“That confidence of yours. I want it,” Fara muttered. She turned away and leaned against him.
“This is about your clan,” Rys stated.
He didn’t know that for sure. But Fara’s emotional walls were down, and he took an educated guess while he had the chance.
“You really don’t know much about us, do you?” Fara asked, amused.
“I could find out if I wanted to, but I’d like to hear it from you.”
She clicked her tongue and hit him in the face with her tails. “Flatterer.” But she continued to lean against him. “We’re from the northern reaches of Pharos, near Hellgate Pass.”
“I’m familiar with it. The Hellgate region was created during the Cataclysm,” Rys said. “So you’re mountain-dwelling?”
Fara gave him an odd look when he explained the origin of Hellgate, but continued, “We have a lot of important sites in the mountains, but only my clan still lives up there. Most of us dwell in low-lying villages. It affects the color of our tails.”
“Go on,” Rys said.
“At birth, a fox’s tails are colorless. We also start with a single tail. Depending on where we grow up in our first year as a fox kit, our tail changes color. Most colors are meaningless. But white, black, gold, and silver are special.”
Fara topped up her glass and grimaced as the bottle ran dry. Her face was completely red, and her eyes were troubled. “White means the fox grew up in the mountains. Gold and silver tails indicate high magical power.”
A long pause.
“And black?” Rys asked gently.
“It means some sort of foreign or foul magical energy has affected the fox,” Fara said. She closed her eyes. “Almost no fox on Pharos has black tails. They’re common on Gauron for some reason. But I spent most of my life being ostracized, until we regained contact with Gauron in my youth. Called fox-killers, because our tails grant us powerful disruption abilities that allow us to counter the magic of other foxes.”
She laughed bitterly. “My entire clan specializes in intelligence operations. We’re called the Garrote Clan because we’re a clan of spies, assassins, messengers, and infiltrators. But I’m a stupid enforcer, who spent decades killing monsters in mountains alongside other clans.”
That explained a lot. Especially her foul mood after the earlier meeting.
Rys grabbed her glass, ignoring her squeal. He poured its contents into his glass, before giving it back to her. Her glare threatened to melt his face off, but he ignored her.
With a loud slurp of liquor, he stared her down. Her tails curled around herself.
“Last time we spoke, I asked you whether you ever thought of doing something for yourself,” Rys said. “Well?”
Fara’s ears flattened against her head and her tails drooped. She leaned against the bench and looked up. Emotion shimmered in her eyes.
After a long, long wait, Fara said, “I have two sisters. Both with white tails. One’s my twin, which is common for foxes, and the other is thirty years younger than me.” A pause. “My twin sister became a mother and joined me out here, which caused my baby sister to join us out here. They live in a fox village up north, near Avolar.”
Fara sighed. “Seeing my cute twin nieces grow up made me wish I was a mother. But that never came to be. I dreamed of it, but there were always reasons to let it remain a dream. I needed to go back to my clan. Or that I was a fighter, not a potential wife. Or that the man I loved didn’t look at me that way.”
Rys wasn’t stupid. He knew who she had been interested in.
“And now? Will it remain a dream?” Rys asked her. He ran a finger beneath her chin.
Fara’s breath hitched. Her eyes widened and she stared at him.
“Now…” she trailed off. After a deep breath, she smiled at him and took his hand. “Now, I think you’re right. I need to do something for myself. What that is, I don’t know. I think I wanted children because I wanted the simple happiness my sister had. My nieces are cute, but they are terrors. Mina in particular is a chronic overachiever, but the tantrums she throws are legendary.” Fara giggled, but part of it came out as a sob.
Leaning forward, Fara pressed her forehead against Rys’s chest. Her tails wrapped around him. They sat in silence.
“This feels silly,” she said. “I don’t even know why I’m here. You told me that you think the only thing that matters in life is power, and here I am pouring my heart out to you.”
“I seek power because I want freedom,” Rys said. “But I don’t think it’s wrong to live for whatever reason you choose. Grigor knows what he wants in life.”
