Millan's heart skipped a beat. "She doesn't?"
"Of course. She doesn't trust anyone. She only means to protect you. And my family 'istory isn't exactly putting 'er at ease."
"Your family history?"
Navi was silent as shouts from outside called for the procession to start. The coach lurched forward before maintaining a moderate pace.
"I nearly forgot. You're from Nesinu. It's refreshing to meet someone not immediately suspicious of me."
"Why would they be?"
"You ever 'eard the name Cabar?"
"No."
"Really? I suppose Nesinu is farther away than I thought. Cabar was a 'igh-ranking member of the Brother'ood, a close personal friend to Shinigami, and also my father."
Millan instinctively leaned back.
"But I didn't grow up with 'im. I never even met the man. You see, Cabar was from Light's 'aven. He moved to North Refuge to marry my mother, Laila Ferran. They 'ad a child, my brother, and moved to Kotsky."
"Aha! Kotsky. I thought your accent sounded familiar."
"Indeed. Even though I've tried, I just can't seem to break away from it." Navi smirked. "Anyway, long story short. I was born a few years later, after which my father took my brother and ran back to Light's 'aven. I grew up only with my mother in Kotsky. But everyone knows the connection, and so suspicion seems to follow me everywhere."
Millan scowled. "That doesn't seem fair."
"Don't shed any tears for me now. I'm used to it."
"So, what happened to Cabar? To your brother?"
"Cabar died in the Assault. As for my brother?" Navi shrugged. "No one seems to know what 'appened to Ozlican. Probably died in the Assault as well, though they never found a body."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"Don't be. I never knew them. They were Brother'ood. They may 'ave been my blood, but they're not my family. So, 'ow about you? Any brothers or sisters?"
"Nope. I'm an only child. I don't know much about my family history, to be honest. My parents never talked about it. I don't know who my grandparents are or were. All I know is I was born in Nesinu, and that's it."
"Your parents must be proud to 'ave a son as an ambassador."
Millan laughed nervously. "Actually, I haven't told them anything since I left Nolka. They have no idea I was in Royal Oak, that I was captured, or that I'm an ambassador."
"Oh, I see."
"My father actually despises Candelux. He thinks the Prima is in league with Verago. That all she cares about is power. He was less than pleased when I became a squire."
"You learned from Don Skully, right?" Navi asked.
"Yes."
"I'm sorry for your loss. I never 'ad the chance to meet 'im, but I 'ear 'e was a great man."
"He was. After I joined Candelux, he was like a second father to me." With downcast eyes, Millan rubbed the tips of his fingers together. Thinking back to the home he lost weighed heavily on his heart.
The silence inside the carriage was drowned out by the rumbling of the wheels along the road. Millan caught the curtain between two fingers and covertly peeked outside. As promised, Lady Sundancer rode beside the door. The bloodseeker's gaze shifted to Millan, and he let the curtain fall back into place.
The Nesinu priest continued, "I heard he was involved with the Death Gods before they were exiled. It's one of the reasons I'm excited to go to Alovajj."
"I'm also eager to get back to Alovajj. I 'ave an object that requires returning." Navi reached down next to her seat and produced a dagger housed in a black-and-white sheath.
"You've been to Alovajj before?"
"A few times, before the incident at Deimor Outpost. I was a don assisting Archdon Dassdyr back when 'e was the main ambassador."
"What happened to him?"
"I believe 'e still lives in Light's 'aven. I suppose after Deimor Outpost, 'e wasn't keen on going back to Alovajj. Rendomin was 'is responsibility."
"Who's Rendomin?"
"You're joking, right?"
"No. All I know about Deimor Outpost is that the Death Gods attacked it and killed a bunch of watchers. And because of that, the Prima has forbidden any priest from traveling to Alovajj."
"Oh, Millan, you've missed so much living so far away. Rendomin was a new priest assisting Archdon Dassdyr."
"I thought you assisted him."
