Page 25 of Bound By Darkness

Eilish winces like he just hit her. Dragan look at her, and he has a real sad expression on his face. He look like he want toconsole her, but he don’t. He just stand there. And the vamp’s still staring at the stone like he ready ta start cryin’.

Eilish look at Cambion like she summonin’ all her courage. “There’s still half of me that’s angel,” she point out.

“The demon part of you is the only part that concerns me,” Cambion spits back at her. Then he take a breath and look back at Dragan. “Once we figure out what to do with her,” he say, wavin’ his hand in Eilish’s direction, “we should pay a visit to Raflamir; he’s an old friend and he’ll offer us haven and food. From there, we can decide what to do.”

“It’s too dangerous!” the gargoyle finally speaks, shaking his head. “We can’t trust anyone. Raflamir may have fought for us in the war, but times are different now. People are terrified of Variant. They’ll do anything to avoid his wrath.”

“And what’s your suggestion, Dragan?” Cambion insist, soundin’ real angry. “Stay here and starve to death or get captured?”

But Dragan ain’t really payin’ attention to Cambion. He eyeing the angel instead and when he speak, his voice be real low. “You said we should visit Raflamir once we decide what to do with Eilish,” Dragan say, real serious-like. “What does that mean?”

“I don’t trust her, and neither should you,” Cambion answer real quick.

“So you’re going to leave her alone in the forest to die?” Dragan shakes his head. “We don’t have to trust her, but she doesn’t deserve that fate.”

“What does she really deserve from us?” Cambion demands.

“I didn’t know what I was!” Eilish shouts at both of them.

“She could still be the way to defeat Variant,” Dragan say, ignoring her.

Cambion laugh acidly at the gargoyle. “Shewasa way to defeat Variant when she was an angel, you fool. Now she’s just ademon and one that should be and was supposed to be extinct,” he finish as Eilish look down at her feet and the tears start spillin’ from her eyes.

“I still believes you is good,” I say as I come and land on her shoulder. She don’t lift her head.

“I won’t leave her here,” Dragan say, and Eilish lift her head ta look at him but he won’t look back at her. Instead, he glares at Cambion. “And you saw her angel wings as surely as all of us did. Yes, she’s Succubus but you can’t ignore the fact that she’s also angel.”

Cambion sits back down and puts his head in his hands. “I’m not convinced of anything.”

“I won’t leave her out here,” Dragan insist.

“Fine. She fucking comes with us, but I want her hands tied,” Cambion reply with narrowed eyes. “I don’t fucking trust her. From this point onward, she’s our prisoner.”

Eilish turn to look at Dragan but the gargoyle don’t look at her when he speaks. “If Raflamir makes one move to show he’s not on our side, we’re leaving. Is that understood?” I notice he completely avoid commentin’ on Eilish bein’ their prisoner. I’se thinking it’s pretty fucked up, but ain’t no one interested in what I gots ta say, anyways.

Cambion’s face show he ain’t too happy with the gargoyle’s tone, but he still nods. “We’re going to Earlann.”

I look from Dragan, to Cambion, to Eilish, to Baron, before looking back to Dragan again.

“I’m sorry, what?” I asks. “Earleann? As in the Fae Realm?”

“Enough, Flumph,” say Dragan like he’s more tired than he’s ever been.

But he ain’t tired. You know who’s tired? Me. That’s who. Lord Shadow Ass don’t know the meanin’ of no ‘tired.’

“So, let me gets this straight,” I start. “The psychedelic vision rock is dead, so nows we gotta go all the way to faerieland ta some asshole’s house I ain’t never heard of? Even after we decided we couldn’t go to faerie land, ‘cause it was too dangerous? Oh! An’, the former champion of our team is now our prisoner? That sound right to yous?”

They nod. The vamp don’t say nothin’, an’ I ain’t even sure he’s aware we’s around him.

“Well, it don’t sound right to me!” No one say nothin’ so’s I continue, “A bunch o’ lunatics!” I call them.

When Cambion finish his talkin’, the angel—or Succubus—Angelbus—sits back down an’ she look real tired and unhappy. I float down beside her an’ she give me a little smile, like she tryin’ to be strong but she failin’.

“They’ll come ‘round,” I whisper and give her a little thumbs up, but I can’t say I believe my own words so’s I doubt she does.

***

EILISH

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