“Ha. True. You’re such a selfish bastard that you end up sounding wise to me, because I’ve spent my whole life being the opposite,” Fara said.
Fara stood up and looked at him with a cute smile. Her tails swayed behind her slowly, diffusing the light of the lamp. It was a picturesque moment for Rys, and one he filed away mentally.
Then, rather than walk away, Fara darted in again. Her lips pressed against Rys’s. He grabbed her arms instinctively, but returned the kiss. Her mouth remained closed, but she pressed against him earnestly. The warmth of her body seeped into his.
After several long moments, she pulled away. “Maybe this is a mistake, but it felt good to do,” Fara said. She giggled before running off.
Rys watched her leave with narrow eyes. Claiming that fox might be a longer journey than he planned, but he knew it would be worth it.
Chapter 14
Explosions awakened Rys a few mornings later. He muttered a curse and rose from bed. His senses determined that the magical barriers around the manor remained intact, so he took his time getting dressed.
The door burst open and Vallis rushed inside. Her soft blue nightgown did a lot to emphasize the raw size of her chest, but otherwise showed little skin. She stared at Rys in shock.
“How can you waste time getting dressed? We’re under attack!” she spluttered.
Another series of explosions crackled outside. Light shimmered beyond the windows of the manor, and Rys looked over Vallis’s shoulder to check. A few moments later, great thwooms rumbled throughout the walls and floor. Plumes of smoke rose into the air.
“You really need to learn how delegation works,” Rys said. “The barriers are intact and we have a bunch of Ashen on night patrol. We can wander out and see what remains of the attackers. Hopefully, Margrim took some prisoners.”
He walked past Vallis, but paused at the door. “You might want to put some clothes on. I doubt you want to show the infernals your nightie.”
Vallis’s face turned into a tomato and she ran back to her bedroom down the hall.
Outside, Fara stood next to the windows, wearing her robe loosely over her nearly naked body. He hadn’t seen this much of her skin before, and she rolled her eyes when his eyes immediately focused on the fleshy gap in her robe. Unless he was mistaken, she wasn’t wearing a bra.
“I know it’s early, but try not to think with your morning wood,” Fara said.
“Good to see you’re not worried about the attack,” Rys said.
“The defenses here are something else. I was awake and felt the first spells. Powerful stuff, by my standards,” Fara said. She leaned closer to the windows, her eyes tracking something in the distance. There was too much smoke for Rys to bother trying. “I panicked. Then the spell hit the barriers and I remembered who I’m working with. Made me feel a little stupid.”
Vallis came out a few minutes later in a simple set of clothes. She scowled at Fara and fetched the fox’s sash, then did it up for her. Fara rolled her eyes, but let the merchant take care of her for once.
Finally, the three of them exited the mansion. Terry stood in the foyer holding a plate of eggs and bacon. The demon captain nodded at them as they approached.
“Morning, boss,” Terry said. “Had a bit of fun this morning. A shame most of the boys missed out.”
“Who and what are they?” Rys asked.
Mar
grim pushed the door open. “Thought I sensed you. Really should start using mindspeak, boss. Would make things a lot easier. You’re used to it, right? You’d have to be, given your history.”
“I’m feeling very lost,” Vallis said, staring at the blazing fires visible through the door and windows.
“Mindspeak is how we devils talk to each other mentally,” Margrim explained. “They’re like sendings, but entirely mental. Only devils can use it, though.”
“Non-devils can initiate mindspeak with devils, however,” Rys added. “But they need to have formed a connection to the devil in the past, and there’s a range limitation of a few hundred miles. No mindspeaking with anybody on the continents.”
“So you do know it, boss. We should set up a connection with you and the ladies so that we can stay in touch. Sendings are nice and all, but nothing beats mindspeak,” Margrim said.
Vallis frowned. “The name freaks me out a little. I’m not sure I like talking to devils using my mind.”
“They can’t read your thoughts or anything,” Rys said. “We’ll talk about it later. For now, tell me about the attackers.”
