As they left the room, George headed toward the teleportation platform, but Mary hesitated and took a few moments to lean over the railing of the balcony. This would be the last chance that she would have to look down at the dining area and the bar below.
She had never become accustomed to how the walls and this railing felt. As Mary passed her hand across the railing, she could feel the tiny hairs that tickled her palm. The heart of the structure could also be felt as its pulse shot through the railing like an artery. She pulled her hand away and thought, How unsettling.
Many nights she had watched the diverse characteristics of Kebble’s patrons from this very spot, and on one occasion, she had seen something that frightened her. A man had perished. The cause of his demise remained unexplained, and it was as if nobody cared, as if the gentleman was expendable—almost as if he had been expected to expire. One moment, the man was laughing, and the next, he was burning from the inside out. She would never forget his cries as his body reduced to a pile of ash.
Everyone had continued eating, not bothering to give his remains anything more than a casual glance. Kebble was the only one who seemed to care, but Mary did not know if it was because Kebble was a good elf, or if his actions had more to do with the fact that it was his establishment, and this was just another mess he had to clean up. Despite her confusion about the short elf’s rationale that night, she had become friends with Kebble, and she would miss him.
Mary took one final, mental snapshot before she made her way to the teleportation platform. When she reappeared near the front desk on the main level, she said, “Goodbye, Kebble. You’ve been a gracious host.”
The chubby elf removed his pipe and kissed the top of her hand before bidding her farewell. “I shall miss you, Mary.”
“And, I you. You’ve been wonderful. I do hope this isn’t the last series of moments we shall see each other. I haven’t made any other friends since our arrival.”
Kebble smiled and then winked. “Ohhhh, I think you’re about to meet someone special, and I’m sure this won’t be our last conversation. I want details of your adventures when next we meet.”
“My, my! That sounds promising. I do hope you’re right. I promise to keep you informed.”
“Goodbye, my lady.”
Payne was enjoying the morning sun as its rays fell across the village. Sitting on top of Kebble’s roof, the fairy-demon lifted his face into the air and absorbed its warmth, all while he bounced one of his legs. Waiting for George to exit the building was hard for him to do, but as usual, the fairy-demon had created company.
Payne had torn off one of his fingers and allowed it to morph into a small rabbit. The animal had a perfect cotton-tail and gray fur. Its nose twitched as it spoke. “Stop shaking your leg? The human will come out soon.”
“Payne know ... um ... Payne know this, stupid rabbit.” The fairy-demon growled.
“Who are you calling stupid, idiot?”
“Payne no idiot.”
“You’re the one bouncing your leg all over the place.”
“So?”
“So relax. This George will come out.”
“No say relax. Payne not need relax. Shut up! Ebbish nay!”
The bunny scratched the back of one of its long ears. “I’ll say whatever I want.”
“No.”
“Yes, I will. And you are an idiot.”
“No, no, no ... no! Payne not ... um ... not an idiot. You make Payne madder.”
The rabbit pretended to shiver in fright. “Forgive me. Whatever will I do? I best run and hide. The mighty fairy-demon is angry.”
Payne ground his teeth, “Stop! Or Payne—”
The rabbit turned, lifted onto his back legs and raised his front paws in defiance. “You’ll what?”
“Payne do this.” Payne grabbed the animal and lifted it toward his mouth.
“What are you doing?”
“Eating. Ebbish nay. And you think Payne stupider.”
“If you eat me, you’ll lose a finger.”
“Oh! Um ... yeah. Payne forgot. Then ... then ... Payne will—”
“Shut up! You’ll do nothing. I grow bored with you. Goodbye.” The rabbit began to melt away and then reattached itself to Payne’s hand.
The fairy-demon growled, “Stupid finger!”
Not long afterward, George and Athena exited the inn with the family. Payne was now more nervous than ever. He whispered to himself, “Can’t talk ... can’t talk to human. Too many. Too many to talk. Those other ones ... oh, too many with the human. Not good. Payne go. Got to go. Go home.”
