The jester saluted with his right arm. "You got it, boss. And hey, if anything happens this time, I'll be able to fight with both hands."
"Even with that pinkie missing?"
Flinch observed the space where the smallest finger should be. "It's not important. I can grow that back myself. I really can't thank you enough for healing me. I can't believe I have my arm back."
"Please, it was the least I could do. You lost it defending me from Maligus." Erynion clenched his teeth. "That ogre better pray we never come across him again."
"I wouldn't worry about him or the Seductress. They're probably hiding out on the Coast."
"How do you know that?"
"Oh, I don't. It's just a guess. But it's the most logical place for demons to hide. No danger of being killed or cleansed."
"And if we happened to take a trip over there and found them. And if I happened to lose my temper and sent them back to the Depths. What then?"
Flinch pondered the question. "I'm not entirely sure. The Para Paya have always demanded peace and harmony. Anyone is welcome to stay on the Frozen Coast as long as they abide by the unspoken rules. Human or demon, no one is allowed to attack anyone else. As far as I know, no one's ever challenged that out of fear of losing the one place in the kingdom where anyone can feel safe."
"What do you think the cost would be if someone broke the rules?"
"My guess would be banishment from the Coast."
"I could live with that."
"Possibly banishment for all demons. And, I think Verago is pretty happy with the current arrangement, so you'd risk making him very angry."
"Hmm, I see."
"Well, this is my tree." The jester scampered up the trunk. "Be careful out there. I'll be watching."
"Good." Erynion took a few strides and exited the woods. As he stood in the empty road, the city gates opened and a familiar lone figure appeared. The black robe caused Erynion's heart to thump loudly. Though their last meeting was amicable, he could never trust the priests. He always had to be on guard.
Once he was close enough, Feranis leaned on his staff. "Good morning. Sleep well?"
Erynion eyed the star on top of the staff. "I don't sleep."
"Hmm, I suppose we can dispense with the pleasantries. What of our agreement? Did you find out about Don Yatiga?"
"You can rest easy. Your priest is not in the Depths and never has been."
Feranis sighed in relief. "Thank the angels for that. And thank you. I, of course, must trust you're telling the truth."
"Yes, you must. Now, the chains?"
"Yes, the chains. Tell me, what did you think of the spell I added to them yesterday?"
The demon lord tossed the metal links onto the ground between them. "Impressive. Quite a difference."
"I'm pleased to hear it. I'll get to work on them right away. There's a good chance you'll feel another improvement in their strength since I'm doing the full enchantment and not building on a weaker spell. It should last you about a month. When you only have a day or two left, you'll start to feel the energy drop." The archdon maintained eye contact with the demon lord as he bent over to pick up the chains. "You know, Erynion, you must've been very sensible when you were alive to be so calm and collected as a demon. It makes me wonder how in the depths Verago ever convinced you to become…this."
"I imagine you'd be very surprised at how easy it was."
"So, this is all worth it for you? Whatever he's offering. It's worth destroying the kingdom for?"
"You enchant those as we discussed, and your kingdom just might survive."
"Then why Batar? What has he done?"
Erynion never discovered why Batar was so valuable to the Devil, but he knew why he had accepted his purpose. It was his brother's fault he had been captured, and Batar had to answer for his mistakes. "Even if I knew, do you think I'd tell you?"
"I know we're both looking for answers. I've never been in the presence of a demon that didn't want to rip me limb from limb. You're different. I don't know why, but you're different."
"You're wrong. The only thing keeping you alive is that enchantment. Once your part is completed, this truce is over."
Feranis hoisted the chains over his shoulder. "You're not very good at lying. But on the off chance I'm wrong, I think it best this be our final meeting. When I'm done enchanting these, I'll have a watcher drop them in the road just before sundown."
"That's fine by me."
"Goodbye, Erynion. I sincerely hope you never return to Nolka."
