Chapter Ten
Stassi
S omething could be said for the way these creatures lived and fought and loved. A madness that I would never be able to understand, and a chaos so beautiful that it captivated me.
My magic hummed here. I could feel the way it built up, the strength of it far surpassing anything I had ever experienced before. It was as if this world was full of sin and virtue, ripe with it. Their bellies had consumed so much lust and hatred, so much joy and innocence, that they were bloated with it all, leaking it into the air as they breathed and laughed.
I felt drunk on the sensations of it all; a high I wanted to continue bathing in.
Sadly, I had work to do.
Lying was beneath me, so if I was being honest with myself, I had taken my time looking for them. I knew he wouldn’t be happy, nor would he feel I was being fair.
Yet how couldn’t I explore this place where I found strength like never before? I was so used to being the weakest of us all, never fitting into the mold that had been crafted for me.
Yes. I could get used to this.
The fae were a particularly interesting breed. They claimed that this power of theirs came from Eternity, a blessing of sorts. Knowing how the demons came into their magic, I was not quick to dismiss the idea. Their strange abilities couldn’t be explained with magic, so why not suggest it was a gift from the one thing no one knew a single fact about?
It was logically illogical. I liked it.
From across the room a crash sounded, screams following not far behind. Ah, yes, perfect timing. The male who had been thrown to the ground was begging now, the other male above him raining punches down and flinging blood everywhere.
So very exciting.
“Please, Edmund, I am sorry! You know I would never try to touch Kay that way. I do not know what came over me!” the one on the ground screeched, his voice broken and muffled as he choked.
He might not know, but I did.
I laughed, the sound soft in comparison to the hectic voices filling the tavern. Edmund didn’t stop, didn’t show mercy. Didn’t hesitate to pummel the male below him until he was a mess of flesh and bone and blood.
Dead. Excellent.
Magic engulfed me, almost painful in its intensity. I stood, though the weight of it threatened to bring me to my knees. No one looked my way, the entire room staring on as my magic left Edmund—his face blanching at the sight of his dead friend below him. The friend that I had convinced to act on his colorful thoughts about Kay, Edmund’s wife.
Fun, such fun.
Making my way out of the tavern, I wove through groups of fae attempting to find the source of the commotion. The air outside was foul, burning my nose and making me sneeze, but the atmosphere was euphoric. Everywhere around me were sinful and virtuous minds, mingling to make a dangerous cocktail that might leave me too intoxicated to continue my search.
I took a deep breath of the nasty air then pushed on. Demons were here at some point, I could feel it, as if the magic itself was calling my name. There was no knowing if these were the right demons, but anything was a start when finding her was so heinously difficult.
Asher. Such a nice name. Blessing, that was what it meant. Unfortunately for her she seemed to be less of a blessing and more of a curse if the stories around here were true.
In fact, I heard from many that she was closer to a plague than a benediction. I had a feeling that I would love her. Like calls to like, after all.
“Well, hello there, beautiful. Can I help you find what you are looking for?” The male was stout, smaller than most around him.
His hair was so short that it nearly showed his scalp, the color of it a muddy brown to match his eyes. He was a kind soul, one that likely did not belong with those surrounding him. Waters. That was what these fae called themselves, if I remembered correctly. They were far less irritable than the Fires I had visited before, though it was never hard to get them riled up. Not for me, that was.
“Why, yes, you can help me,” I said with a smile, flashing my too-white teeth. The male suddenly looked unsettled, as if for a moment he saw behind my mask.
That was, until I flicked back my hair, the pink hue of my locks shining in the afternoon sun. The dress I wore was simple, a thin silk slip that reached mid-calf. The sleeveless garment left little to the imagination, even with my cloak overtop. That was what I wanted, what I craved. Any temptation for those around me, anything to feed my magic.
They made it all too easy, males and females both flocking towards me like pigs to the slaughter. This male, with his pure intentions and kind thoughts, was no exception. His eyes wandered as I put my hands behind my back and squared my shoulders, my breasts pushing forward and my cloak falling back.
“Wh-what can I do for you?” He cleared his throat, shaking his head before he looked back up to my pink eyes. There it was again, that flash of uncertainty. I was quite scary, admittedly.
“Where would one find passage to Eoforhild?” I asked, feeding into his sin, tempting him with the greatness that came with being wicked.
The male stared at me with a confused frown. Had I misspoke? Did I feed too much magic into him?
“I am sorry, miss, but I do not know of a place with that name. Is it in the Mortal Realm?” he inquired, his eyes briefly falling back down and then shooting up once more.
The Mortal Realm? They separated by realms rather than kingdoms now? That was surely a new development. Not that I had been here before, but I knew enough from what the others said.
“I apologize, I must have misheard the name. I’m trying to find a port that has ships sailing for the demon lands.”
My biggest mistake yet. In the days I had been here, enjoying myself rather than gleaning any information I could, no one mentioned the demons. I should have understood that meant strain, fear, distrust, hatred.
The male reared back, his eyes wide and his mouth open. For a moment in time, I witnessed what it was to truly feel terror, to know dread like one knows a lover—intimately and wholly.
“Listen here, I do not know what sick joke you are playing or what you stand to gain from it, but I suggest you rethink your plans.” His voice lost the sweet and considerate tone, taking on a harsh edge that left spit flying from his mouth.
How could I have possibly been so offensive that it warranted that reaction?
