Page 68 of Demonchild

Before she could finish, Beliath stretched out his arm and pointed one clawed finger in Jaeger’s direction. An instant later, the man was lifted off the wall and he began to fly toward the pyre where Malissa and her demon were still standing amid the swirling flames. Based on the way Jaeger’s arms and legs were flailing, Malissa guessed that the man was not flying by his own volition.

“Wait!” she cried.

Jaeger’s body stopped moving about an arm’s length from the flames. Beliath’s hand remained outstretched toward him. The demon turned his head to look at Malissa.

“You do not wish me to kill this man?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “He just freed you.”

“True, but he also captured me. And let’s not forget how he tried to poison our child.”

“I never did anything to hurt your child,” said Jaeger. His voice was surprisingly devoid of fear. “Even vengeance has its limits. I would never do anything to harm an innocent baby.”

Beliath looked doubtful, but he still waited for Malissa’s decision.

“Vengeance,” she said. “Is that why you freed the demon just now?”

Jaeger nodded slowly. His face was dripping with sweat from the heat.

“I am an Esmorian. The kingdom of Drachenval all but eradicated my people. I pretended to be loyal to King Wulfmar, and then to his son Wulfgang, but the whole time I was secretly plotting my revenge. It would appear I have achieved it at last.”

“My woman tells me you offered to breed her,” Beliath snarled. “I ought to kill you for that.”

“Kill me if you wish,” Jaeger said calmly. “My life’s purpose has been fulfilled. But know this: I only offered myself to the queen out of spite for her husband. An Esmorian on the throne of Drachenval would have been a sweet revenge… but a demon on the throne is even better.”

Beliath growled.

“You didn’t desire the queen for her beauty? You really expect me to believe that?”

“The queenisbeautiful,” Jaeger admitted. “However, she is not my type. I prefer the company of men. I have among my potions a certain medicine that would have made it possible for me to, you know…”

For a moment, Malissa thought Beliath was going to kill the man simply for suggesting such an idea.

“What other potions do you have?” she asked. “Poisons?”

“If you search my laboratory, you’ll find many poisons, but I swear I never used any of them on you.” He shrugged. “I understand if you don’t believe me. I’m not afraid to die.”

He wasn’t. Malissa could see that.

She could also see that the man didn’t care about her own life, or the life of her child either. He had allowed the king to burn her at the stake. In fact, that had been part of his plan, hadn’t it? He had intended to wait until after she was dead to set Beliath free. Then the demon, in a fit of rage, would have killed the king, and probably everyone else in the castle, including Jaeger himself. For that alone, Malissa would be justified in killing him.

Still, she could sympathize with the man’s desire for revenge, and now that he had attained it, he posed no threat.

“Let him go,” she said.

“Are you sure?” Beliath asked.

Malissa nodded.

Beliath turned his attention back to Jaeger, who was still hovering in front of the dancing flames.

“You are lucky, mortal. My angel has shown you mercy…”

Jaeger disappeared in a puff of smoke, and another cry went up from the crowd of frightened onlookers.

Malissa gasped. “Did you…?”

“I did not kill him,” Beliath said. “I merely transported him to the road beyond the castle wall. If he is a wise man, he will start walking on it immediately, and he will not look back.”

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