✽✽✽
A rush of frigid air greeted Millan as his eyes shot open. He clutched his blanket and pulled it to his chin. Curled into a ball, he rolled to his side and spotted Lady Sundancer sitting in the same corner she had been in when he fell asleep. Though she was now fully dressed, Millan recalled how she had stood in the corner and removed her breastplate. The harness that kept her sickles crossed behind her back was the next to meet the floor. With her back to the wall, she slowly slid down to the wooden planks and removed the segments of armor that protected her legs. However, her hardened leather skirt remained around her waist, despite having cloth beneath it. The sleeveless shirt that hid under her breastplate hung loosely from her body. Afraid of staring for too long, Millan had turned his back and dozed off.
"Sleep well?" the bloodseeker asked.
"I suppose. Why's it so cold in here?"
"I opened the window."
Millan wanted to ask why in the name of all that was holy would she do that, but her eyes intimidated him. "What time is it?"
"Nearly eight strikes."
"Eight?!" The priest threw off the blanket and sprang to his feet. His body trembled from the cold air as he scrambled to put on his robe and large black coat. "Why didn't you wake me sooner? We were supposed to leave at dawn."
Sundancer rose to her feet and closed the window. "Archdon Kainol stopped by. There's been an incident."
"An incident? Does it have to do with Aksil?" After their encounter at the stables the previous night, Millan had stayed up until midnight waiting for the thief to show as promised, but he never did.
"Possibly."
"Well, what happened?" asked the Nesinu priest.
"Don Layola is missing."
"What? What do you mean she's missing?"
"I don't have any details."
Millan gazed through the windowpane and searched the street. Panic started to settle in, and he spoke in a hushed whisper. "Last night, Aksil said Don Layola stole my star. That she might be a Brother. This can't be a coincidence. We have to tell Archdon Kainol."
"I disagree." Sundancer barely flinched, showing no sign of concern.
"What? Are you joking? She could be in danger. He could be in danger. I could be in danger." His chest tightened, squeezing his heart like a dishrag.
"Listen to me closely. Breathe."
"How does a priest just go missing? Where could she have—"
Sundancer placed her hand on his shoulder. "Millan. Breathe."
The priest obeyed. The air moved so quickly back and forth across his lips, he felt them crack.
"Slower. Deeper. Better?"
Millan nodded.
"Good. Try not to jump to conclusions."
"All right. Why shouldn't we tell Archdon Kainol?"
"The less people who know about our run-in with Aksilacarn, the better. There's no way to know who we can trust, so it's best to trust no one."
"But I can trust you, right?"
"Absolutely. I'm here as a personal favor to Prima Mashira. My duty is to protect you at all costs. And believe me when I say I will do just that."
A swift succession of three knocks came at the door. Sundancer held up her hand, telling Millan to stay put. She inched the door open before stepping back and opening it fully.
Millan bowed at the sight of Archdon Kainol. "Your Grace."
Kainol entered the room. "Ambassador Millan, has Lady Sundancer informed you of our situation?"
"Good. The watchers have been searching the area and interviewing the townspeople to uncover any clues regarding her disappearance. But so far, nothing. I don't suppose you saw anything last night."
Millan resisted the urge to look at Sundancer. "No, Your Grace."
"I figured as much."
"Is Ambassador Navi Laila all right?"
"A bit shaken, but she's fine. Don Layola was a close friend of hers. Anyway, the reason I stopped by was to inform you we'll be pressing on to the Frozen Coast as planned. We leave immediately. Ambassador Navi Laila will join us later."
"She's staying in Zazima?"
"For a touch longer, to see if the watchers turn up anything. Now, gather your things. Your horses have already been prepared."
"Yes, Your Grace." Millan bowed.
After Kainol departed, Sundancer lead Millan out of the inn. As they passed the black pile of ash that played host to the magnificent bonfire the night before, Zazima again reminded Millan of Nesinu. If it wasn't for the biting cold, he might have mistaken it for his lost home. Just as Kainol had said, the horses for Sundancer and Millan were waiting patiently behind the lead ambassador's carriage.