A voice from behind the fairy-demon spoke—a voice from someone Payne could not see, but recognized. “Yes you can, Payne. You can talk to George. It’ll be okay.”
“Who there?” the demon said, turning, ready to bite. “Is that you, Friend?”
“It’s okay, Payne. You can do this. Go down there and say hello.”
The fairy-demon shouted with excitement. “Payne not go! Payne scared! Can’t go nowheres! Payne not talk to human!”
“I think you will. You have been discovered. Look.”
George looked up as the fairy-demon looked down. “Hey Kep, what the hell’s that?”
“I have no idea, but it’s small ... ugly, too.”
“Eeeek!” Athena squealed. “George, what is that?”
Now the whole family was looking.
“Is it dangerous?” Mary demanded to know.
“Beats me. Kep, are you sure you haven’t seen anything like it before?”
“No ... nothing quite like that. I’d remember. It appears to be some sort of demon, but why so tiny, I don’t know. It’s odd. If you ask me, it’s an ugly little thing.”
Payne yelled at the invisible voice. “Now look! You made Payne ... errr, um ... they know! The humans know!” Payne reached out to feel the air, but found nothing. “Hello? Voice? You there? Pssst, hey voice ... you there? Can you hear Payne?” The fairy demon shouted. “Great ... hearing stuff!”
Payne turned back around to look down at George. After seeing the look on the mage’s face, the fairy-demon snapped, “What? Human never see no one talk before?”
Kepler laughed and then lowered to the ground. He answered before George had the chance. “We have, in fact, but nothing as odd as you.”
“Odd? Umm ... Payne no odd. Who you call odd, Furball? And Payne not nothing.” The fairy-demon poked his own chest. “Me Payne!”
The jaguar stood to walk away. “Clearly. You’re definitely odd, and you’re right. You are a pain ... a pain in my ass.”
Athena glared at the demon-cat. “Kepler, I’ve told you not to speak with such vulgarity. You’re starting to sound like George.”
The jaguar was not interested in being chastised. “Yes, Athena.” Kepler walked away from the group, but Payne was not finished with him.
The fairy-demon teleported onto Kepler’s back and then grabbed the cat’s ears with his claws. “Payne not odd! Payne bite. Payne bite Furball.”
The giant cat shook, trying to hurl the fairy-demon off his back, but Payne dug his claws in deeper to keep from being thrown. “Kitty, no get Payne off. Kitty fun. Friend say Payne like Kitty.”
Kepler roared. “George, get this damn thing off me!”
It took a moment for the mage to stop laughing, but when he finally waved his hand, Kepler and Payne froze in place. After staring at the spectacle for a moment or two, George walked over to the tiny annoyance and plucked him off Kepler’s back. He moved away before he released his power over the giant jaguar.
Once the demon-cat could move, Kepler walked toward Payne, growling.
“Stay there, Kep,” George commanded.
“Why? He’ll make a great meal. Let his bones break within my jaws. You know how I feel about being called a kitty.”
“Just back off and give me a moment, will you?” George’s mind was working fast. He wanted to know more before he let Kepler at him. He lifted Payne in front of his face. �
�What are you, and what’s your name? Don’t lie to me, or I’ll feed you to the furball.”
“Not funny, George!” Kepler growled.
Smiling, the mage waved his free hand to release Payne’s mouth. ”Speak, and be quick about it.”
“Me, Payne. Payne ... um ... um, fairy-demon.”
Kepler growled. “There’s no such thing. He lies.”
“There is so!”
“No there’s not,” Kepler snarled.
“Is so!” Payne shouted louder.
“No ... there isn’t!” Kepler roared.
The mage lifted his voice. “Hey! You two are acting like dumbasses!”
Athena huffed, “George Nailer!”
The mage just shrugged. “What? I’m sorry, babe.”
Kepler’s eyes flashed a burning red. “George, who are you going to listen to ... me, or this thing?”
“Payne not a thing. Payne fairy-demon. Payne mother queen ... Queen of Demons on ... on ... errr, um ... Payne forget.”
