Chapter 26 Sagitta
Sagitta
It was judgment day. My time was up.
We arrived at the temple at dawn. Unlike the other times, I wasn’t ravaged by anxiety. I was perfectly calm. Calmer than I’d ever felt.
The temple was quiet beneath the early morning sun. I was invigorated by its rays, soothed by its warmth. The only other thing that felt so grounding was Chase’s hand holding mine.
“You got this,” Chase said softly. “We got this.”
I nodded.
Cygnet stood just past the entrance way. He was shrouded in his black tattered robes that quivered in the breeze. He pushed his hood back as we approached, revealing his pre-emptive frown.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I was on my way to find you, in case you tried weaseling out of your deadline.” Cygnet crossed his arms. “Ready to transfer the job?”
I smiled at him. It was genuine, and a little sympathetic.
“That’s not necessary,” I replied.
Confusion briefly flashed across Cygnet’s expression. “Why not?”
“Because Faust is gone.”
Cygnet’s wide-eyed look turned into a scowl of disbelief. “You lied to my face once before. How do I know you’re not lying again?”
“I know. I’m sorry I lied before. But I’m not lying now, I promise. The demon really left Chase’s body.”
“The demon left?” Cygnet scoffed. “How convenient.”
Chase raised his palms. “Listen, dude. I know it sounds like bullshit, but it’s true. Check and see for yourself, as long as you don’t swing that crazy sword at me again.”
Cygnet’s hand was resting on the hilt of his blade—not as a threat, but out of habit. Upon Chase’s comment, he subtly removed it. The brief flicker of shame on his face told me he still felt guilty about that incident.
He stared us down for a few seconds. “I need a second opinion,” he muttered. “I’ll fetch Hartford.”
That was a surprise. Cygnet never wanted a second opinion on anything. He was usually content to act first and deal with the consequences later. But apparently, he respected the higher-ranked exorcist enough to hand over control.
The two returned a few minutes later. Hartford towered over my brother, who sulked beside him.
“Yo,” Hartford called with a grin. “I’m told Chase and Sagitta are a pair of lying bastards?”
Cygnet’s face flushed. “That is not what I said!” he shouted, flustered.
Hartford belted out a gravelly laugh as Cygnet scowled in embarrassment.
“Relax, I’m just fucking with you.” The doctor looked Chase up and down. “So, you’re demon-free now, eh?”
“Yes, sir,” Chase replied, straightening his shoulders. “Faust left my body of his own free will.”
My eyes flitted between Hartford and Cygnet. Did my brother know that Hartford had summoned a demon to test Faust’s true intentions? I doubted it. It was a dangerous move, and technically not legal under the exorcist’s code. Then again, neither was the stunt Cygnet pulled in the medical office.
I searched Hartford’s expression for any hint of his feelings. Even during our confrontation with the goat demon, he didn’t look too bothered. I got the sense that he didn’t view Faust as a threat. For now, at least.
“Demon’s gone. What’s the problem?” Hartford asked.
Cygnet’s brow twitched. He didn’t want to admit outright that he didn’t believe us because of the consequences, but it was written all over his face.
“I thought it would be prudent for a respected exorcist such as yourself to double-check that the demon is gone,” Cygnet said carefully, biting back how he truly felt.
Hartford looked amused. “How admirable.”
He shoved a hand into one of his deep lab coat pockets and pulled out a toy gun. It was made of cheap green plastic, but a rosary was bound to it. It was a real exorcist’s weapon.
I’d never actually seen Hartford’s weapon before. Judging by Cygnet’s stare, I doubted he’d seen it either.
“You’re really gonna make me waste a bullet on this, huh, kid?” Hartford asked as he reached into his pocket again.
Chase whispered, “Is he about to shoot me with a plastic gun from the dollar store?”
“I don’t really know,” I admitted.
“I’m just saying,” Hartford went on. “Chase doesn’t seem very possessed to me. But if you really want me to waste an expensive, high-potency bullet on him...”
The doctor pulled out a single bullet from his pocket. He pinched the small obsidian shape between his forefinger and thumb. I expected its smooth sides to gleam in the sunlight, but it was perfectly matte, as if obliterating the rays upon contact.
Cygnet began to sweat. “Um...”
Hartford grinned as he brought the matte bullet closer to his plastic gun. “Seems a bit like overkill to waste one of these bad boys on a middling demon like Faust...”
