But setting that aside, how can you possibly be upset when my opinion of him is hardly any different from your own?”
Sephera’s mouth fell open. “What are you talking about? You just said we saw him differently. You are the most idiotic, contradictory man I’ve ever met!”
Daegan laughed coolly. “I’m not referring to his character and skills—or lack thereof. I’m talking about the fact that he is in love with you.”
Her mouth snapped shut, and she sighed. “He . . . I’m not . . . He’s not . . . Ugh . . . I don’t know what to do.”
“Yes, you do. You just do not want to do it.”
“No, it's not that. I’m just not sure how I feel about . . .” Her voice trailed off.
“Him,” Daegan finished for her. “You do not know how you feel about him.”
Sephera nodded, biting her lip.
“He doesn’t deserve you, Sephera. You are strong where he is weak, and you are in every way his superior. You are cold and calculating. You have a darkness about you that rivals the night sky, and you cannot possibly give him what he craves.”
“And what is that, Daegan?”
“Normalcy. He loves the parts of you that he wants to and despises the others. He wants to be your protector, your savior. He would sooner chain you to a life of peace and normalcy than have you fight and be the woman that you are.”
“And what is so wrong with a nice, quiet life full of peace?” she asked.
“Nothing, for people like Zadkiel,” he spat. “But for people like you and me, we could never be happy with such a life. We are born killers. We enjoy the fear in the eyes of our prey. We love the dark crimson color of their blood, the way it leaks out of their wounds. We share a sickness, Sephera—one that can never be cured, and one that certainly can never be chained by a life of peace.” His nostrils flared.
“You know NOTHING about me, Daegan! Nothing. Stop trying to analyze me and diagnose my disease. You are wrong.” She screamed in frustration and marched ahead, leaving him to drown in his stupid assumptions.
* * *
As they made their way to the base of the mountain, the rain beat harder and visibility diminished. They arrived at the outskirts of the town and heard muffled voices ahead.
“You should have just listened to me! Imagine what would have happened if we hadn’t come out in this storm to look for you, Zadkiel.” There was a huff and a grunt of exasperation, and Chantry’s soprano voice rattled on. “If you’d gotten hurt, Sephera would have gutted us and served us up on a platter.”
Zad and Chantry’s forms appeared ahead in the stormy mist. Brenner was a few steps ahead of them. Sephera grinned. Zad was hunched over, cowering before Chantry’s impassioned lecture. Sephera decided to step in and save him. “And why is it that I would have gutted you?” she asked, running to catch up with the group.
Chantry stopped midsentence, her eyes wide. “SEPHERA! DAEGAN!” she yelled happily, reaching to hug her.
Sephera ducked out of the way. “I don’t like hugs.”
Chantry laughed. “I don’t care,” she said and grabbed Sephera tight.
“All right, all right, get off!” she barked.
Chantry smiled widely at them. “I’m so pleased you are safe!”
Sephera wiped the rain from her eyes as she glanced at Zad. He looked both pleased and mildly upset to see her. “What? Aren’t you happy to see me?” she asked.
Zad smirked. “Get over here, Beasty,” he growled. She didn’t flinch away when his arms went around her.
He picked her up and twirled her around. “You are a sight for sore eyes. I missed you, Sephera,” he said, setting her down.
“I missed you, too, Zad. Gods above, don’t ever leave me again,” she scolded, hitting him playfully in the chest. Zad put his arm around her and guided her towards the inn. She slowed and let the others walk ahead so she could spend a few precious moments with him. She glared at Daegan. He gave her a warning look before stalking away to join Chantry and Brenner.
“You smell horrible, Zad,” she laughed. “What was Chantry yelling at you about? Did you get drunk and toss up your liquor?”
Zad shook his head in annoyance. “No, Sephera, I did not get drunk. But I did follow up on a lead for the second item.”
Sephera stiffened under his arm. “Alone? Zad—”
“It’s fine, Beasty. Trust me,” he replied. “Look.” He pulled the vial out of his pocket. He handed it to her and told her about his encounter with Reina.
Sephera didn’t know if she should hug him or slap him—the idiot, going off by himself! Anything could have happened. She was glad that he had found the item. She just wished they knew what it meant. Hopefully they could figure it out over the next few days while they recovered and waited for Baleem to contact them.
“And what of your journey? I see you and Daegan are both still in one piece.”
She rolled her eyes, “It wasn’t as horrible as I thought it would be. I don’t particularly like him, but I do think he has his uses.”
Zad barked out a laugh. “Going from hated to useful is quite the transformation. What did you get yourselves into?”
She leaned her head on his shoulder. “I’m starving! And I need a bath and a good night's sleep. Can we talk less about Daegan and more about food?”