“Ha,” the demon snarled. “There’s only one Demon Queen, and Her Grace lives on another world. I doubt your mother is the queen I serve on Dragonia.”
“That it! That it ... Dragonia. Payne mother ... the queen.”
“You lie.”
“No lie. Payne swear.”
Kepler growled as his eyes turned an even deeper red. “And your father? What of him? I suppose he’s a king?”
“Yes. Um, he Fairy King. He here.”
Kepler licked his chops. “George, he lies. Let me eat him. I don’t have the moments to waste on his foolishness. His stench fouls the air of this territory.”
Payne exposed his pointed teeth. “Then ... then why do Payne got fairy wings, stupider?”
Kepler was about to respond, but George spoke over him. “Stop this! Let’s take a look, shall we?” The mage turned Payne’s little red figure over to examine his wings.”
Susanne jumped into the conversation. “Hang on a moment.” She handed baby Garrin to Mary who was still adjusting to the fact that George had used magic to control the situation, and then she moved to George to take a closer look. “George, they do look like fairy wings. I’ve seen them in drawings, but I never thought I’d see a pair. Maybe this little, whatever he is, is telling the truth.”
George looked beyond Susanne and took note of the stunned look on Mary’s face. He was glad he had informed the family that he could command magic. As he studied the rest of the group, he could see how shocked they were by its use, despite this knowledge.
After a moment, George said, “Athena, maybe you could help them find a way to close their mouths. We wouldn’t want any bugs to set up camp.”
Athena’s brow furrowed. “Well, what did you expect? I told you they would be unnerved when they saw you use magic. Go on about your business, and give me a moment.”
As Athena turned to address the family, she smiled. She knew this moment would be hard for them. She remembered the fear of seeing George use magic for the first moment when he teleported with her in his arms on their wedding night. Her strength was necessary to ease their minds.
George turned his attention back to Susanne. “I’m inclined to think that this thing’s telling the truth.” He touched the fairy-demon’s wings. “What did you say your name was again?”
“Payne. Ebbish nay!”
“Ebbish nay? What the hell does that mean?”
Kepler growled. “He speaks in demon tongue. If I were to translate it in terms you would understand, ebbish nay means, duh, or perhaps gee whiz in your English.”
George chuckled. “I like that. Ebbish nay, he says. Now that’s pretty funny. Payne, tell me why I should stop the big kitty from eating you.”
Again, Kepler growled. “George, you’re testing my patience.”
“Ebbish nay!” The mage grinned. “You know I love you, buddy.” Again, he lifted the fairy-demon in front of his face. “Why should I stop Kepler from eating you?”
“‘Cuz ... um, Friend say Payne be goswig to Master.” Payne was anxious to find a way out of the trouble he was in. He hated being frozen, and the idea he couldn’t teleport while in this condition bothered him.
“Goswig? Why would I want you to be my goswig, and what makes you think that I’m your master?”
“Friend said to come. Friend said Payne got to call human, Master. Friend said Payne got to do stuff human say, and ... um ... Payne got to be ... um ... gooder, Payne guess.”
George looked at Kepler. He sat Payne down and lowered to the ground beside him after adjusting his new tunic into a more comfortable position. “You said your friend sent you? Who is your friend?”
“Um ... Payne friend—”
Kepler snarled, “He’s driving me crazy. George, make him stop speaking about himself like that.”
The mage smirked and then refocused on the fairy-demon. “You said your friend sent you?”
“Um ... yes ... Payne friend sent Payne.”
George slapped his own forehead. “What’s your friend’s name?”
“Payne told you. Him name Friend.”
“No. You said your friend sent you. I want to know his name.”
“Payne said, him name Friend.”
“Friend? What the hell are you talking about? What’s his name?”
“Friend!”
George shook his head. “You’re saying your friend sent you, I get that. But what’s his name?”
Payne groaned, “Him name Friend.”
“Yes, I know he’s your friend, but I’m asking for his name, not your relationship to him.”
“Grrrrrrr! Him name Friend.”
“Friend? Really? It’s just Friend? He’s got to have a name.”
