"That's acceptable. Come get me when you're ready." Layola walked away and rolled her eyes. Of course, he had to make it sound like it was his idea all along. The priest scooped her cup of tea from the table and headed for the basement.
"Where are you going?" Hable asked.
"To offer our real prisoner a drink." Layola left the room before the baron could respond. In order to coax Aksil into taking the deathroot, Hable had forbid him from drinking anything during the day. Layola saw no reason to torture the poor man any further.
At the bottom of the stairs, she gave a slight nod to the guard, who let her pass. Upon entering the dark underground room, she lit the lantern on the table, revealing the state of the prisoner. He slowly lifted his head, and his lips were cracked.
Layola stooped and offered her cup. "Thirsty?"
Aksil shifted his eyes to meet hers. "This is it then. You know, I thought we had a future, you and me. But now I'm having some doubts. Poisoning me on our first date seems like a bad precedent to set."
"First date? Isn't this more like our fourth?"
A faint smile appeared on Aksil's face. "Fair point."
Layola knelt. "And anyway, the tea isn't poisoned. If anything, I've actually spared you from deathroot for at least one more night."
"I knew you liked me. How'd you manage that?"
"Let's just say we found a better target for this seed. Now, drink. You'll feel better. No need for you die of thirst while His Lordship waits for another seed." She held the cup to his lips, and Aksil gulped the tea. When he was done, Layola sat in her usual chair.
Aksil stretched his neck. "Got any more?"
"On my way out, I'll ask someone to bring you some water."
"I see. So, you've come to keep me company. Pretty woman brings a thirsty man tea, and he answers all her questions. Is that how it works?"
"This isn't an interrogation, if that's what you mean."
"No?"
"No. I came to say goodbye."
Aksil was silent, which was an unusual state for him.
Layola studied his face in the limited light. She caught a glint in his eye but was uncertain if it was caused by a tear.
He finally broke the silence with a sharp sniff. "This is it then. You know, I thought we had a future, you and me. But now I'm having some doubts. Leaving me on our…fourth date?"
Layola smirked. In her time playing the captor, she never expected to feel closest to the captive. Maybe it was his charm or the fact that he was also from Light's Haven. Or, maybe it's because she grew up wishing to be a thief in Anoctis. But, when the time came, a thief wasn't what the Brotherhood needed.
"Can I ask you something?"
Aksil cocked his head. "I thought you said no questions."
"I said no interrogation. This question is for my own curiosity. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."
"I wish I had that option when Jugjug was around. All right. Ask away."
"Why the allegiance to the Death Gods?"
"I'm not sure I get your question."
Layola shifted in her chair. "What I mean is, why do you help the Death Gods?"
"That's simple. Verago needs to be stopped."
"You have no thoughts toward the injustice that's been done to him?"
Aksil shook his head. "I don't see the need to get caught up in rationalizations that are centuries old. Plus, I have all the proof I need. If I learned one thing growing up, it's that my father is a Dardan fool, and he's wrong about everything. That includes his membership in the Brotherhood."
"But you live in Light's Haven. Why not offer your services to Candelux?"
The thief tapped his foot on the ground. "Do you know why humanity survived the Assault on Light's Haven?"
"Shinigami."
"That's right. The Prima cleansed the Zaidon, but it wouldn't have happened without Shinigami. The paladins and watchers pushed back the Brute, but it wouldn't have happened without Shinigami. The Marksman was killed by the demon lord's purge, a trap set by Shinigami. Candelux has been fighting Verago for hundreds of years with little progress. Shinigami showed up and changed everything in a single day. If anyone is going to stop Verago, it's going to be him."
"I see."
"What about you?" Aksil asked.
"What about me?"
"Why'd you join the Brotherhood? Or should I say, who convinced you to join?"
Layola leaned back in her chair. He had answered her questions. It was only fair she respond in kind. "According to my parents, I come from a long line of Brothers. It's our duty to set right what Vask did in error all those years ago."
"And that's what you want?"