"Hey, girl." Millan gently patted the muzzle of his horse before hoisting himself into the saddle. As Sundancer made adjustments to her horse's bridle, Millan noticed Archdon Navi's carriage off to the side. He looked around to spot her, but the female ambassador was nowhere to be found.
A few minutes slipped by, and the shortened procession was underway. The wind blew ever so gently, and the fur on his coat flitted about under its command. Millan felt safe with Sundancer but found the silence awkward. Would they travel the whole way without speaking? Millan focused on the reins in his hands. Maybe she didn't want to be disturbed. Her duty was to protect him, not speak to him.
The Nesinu priest shifted his eyes to the side and subtly watched her. He imagined her helmet was invisible and visualized the braided red hair that looped around each ear. Her soft features matched her petite body. And yet, they hid a ferocity that Millan would've never believed existed if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes at Royal Oak. His heartbeat grew stronger.
"Something wrong?" Sundancer asked without so much as a turn of her head.
Millan's eyes stared straight ahead. "What? Wrong? No. I'm fine. Never better. You?"
"Fine."
"I really wish you would've taken the bed, or at least a pillow. How did you sleep last night?"
"I didn't."
Millan's head spun to face her. "Really? Why not?"
Sundancer didn't respond.
"Was something bothering you?" Millan hung his head. The bloodseeker offered no sign she had heard his questions, even though he knew she had. She was ignoring him, and he thought he knew why. "I get it. I understand. You accepted this position as a favor to Prima Mashira. I have to trust you, but you have no reason to trust me. You don't know me. I mean, when you think about it, who in their right mind would trust me? My mentor, Don Skully, was a sympathizer of the Death Gods and publicly opposed the Prima. It seems everywhere I go, the demon lord follows. The Brotherhood is apparently out to kill me, or maybe just kidnap me. I don't know. Either way, it's not good. And last night, someone tried to steal the one object that holds any significance in my life. And the only clue as to who did it comes from a thief who's disappeared, along with the accused. It seems no matter what I do, I'm constantly disappointing someone, or getting into trouble. I don't have any friends. I'm completely alone."
Millan felt as though a weight was lifted from his conscience, but it was replaced with a great sadness. The truth was painful, especially when spoken aloud. The hoofbeats of their horses were the only sound as Millan wallowed in self-pity.
"Yes, something was bothering me." Sundancer's words were soft, a distinct contrast from her usual authoritarian tone.
The priest watched the bloodseeker in disbelief. He wanted to press her further, but tightened his lips, deciding it was best to give her time to speak.
"It's been almost fifteen years since I left the Frozen Coast. I haven't spoken to my family since the day I left."
"And you're worried about seeing them again?" Millan asked.
"I worry about seeing all of those I once knew, but especially my father. We didn't part on the best of terms."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"It was my own fault. My father never yelled at me or raised a hand to me. It was I who cursed his name."
"But why?"
"It's difficult to explain." Sundancer stopped speaking.
Millan scowled at the lull in conversation and assumed she had nothing more to share. It was that much more surprising when she spoke again.
"I mean, it's difficult for someone who hasn't grown up in that culture to understand."
"I'm willing to try."
The slightest smirk appeared on her lips but vanished in the blink of an eye. "The Para Paya are extreme pacifists. They value peace and harmony at any cost. Growing up as a child, negative emotions like fear, anger, and jealousy were suppressed through forced meditation. It was our punishment."
"My parents tended to favor their hand to the back of my head. I think some meditation would've been a nice change."
"I know it sounds silly. It's not a real punishment to you, right? We were always taught to love, share, and put others first. There was no place for hate or violence. Most learn quickly, but I was more temperamental than other children."
"You? I find that hard to believe. You're one of the calmest people I've ever met."
