Page 23 of The Demon's Secret Baby

"Now what?" I snarl, my temper flaring. "Now that I actually care about someone, I'm not allowed to show it?"

Lamain moves protectively in front of June, his stance wary. "That's not what she meant, and you know it. We're your friends, Volezimir. We want to help."

My anger builds, and I grit my teeth as I try to maintain control. "I know. It's just... I can't give up on her. I won't."

June nods, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "We understand. We'll keep looking, I promise. But please, at least stay the night. Rest. Eat something. You're no good to Zylpha if you run yourself into the ground."

"I have to find her?—"

"And we all will-"

"No!" I clench my fists, rage boiling over. "There's no 'we.' If you'd stop sacrificing humans to play out your own fantasies on this damn island, this never would have happened!"

The words explode from me, echoing through the clearing. Lamain's eyes flash dangerously, his own temper flaring to match mine.

"Sacrificing?" he snarls, stepping towards me. "Is that what you think we're doing here? If I wasn't out there saving humans, you never would have met Zylpha – or saved her either!"

His words hit me like a physical blow, but I'm too far gone to back down now. "Saved her? Look how well that turned out! She's gone, Lamain. Gone!"

June steps between us, her hands outstretched. "Please, both of you, calm down. This isn't helping anyone, least of all Zylpha."

But the dam has broken, and years of pent-up emotion come pouring out. "You don't understand," I growl, my voice low and dangerous. "None of you do. You sit here in your perfect little world, playing house while the rest of us suffer!"

Lamain's face contorts with fury. "You think this is easy? You think we don't risk everything every time we go out there?"

Before he can continue, a thin wail cuts through the air. June's eyes widen. "The baby," she whispers, turning to rush back to their treehouse.

I watch her go, a fresh wave of pain and jealousy washing over me. They have everything – each other, a child, a purpose. And what do I have? Nothing but an empty ship and a hole in my chest where Zylpha should be.

Unable to bear it any longer, I turn and stalk away, my footsteps heavy on the packed earth. I hate this. I hate myself for lashing out, for not being strong enough to find her. I hate that they have what I so desperately want.

As I reach the edge of the clearing, I hear Lamain call out behind me. But I don't turn back. I can't face them right now, can't bear to see the pity in their eyes. So I keep walking, letting the jungle swallow me up, wishing it could swallow my pain along with me.

I stand at the bow of my ship, the salt-laden wind whipping through my unkempt hair. My eyes, once piercing gold, now dulled by years of fruitless searching, scan the endless horizon. The creaking of the ship's timbers has become as familiar to me as my own heartbeat.

"Zylpha," I whisper her name into the night, tasting the bittersweet memory of her on my tongue. "I'm still here. I'm still looking."

The moon hangs low and heavy in the sky, casting a silvery path across the waves. How many moons have I watched rise and fall since she was taken? Too many to count. Yet each one only strengthens my resolve.

My crew has changed over the years. Some have left, unable to bear the relentless pursuit. Others have joined, drawn by the promise of adventure or the weight of my coin. But they're all just shadows to me, barely registering in my world that revolves around one singular purpose.

I grip the railing, feeling the wood groan beneath my fingers. My strength hasn't diminished, but everything else has. My clothes hang loose on my frame, my once-immaculate appearance now a distant memory. But none of that matters. Only she matters.

"I swear to you," I growl at the uncaring sea, "I will not rest until we're reunited. Do you hear me, Sunshine? I'm coming for you."

Some say I've gone mad. I think I might have, too. I've even taken to getting into fights at every port — often for coin to fill my ever depleting stash. It lets me blow off the steam that won't seem to stop building.

The waves crash against the hull, offering no response. But I don't need one. Her face is etched into my mind, her laughter echoes in my ears. The memory of her touch, so gentle despite my demonic nature, burns on my skin as if it were yesterday.

Each port we visit, each lead we chase, ends in disappointment. But I can't stop. Won't stop. The thought of her out there, waiting for me, keeps me going when everything else tells me to give up.

I've sacrificed everything for this search - my position, my wealth, my very identity. The demon I once was seems like a stranger now. But I'd do it all again, a thousand times over, just for the chance to hold her in my arms once more.

As another dawn breaks on the horizon, painting the sky in hues that remind me of her hair, I renew my silent vow. No matter how long it takes, no matter the cost, I will find her. My Zylpha. My Sunshine. My reason for being.

12

ZYLPHA

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