"Our family is tied to it, dating back to the formation of the Brotherhood under Archdon Bamby."
"But you didn't answer my question," Aksil said. "Is that what you want?"
Layola paused. "It is. Can you imagine being the greatest hero, committing the greatest sacrifice, and then, on the whim of a wicked king, you're tossed aside? Your name, dragged through the mud and scratched off the great monument? Every year that passes compounds the injustice done to him."
"The longer Verago remains the Devil, the more people will die."
"On this we agree. I don't want Verago to be the Devil any more than you do. But I'd rather try to fix the problem than kill it."
Aksil tittered. "You know, I thought we had a future, but now I'm having some doubts."
Layola put her hand to her mouth and stifled a chuckle. She never imagined she could find someone with an opposite belief so endearing. She stood up and approached Aksil. "I hope we meet again under better circumstances."
The thief jiggled his restraints. "I don't think that'll be much of a challenge for me."
Layola bent down and kissed him on the forehead. "Take care of yourself, Aksilacarn."
Chapter 32
Perched on a stump in the moonlight, Altheus concentrated on the small orb in his hands. He was working to fulfill his promise to Erynion by completing the first of eight gate seeds. Being only his second night in control of their shared body, he was unsure of his ability to control his power. So, to avoid the agony, Altheus kept the enchanted chains wrapped around his torso.
The Denhauli had been resting nearby with their heads on their paws, but then Eyzora stirred. As the red wolf stretched, she nudged her mate. "Come, my love. Our guard shift will start shortly."
The black wolf groaned and arched his back.
"Strange," Altheus said. "I've never seen you two sleep before."
"We weren't sleeping," Eyzora explained. "We were speaking with Verago. To commune with him, we must enter a state of meditation."
Ojjuk growled. "Careful, you'll confuse him."
"What's that supposed to mean?" the prince asked.
"It means, I wonder if you know what meditation still is. You've gone nearly two days without it, even though it's the most critical part of learning your spells. Or has the sight of your wife caused you to forget your promise to Dulo?"
"What exactly is your hurry? What difference does it make if Dulo is an iymed today, or tomorrow, or the day after? Are we mounting an attack I don't know about?"
"In any situation, time is precious, but you treat it like dirt. It's not as abundant as you believe, even for demons."
"Ojjuk," Eyzora scolded.
Altheus squeezed the seed in his hand. Though Flinch could be mildly annoying, the prince always had the ability to ignore the jester when Erynion was in control. But the Denhauli were different. Because of their unique method for communicating, their voices always rang clearly inside his mind. Altheus found Ojjuk exasperating. "Your impatience is boring. And I don't know why you have such contempt for me, but I find it equally tiresome."
The black wolf scoffed. "Well, I find—"
"I wasn't done," the prince interjected. "I've taken your snide remarks in stride, and I've tolerated you because of your better half. But this ends tonight. You are forced to be here at Verago's c
ommand to help me, and I don't intend to send you away. So, I give you two options. You can start showing me the proper respect, or I don't want to hear your voice in my head ever again. Are we clear?"
Ojjuk approached the stump and towered over Altheus. The wolf snarled and bared his fangs.
Altheus steadily rose to his feet and glared at the wolf. "Are. We. Clear?"
In that moment, he had no clue what was running through the wolf's mind. Perhaps Ojjuk was weighing the consequences of tearing out his throat. Maybe he believed Verago's punishment would be better than his current task.
Eyzora came alongside her mate and gently pushed him aside. "He'll do as you say. But you know, we're not just here to protect you. We need to prepare you so you can survive on the Surface."
"I'm aware of that." Altheus opened his palm. "But, don't believe my meditation has been for naught."
As Ojjuk walked off, the red wolf peered closely at the orb. "Is that a seed?"
"That's right. A gate seed."
"When did you learn this?"
Altheus sat on the stump. "Couple of days ago. With all the talk about the Foxhole, I thought maybe it'd be a good idea to make some."
"I don't disagree. Why didn't you tell us sooner?"
