Chapter Ten
I t has been two days.
Two fucking days, since I was supposed to have returned to my love. And yet, here I sit. In another stupid meeting with the leader and her villages’ reader. Debating the possibility that I could have bonded to a non-demon magickal. Something that could be easily solved by the reader simply coming with me and confirming the bond.
“I’m sorry Orobas. My final answer on the matter is no. I will not allow my reader–my mother–to come to harm. This is such a far-fetched story that you have created, I simply cannot properly weigh the possible dangers.”
I open my mouth to protest, again, but Hyrian raises her hand to stop me.
“I’ve spoken to a cousin of mine from a nearby village. She is a reader. She’s not an elder, but she will meet you at home in two days to verify this mate claim. If she finds something of interest, then she will come to me and we can make the necessary arrangements. If this is truly a bond, then there is no rush, Orobas.”
Grinding my teeth together at this entire process, I still manage to smile.
“That is a perfect compromise, Hyrian. Thank you for your help in this matter.”
“Of course, Orobas. I am truly happy for you. A mate bond is such a blessing. I am sure your... mate is eager for your return. Will you be leaving in the morning?”
I try not to growl in frustration. “I was thinking of leaving this evening after a meal if that would be–”
“Oh nonsense. You younglings are always rushing about. Leaving in the morning after a good rest would be best.”
She stands and turns. Missing my obvious eye-twitch at being called a youngling . I’m a leader for fucks sake. I may have taken the mantle much earlier than one usually does in our faction, but that doesn’t change the fact that I should be respected. Fucking Hyrian and her better than thou ego.
However, I am a guest in her village, so I bite my tongue and allow myself to be led to a communal area for a dinner stew.
Remaining the pillar of politeness, I take the offered meal but abstain from any chatter as I work through my plan. Once I consume the meal as quickly as possible–without burning my mouth in the process–I retire to my visitor dwelling. With my bag packed and my clothes in place, I tap into my magick.
Excitare Terrorem
My magick whispers across my skin and I hear the faint tick of a clock before I’m surrounded once again by silence.
Laying down I pray for sleep to pull me under for a few hours. Once the village drifts to sleep, I will begin my journey back to my love.
Hold tight, dearest Ellie. We will be together again soon.
I breach the next set of trees and my breathing grows labored.
I am nearly two hours from home now, making record time after leaving so early. One-third of my journey was completed before the sun had fully risen. A fact that will rain irritation on Hyrian, but I could care less. I want–no I need to get to Elswyth. My spell woke me as intended, but an overwhelming feeling of dread quickly accompanied it, bringing about an alertness that had me leaving less than a minute after opening my eyes, not even bothering to check and see if there was anyone about to try and stop me.
Giving in to the exhaustion from pushing so hard, I find a spot to settle down. When my feet touch down, my legs give out and send me tumbling.
Clearly, I should have taken a break before now.
Instead of trying to get back up, I simply stretch out where I lay and whisper my magick to wake me in an hour’s time.
Only... I can’t seem to recall the words. And the cloud I seem to have fallen on is quite comfortable.
So is the warm honey on my head.
That’s odd.
Where did the honey come from again?
Darkness consumes me as my body finally gets the rest it was demanding from me.
Raw fear.
It pumps through my heart with a force I fear may burst the organ completely.
And this is the second time today I have felt it.
The first was when I woke in the forest nearly twenty miles from my home, with dried blood on my head and surrounded by dimming sunlight. Thankfully that was quickly calmed when I discovered the large rock I hit my head on when I fell from flying in my early morning exhaustion. Not one of my finer moments, I assure you. And I still think that if it weren’t for my clumsiness, I may not have injured myself that badly.
After the concussion-induced nap that lasted almost eight hours by my estimate, I quickly cleaned myself up and scarfed down the last of my snack reserves and water before heading straight home.
I expected to get to my house, get cleaned and changed, then go find my mate and never let her out of my sight for the next... well the rest of my life actually. Being away from her was pure hell on my nerves.
What I did not expect to find was Morfran waiting for me in my home, telling me that not only are there several interesting rumors floating around about my mating a fellow demon but that he also heard of two witches being not-so-politely asked to leave the neighboring witch village.
Feeling anxious to see my mate, does not account for the immense dread flooding my stomach. I’m closer than I have been to Ellie in over a week now, and yet she feels even further away.
Wasting no time, I throw down my things and head straight to Olive’s house. My wings are far too tired to carry me, so I let my feet do all the work. Pumping them hard and making the trip as quick as I ever had before.
Before me is a pile of ash. No house. Simply a mark of scorched earth where their house once stood. I’m not sure how long I stand there, letting the darkness seep into my heart and swallow me under. Witches walk by and I want so badly to ask, but fear has me in a chokehold and I can’t stomach whatever answer they give.
“Pity.”
I turn my head as a moderately attractive woman sashays over to me.
She lowers her voice in a conspiratorial whisper. “You must be the demon that Olive was hiding in her bedroom.” When I don’t respond she smiles largely. “Don’t worry, handsome. I won’t say anything. It’s too bad she had to leave. She burned down her house in a final bit of anger at the elders for the way they treated that odd little niece of hers.”
Niece? Elswyth.
“What happened?”
My voice is hoarse, and my heart stops beating while I wait for an answer.
“Oh, her niece was quite the little tart. I heard she had been having an affair with an elf and wound up pregnant. The sad thing is she was sneaking around with a few demons as well. The elders couldn’t stand having someone who was able to disobey the Gods’ gifts so blatantly and asked her to leave. Olive being the wonderful person she is, obviously went with her. But also made a point that no one would live in her house either.“ The witch chuckles as my rage simmers.
I choose to walk away instead of choking her.
When she continues to call out to me, I barely suppress the urge to turn back around and do that. But instead, I walk on. Heading back to my home, leaving behind every broken piece of light I ever had.
I do not wave at my fellow demons I pass along the way. I do not acknowledge my brother, who still sits in my living room. I do not stop walking until I reach my bed and throw myself onto the softness.
Only then do I finally open my mouth and let out the scream that has been slowly killing me from the inside.
The sound of my brokenness echoes through my empty home.
A pain unlike any other courses through me and rips at my chest as I claw at the skin, hoping to rip out the imaginary bond I still feel pulsing inside of me.
The Gods are cruel, with their promises of love. But my love was a joke. She left me.
She left with no word and another man’s seed growing inside of her belly.
I will find out who this other demon was. Then he and the father of her child will pay.
My heart was a gift not easily given, and I will not have it made a fool of.