I recalled Cygnet was unaware that Faust was not a middling demon at all, but actually a demon lord. Not that I was about to bring it up. But I almost felt bad that the doctor was teasing him so much.
Hartford put on a mock-serious expression. “But I will do it, if you’re that concerned. Just know that a single bullet is worth more than five years of my salary—”
Cygnet’s face blanched. “Okay, enough. Put that thing away.”
“Ah, just what every man wants to hear.” Hartford pocketed the bullet and the plastic gun, then dusted off his hands. “Seems like we’ve reached a conclusion, eh? Chase is no longer possessed, the demon is gone, and we can all go back to our lives. Now, if you kids will excuse me, I need a smoke.”
After Hartford stalked away, Cygnet deflated. His shoulders slumped and his gaze fell listlessly to the ground. I could tell that my brother accepted the truth, and that he felt embarrassed for drawing so much attention to himself over a non-issue.
“Hey, man, it’s all good,” Chase said. “This is what you wanted, right?”
“Yes.” Cygnet’s reply was stiff, but he lifted his head and looked Chase in the eyes in an attempt to act professional. “I’m glad we could be of service to you.”
My chest tightened. Cygnet could be rude, and a bit of an asshole sometimes, but his sincere wish was to help others. Just because he didn’t like Chase didn’t mean he wanted him to suffer.
Although, now that Chase and I were officially boyfriends, I hoped that the two of them could get along some day.
“I’d better go, too,” Cygnet mumbled. “I’ve got work to do.”
He seemed in a rush to leave and escape this awkward situation, but I couldn’t just let him walk away. There was too much I needed to tell him.
I ran ahead to catch up with him. “Cygnet, wait. There’s something I want to give you.”
He paused, turning around. “What is it?” he asked, wary but intrigued.
I smiled wryly. “It’s a gift. Don’t be so scared.”
“I’m not scared,” Cygnet said, more attentive now. The look on his face reminded me of his younger self. He’d always been a curious kid, endlessly inquisitive and eager to learn.
“Hold out your hand,” I instructed.
With his brow furrowed, Cygnet opened his palm.
“Close your eyes.”
He did, despite scowling. “I swear, if you’re going to prank me...”
“Come on. When have I ever pranked you? Okay, you can look now.”
Cygnet peeked his eyes open. He looked down at the trans flag pin in the center of his palm. He inhaled a soft breath of air, then was quiet for a while.
His long silence filled me with apprehension. For the first time since I bought the pin, I felt doubtful. What if it was a bad gift? What if Cygnet thought it was stupid?
In a low and neutral voice, he asked, “You got this for me?”
“Yes. I saw it in a shop while I was with Chase,” I said. The nerves made me avert my gaze, and doubt kept bubbling up until it overflowed. “It’s okay if you don’t like it, I can take it back or—”
Cygnet rushed forward and hugged me.
I forgot how to breathe for a few seconds. He hadn’t hugged me for a very long time. Not since before our father’s funeral. It felt like a lifetime ago.
Emotion crested over me like a tidal wave. I hugged him back. His shoulders were tight, and they trembled as if he was trying not to cry.
“I’ve always accepted you,” I murmured. “I guess... I thought you knew that. But I don’t think I showed it enough. I hope this is a good start.”
His trembling intensified. He dragged in a few long, hard gulps of air. Soon his breathing calmed.
“Sorry I was such a dick,” Cygnet mumbled. “About everything. All the time.”
I laughed softly. “It’s okay. Before I met Chase, I was kind of a dick, too.”
Cygnet pulled away. His eyes were red, but he’d tried his damnedest to hold tears back, so his cheeks remained dry.
“You really like that dumb jock, don’t you?” he asked, shooting Chase a glance from a distance.
I grinned. “I promise he’s not as dumb as he looks. And he’s very kind. Actually, he was the one who bought one of those pins for his friend first, so I stole his idea.”
Cygnet’s watery eyes rounded in surprise. “Oh. That is nice,” he admitted, looking slightly embarrassed. “I said some mean shit to him when you were asleep.”
Knowing Chase, he wouldn’t take it personally. But I was curious about their conversation.
“What did you talk about?” I asked.
Cygnet grimaced. “I told him to stay away from you, and that you were too good for him.”
That both flattered me and made me laugh. “No offense, but I’m glad he didn’t listen to you.”
Cygnet actually smiled. “Me, too.”
“So you approve?”
“Why are you putting me on the spot?” he grumbled. “He obviously makes you happy, so I guess he’s fine.”
“Wow, high praise from you.”
