Chapter 12
Phin
It had taken quite a lot of convincing, but I’d finally gotten Tap to concede that if he was going to do all the cooking it was only fair I clean up sometimes. Yet again, he’d made us a lovely breakfast, so I rushed to take up the plates before he could.
“That’s not—”
“I can help. Fair is fair, is it not? You cook, I can clean.”
“But you’re a guest,” he frowned.
“I thought I lived here? At least for now,” I countered, heart pounding as I hurried to scrub the plates with soap and hot water.
Tap was flustered, more color than usual in his cheeks. “Well, of course, but you deserve to be comfortable—”
“I’m perfectly comfortable, thank you. I’ve never slept so well, nor had as much leniency in my work schedule.
I can certainly pull my own weight when it comes to chores.
Perhaps we could work out a new schedule?
One that divides things more fairly?” He opened and closed his mouth twice without uttering a word. “Good. We can work on that later?”
Finally, he rediscovered his voice. “Alright. As you wish.”
“Good.” I beamed, happy to have finally gotten my thoughts voiced where such things were concerned.
While it had been a lovely couple of weeks-worth of pampering, I wanted to feel useful, especially since I wasn’t even sure the man slept.
Once, I’d caught him dozing in his recliner when I got up to get a late-night snack, but that was the only proof I had he ever slept at all—he either never used his own bedroom or was a master of stealth coming and going from it.
My workload had changed so drastically, I was actually becoming a little bored, and I definitely had guilt over being waited on.
With no scheduled time to get up, no need for applying a carefully crafted disguise, no waiting for doors to be unlocked or nagging church bells dictating every hour of my day, I was living a whole life of leisure.
And that didn’t even account for the demon bringing me snacks and tea throughout the day, or my own personal bath with endless hot water.
Or the workshops. Some extra chores, given my current levels of comfort were welcomed.
After a moment’s hesitation, Tap mumbled his thanks and left the room.
When I was finished and wandered out to the hall, I found the brothers already mid-conversation.
“—needs real sunlight. An afternoon in the glade would do you both a world of good. Nobody goes in or out unmonitored, and it’s warded.” Seir’s volume increased as I passed through the living area and approached the hall proper.
“I can’t keep leaving, Seir. I’ve taken several trips recently, not to mention the other hours I’ve been away.”
“But you can, brother. And you should. It’s not healthy to work like you do, never has been. When was the last time anything serious happened?”
“There’s been something unusual happening with some of the dormant doorways lately. Surely that shouldn’t be just brushed off? Especially considering there are angels out there hunting Nephilim?”
I heard two huffs of frustration, hilariously opposite, and the owner of each one easily identified.
“By all means, investigate. I’ll help you even. But you need to work less and get out more. That remains true.” Seir groaned. “We’ve had this particular conversation entirely too many times. I’m so bored of it.”
“Imagine how I feel then,” Tap countered.
I paused at the edge of the hall, finding Seir with his hands on his hips, scowling at his brother.
“Say yes.”
“Who will be watching if you’re with us? Assumedly Merry and Coltor will be there as well?”
“I’ve already asked Keplar if they can monitor for the afternoon. It’s covered.”
“And what will you owe to Hell for such favors, Seir? What will I?”
“You’ll owe nothing. The details of arrangements I make are none of your concern. Besides, I’m still technically employed there. My unit leader doing me a favor and watching the gates is on him, not me, and certainly not you. Say. Yes.”
“You are reckless, brother. Impulsive. Infuriating.”
“You love all that about me.”
Tap grunted. “I cannot make choices like this for anyone but myself. We’ll need to discuss it with her.”
“Discuss what?” I asked, causing both men to spin my direction.
Seir’s face broke into a wide smile and Tap regarded me calmly, pushing his glasses back up from where they’d slid down his nose while one hand idly turned his rings.
I’d come to learn rather quickly that both habits were tells he was anxious.
A demon who got nervous so easily was incredibly endearing.
Seir took a large step toward me, but Tap held him back by his shirt. If anything, this amused Seir, and he allowed his brother to effectively leash him as they approached.
“Seir has suggested that we travel earth-side.”
I’d surmised as much, but the blunt way Tap said it still shocked me. I was too used to Father Morton dancing around things and was still working on my tendency to expect trickery. “What for?”
“Sunlight. Plants. Animals. Food that isn’t prepared by him.”
A smile cracked my face. “The food here isn’t bad. For the most part, it’s been an improvement over what I was eating before.”
“Only for the most part?” Tap asked, looking crestfallen. “It was only the greens you didn’t like, right?”
Seir groaned. “Oh no. That’s awful! What terrible mistreatment did you get in Vincara that you could say such a thing?”
I laughed then, unable to keep the bright burst of mirth from tickling up my spine.
Seir was a special kind of entertaining, but more than that, the exasperation on Tap’s face had done me in.
Both of them stared at me, which only made me laugh harder.
Unfortunately that led to me coughing due to my irritated throat and I had to raise my hand in reassurance as Tap’s expression clouded over.
Tap’s hand grazed his chest, a soft rubbing motion just over his heart as Seir clapped him on the shoulder.
“So? What do you say?” Seir prompted, bouncing on his toes. “Would you like to get away from here? Breathe some fresh air? Meet some new people?”
My heart stuttered. Suddenly I did. I wanted a change of scenery more than anything despite the fact that I was very happy in my new residence.
“That would be nice,” I said, but my mood began to slip almost immediately as I remembered why I’d come here.
“As long as it’s safe.” I looked at Tap.
New people were a terrifying prospect, even if seeing a new place had its charms.
“It’s one of the most secure places I can think of,” he answered, reaching up to twist his earrings idly. “If you’d like to go, I wouldn’t be concerned about your safety there.”
His answer felt strange. “You’d be coming as well, I assume?”
He nodded stiffly. “Yes. I suppose I would.”
“Are there a lot of people?”
“No, just a few, and everyone there is … family.” One of Tap’s eyebrows raised as he completed his thought, as though saying it that way surprised even him.
“So that’s a yes?” Seir asked, eyes bouncing between me and his brother.
“Yes. Please. I’d like to go.”
Seir clapped his hands before placing them on my shoulders and steering me back toward my room. “Wonderful! It’s not nearly as cold as in Vincara, but you’ll still want a coat.”
I stiffened, realizing I’d misjudged the offer slightly. “Wait, we’re going right now?”
“When else? Do you have other plans today?”
“Seir,” Tap chided gently, slowly following behind us with a shake of his head. “Easy.”
“Sorry. If I’m being too forward just say so. I’ll stop.” He grinned again, the expression familiar, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on why.
“It’s okay. I don’t really have plans, just more sorting.”
“Exactly. And that will go on for ages no matter what, so why wait? Just imagine how wonderful the sun is going to feel on your face! I’d bet it’s been months. Winter in Vincara is long and gloomy.”
He wasn’t wrong. “Alright,” I agreed, my cheeks beginning to get sore from smiling as I went into my room and plucked the old, too-large coat out of the armoire.
When I came back, Tap was doing something that appeared to make most of the portals power down, both of them in their own coats.
“Ready?” Tap asked, and when I nodded he gently tucked my arm through his and led me toward one of the doorways.
I looked at his breast pocket to find my feather threaded through the buttonhole again.
It seemed he moved it from piece to piece to be sure it was seen.
I blushed, and he patted my arm, misunderstanding why. “It’ll be fine.”
Seir glanced back over his shoulder as he dove through first, smiling wide.
I wasn’t sure if Tap’s words were meant to reassure himself or me. In the end, it didn’t matter, because the conversation ended the moment we stepped into the portal.