The prince motioned toward Ojjuk, who had his back turned to them. "And have the grumpiest wolf in the kingdom scold me for wasting my time? I didn't think you'd care."
Eyzora rested on her haunches. "I understand your irritation with Ojjuk. He is single-minded on this task before us and only wants you to reach your potential as quickly as possible. But, he doesn't have the disposition of a teacher."
"That's painfully obvious."
"What he is, though, is a fighter. And he wishes to fight alongside you. But that can only happen when your mind has been unlocked. This is why we push you to meditate so often. Turning Dulo would represent significant progress."
"I understand."
Eyzora's ears twitched. "We can talk more later if you like. Alejjir and Flinch are back, and so Ojjuk and I will start our patrol."
Altheus placed the seed in his pocket. "Stay safe."
The red wolf rejoined her mate, and the Denhauli strolled into the woods. When the glow from Eyzora's fur faded among the trees, the jester and the Marksman emerged into the area.
"We're back!" Flinch shouted. "Miss me?"
The demon lord continued to gaze in the direction of the wolves. He tore his eyes away when he felt a nudge on his shoulder.
Alejjir was beside him. "You all right?"
"Sure," Altheus said. "Everything go as planned?"
"It was hard to see since they were a ways off, but yeah, Eleza got your wife safely back to the city. After the sun dropped, there wasn't much activity around the gates. You sure you're all right? You look angry."
"I'm fine. Just trying to figure out Ojjuk and Eyzora."
Flinch popped up on the other side of Altheus. "Where are those fleabags anyway?"
"Taking their shift as lookouts. But I'm guessing you already knew that since you only call them fleabags when they're not around, right?"
"Mm…maybe."
"What do you mean you're trying to figure them out?" Alejjir asked.
"Ojjuk is just so boorish," the prince pointed out. "Eyzora's the exact opposite. How does she put up with him?"
"Love's funny like that, I suppose. I doubt Ojjuk's always been that way. People are bound to change over the course of a few centuries."
"Is that how long they've been together?"
The Marksman shrugged. "Something like that. They weren't so talkative when I was in the Depths, but Verago mentioned they were wildamages. It's how their souls bonded so easily."
Altheus grunted. "Ugh, wildamages. That's disgusting."
"Why do you say that?"
"They'd rather be animals than human, right? Living in their own filth? It's uncivilized."
Alejjir lowered himself to the ground. "That's interesting. When I was alive, such scorn for wildamages didn't exist. Maybe because there weren't so many around. But I believe our wolf friends lived through the worst of the persecution."
"You make it sound like they were victims of circumstance. They chose to live that way. And what about their children? Aren’t they the real victims?"
Offspring of the wildamages who procreated while in animal form were born as that animal with a human soul trapped inside. These creatures were named huminals and often exhibited an intellect much higher than the average animal, but still lower than a human being.
"I suppose there are those rare cases, but there's no reason to assume that includes the Denhauli."
Flinch plopped down beside the Marksman. "Well, I think it's beautiful."
"Huminals?"
"What? No. The Denhauli. Love."
Given the brief history he learned about the jester, Altheus was surprised by the comment. "I never took you for a romantic, Flinch."
"Why? Because my wife killed me?"
Alejjir laughed. "Ah, the royal treasurer's daughter. Murdered her thieving husband for stealing gold bars."
"How much do you know about his life?" the prince asked.
"Most of it. Flinch and I come from the same time period. I pieced his story together when he was serving in my battalion. Everyone knew about the treasury scandal."
The jester sighed. "Yes, yes, we all know poor Flinch was betrayed. The woman who I entrusted my heart to shredded it to pieces, and I despise her for it. But that doesn't mean I don't value love anymore. I mean, we're stuck as demons for who knows how long. Wouldn't it be nice to have another soul you can share that experience with?"
Altheus considered the idea. He had no desire to remain in this state, and the last thing he'd wish would be for Nila to join him as a demon. But, if the scenario played out where that was the case, he was confident they would continue their relationship in death as well. The prince rubbed his chin. "Is it common for demons to desire love?"