"I did, but I couldn't go on this particular journey as I was in the middle of my specialty training. Devil's Breach 'ad 'appened just a few months prior. Everyone assumed the Death Gods knew more than they were letting on. And so, the ambassadors went to Alovajj. Not long after arriving, Rendomin stole the Book of Demons."
"Never heard of it."
"The contents supposedly 'ouse many important details regarding dark energy, demons, and Verago, such as the real names of several iymed, including the five greaters."
"They know all that?"
"As I said, supposedly. There's no way we can know for sure since the book was retrieved by the Death Gods at Deimor Outpost."
Millan pointed to the dagger resting in Navi's palm. "So, what's with the knife?"
"This? This belongs to Shinigami. I'm just returning it to 'im."
"What's so special about it?"
Navi removed the weapon from its sheath. The blade appeared relatively plain, but one side had uniformly jagged teeth curling back toward the handle. "I'm not sure. Shinigami gave it to my father many years ago. I 'ad quite a time tracking it down, but now I can return it to its rightful owner."
"That's great. I'm sure he'll really appreciate that."
Navi sheathed the blade. "Let me ask you something. I couldn't 'elp but notice you didn't pack anything?"
"All I owned was destroyed at Royal Oak."
"So you don't even 'ave a coat?"
"Why would I need coat?"
Navi tilted her head. "Didn't the Prima tell you where we're going?"
"Alovajj?"
"Yes, eventually, but that's not our first stop."
Millan shifted uneasily. "I don't understand."
"Before we visit the Death Gods, we 'ave an audience with the Para Paya."
"The Para—wait a minute. That would mean we're heading to…to…"
"To the Frozen Coast."
✽✽✽
"Good, you're back," Eyzora said. "I take it everything went to plan."
Erynion didn't make eye contact with her as he entered the camp where Dulo and the Denhauli were waiting. "Was there ever any doubt?"
"How long will the enchantment last?"
"Currently? Just the night. To get the rest, I need some information from the Depths, and I'm going to need your help to get it."
Ojjuk growled. "I don't like it. You don't need these chains."
Erynion sat on the ground with his back to the black wolf. "Honestly, I don't care if you like it or not. This has to happen. And in any case, the information is only useful to Feranis. He wants to know if one of his priests transcended or not. Her name was Yatiga."
Eyzora circled in front of the demon lord. "Seems harmless. I'll confer with Verago."
"So, it sounds like you didn't kill Feranis," Dulo said.
Erynion raised an eyebrow. "You knew I wasn't going to. While I'm sure he turned a blind eye to your arrest, Feranis wasn't the one who tortured you. Plus, despite what the Denhauli say, I need his help to stay sane, which allows me to grant your wish of becoming a demon."
"Fair point. I suppose there will be plenty of time for justice later."
The statement bothered Erynion. "If I turn you into a demon, I expect you to obey all of my instructions. Is that clear?"
"Of course. I wasn't suggesting I wouldn't."
"Good. Then I believe we have much to discuss before nightfall."
Dulo eyed the wolves and the jester sitting in the tree. "I'll tell you what you want to know, but I'm only telling you, not them."
Ojjuk snorted. "Ridiculous."
"We'll be on patrol," Eyzora announced. "I rec
ommend Flinch returns to the road to keep an eye on Nolka."
Erynion nodded. "Agreed."
With his partially healed limb, the jester saluted the demon lord and disappeared. The Denhauli bound out of the camp, leaving Erynion and Dulo alone.
The demon lord gestured to the dirt. "Have a seat."
"Actually, I'll stand if that's all right with you. I don't think wanderers are capable of sitting."
"Whatever works for you."
"Where would you like me to start?" Dulo asked.
Erynion grumbled. "At the beginning, I suppose. Get on with it."
"My real name is Ozlican. My father was Cabar."
There was a substantial pause, which forced Erynion to ask, "Am I supposed to know who that is?"
"You've never heard of Cabar? The Sparrow?" Dulo scoffed. "I thought all demons knew the important Brothers."
"If it's any consolation, I'm not familiar with any of them."
"But you've heard of Shinigami?"
"Yes."