The fairy-demon growled and snapped back. “Him name Friend! Please no make Payne say it no more! Payne friend name Friend. Friend told Payne to come. He say human be gooder to Payne.”
George thought a moment. He knew he was missing something. None of this made sense. He would allow Payne to tag along until he could figure the little guy out. He could make a decision on what to do with him later. The mage left Payne sitting on the ground and stood to walk with Kepler. “Come with me.”
The two strolled away from the group. George was the first to speak. “Something tells me that we should take this thing with us until we know more. If he turns out to be useless, then you can eat him.”
“I hate this idea. That little freak is going to be a pain in my furry, black ass. I won’t be responsible if he comes up missing.”
“Look, I understand how you feel. I’ll tell him he needs to chill. I’ll tell him he’s got to act right. I’ll tell him to stay away from you. I’ll tell him—”
“George, stop,” Kepler snarled. “You’re not really going to do the tell him, tell him, tell him, tell him thing again, are you? You sound like a fool.”
“Shut up!” George grinned. “I just need you to look at the bigger picture. Someone has sent him to be my goswig. Why ... I don’t know, but it’s happened. I think I have an idea who sent him, but I’m not sure it’s wise to say it out loud. Come here.” George leaned over and whispered in Kepler’s ear.
“Really? Why would he send this ... this, whatever it is?”
“Hell if I know. When I talk with him, I’ll ask. For now, we just need to tolerate the little bastard until I know for sure. I’m asking you to be patient. I think the fairy-demon will come in handy if I’m right.”
“This isn’t a part of our agreement, George, and you know it.”
Kepler turned and made his way back to Payne. “I suggest you stay away from my ears. Touch them again, and I’ll end you.”
“Okay, Kitty.”
“And don’t call me Kitty!”
“Okay, Furball.”
“Or Furball, or anything else you find amusing or clever. You will call me Kepler, and only Kepler.”
“Why you pissy, Kitty?”
Kepler let out a hellacious roar. Athena’s family backed away. Ba
by Garrin woke from his nap and started crying. The jaguar lowered his mouth around Payne’s head and was about to chomp, but George froze him.
George kicked at the dirt on the ground. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” the mage shouted as he walked over and pulled Payne out from under the demon-cat’s jaws. He lifted the fairy-demon in front of his face. “If I were you, I would do as he says, or I’ll allow him to tear you apart. You may have been sent to be my goswig, but you’ll call me, Master, and the jaguar, Kepler. Do we have an understanding?”
Payne rolled his eyes. “Payne do.” A moment later, the fairy-demon’s mind wandered to a different subject. “Will Master feed Payne gooder?”
“I will feed you well, but you must eat what the rest of us eat. I’m not a restaurant.”
“What ‘restaurant’ mean?”
“Never mind. You’ll eat what we eat. Got it?”
“Do Master eat elves? Elves tasty ... um ... small girl ones, mmmmm. Payne like them. Payne like part that holds brown stuff. Down here.” The demon pointed to his abdomen.
George looked at Kepler and then back at Payne. “You mean you like to eat their garesh? That’s nasty. That’s just sick and wrong. How could you be any more repulsive?” The mage shook his head. “You’ll eat what we eat. Don’t even think about putting something in your mouth unless you ask me first. Do you understand? And stop calling yourself by your own name. You sound ridiculous.”
George could not listen to anything else Payne had to say. He was fighting his urge to vomit. He would need to pay close attention to their new companion—eating young elves was not acceptable. He released his magic and began to walk with the family toward the Head Master’s school. “Let’s go. Mary, let me have Garrin, and I’ll calm him down.”
On his way past the fairy-demon, Kepler thumped Payne on the head with the backside of his paw and sent the little guy flying into the side of Kebble’s inn. It took a while, but once Payne collected his bearings, he shook off the cobwebs and flew to catch up with the group.
Meanwhile, Head Master Brayson’s
Floating Office
“Amar, it’s good to see you, my friend,” Brayson said, hugging his old Mystic Learner.
The Eye of Luvelles Page 6