"Quite the opposite," Alejjir said. "When Verago creates an iymed, the capacity for love is usually locked away along with the human side of the soul. It takes a powerful trigger to reawaken that emotion in demons."
"What kind of trigger?"
"Like the memory of someone you deeply cared for."
Flinch patted the Marksman on the shoulder. "Like how Jin reminded you of your wife?"
Alejjir moaned. "There's a name I haven't heard in a while."
"Who's Jin?" Altheus asked.
"She was my best lieutenant for many years, up until the Assault on Light's Haven. Depths of an archer. The passion I felt with her was remarkable. Something I hadn't felt in centuries."
"Where is she now?"
"No idea," Alejjir said. "Somewhere on the Surface, I imagine. I haven't seen or heard from her since the Assault."
Flinch cleared his throat. "You know, I saw her once."
"You did? Where?"
"Djjatol. But this was like ten years ago. I have no idea if she's still there."
"Hmm. Well, at least it's a start."
Altheus held up his index finger. "Wait a minute. So, what could Flinch's trigger possibly be? A memory of the woman he hated?"
The jester was uncharacteristically silent.
Alejjir removed his hat and rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. "It doesn't necessarily need to be romantic love. If it's strong enough, it can be familial. Isn't that right, Flinch?"
The jester focused intently on the ground, and his voice was soft. "Mine wasn't a memory. It was an event. The reason I allowed Verago to turn me into a demon was so I could have the chance to come back and take revenge on my darling wife. It took nearly a year before I was able to slip into the city with the help of the Brotherhood. Standing over her while she slept, I drew my dagger. Her retribution was going to be swift. But then I froze."
Altheus leaned in. "What happened?"
"A noise from the other room caught my attention. It sounded like a cough." A small smile appeared on the j
ester's face. "A tiny cough. When I went into the other room, I discovered a baby, my son, stirring in his sleep. It was the strangest sensation. For an entire year, I knew only hatred, and in an instant, it was replaced with compassion."
"You didn't kill her."
Flinch shook his head. "And cause suffering to my only son? How could I?"
✽✽✽
A loud banging on the door ripped Millan from his sleep.
"Eyo! Millan! Wake up!"
The Nesinu priest supported himself on one elbow and rubbed his eyes. "Navi? Is that you? What's going on?"
"Get out of bed and open up. And make sure you 'ave your scarf."
Millan threw his legs over the side of the bed and hopped to his feet. He grabbed his robe and scarf, and by the time he reached the handle, he was wearing them both. He cracked the door and peeked out. "What's going on? What time is it?"
"Nearly midnight," Navi said. "We 'ave a situation that requires our immediate attention."
"All right, do you think I should—" As Millan stepped out into the hall, he spotted Sundancer behind the archdon. "Oh, never mind."
"Come." Navi took off like a shot.
Millan caught up and walked briskly alongside her while Sundancer trailed them both. "So, what's this situation?"
"Apparently, a couple of 'ours ago, Don Pike strolled into the watcher 'eadquarters, claiming to know where the Brother'ood 'as been 'iding Don Layola."
The name sparked an image in Millan's head of the female priest adjusting his fur coat in Zazima. "Don Layola? Really?"
"And it turns out 'e was telling the truth. Just after eleven strikes, the watchers rescued Don Layola and captured two Brothers in the process."
"Wow. So, what are we needed for?"
As the group turned the corner, Navi held her arm out for everyone to stop. The head archdon's office lay at the end of the hallway. Navi looked around furtively before softly pushing Millan to the wall, then whispered, "In our meeting earlier today, Archdon Kyara agreed to 'elp the Death Gods recover their missing scout tonight in exchange for some demon names and the chance to find Don Pike and Don Layola. When no one came to 'elp them, Dolore sought out Kyara. And apparently the 'ead archdon decided to no longer 'onor that arrangement now that both priests 'ave been found."
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