Page 35 of Demon Bound

Torn out?Sweet Astra, what a conversation. “I… Yes.”

“My kind are not born from another’s body. I do not have a mother the way you do. We are created by the eldresses when they see a need to increase our numbers.”

“Created how?”

“A ritual. We are born fully formed, not small and weak like your infants.”

“Then why do you have sex?”

“For power. For personal satisfaction. For enjoyment.”

“I suppose I’m asking why you’re built to have sex, if you don’t need it for procreation. Why are you made with the same parts as mortals, if it’s not a biological imperative?”

He shrugged. “There is not a reason for everything. Some things just are.” He glanced down at her body curiously. “How many children have you made?”

“None, thank the Five.”

“You don’t want to?”

“No, I mean… Not with Nirlan, certainly.” Suddenly morose, she looked into the fire, trying to listen to the music instead of thinking about Nirlan.

“It sounds very painful,” Azreth said. He must have been very curious about this topic. Raiya hadn’t seen him so talkative before.

“I hear it is.”

He frowned a little. “But women are forced to do it anyway?”

“Not forced. I mean, not usually. I suppose many women feel that it’s worth the sacrifice. My mother told me that when I was born, she knew immediately that she loved me more than she would ever love anything else in this world.”

Azreth’s frown deepened. Raiya’s tone had grown a little wistful by the end of her sentence. She didn’t long for children, but she did wish she could feel love that deep. She’d thought she felt that for Nirlan, a long time ago, but it was nothing like what her mother had described.

Jai announced her return with a loud sigh. “I’m back. I got the tea.” She opened the lid of the tea kettle and dumped in a generous amount of dark tea leaves, then took it off the fire. Raiya had been so fascinated by what Azreth told her that she’d forgotten to start eating. She quickly dug in.

Jai looked up at Azreth. “So what are you? Half giant?”

He looked dully at Raiya as if checking for approval. “Yes.”

“I knew it. On your mother’s side, right? It’s got to be the mother’s side. I dread to think how things would fit properly, otherwise.”

Raiya choked on her food. Azreth, who didn’t seem to be listening very closely, was reaching toward the tea kettle. Before anyone could stop him, he picked it up—not by the wooden handle, of course, no. He simply wrapped a hand around the scorching metal and then poured the boiling water directly into his mouth. Jai’s jaw dropped. So did Raiya’s.

When he noticed them looking at him, he stopped. Raiya saw him realize the mistake he’d made. He quickly put down the kettle and half-heartedly shook out his hand, feigning pain. Raiya barely held back a sigh.

“How did you do that?” Jai gasped.

“A good magician never reveals their secrets,” Raiya said before Azreth could reply. He nodded slowly in agreement.

Chapter 12

When they’d finished eating, Jai brought them to a small tent. The inside was empty except for the brightly colored carpet laid out on the floor, the furs set on top of it for warmth, and two neatly folded blankets. Whatever the outside of the tent was made of, it was thick enough that it was relatively warm and quiet inside. And it was big enough to stand in and even walk around a little. Raiya was impressed.

As soon as Jai left, Azreth dropped his glamour. The color ran off him as if rinsed by soap and water, revealing his empty eyes and horns again. Raiya hadn’t forgotten what he was, but it was still startling every time. While he wore the glamour, it was easy to start to feel like he was just another person, just a man. He wasn’t.

He checked that the tent was sealed, then turned to her expectantly. Raiya was stiff as he approached. Standing directly in front of her, she had to crane her neck to look up at him.

“May I begin?” he said.

She closed her eyes and ran a hand over her face. She’d never had so much performance anxiety as she did with him. “Yes. You’ll have to give me a minute…”

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