Zad laughed. They had arrived at the inn. Sephera breathed out in relief as they walked out of the storm into the warm, dry inn. Her eyes almost popped out of her skull when she saw what they were serving for dinner. Soaked clothes forgotten, she sat down at the nearest table and ordered just about every item on the menu. The innkeeper's daughter shot her a disapproving glare as she peeled off her wet boots and began to rub her sore feet. Zad shrugged at the woman and excused himself to go change before their food was brought out. When he returned, Sephera had a roasted turkey leg in one hand, a fork full of potatoes in the other, and a mouth so stuffed with food she looked like a chipmunk. She moaned when he sat down, her eyes glazed over in exhaustion.
“Mmmm . . . Thuh ith the motht dohlithous meh I ha eweh eathen,” she attempted to
say, bits of food hurling out across the table.
Zad chuckled. “What?"
She chewed a few seconds more and then swallowed loudly. “This is the most delicious meal I have ever eaten,” she repeated, waving at the innkeeper's daughter, whose scowl turned into a smile of delight. Zad helped himself to a plate of creamed corn and rolls as he listened to Sephera rave on about the food.
When she was finished, she leaned back in her chair in a state of stupid satisfaction. She patted her bulging stomach. “I never want to leave this place. That was divine!” She smiled, closing her eyes. “If I eat one more bite, you are going to have to carry me to my bed.”
Zad blushed, thinking of his dream. A piece of corn slipped down his throat, and he coughed and beat at his chest. When he could breathe again, he said, “It's been a long day. I’m exhausted. I’m going to head to my room, all right? It's just down the hall from yours. Knock on my door if you need anything.
“Mmm hmm . . . Since when did I need to knock?” Her words were slurred. She shrugged without opening her eyes. “Night, Zad.” He arose and left her in her food-induced stupor.
The sound of dishes clattering on the table brought her out of her daze. The innkeeper’s daughter was making a big show of cleaning up. “Thanks for the excellent grub,” Sephera said. “What’s your name?”
“Ella, miss.” Sephera tipped her head at her in acknowledgement and then made her way to the room she shared with Chantry. Chantry didn’t look up when she entered. She was cuddled up snugly beneath a sable blanket, reading a book. Sephera grabbed a fresh set of clothes and made her way to the communal washroom down the hall. She undressed quickly, stepping behind the curtain before turning on the bath water. She sunk down into the bath and groaned as the warm water soothed her aching muscles. She scrubbed her filthy body with a pumice stone and used her favorite dusk-rose perfumed soap for her hair. She stayed in the water for over an hour, refilling the tub when the water began to cool.
Her thoughts wandered to Daegan’s words from earlier. He’d said she could never be content with normalcy and peace. She had been so angry with him, with what he’d said about Zad, how he’d compared himself to her. She didn’t want to hear it. But deep down in a secret part of herself, she knew he was at least partially right, even if she refused to voice her acknowledgement. They may have been similar in their love of dealing death, but that was where their similarity ended. He acted as if he was above everyone, as if he alone could stop what was coming. She knew better, though. He needed her. She didn’t know what for but she knew there was something he was not telling her. She saw his need for her when he extended kindness to her in her worst, most broken moments. Every time she’d fallen, he had lifted her back up and made her feel strong. He was grooming her for something, and she was determined to find out what it was.
The door creaked, yanking her from her thoughts. She pulled the stop out of the drain and reached for her towel, wrapping it tightly around herself. Then she snatched the water curtain aside.
Her eyes bugged as she came face to face with a very tall, very naked Daegan. Her face flamed, and she shut her eyes tightly and turned her head to the side.
“What are you doing?” she yelled.
“I’m about to wash up,” he replied nonchalantly, as if they were both fully clothed. “What are you doing in the men’s washroom?”
“What? I didn’t know there were two washrooms. Gods above,” she squeaked, eyes still firmly closed. “Can you please turn around or put a towel on so I can get by?”
Daegan’s bellow of laughter echoed off of the golden-tiled walls. “And miss the Lady of Death squirming like a scared rabbit at the sight of my naked body? I think not.”
She made a disgusted noise. “At least get out of my way!” She pushed past him, catching her hip on the wash basin as she attempted to get around him without making contact, her eyes looking at everything but him. She heard him laugh as he got into the bath and turned on the unheated water. As the cold spray filled the tub, Daegan let out a muffled curse. She smiled ruthlessly and then stomped out of the washroom, leaving her clothes behind. It was the second time that insufferable man had managed to make her walk in shame without her clothes. Chantry jumped as she barged into their room and slammed the door hard enough to make a picture frame fall from the wall to the floor.
“What happened to you?” she asked, her eyes wide as she took in her brooding roommate.
“Daegan.” Sephera grimaced.
She grabbed her last set of clean clothes from her bag. Then she pulled her cotton tunic over her head and fell onto the bed next to Chantry, who was laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes.