"Long before I was born, my father was supposed to be next in line as Grand Overseer. That all changed when Shinigami showed up out of nowhere. His mastery of dark energy was undeniable, and it didn't take much convincing for Verago to step in and give the title to Shinigami. But even after that traitor took his spot as Grand Overseer, my father swallowed his pride and befriended him, trusted him."
Erynion sensed the narrative veering in a direction he cared little for. "Tell me more about your life."
"Let's see. I was born in North Refuge. You know my father. My mother was Laila Ferran, a Kasaverr noble. When I was a baby, we moved to Kotsky, the most backward place in the kingdom. Luckily though, when I was around five years old, my father left my mother and brought me to Light's Haven, so I don't remember much of that fangling town. I thank Verago every day for that. I almost feel sorry for my sister."
"You have a sister?"
"Navi Laila. She was born a few months before we moved. It's funny. She's my blood, but I would consider any Brother to be family before her. She and my mother eventually came to Light's Haven. Last I heard, she was a squire in Candelux, but that was sixteen years ago."
"What happened after your father brought you to Light's Haven?"
"We lived with my uncle in the noble quarter, but my father pretty much raised me himself. When I was sixteen, I followed in his footsteps and joined the Brotherhood. When I was eighteen, I became an acolyte in Summa Arcana. At twenty-one, I passed my trial by fire. That's the war-mage test."
"Does that mean if I turn you into an iymed, you'll be able to use that knowledge and summon fire?"
"I'm not sure. I've always learned that a demon, if strong enough, can manipulate dark energy into other types of energy. Just look at Eyzora. Maybe I'll be like that."
The demon lord thought back to his purge and the massive wave of fire that emanated from him. Perhaps Dulo would be a war-mage in death as well. "So, how did you end up in Nolka?"
"The Assault on Light's Haven happened. I remember my father talking about Verago's plan. He was dying to tell me the details, but all the high-ranking Brothers were sworn to secrecy, and he took that very seriously. Verago wanted to take the capital by surprise, and we couldn't afford any leaks. Who would've guessed that our own Grand Overseer would be the one to expose us.
"On the day of the Assault, I was with my father. There were about a hundred of us waiting to secure the square where the Zaidon and his squad were tunneling to. With the Zaidon inside the walls on the east side of the city, the priests, paladins, and watchers would have to divide their forces, giving the Brute and her army a better chance of crashing through the west gate. But before he could emerge, watchers swarmed in from all directions and started arresting anyone in the area. My father and I evaded capture, but I remember seeing the Prima enter the square." Dulo squeezed his fists tightly. "And a few steps behind her, unrestrained, unguarded, was Shinigami."
"You saw the Zaidon get cleansed?"
"No, we didn't stay. My father said our only chance was to get to the west gate and help the demons break through. And so, a handful of us raced across the city, carefully avoiding the Marksman's arrows of deceit. I started to doubt there was any hope of victory, until we reached the west wall. We arrived just as the Brute shattered the gate with her morning star. I had always heard the stories about her and assumed her size was exaggerated. Ha! It was not."
"So, you joined the Brute," Erynion guessed.
"Yup. We jumped right in, and between the demons and all the Brothers, we steadily pushed back the watchers and priests. The fighting went on for a while, and for a short time, despite the assumed loss of the Zaidon, we seemed to still have a chance. But then, the ground shook violently. The fighting stopped. No one knew what happened. The arrows stopped falling too. For a few quick moments, there was peace amid the chaos. When the fighting resumed, we had lost our momentum, and they started pushing us back to the west gate. At first, we were only giving up ground little by little. But then, the Brute sounded the retreat and all depths broke loose. The demons turned tail and ran. The Brothers scattered in all directions. My father refused to abandon his position, and so I stood with him, ready to fight until the bitter end, which came all too quickly."
"Your father died?"