Margrim and Terry nodded.
“Bunch of demihumans—maybe fifteen? Hard to say for sure given we toasted so many in the first volley.” Margrim shrugged. “Only interesting one was the mage at the back. She had fluffy ears and a tail, whereas the rest had horns.”
“Prisoners?” Rys asked.
“A few women from the vanguard. We questioned them plus a couple of guys with feathers tied to their horns. Said they were mercenaries from a town near Anceston,” Margrim said.
“Did the mage spot any demons? I’m assuming she got away?” Rys asked.
“Nada to both,” Margrim said. “She bailed the moment I turned her bodyguard into a pillar of ash, so she missed Terry. Then Louie dropped a burning tree on her as she tried to flee into the forest. We’ve put out the fires, but we can’t question a mangled corpse.”
Grimacing, Vallis looked away. She might be used to the Ashen’s casual disregard for life, given she’d seen them kill bandits and assassins before, but she was still young.
Rys let Margrim and Terry finish the cleanup. He ordered them to keep all of the prisoners alive.
“What’s the bet that somebody watched from nearby?” Fara asked, after the infernals left.
“No bet,” Rys said. “Which is concerning, given Terry went outside. It’s safest to assume that somebody saw a demon, but they likely can’t do anything about it yet. I should get him a transformation Gift, so he can take on a human form like Grigor.”
“That’s easy?” Vallis asked. “Somebody big and strong would be nice to have on trips. And Terry’s pretty good for conversation.”
“Human transformation Gifts vary in quality. Grigor’s is one of the very best. It hides his infernal nature but lets him use his Gifts and power at close to his full potential,” Rys explained. “The only Gift he can’t use is his revival Gift.”
“But most are worse,” Vallis said. “Drat.”
“It’s not that bad. But any Gift I get for Terry on short notice would weaken him. Although he could probably still flatten any human knight with his bare hands.”
“This attack is more concerning than any potential demon sighting, however,” Fara added. “The timing is too suspicious.”
“I agree,” Rys said. “Vallis, I think it’s time you focused your efforts on the artifact trade.”
She blinked. “You think the local Kinadain attacked you?”
“It’s a strong possibility, given Barul’s animosity toward me. If I’m wrong, then no harm done. But if I’m right, I’d like to know before I meet with Maria to seal our deal,” Rys said.
The three of them went their separate ways, leaving Rys to focus on his broader plans.
Within the sub-levels, he found Grigor gathering the demons for a trip into the Labyrinth. A few Ashen stood near a dozen demons, while two of the noble demons checked the equipment of their subordinates. One of the noble demons saw Rys watching and snatched a greatsword off a demon, then walked over.
“Morning, boss,” the white-armored demon grunted out. “You deal with that fun upstairs?”
“Margrim and Terry did. Just some locals,” Rys said.
“Heh. Figures it wasn’t anything serious.” The noble demon grinned. “I know you’re busy as shit, but you upgraded our equipment recently. The monsters down here are nasty fucks. Wearing down our weapons and armor.”
The demon held up the greatsword. A pair of familiar runes were etched into the blade, but Rys’s attention was drawn to the sheer amount of wear on the steel. Scratches and even a chip on side of the blade.
Rys stroked his chin. “I’ll try a better durability rune for the next batch. Any idea what’s causing it?”
“Heat, I think. Last few times the lizards have started breathing fire and their weapons glow red hot.”
“That would do it. I’ll work on something. Should be ready for your next dives,” Rys said.
“Thanks, boss. ‘ppreciate it.” The demon slammed a fist into his chest before returning to the rest of the group.
While Grigor and the noble demons had better equipment, the other demons didn’t. Rys had spent some time over the last few weeks upgrading it. It seemed he had underestimated the monsters in the Labyrinth, however.
On the plus side, the noble demons had grown confident enough to talk to him.
Rys left the infernals to their own devices and entered the control room. Inside, he found Orthrus hovering, doing nothing of note.
