Chapter Sixteen #2
A gust of air had me pressing closer to his side. Being deep in the forest, surrounded by mountains, made the air cooler. Still nice though. Like a breezy spring morning.
A glint, like sun shining off metal, drew my attention to a field. Demons in leather armor fought with swords and axes, grunting as they swung and deflected blows. Behind them stood several buildings: barracks, by the look of it, and a mess hall. A stable too.
“Knights?” I asked.
Fane shook his head. “Soldiers. We don’t have knights here. The castle doesn’t need protecting, certainly not from the people in this realm.”
“Then what’s their purpose, if not to defend Lord Onyx?”
“To fight for him,” Fane answered. Rays of sunshine glimmered off his lavender hair, bringing out lighter shades of purple.
“It’s been many years since the last battle between demons and humans took place, but the war is ongoing.
When our lord gives the order someday, the army will be ready to march. ”
“Toward Bremloc?” I asked, and he nodded. “Do you know when that might happen? What about the lower-level demons, like the crows and slimy worm things? Will they fight too? Onyx said they live outside the realm and roam freely.”
“In all my years, I’ve never encountered a being who speaks so quickly.” Fane scrubbed a hand over his face. “Does your mouth ever tire?”
Lake quietly coughed to cover a laugh. I couldn’t even muster a playful jab at him for it, too happy to see this more carefree side of him. His tension from meeting Borus and Seraphina had eased as the morning progressed.
“I’m quiet when I’m eating.” I admired an orange bird in a nearby tree. It was so chunky that it weighed down the branch. So cute. “Also when I’m reading. But that’s about it.”
“Then I pray we find food soon,” Fane mumbled.
My grumbling stomach had no complaints there. It’d been several hours since breakfast. “Where are you taking us now?”
“To town.” Fane motioned ahead of us. “And to get there, we’re riding on them.”
“Them?” I asked. “Them who?”
The answer came half a beat later. A strange sound reached my ears, like a mix between a horse’s whinny and an alligator’s deep, throaty grumbles. Seeing the animal that made the sound nearly made me fall over.
“What is that?” My voice rose in pitch. The thing resembled a black stallion—or what was left behind after it died and significantly decomposed.
A skeleton head with wisps of matted, dark hair spilling out for a mane.
Flesh covered some of its body, but bone could be seen poking through sections on its rear and neck.
“A horse,” Fane told me. “Do they not look like this where you come from?”
Both Lake and I looked at him and shook our heads. My wolf seemed just as gobsmacked as I was.
“Oh.” Fane mirrored our shock before shrugging. “Well, you’ll find they are gentle beasts. As long as you don’t give them a reason not to be.”
Two of the creatures stood in front of a wooden topless carriage. They had the eyes of a corpse, milky white with a pale blue center. As I approached the one closest to me, it lifted one decomposed ear before extending its head toward me.
My love for animals knew no bounds. One soft butt of its bony snout against my palm, and I smiled. “Hey, handsome. I heard you’re taking us to town. I hope you don’t mind.”
The ghostly horse butted my hand again and emitted throaty dinosaur-like rumbles.
“What’s his name?”
“He doesn’t have one,” Fane answered. “None of them do.”
“That’s sad. Everyone deserves a name.” I refocused on the horse. The skull face reminded me of one of my favorite video game characters and gave me an idea. “I’ll call you Ghost. Is that okay with you?”
The horse moved his head up and down and hooved at the grass.
“If you’re finished, can we load up and go?” Fane asked, annoyance clear in his tone. “At this rate, it will be nightfall by the time we return.”
“Okay, okay, I’m going.” Not wanting to agitate him further, I patted Ghost once more, then walked over to the carriage.
Lake helped me up into it and sat beside me, while Fane sat in front and took the reins.
Seraphina placed a hand to her mouth and whistled. Two more of the ghostly stallions materialized and trotted over. She and Borus seated themselves in the saddles and took position behind the carriage just as it jolted forward and started moving down the path.
A pond glistened several yards from the road with colorful wildflowers growing along the bank.
“I wonder what a demon town will be like,” I whispered to Lake, envisioning a market with horned merchants selling vials of poison, blood, and lethal tonics. Weapons too. Lots of weapons.
“We’ll find out soon,” he answered in an unmistakably excited tone. His fluffy ears perked up as he admired the surrounding mountains.
It occurred to me then that this was Lake’s first time doing anything like this in years—being around other people in broad daylight. Riding in a horse-drawn carriage. Being in the open without fear of what would happen if someone saw him.
The sun shone on his face, and the wind rustled his silver hair. He closed his eyes and inhaled the fresh, cool air. A soft smile touched his lips.
He doesn’t have to hide in this realm.
The realization was enough to make me cry, but I blinked back those tears. I’d cried enough over the past few days.
The carriage rolled along at a steady pace.
Ghost whinnied and flicked the matted remnants of his black tail, while the other horse—who I’d named Ash—trotted silently alongside him.
Lake held my hand and continued to smile at our surroundings.
Buildings soon appeared ahead of us, peeking through the trees lining the dirt path.
Lake’s grip trembled.