“I apologize, I didn’t mean to—”
“No, you need to go back to whichever isle you come from and never step foot in the Water Lands again. We do not take well to those who wish to spread fear for the sake of a laugh.”
I nearly giggled at his rage, the likes of which was so pathetic that I couldn’t even attempt to take him seriously. That was, until he began to pull water from a nearby stream. This outfit was far too delicate, and my hair was far too perfect, to let that water hit me.
With a quick flick of my hand, I pulled the sinful thoughts of every fae in the area to the forefront of their minds. Some were all too easy to influence, their hopes and dreams and tantalizing wants already in line with their evil nature.
Fae came together in dire embraces, some stripping naked before they even found someone to take them. Others let their fists speak instead, fights breaking out and shouts splitting the air. I watched as two attacked another, stealing handfuls of coins.
Arguments ensued, a female nearby taking off what looked to be a ring and throwing it in the face of a male who stared open-mouthed at her. Water flew everywhere, the weaker fae losing ground in their fights and the desperate ones falling to the grass. The sounds of wet skin slapping together was nearly as loud as the screams.
Soon, all of the Water Lands, as that fae called this place, would erupt into a cacophony of vices being explored.
I reveled in it, my gaze trained on the fae who was now once more looking at me with lust—the longing for me evident. I allowed my magic to flow free, my eyes changing, waves of pink setting me aglow. He fell to his knees, the addictive mixture of fear and desire a beautiful thing.
I had always been beautiful. No one could deny that. Nor did they wish to. My face and body were a means to an end, luring in those I might use. This world, though, was different. The way the fae felt was stronger, more evident. It had to be overwhelming to feel so much so often. Tragically so. As strong-willed as I was, I didn’t imagine I would fare well living a life such as theirs.
I bent down, bringing myself eye-level with the male in front of me once more. He was entranced, my beauty and magic otherworldly to these creatures.
“Are you a goddess?” he asked, his voice nearly a whine with the exertion it took to speak through the onslaught of need that filled him more fully the closer I got. I continued pressing out on the area, my magic slipping into every fae it could find. The more I pushed, the stronger I became.
“Don’t tell me you believe in gods when Eternity sings to this place—blesses it with gifts beyond understanding. In your veins flows something previously unheard of. Don’t spite what lies above simply because I’m other.”
He nodded. His mouth dropped open to drool as I leaned farther forward, my dress falling from my skin to expose my bare chest.
Too easy. These beings were so delightfully foul.
“Now, tell me how to get to the land of the demons, to their realm,” I ordered, placing a single finger under his chin—the pink glow lighting up his pale skin.
He moaned, feeling the magic seep into his body. What felt good to him felt euphoric to me. There was no sweeter sensation than that of sin or virtue, and as it exploded around us, I thought I might combust as well. Every fiber of my being fought to embrace that, to revel in what I had created, but I had a task.
“There is no way there. The Mist—it protects their realm, blocks us from it. No one would seek to go anyways. They are evil.” I ran my finger down his neck, letting my nail dig into his skin lightly. He jerked below my touch, his eyes closing and head lulling back. “Please, more.”
I did so love when they begged.
“What is The Mist?” I asked, letting my caresses drift lower. His breathing came in heavy pants, his moans louder. I did not have much longer, the poor thing was clearly deprived.
“We do not know. No one does. It is some kind of black magic, filled with creatures that consume the flesh of anyone who dares to pass through.”
Inconvenient. That meant there was no inconspicuous way for me to go about finding them. I would need to get creative. I doubted their maps would have information on a realm they so clearly feared.
A part of me grew excited at the knowledge that far more sinister creatures walked this world. My magic pulsed, the madness around me soaring upwards, threatening to burn in their too-bright sun. Time was running out, along with my fun.
I stopped my finger just shy of the bulge within the fae’s trousers, causing him to groan. He began begging again, reaching up to touch and grab me. My hand shot out, latching around his throat before his filthy hands could stain my dress.
“Thank you for your help, dear. But it seems you have exceeded your usefulness.” With a squeeze of my hand, I snapped the male’s neck, the light fading from his eyes and the husk losing its appeal. There was nothing to gain from the dead. They were empty of what satiated my hunger.
I expertly dodged the gore and bodily fluids that flung through the air as I walked on, trying to determine exactly where I would go next. I had searched every isle but one, which meant she was likely with the demons still. He had been right, naturally.
How would I get there when I did not know exactly where there was? What a quandary.
Decisions, decisions.
I imagined that I could search that final isle before exploring my options. Even better, I also needed to inspect the home of the fae rulers. Now that would be fun.
He could not blame me for being thorough. There was no proof she had remained in the lands of the demons. How could I claim to have searched for her if I simply skipped over two islands?
No, that would not do. Continuing on was in the best interest of my mission. At least, that was what my excuse would be.
Quickly, I scrawled out a missive, just a brief update on what I had found–or, well, not found. While I knew I would have to check in soon, I also knew that, as impatient as he was, there was a part of him that wanted me to have the joy this world offered. We felt such things so rarely that it was imperative we took advantage of the opportunities put before us. Still, he would grow angry eventually.
Groaning, I sent off my note, hoping it would satisfy him for a while. Lifting a hand, I twirled it and welcomed my magic home. Some came back while other bits of it dissipated in the air. Just like that, the fae were free of my clutches. Still, they continued on, slowing but not stopping. That was the thing about giving in to your worst impulses—your darkest desires—once you started, it was hard to stop.
Like the fae, I found myself uninterested in ceasing now that I had begun.