Page 29 of Devil's Doom

“Yes?” she asks, and then her face lights up like the brightest star when she recognizes me. “Oh, Alina! Lech told me all about you. I’m so happy you came to visit!”

I don’t reply, my tongue fused to my palate with sheer awe. Wilas are utterly breathtaking, but Rada must have goddess blood in her, too. I’ve never seen anyone as beautiful as her.

She’s taller than me, her limbs graceful and perfectly proportional, her long, blonde hair so light, it’s almost white—and yet, it shimmers with fair golden highlights. Tiny braids frame her temples, and she looks like a queen wearing a crown, even though no jewels adorn her.

In fact, the dress she wears is a drab thing, brown and tattered, but it almost doesn’t matter. It’s as if the dull clothing lets her beauty shine even more.

Her lips are full, eyes silver under beautifully shaped brows, her eyelashes long and dark. When she smiles, her eyes crease in the most delightful way. I’ve never seen anyone smile like that, with their entire being.

“I’m sorry,” I mumble when that smile shrinks, her expression growing mildly inquisitive at my silence. “It’s just that… You’re magical.”

She turns her face away, her cheeks coloring, and that pink blush makes her all the lovelier.

“Thank you. Will you come in? I was about to feed Dar. We can chat while he eats.”

I nod eagerly and she motions me inside. Her room is smaller than mine but still comfortable, with a big bed and a table. A few baskets of clothes sit on the floor by the wall, and another basket is by the bed. It shakes slightly, and I come over, pressing my hand to my mouth to stifle my gasp.

The baby can’t be older than three months, but it’s already the most exquisite child I’ve ever seen. He has his mother’s coloring, light gold hair and silver eyes, with just a hint of pale gold scales lining his pudgy face. He doesn’t fuss but regards me seriously when I lean over him.

“Hello, Dar,” I say softly, marveling at the name she gave him. It means “a gift”. “You are the most beautiful baby I’ve ever seen.”

He untangles a small hand from the blanket he’s swaddled in and reaches up to grab my braid that hangs over my shoulder. I lower my head with a smile and let him, and the boy tugs with surprising strength, making me laugh.

“Oh, you’d better watch out,” Rada says. “You’ll be bald soon if you let him do that.”

I extricate my braid and give the boy my finger to hold instead. Rada knocks three times on the table, and two steaming cups of mint brew appear out of thin air.

“Come sit.” She waves me over to a stool, and I take my place, blowing on my brew.

She takes Dar out of his basket and sits cross legged on the bed, artfully arranging the wide skirts of her dress around her. She tries to get the boy to latch on, but he turns his head away to look at me, tugging her hair instead. She huffs softly and keeps trying until the boy starts fussing.

“He really should eat,” she says apologetically. Her voice is a melodic murmur, low and sensual, and I can’t believe the boy doesn’t calm down at once. “It used to be easier when he was smaller, but I can barely get him to eat these days. I don’t know what’s wrong.”

I set my brew down on the table. “May I? I used to be a midwife once.”

Rada’s face brightens in a beaming smile. “Of course! Gods, a real midwife. Lech really has a knack for befriending the right people.”

I smile briefly and step closer, glancing at her bare breast that’s perfectly shaped and big with milk. Her supply is not a problem, then. The baby squirms, huffing with impatience as he tries to get a good look at me. I slide my finger in his mouth to check his sucking reflex. It’s strong. From the feel of his gums, I can tell he’s already teething.

“He’s just curious, which is completely normal at this age. His teeth will come out soon,” I tell Rada as she watches me with worry. “Try to squeeze out a bit of milk and then give him the breast. Once he gets a taste, he should latch on.”

She does as I say and breathes out in relief as the boy starts eating. I smile and go back to my stool.

“So, how did you meet Lech?”

Rada smiles serenely. “Zlotomira introduced us. She helped me a lot after Dar was born. I, uh, I wasn’t in the best condition. The labor wore me out, and then for two days in a row, there were double tolls. We would have both died, but she took us in and fed us her milk until we grew stronger.”

She falls silent, her eyes glazing with thought. I can’t stop staring at her. Whether she smiles or falls pensive, Rada is luminous. I feel like I could spend my entire life looking at her and be content.

“But she couldn’t support us indefinitely,” Rada finally says, taking a deep breath. At her breast, Dar eats rhythmically, his eyes closed. “She knew Lech was looking for a feeder and vouched for him. She promised he wouldn’t take advantage. So here we are. He pays for my room and food, and in return, I let him have my blood. Thanks to this arrangement, I don’t have to leave at all. I’m safe for the first time in years.”

I blink in confusion. “How so?”

“Oh.” Rada looks away, her cheeks coloring with embarrassment. “I know how it’s going to sound, but… I’m quite beautiful.”

I can’t help but chuckle. “I’d say it’s an understatement. ‘Beautiful’ is too mundane a word for you. I was thinking, well, ‘luminous’.”

She smiles, her cheeks still pink. “Thank you. But you see, ah, it’s not really a blessing, to be a wila and this pretty. Men… Men go crazy when they see me. And then their wives hate me, and I… I never tried to seduce anyone, I swear. I don’t even like men too much. Or people. And it’s just… It’s easier to stay inside all day. I have my baby, and I have Lech to tell me gossip, and that’s enough. I’m happy.”

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