Chapter 15 #3
“It was all Feron. He has family here. Got me set up with a booth right away.” She looked up at Vaelor, concern in her gaze.
“When you didn’t show up for your meeting with Feron, he became worried and searched the area.
He is the one who alerted the leaders of the town to the fact that slavers had taken you. ”
Vaelor turned to Feron, clapping him on the shoulder. “Thank you, friend.”
Feron grunted in answer.
“What meeting? Wait…” I said as I put it together. “You’ve been seeing Feron when you go out scouting. And you’ve been having him deliver messages between you and your brother.”
“I didn’t have a chance to meet him. I returned to check on you beforehand and found the slavers attacking,” Vaelor explained.
“Feron and I approached the town leaders and pleaded for their help after your capture, though they did not believe there was a way they might assist a spirit.” She threw a narrow-eyed glare at Mother and snapped her beak. “Once we revealed Denara’s name, they became more than willing to go.”
Ignoring Erlinen’s not-so-subtle ire, Mother responded, “We’d heard that the human town where you and your brother lived came under attack some months ago, and we feared the worst. Bargoth had been building repute with the slavers over time and remained alert, searching for you and your brother.
We’d about given up hope when Erlinen brought her news. ”
“And you were willing to leave Vaelor behind after they reached out to you?” I joined Erlinen in her spiteful glare.
Mother frowned. “Spirits are immune to the promises made to enter this town. They are a liability. We rarely allow them here.”
Erlinen snorted in anger.
“But when you insisted I return for him, and I saw the finger controlled him. I decided to make an exception,” Bargoth said.
“Denara did that, sir?” Erlinen asked Vaelor. “She convinced him to save you?”
“Don’t look too surprised,” I muttered.
“I would have been in dire straits without Denara.” Vaelor regarded me warmly, and for a moment, my anger and pain disappeared.
“Do you have a place to stay, sir?” Erlinen asked.
“We have lodging for tonight. We are staying with Bargoth and Denara’s mother.” He gestured toward Mother and Bargoth.
“Her mother?” Erlinen appeared even more surprised.
“Yes,” Vaelor said.
“What about your… body situation?”
Vaelor frowned. “There is still time for that. I must go, but I will attempt to find you again before I leave.” He gave Feron a meaningful glance.
“Good day to you, sir,” Erlinen said.
We moved along, continuing our way through town. I watched Vaelor as he walked, no longer suspicious or stalking but thoughtful. “You were different back there. Friendlier,” I said. “To tell you the truth, I had no idea that was within your capabilities.”
He cast an annoyed glance at me. “The last few days since my death have been short on calm, relaxing moments. Forgive me if I’ve been a bit out of sorts,” he said sarcastically.
We walked further through town to where it was less busy and the buildings more spread out.
Mother led the way up the path of a cultivated garden walk, up to a wooden cabin.
It was much bigger and better built than the one Gerand and I lived in—the same cabin we resided in with Mother before she abandoned us.
We stepped inside and I noted the granite fireplace compared to our simple stone one. The multiple rooms within the spacious confines and the floors that were covered in warm animal fur rugs.
“Papa! You’re home!” A little demon boy shouted. He jumped up from where he’d been sitting on the floor and raced to give him a hug. Another little girl followed.
“There’s my boy, Panan,” Bargoth said to the boy who looked no more than four years old. He had budding antlers coming from his head and brown hair that matched Gerand’s almost exactly.
I sucked in a sharp breath.
“Thanks for watching them, Marbas,” Mother said to an older demon boy with feline eyes. He nodded. The older demon boy bore no resemblance to Gerand. No, I was probably imagining things.
“Mama, can we go to the market and play in the children’s square?” The little girl, who was about the same age as the boy demon, asked.
Mama , the word rang in my ears. The way the child stared up at my mother, gazing at her imploringly. The demon girl also had feline eyes, but her body was human, and the shade of her green irises matched mine and my mother’s.
“Not today, Mia. Tonight we are going to have dinner with our guests. Your half-sister, in fact.”
“What’s a half-sister?” the little boy demon asked.
My body locked. I stared at the demon boy, an odd ringing in my ears.
The pressure inside me was boiling over, about to flood the room.
I wanted to slap the boy. I wanted to set the cabin on fire. I wanted to scream until my throat was hoarse.
Vaelor’s hand landed on my shoulder. “Denara…”
I spun away from him, away from everyone, marching to the door. The floor had yet again fallen out from under me, and I was tumbling into free fall with no net to catch me—because that net had left five years ago.
Throwing the door wide, I didn’t look back as I hurried through it.
And rushed out into the night.