Cygnet groaned and shoved me away while I snickered. “Shut up.”
“There’s something else, too,” I began. “I’m going to stop being an exorcist.”
Cygnet spun around. He looked too stunned to speak.
“Why?” he finally demanded.
“I’m starting a new business with Chase, just a couple blocks away.”
“Okay, now that’s stupid,” Cygnet growled. “Don’t throw your career away just because you couldn’t exorcise one demon!”
I shook my head. “It’s not that. I never realized until now how stressful this job is.
It’s all I know, but I don’t have the passion for it.
And I’ve been doing it for so long that I didn’t consider other options.
Never once did I stop and ask myself if there was something I’d want more.
Not to get too sappy, but I was in it for you. ”
His breath hitched as he stared at me.
“When Mom...” I trailed off. Neither of us wanted to discuss that. “You were just a kid, so I had to step up and take care of our family. We needed the money, and I was young and fit. The choice was obvious at the time. But now, you’re all grown up. You can take care of yourself.”
Cygnet’s black eyes wavered. He rubbed his face against his black-sleeved arm, as if holding back tears again. He suddenly looked fifteen years younger. He wore the same pout when I sent him off to middle school and started my first day of work as an exorcist.
“What kind of business?” Cygnet asked.
“Chase and I are opening an aquarium store, right next to the donut place. Dad’s old unit. That’s what he wanted to do with it, so I’m keeping it in the family.”
Cygnet groaned, but there was a hint of warmth in it. “You are so cheesy.”
“I know. Chase is rubbing off on me.”
“As long as you don’t start wearing those stupid muscle shirts and hoodies...”
My voice was grave. “God, no.”
My brother and I shared a laugh. That was nice. For the first time in a long time, things felt normal between us again.
“In that case, I better start buying fish food from you guys,” Cygnet said. “Since you’re leaving me in charge of Blue.”
I hadn’t even left the temple and he’d already named the betta in the pond.
“By the way, where did that fish even come from? You brought it here one day without a word, and I know you’re not the type to buy a fish from any crappy chain store.”
Everything was so chaotic back then—what with Faust manifesting in our world that night—that I never had a chance to bring it up.
“Chase saved that fish’s life,” I explained. “I’m sure he would’ve taken Blue home, but he was a little too busy being possessed by a demon, so I stepped in.”
A new respect lit up Cygnet’s face. It was delightful to watch his opinion of my boyfriend change in real time.
“Huh. Chase seems... decent,” Cygnet said.
“You could say that. Anyway, I hope you don’t mind taking care of Blue. And it’s not like I won’t be around to help. We’re just a short walk away.”
My brother paused, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Text me when you throw your grand opening. I won’t book any clients that day. Promise?”
Those simple words made my heart soar.
“I promise.”
Chase helped me pack up the belongings in my room, which didn’t take long.
I’d lived a minimalist life at the temple, owning only a few outfits and some items inherited from my dad.
The burden was so light that Chase and I could carry them out in our arms—though it certainly helped that he was buff.
I wasn’t the most charismatic guy on the grounds, but I said a friendly goodbye to anyone we came across. I didn’t bother with Hartford, since I figured Cygnet would fill him in later.
But we did run into a familiar face on the way out.
Professor Fairfax looked haggard as he trudged towards his office. He didn’t even notice us until we nearly bumped into him.
“Professor? Are you okay?” I asked.
Fairfax started, as if awakened from a dream. “Sagitta! Yes, I’m just a bit tired. Conferences, time zones... And the flight back was delayed. Geese on the runway.” He sighed heavily, then perked up when he noticed Chase. “Oh, I see you ended up finding each other. How did my student fare?”
I didn’t know the two had met. I blinked at Chase, who grinned at me.
“He’s great. We got everything sorted out,” Chase told my teacher.
“Lovely!” Fairfax went to check his watch and accidentally dropped his half-latched briefcase. Pamphlets went flying. “Ah, excuse me. I’ve got it, don’t worry...”
As we headed on our way, Chase asked, “Not gonna tell him about quitting, huh?”
“He’s got enough to worry about,” I replied. “If I told him now, his entire briefcase might explode.”
Chase laughed.
We returned to his apartment. As soon as I stepped in the door, the cozy scent of him filled my nose. It was familiar, and it made my heart feel warm and light.
Chase put the biggest box on the floor, then put his hands around my waist. The corners of his blue eyes crinkled as he smiled at me.
“Welcome home.”