"Impaled by a bloodseeker's spear. I can still see it as if it just happened yesterday. I don't know why the memory is so vivid, but I remember running to him. I thought I could save him. How fire could save him, I don't know. I wasn't exactly thinking clearly. All I knew was I needed to get to him. But before I could, I glimpsed a guardian out of the corner of my eye. His shield struck the side of my head, and everything went black. I don't recall too much after that. My wounds were tended to by someone. I don't know who. I vaguely remember being hidden in the back of a wagon. When I was finally healed enough to move around, my mind was a haze. I don't know how to describe it, other than being really, really drunk, but only up here." The wanderer pointed to his head.
"How much do you remember from your time as a beggar?"
"I would say once I was healed, my memory was the same as anyone else's. It was just my higher thinking that was severely impaired. I found myself obsessed with the trash of others. I was constantly searching for someone, even venturing outside the city walls at night."
Erynion's eyebrow shot up. "Who were you looking for?"
"I think the person who healed me, but I had no way of knowing who that was. And so, instead, I would engage every stranger I met in the hopes they would be the one I was looking for."
The demon lord considered the story and discovered an opportunity to clarify a mystery. "The night before I arrived in Nolka, you found me?"
"I did. I'd been wandering around the forest most of the day, and around sunset, the ground shook. In the distance, I saw a massive tree rise above the treetops. At the time I had no idea it was a twisted gate, but a part of me knew someone was there and needed my help. But when I got to the gate, you were gone." Dulo sighed. "I cried so hard. I couldn't tell you why if I wanted to. I didn't know who you were, but I was distraught from not finding you. I don't know how long I cried for, but I stopped when the ground trembled again."
"My purge," Erynion whispered to himself.
"It took me a couple of hours, but eventually, I found the huge field you left behind. You were lying in the center of it all. I approached you to see if you needed help, but you were mostly unresponsive."
"And the name you gave me, Erynion?" the demon lord asked.
Dulo scrunched his eyebrows together. "I didn't give you the name. You said it to me. I asked if you needed help, and all you could mutter was something about Erynion. I asked if that was your name, and you just repeated it. When I couldn't wake you, I returned to Nolka for help, but no one seemed interested. Except…"
"Except?"
"Except a priest. A young man. He wasn't from Nolka. No one from Nolka ever tried to help me. He said he'd help me find you, but then I
never saw him again."
"Do you remember his name?"
Dulo squinted. "Yeah. Don Millan."
Chapter 12
The door hinges squealed as footsteps entered the room. Sonojj sniffed at the air and recognized the old man's stench as he approached the cage. But the typical hint of lavender was missing, replaced by something else. It smelled like rotting flesh.
"You all are dismissed. This prisoner no longer needs supervision," Mortis said. Feet shuffled across the stone as the guards exited the cell, and the metal gate collided against its stop.
"I take it you've come to a decision," Sonojj said.
There was silence in the jail as the sound of the distant guards' footfalls faded. The old man cleared his throat. "We've decided to release you."
Relief washed over the demon. "You're making the right choice. When?"
"Soon. You'll be escorted beyond the city walls. Once you're a safe distance away, the guards will untie you and face you toward the Frozen Coast."
"The Coast? So, you were able to confirm her location then?"
"It would seem you were telling the truth. She's holed up in Nua'dem. How'd you know?"
Sonojj cupped his ear. "These ears have heard many a thing they weren't supposed to."
"Well, keep them open. Word is the Seductress has company. A nasty ogre-like demon."
"Maligus."
"Right," Mortis said. "He's the one you should worry about. He's stronger than she is."
"It won't be a problem."
"Oh?"
"I can smell Maligus a mile away," Sonojj boasted. "I can track them both without them knowing I'm even there."
"And what about the Para Paya? I doubt they'd be happy about Verago sending an assassin into their camp."
"When I'm done, there will be no evidence left to accuse anyone of anything."
"Fulfilled by your pouch of energy, no doubt. I'm curious. Have you ever felt the agony before?"
Sonojj had lived as a demon for centuries but was never stronger than an iymed. And though his experience with the agony was minimal, he wasn't keen to remember it. Not that any of that mattered once the moment of truth was upon him. "What difference does it make? This has to be done."
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