“It’s okay,” I reassured him, knowing where his thoughts took him. “You’re safe here, remember?”
“Habits are hard to break,” he said. “For most of my life, I’ve never been able to… I’ve always needed to stay hidden.”
“Not anymore,” Fane said over his shoulder, ushering the horses toward the left. “Just wait and see.”
Moments later, we reached a stable. Fane halted the carriage and hopped out of it before releasing the horses from the harness.
With a tender expression, he fed a carrot to each horse, then spoke to a woman.
She allowed Ghost and Ash into a fenced-in field.
The two pranced forward side by side, emitting those dinosaur-like sounds mixed in with neighs.
My eyes returned to the woman. Red and white ears poked through her hair. A demi-fox. Sensing my attention on her, she gave me a curious smile before going on her way. At least she didn’t seem uneasy around me like Fane did.
Seraphina and Borus dismounted and set their horses free in the field as well before following us from the stable. We made our way down a narrow alleyway. Noises sounded up ahead: the chatter of voices, the clank of carts, and the normal bustle of a lively marketplace.
Fane stopped before we reached the corner and sneered at me. “Can I trust you to be on your best behavior? The people here live in peace. If you cause any trouble, the guards behind you will strike you down.”
I gulped.
“Don’t threaten him,” Lake said, grip firm on mine. “Evan’s heart is kind. He wouldn’t hurt anyone.”
Fane eyed me. “I hope for your sake your mate speaks the truth.”
We then turned the corner and entered town square. And I gaped at how… well, normal it seemed.
Crowds of people walked the lanes, casually chatting amongst themselves with baskets over their arms. Children ran around and played with leather balls and marbles.
Stalls overflowed with goods—material for clothes and an assortment of food, mostly.
Apples, oranges, potatoes, long sticks of carrots, and tomatoes.
“There are so many demi-humans,” Lake said in awe, the tension in his muscles finally easing.
“Many defected with Varys, not only the demi-wolves,” Fane explained, leading us down the lane at a leisurely pace. “All on their own accord.”
I spotted demi-bears, hawks, cats, and lions.
Demons mingled with them, each one sporting horns in all shapes and sizes.
Some favored certain animals, like Borus being a boar-type demon.
Others, like Fane, appeared mostly human.
Vibrant hair colors popped out in the crowd.
Purple, neon green, and different shades of blue.
A little boy with bright orange hair and black patterns in his tanned skin ran up to a man—his father, probably, based on their matching hair—and grabbed his hand. The two then walked into the nearest building.
“Something smells amazing,” I said, getting a whiff of warm spices and grilled meat.
“There.” Lake pointed to a food stall. Vegetables and slivers of beef, reminiscent of strip steak, had been skewered and cooked over an open fire.
“I suppose it’s well past the lunch hour.” Fane peered back at the clock tower that rose above the market. “Wait here a moment.”
He then approached the stall and ordered skewers for each of us. Returning, he divvied them out.
“Thank you.” My taste buds were already dancing at the thought of biting into the juicy beef. “How much was it? I can pay you back.”
“Pay me back?” Fane asked.
“Yeah, like money.”
“Money?” He was bewildered. “All goods are traded here. Fruits and vegetables are traded for fabric to make clothes. Loaves of bread for a soft and cuddly doll. There are no set prices, however. Everyone chips in to help everyone else, giving what they can.”
Now I was the bewildered one. The Shadow Realm was the exact opposite of what I’d expected. The concept of money was a made-up idea anyway. Providing goods in exchange for goods made much more sense.
We ate our lunch and continued through the market.
Along with the stands along the main path, we passed several shops.
An apothecary with bizarre plants hanging in the front window.
A bakery that sold savory breads, and a butcher’s shop that offered a selection of meat and seasonings.
Passing another storefront, I saw cloth dolls and wooden toys displayed on shelves.
Kids could be seen through the window, smiling from ear to ear as they ran down the aisles. A toy store.
A demi-lion couple exited with their purchase and spoke of how their son would love his new stuffed boar.
I smiled at them and kept strolling along the path.
The buildings were more antiquated compared to those in Bremloc but no less charming. Brick-red peaked rooftops and off-white siding. Vines grew up the sides of some of them, the leaves dancing in the breeze.
Lake came to an abrupt stop.
Two demi-wolves chatted with the owner of a fruit stand. They filled their basket with blueberries and apples before offering what looked like wool stockings in exchange. A laugh rang out before a demi-wolf girl no older than six ran up to the couple and showed them what she found—a blue marble.
“They…” Lake’s breath quickened. “They’re not being chased away. Or yelled at. They’re happy.”
My sweet wolf then dropped to his knees right there on the path, face sinking into his hands. Tears burning in my eyes, I knelt beside him and wrapped my arms around his waist. Hoarse sounds tore through his throat.
“Do you see now?” Fane gently asked him. “This realm isn’t a prison. Those here live full and happy lives. The outside world cast them out, but they have a home here. And you can too.”
Lake’s cries deepened.
Each sob felt like a slash across my heart. I kissed his shoulder and held him as he finally saw that future his father had spoken of—one where demi-wolves could walk again among the people. Where they could be free.