“Keeping yourself busy?” Rys asked.
“Amusing,” Orthrus replied. “But yes, I am. Watching your infernals has been very interesting. While they haven’t gone past the fourth floor of the Labyrinth, their recent explorations have helped me unravel the mystery of what is taking place.”
Grigor had refused to go any deeper for a simple reason. The Labyrinth remained a one-way path until the fifth floor, at which point it turned into a true maze. Supposedly, the Kinadain had some method of navigation in the Labyrinth, but the infernals could become easily lost.
Backtracking didn’t work. Rooms changed shape the moment they were empty, preventing any reliable method of navigation other than relying on Orthrus.
“Have you found a power conduit?” Rys asked.
“So single-minded.” Orthrus chuckled. “Not yet. But I am close. The undead sleithneir we saw defended what a path to the Gorgrian section of the Labyrinth. I believe another path can lead me deeper into the Kavolaran section and lead us to a power conduit that we can easily access.”
Rys didn’t know what a sleithneir was, and neither did his translation Gift. He assumed it was the name of whatever that dragon had been.
“So we went the wrong way,” Rys said. “But that’s good news.”
Afterward, Rys focused on the power slates. The demons hadn’t found more, which proved that the Labyrinth likely couldn’t create new ones at will. Rys needed to explore new sections of the Labyrinth to find more.
That meant he needed to eke out every drop of power he could from those he had.
What Rys wanted to do was summon additional infernals. He had left himself excess power within the power slate he had, but he was wary of drawing too heavily on its power. Who knew what it might do to him?
But the cost of not using it might be too great. Rys had done horrific things to his soul in the search for power. Things had worked out somehow. He’d manage this time.
Unfortunately, his next summoning ritual required more effort. He wanted to summon a knowledge devil to help him manage things.
Vallis was sharp, but her attention was focused almost entirely on the world outside the castle. Once Rys brought Maria and other leaders under his thrall, Vallis would find herself even busier, as she found herself managing other leaders on Rys’s behalf. A central administrator was a vital role, after all.
But Rys needed somebody to handle more mundan
e work, and who also understood infernals intimately. There was a more delicate matter he wanted to handle with Maria. Knowledge devils were experts in paperwork and administration. They primarily worked as clerks, librarians, solicitors, analysts, and any job that required handling large volumes of paperwork or numbers.
Darus and Kauros were the exceptions rather than the rule. Most strains of knowledge devils were viewed like imps: convenient underlings that shouldn’t get underfoot or they’d be crushed.
But that was why Rys needed to put in more work. His previous summonings had involved either summoning an infernal he knew personally, or summoning a group of random infernals whose identities didn’t matter. This time, he needed somebody with a very specific set of skills and who wouldn’t be missed in Hell.
The only way to identify a devil like that was using Darus’s knowledge Gift. Rys very carefully trawled through it for a knowledge devil he could use.
Very, very carefully. The type of knowledge devil he was after would almost certainly be female. Given Darus’s reaction to simply bringing up Fara and Vallis last time, he knew this was liable to attract attention.
That took him a couple of days between other matters. He forged new weapons and armor, had a drink with Grigor, and studied some evocation. Vallis contacted him using sending with some intelligence as well, which he passed on to Grigor.
Finally, he drew up the circle and summoned the knowledge devil. After a flash of shadow and light, a young woman appeared inside the circle.
Her figure was petite, but flared out at the hips. She wore a tailored black suit jacket that fit her arms and body very snugly, a black button-up with a v-cut and several missing top buttons to show her near-complete lack of cleavage, and a black miniskirt.
Fairly conservative dress, by the standards of Hell. She looked like any other Calosceme knowledge devil. All-in-all, a cute little thing. If Rys changed the color of her hair and did it up in pigtails, she could pass as a Darus triplet.
Except for two important differences.
The knowledge devil cocked her head at Rys. Two large black and white candy-cane horns stuck out from the top of her head, and a pair of massive bat wings flapped behind her.
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