by C. L. Bright
“We should make camp for the night,” he announced.
“But it’s safer to travel at night,” Geori argued. “We should try to make it past the Azurean hunting grounds before we stop.”
“The warlock is too tired to go any farther,” Alaric stated. “He’s probably been on his feet all day.”
“For much of the last seventeen hours,” Dante admitted.
I frowned. “Then, we should have stopped earlier.”
Dante shook his head. “Unless they changed the hunting rotation, the area we were passing through will have hunters out checking traps in the morning. We needed to keep moving as long as possible.”
“Do you think they changed the hunting schedule after you left?” I asked. “It’s possible Nicolas or your father were worried you’d tell someone about the rotation.”
“That’s not likely,” Serena argued. “They changed it once when I was fourteen, and it threw off too many people in the family.”
“I seriously doubt they’ll make any changes,” Dante agreed.
“That’s careless,” Geori remarked.
“Not really,” Serena argued. “I don’t know any hunters other than Dante who remember the entire schedule. I doubt anyone realized he had it memorized. Since it’s posted, no one needs to remember the whole thing. Hunters usually only remember the areas they’re responsible for. I’m honestly shocked you remember it, Dante. It’s not the same each week.”
“But it always follows the same pattern,” he explained.
“Is this a good spot?” Alaric asked him.
Dante nodded. “There aren’t any traps near here. It’s not an area we usually hunt. It got removed from the rotation because it was always a waste of time.”
Alaric nodded. “Yes, we don’t often come this way. We’ll set up camp. I can’t have you getting too tired and not warning us about any traps. Your mind needs to be sharp.”
“Ah, so a spellcaster can be useful,” Serena said under her breath.
Alaric glared at her briefly but said nothing before barking out orders to the others.
“It’s a little cold,” Elena remarked. “Do you think we can get away with building a fire?”
“Too risky,” Alaric told her.
“Only if you use real fire,” Dante stated.
“You want to use a make-believe fire?” Geori asked with a sneer. “Then, we can all pretend to be warm.”
“Don’t be a jerk,” Serena told him. “He’s talking about creating a magical flame.”
“Exactly,” Dante agreed. “It will produce more heat than a regular fire, and no one will be able to see it from a distance.”
The other shapeshifters look fascinated.
“No one can see it?” Geori sounded skeptical.
“No one more than about thirty feet away,” Dante replied.
“This I have to see,” Elena remarked.
“While you do that, I’m going to set a perimeter alarm spell so no one sneaks up on us.”
All but Dante spun to face Sin, who was suddenly in human form and fully clothed. She wasn’t that much taller than me and had pale skin, deep red hair, and even deeper red eyes. She laughed at our shocked expressions before saying, “Demon magic is always better.”
After she skipped off to set up the spell, I asked, “How did she have time to dress? She was still a dog when I looked over a minute ago.”
“Where was she carrying the clothing?” Alaric asked. “She didn’t touch your pack, and she wasn’t carrying anything.”
“She can just appear fully clothed,” Dante explained. “Sometimes, her human appearance changes. The only constant seems to be her red eyes. I asked her to stick to one human form. In animal form, she has more control over her eye color.”
“What’s her true form like?” Geori asked.
Dante shrugged. “Sin isn’t big on sharing details about demons. She tells me what she wants me to know and turns into a dog if I ask about something she doesn’t want to discuss. That’s her preferred form.”
“Is her name really Sin?” Geori asked.
“No, demons don’t reveal their actual name,” Dante replied as he crouched down and dropped his pack on the ground. His eyes closed as his hands hovered several inches above the ground.
As he softly spoke the words to the spell, I felt the tug of his magic, pulling on our bond to feed into his power. Panic gripped me until he spoke in my mind.
“Don’t be frightened, Juliet. I’m not taking your power, just drawing on the energy we share.”
I relaxed and nodded, watching as blue flames rose from the ground. The heat from the fire flowed around the area, taking away the slight chill that I hadn’t noticed until we’d stopped walking.
“That should do it,” Dante stated as he stood and rubbed his hands together.
“I don’t see how we can hide this fire,” Geori remarked. “I know it’s supposed to have some special kind of magic, but this is too bright.”
“As I said, it’s only visible within a thirty-foot radius,” he assured Geori. “If anyone gets close enough to see the fire, they can already see us.”
“If Dante says you can’t see it from more than thirty feet away, then I believe him,” I stated. “You’re welcome to check.”
Geori nodded and started walking with three other shapeshifters. I could tell when they reached the spot where the flames vanished by their gasps.
“That’s amazing,” Geori said as he approached the flames again. “Not only could I no longer see it, but the heat disappeared.”
Dante nodded. “I learned this spell as a young child. My father taught it to me when he took me camping. It’s very useful.”
“Can we cook on it if we catch any food?” Alaric asked.
“I wouldn’t recommend it,” Dante replied. “I tried it once, and the magic leaves a strange aftertaste.”
“Dried meat it is,” Alaric stated. “Let’s all eat and try to get some sleep. We need to start moving in six hours tops.”