“Why don’t you just bed him already? You can’t seem to keep your clothes on around him. Unless you did that already?” she asked curiously.
Sephera stared daggers at her. Chantry stifled another laugh. “You need to take the lid off your pressure cooker, Sephera. If Daegan can’t help you with it, I’m sure Zad wouldn’t turn you down if you asked.”
Sephera buried her head in her pillow. “Agh!” she screamed, kicking her legs. “I’m going to sleep. Get the light, will you?”
“I’m only trying to help. You’d feel so much better if you got some of that tension and anger out,” Chantry muttered as she blew out the candle on the bedside table.
“Goodnight, Sephera,” she cooed.
“Hmmphhh,” was all Sephera could say before she was lost to her dreams.
CHAPTER 24
Sephera woke to a cold hand pressed against her mouth and a dagger at her throat. A pair of cold eyes stared back at her. She glared up at Valessa as she tried to remove the woman’s hand.
I am not going to hurt you, girl, the Keeper’s voice sounded in her head. I need you to come with me quietly. Do not wake Chantry. Meet me outside, and keep your mouth shut. If you tell anyone where you are going, I’ll scramble their brains and serve them to you for breakfast. Valessa swept out of the room soundlessly.
Sephera sat up slowly. The sun was just starting to peek over the horizon. Grey light filled the room. She glanced at Chantry, who was sound asleep, blissfully unaware that a demoness had just infiltrated their room. She filled her lungs with the cool morning air and then forced herself to exhale slowly, her hands trembling as she dressed. She pulled on her boots, which were still damp from the night before. Sheathing her weapons, she tiptoed quietly out of the room and down the wooden steps of the inn. The tavern was empty this early in the morning. Unsure of how long Valessa would need her, she picked the lock to the kitchen. She rifled through the cupboards and found some dried meat and a few apples, which she placed in a burlap sack. She crept out of the tavern, making sure to leave no trace of her burglary behind. Then she pulled her dark hood up over her ears and stalked off into the village.
Valessa was waiting for her with a stony face. She turned on her heel, motioning for Sephera to follow. Sephera trailed after her quickly. She followed her to the harbor, where a small fishing boat was waiting. “Get in, girl,” Valessa ordered.
Shaking her head, Sephera glared at her, “No. I’m not going anywhere with you until you tell me what you want.”
Valessa clucked her tongue impatiently. “The village will be awake soon, and we cannot be seen together. We don’t have time to dawdle. Now, get in, or I will seize control of you and put you in the boat myself.”
Sephera crossed her arms, and Valessa tapped her foot in frustration.
Finally, the older woman sighed. “Please.”
“Tell me why!” Sephera barked.
Valessa shook her head in exasperation. “Baleem sent me to help you obtain the next item. It can only be you, Sephera. No one else can know.”
At the mention of her master, Sephera bit her lip nervously. She eyed Valessa who was looking around in agitation. Hoping she wouldn’t regret it, she climbed into the boat.
Valessa followed, her weight causing the craft to pitch gently. “Tractus,” Valessa whispered, and
the boat started to row itself out into the harbor. They rode in silence across the water. The village grew smaller, and the shore turned into a distant smudge before disappearing altogether. They were now in the middle of the ocean, water surrounding them as far as the eye could see. She’d never been this far from land. She squinted as the sun rose, illuminating the water in golden splendor. The others would be getting up soon. She wondered how long it would take for them to discover she was missing. She tried to reach out to Brenner, but she felt nothing.
She pulled out an apple to munch on as Valessa stared at her in silence. “Since we are sitting here enjoying each other’s company so spectacularly, would you care to elaborate on where the bloody hell you are taking me?”
Valessa sighed. “I suppose you are right. And you can’t exactly run away now.” She gestured at the vast expanse of water around them. “The third item you seek is in the crypt of one Sebastian Mirrarow. It is located underground in a maze of traps and tests. Once you are deemed worthy and have found his crypt, you are to retrieve his finger bone.”
Sephera laughed. “Because, of course, why should any of this be even remotely easy? Bloody hell, the gods have a wicked sense of humor.”
“Just Reina, I think.”
Sephera swallowed a piece of apple. “Is there a particular reason that you would not allow my companions and me to do this ourselves?”
Valessa smiled. “Because the only one that would be allowed to enter would be you. The others would have been deemed unworthy and killed the instant they stepped across the threshold. I figured I would save you the trouble of finding out that nasty bit and take you myself.”
“Why should I believe you? How am I supposed to know this isn’t some kind of trap?”
“Because I have the answers that you seek, if you care to know them.”
Sephera clenched her jaw. “Tell me then, woman! Do you take joy in torturing me? You have the answers I seek because you stole Baleem’s letter when you attacked me!”