"Thank you. When I joined the paladins, I quickly learned discipline and how to properly channel my emotions instead of suppressing them. But on the Coast, I spent many a night in meditation trying to bottle up my aggression, my frustration. And the more I meditated, the worse I got. I eventually reached a point where all the love, peace, and harmony, the sharing and caring no longer seemed genuine. It was as though all the smiles were forced, the concern for others was fake, and everyone was simply pretending to get along."
"But even if it seemed fake, isn't peace always better than war? Isn't the Para Paya way of life the reason they have no worries about demon attacks?"
"There's truth to that, but it's also the reason why I left the Coast. Yes, the Para Paya have an understanding with Verago. No fighting of any kind is allowed on their lands. It keeps the humans safe and gives the demons refuge from the kingdom. In the minds of people like my father, demons are human souls that deserve the same respect, love, and peace as those who are still living."
"I could see that. I mean, we're trying to cleanse them so they can transcend and join the angels."
"But," Sundancer continued, "it's all a lie, an excuse. It's not about caring for their fellow souls. It's about self-preservation. The Para Paya don't wish to fight, and so their only defense is to allow the demons to overrun the Coast. The hypocrites preach about respecting all souls, and yet they maintain this alliance with Verago, who twists those very same souls. They sit back and turn a blind eye as the Devil endeavors to wipe out humanity. And then, they're so naive as to believe when he succeeds, he won't wipe them out next."
Millan was starting to get a clearer picture. "So, you left your people to join the fight."
"Yes. The Assault on Light's Haven was the final straw. When the demons lost, they came to the Frozen Coast in droves to hide. These demons that only the day before had been slaughtering humans were welcomed with open arms. Against my father's wishes, I went to the elders and insisted we offer aid to Light's Haven as well. Even though the kingdom had won, there were many human casualties. The elders said that any humans who arrived on the Coast in need of help would receive it, but to travel beyond our border and provide support to the capital would damage our relationship with Verago and endanger our people. I accused them of being selfish and stormed off. I was so angry.
"As I was trying to decide if I was ready to leave everything behin
d, my father found me. He told me I was young and impulsive, and I'd understand as I got older and had children of my own. But for now, I needed to meditate. Well, that night, I meditated, but it wasn't to calm myself. I fantasized about slaying demons. Running into the middle of hundreds and cutting them down. When I slept that night, I dreamed of the same. And the next morning, I felt renewed. From that moment on, every facet of my life was focused on training to be a warrior. I even developed Dyato'aw into my own personal fighting style."
The term caught Millan by surprise. "I'm sorry. Dyato'aw? What is that?"
"It's a common practice on the Coast. A lot of meditation. Even though we're all taught it from a very young age, most only practice it at the most basic level throughout their lives. You might get a chance to see it. We used to perform demonstrations for visiting emissaries when I was younger."
"That sounds great. I look forward to it." Millan's spirits were momentarily lifted because the bloodseeker had opened up to him, but the euphoria faded as the gap in conversation grew longer. There's much about her he was interested to learn, and his heart seemed to flutter when she spoke. He desperately searched his mind for another question to ask, anything, but it was Sundancer who finally broke the silence.
"You asked who in their right mind would trust you. The Prima trusts you. And if the Prima trusts you, then I trust you."
Millan found comfort in her words, but it was her next statement that made any hint of previous sadness melt away.
"Millan, you are not alone."
Chapter 16
The air was still as Eriph, along with three others, rode along the path west of Memorial City. The serenity was a nice change from the deafening sounds of thundering hooves. Most of the morning had been spent galloping across the Plains of Deimor. Eriph gazed at the massive clearing of grassland they had spent the last few hours traversing and thought back to the significance of this location. Centuries had passed since this field hosted the largest and bloodiest battle between humans and demons. During the rule of King Prevarra, the demon population had grown exponentially out of control. The city of Alova was overrun, becoming a stronghold for the souls corrupted by the Amulet of Yezda. On the first day of the battle, the demons stormed across the clearing, led by a powerful iymed, the only one of her kind, Agalia. She would later become known as the Seductress.
The Forgotten Queen Page 14