The others started pulling food from their packs.
“Are you hungry?” I asked Dante.
He shook his head. “The nuts and jerky we ate while walking were enough for me. I need to get some sleep, yet I’m almost afraid to close my eyes. I don’t want to wake up and find out this is all a dream, and I’m not really with you.”
He pulled me into his arms and sighed as I rested my head against his chest.
“I know just how you feel,” I admitted. “At least I get to finally sleep beside you again.”
“Yes, I’ve missed having you with me,” he replied before releasing me and looking down at the ground. “I’m getting tired of sleeping on the ground.”
“Don’t you have some sort of spell to make it more comfortable?”
“No, I don’t know any spells for that,” he replied. “You’re lucky you can sleep in your cat form. That should be more comfortable.”
He was right; I would be more comfortable, but I didn’t want to change into a cat.
“I want to hold you,” I told him.
He smiled and brushed my hair back from my face. “Then let’s see if we can make a comfortable bed with the blanket in my pack. We should be warm enough to use it as a pillow.”
While he got our sleeping area set up, I went to check on Serena.
“You don’t have to sleep so far from us,” I told her.
She was sitting several feet away and had a small black dog that had to be Sin on her lap.
“It’s okay,” she assured me. “I want to give you and Dante some time alone. Sin growls every time Alaric comes near me.”
I looked at the demon. “Not a fan of Alaric?”
All she did was lift one ear in response.
“Who would have thought a demon could offer so much comfort?” Serena asked with a giggle.
“That is somewhat unexpected,” I agreed. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
When I returned to Dante, he was already lying on his
back, watching my approach. He opened his arms and gestured for me to join him.
After I was settled in beside him with my head resting on his chest, I let out a sigh. “I’m glad your demon friend seems to like Serena.”
“I think she may like Serena more than she likes me,” he remarked.
“Doubtful,” I replied. “I’m a little jealous of the bond you have with Sin.”
“You have nothing to be jealous of,” he assured me. “I’m in love with you, and there is no other woman for me.”
“Why can’t love be simple?” I asked.
“Life is rarely simple,” he replied.
“Your life was a lot simpler without love. It’s been torn apart since the day you decided to spare my life. Before that, you were a well-respected member of the spellcaster community. You were happy. Now, you can’t go back to your family or your old life.”
“My happiness depended upon my ignorance,” he replied. “Sure, it was easier not knowing that hunting shapeshifters was wrong, but I’m glad my eyes were opened. I don’t know what the future holds, but I don’t want to return to my old life.”
“What about Ambrose and Laranissa?” I asked. “Surely, there are others you miss.”
“Yes,” he whispered. “I miss them, but this is how it has to be. Get some sleep. Tomorrow will be another long day.”
“Goodnight, Dante.”
“Sweet dreams, Juliet.”
Chapter 31
We covered more ground than expected the next day, thanks to Sin’s suggestion of an alternate route.
Alaric had been more than a little suspicious of her directions—not that I blamed him. According to Sin, she’d never traveled to this area, yet she knew the location of the isolated spellcaster community. She also knew of a trail on none of our maps.
After much discussion, we’d opted to try the path she suggested since Dante was concerned we’d run into Azureans if we followed our planned route.
The trail would cut a few hours off of our trip, and though poorly maintained, it was still walkable. Everything was going well.
I should have felt relieved that we were closer to getting my new bracelet. Instead, I was tenser and more uneasy.
“Stop worrying so much,” Serena told me from my right side.
Dante snorted. “Considering all we’ve dealt with, I think it’s smart to worry. We don’t know any of these spellcasters. They may not be willing to help us. Worse, they may turn us over to the Azureans.”
“The one who can help you is a demon,” Sin announced as she skipped past us with her hands waving in the air.
“A demon?” I asked. “No one mentioned anything about a demon.”
“The original magic for your bracelets was demon magic. It’s been altered some by spellcasters,” Sin called out from ahead of us.
“I’m not sure I like the idea of dealing with a demon,” Alaric remarked.
Sin stopped and glared at him. “Why not?”
“Are you saying I should trust all demons?” Alaric asked.
Sin laughed. “Oh, no. You shouldn’t trust any demon.”
“Even you?” I asked.
“Even me,” she replied before skipping ahead again.
“Isn’t this demon worried about demon hunters?” Dante asked. “Or does this community have protection spells like the ones woven into the Black Mist?”
“Demons who live away from the protected areas aren’t like me,” Sin remarked as she slowed her pace and caught Dante’s hand. “With demon hunters after them, they need to either hide or become scary enough to be left alone. This demon is good at going unnoticed, or so I’ve heard. It must be at least somewhat true. She’d already be dead if she was still as reckless as the last time I saw her.”
“You know the demon we’re meeting?” Dante asked.
“I wouldn’t say I know her,” Sin replied.
“Sin,” Dante began in an impatient tone. “I know you like playing games, but we need any information you have so we can avoid getting ourselves killed.”
“Fine,” she relented. “This demon poses as a witch and sells spells to stay alive.”
“Can you tell us anything else about her?” I asked.
“She hates demons,” Sin replied thoughtfully. “I think she hates everyone. Children always irritated her. She loathed being in animal form.”
“She sounds awful,” Serena remarked.
“Yes, I suppose she is, but I don’t think she’ll be a big threat to you,” Sin assured her. “There is one thing to watch out for.”
“What’s that?” Dante asked.
“She’s always been fascinated with death magic,” Sin explained.
“Death magic?” Serena gasped. “That’s horrible.”
Sin waved off her concerns. “There’s nothing wrong with a little death magic now and then. It can make a demon stronger, but people will find out and want us dead if we use it too often. We all worried she’d ruin our truce, and we’d be banished from our sanctuary, especially since she has a way of tricking people into agreeing to be her sacrifice.” She looked at Dante over her shoulder. “Don’t agree to help her with any spells.”
“All right,” Dante agreed. “So, she was banished for her use of death magic?”
“No,” she replied. “Several of us thought she should be banished, but it never came to that. She chose to leave. I may have had something to do with her decision.”
“How so?” Dante asked.
“It’s a long story, and I’m already bored,” Sin complained.
“Can you give us a few details?” Dante coaxed.
“I told her I’d destroy her if she broke the rules by using death magic again,” she explained. “She got defensive.”
“So, your presence may not be good for us,” I stated.
“Why?” Sin asked with a bewildered expression.
“She might consider you an enemy,” Serena pointed out. “You did threaten to destroy her.”
Sin considered what she’d said before waving off Serena’s words. “You’re thinking like a spellcaster.”
“She is a spellcaster,” I reminded Sin.
“I suppose that makes it harder to see it from a demon’s perspective,” Sin remarked thoughtfully. “Demons don’t feel the same loyalty to others. We don’t get offended when someone betrays us, though we might kill them. We value our own survival above all others.”
“Wouldn’t that have prompted you to stay behind where you had more protection against demon hunters?” I asked.
She shook her head. “I’ve been so bored lately that I needed an adventure. This has been fun so far. Did you think I came because I like Dante?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“I suppose I do like Dante, so much so that I hope I won’t have to betray him, but it could happen,” she explained. “I won’t risk my life for anyone else.”
“From what I’ve heard of the spellcasters in this community, they wouldn’t tolerate death magic,” Dante remarked. “Maybe you’re mistaken and this demon is no longer there.”
“More likely, the foolish spellcasters don’t know about the death magic,” Sin argued.
“They may not know about her being a demon,” I suggested.
Sin shrugged. “Perhaps she’ll tell us.”
“Is there anything else we should know?” Dante asked. “I expected to be negotiating with spellcasters. I’m not sure how to negotiate with a demon.”
Sin pondered his question before responding. “Don’t agree to do her any favors in exchange for the bracelet. Make sure the payment is clearly discussed in advance. You also shouldn’t take it personally if she threatens to kill you. We do that sort of thing even with people we like.”
“Great,” I grumbled. “This should be an interesting meeting.”
“It’s going to be fine,” Dante assured me.
I looked over at him. “Do you believe that, or are you trying to make me feel better about this?”
“Do you
really want me to answer?” he asked.
I sighed and shook my head. “No, I already know the answer.”
Chapter 32
Her name was Peony.
At least, that’s what she went by. The name seemed wrong for a powerful demon who liked to dabble in death magic, but that might have been the reason she’d chosen it. Both her name and appearance made her seem less threatening.
Peony stood in front of a row of rustic cabins near a large fire pit. She was barely five-feet-tall with blonde hair that went past her waist. Thick lashes framed her pale blue eyes, and her pink lips were curled into a welcoming smile. She wore a light blue dress that flowed down around her petite frame and fell to just above her ankles.
Peony’s blue eyes looked more human than Sin’s deep red eyes, making me wonder if she’d found some spell to hide her eye color or if some demons simply had eyes that didn’t stand out as much.
“Welcome to my haven.” Her voice was soft with a hint of an accent I didn’t recognize. “What can I do for you?”
“We need your help finding a particular item,” Alaric explained.
Peony glared at him, and I could have sworn I saw a flash of red in her eyes, though I might have imagined it.
“You are not the one looking for help,” she accused. “I think the female can speak for herself.”
Alaric seemed taken aback by her tone, but he simply nodded.
“I need to return to the Heathergate Refuge with my friends,” I began.
She studied us before gesturing wildly to the others with me, “Are they really your friends?”
I shrugged. “Some are my friends, while others are not.”
“And you want the ones who aren’t friends to travel with you past the Ivorfalls, as well?” She didn’t give me a chance to respond. “Are you planning to kill the shapeshifters there? If that’s the case, then you should leave now. I don’t need to bring that kind of trouble on myself. Besides, I have no good reason to kill the shapeshifters at the Heathergate Refuge. They bring me peaches and plums in the summer months.”
“You have dealings with the shapeshifters from the Heathergate Refuge?” I’d never heard of any trading done outside of the Azurean trading posts.