Page 29 of Demon Bound

“I know what they are,” Azreth said coldly. He stopped walking, then put a hand on her shoulder and pulled her in front of him.

“What are you going to do?”

He gave her a look.

“Azreth, don’t do anything rash. Paladins fight for good. They help people. Supposedly.” Her own father had been partial to the god Paladius. She didn’t remember her father well, but what she did remember was not altogether pleasant. Paladius was not the most forgiving deity. “They are capable of seeing reason. If we can convince them you don’t mean anyone harm, they won’t hurt you. Maybe they could even help us. Don’t do anything until I say so.”

“You do not command me.”

“I’m asking you as a favor. Please don’t hurt anyone.”

He quietly watched the riders. His glamoured eyes were unnaturally steady. He never blinked.

The Paladins were careful as they approached, even though there were five of them that Raiya could see, and only one of Azreth. But the closest one smiled at her when he pulled his mount to a stop a few strides away. He had sandy hair and a pale complexion, and appeared to be the youngest among them. An Ardanian by blood, by the look of him. The symbol of Paladius, seven swords forming a septagon, was emblazoned on his cuirass and his cloak. He glanced uncertainly back at one of the older men, who gave him a swift nod.

“Well met, lady,” the young man said. The antlers on the behelgi he rode were enormous, and it made Raiya wonder whether the beasts were trained to fight for the Paladins. The man glanced up at Azreth. Azreth just stared coldly at him.

“Well met,” Raiya said quickly. “My companion is mute, but he wishes you a good afternoon as well.”

The man nodded politely. “I’m Paladin Adamus of the Temple of Paladius.”

She didn’t want to tell them her name until she knew she could trust them. Azreth looked down at her. She could feel his cool judgment as she hesitated. “Good to meet you,” she said.

Azreth shifted a fraction, merely moving his weight from one foot to the other, but the Paladins reacted instantly. Several hands darted to sword hilts. Two of them jerked their behelgi’s reins, making the animals twitch.

“Is there a problem?” Raiya asked.

Adamus was one of the ones who’d reached for his sword. He tore his gaze from Azreth to look down at her, and a crease appeared between his brows.He looked a bit younger than Raiya. She didn’t get the impression he was their leader. She wondered if the others had chosen him to speak to her because they thought she might be more agreeable toward someone close to her own age—someone more approachable than the stern-looking men who accompanied him.

“Forgive us, lady. We’ve come searching for a young woman matching your description. We think she may be in trouble. We want to help her if we can. She is said to possibly be traveling with a… strange man.”

Azreth’s hand tensed on her shoulder. He was impatient. Or, he was worried that she would take them up on their offer.

She considered it.

“I see,” she said. “I don’t know anything about that.”

The Paladins exchanged glances. “If you do see her, please let her know that we’re at her disposal,” Adamus said. “I expect she’s under duress and afraid for her safety, but we’re here to help, no matter her circumstances. Do you, uh, take my meaning, lady?”

Raiya was stunned that he was saying all this right under Azreth’s nose, as if he wouldn’t understand. But then she remembered that she’d also thought demons were dumb beasts before she’d met Azreth.

Still, the man seemed earnest. She found herself wanting to trust him.

She thought about the journey that awaited them—sneaking around in their search for a way to remove the binding, begging or stealing to obtain food and shelter, running from Paladins and city guards. They faced a lonely road.

“I do need help. I’m Lady Raiya Han-gal of Frosthaven. My husband threatened my life, so I ran from him.” Azreth made a soft sound of annoyance as she said all this, which she ignored. “My companion needs help, too. We need protection.”

Adamus raised his eyebrows, turning to his companions. He said something under his breath. Raiya could barely make it out from where she stood.“That’s not the story the lord told us…”

She felt the blood drain from her face. Nirlan had sent them? She glanced up at Azreth. He gave her a look that was mostly blank but somehow still conveyedI told you soperfectly clearly.

She hurried to go on. “If you listen to our story, I’m sure you’ll—”

Azreth spun suddenly, throwing her off balance. When she looked up, there was an arrow caught in his fist and an archer in the distance whom she hadn’t seen before. He glanced down at the arrowhead before he threw it aside. It was an unusual, rough-looking metal. Iron.

Before she could react, someone grabbed her around the waist and half shoved, half threw her across the road. She landed flat on her stomach in the dirt with the wind knocked out of her.

Across the road, Paladin Adamus leapt down from his behelgi. “Lady Han-gal, stay back! We’ll take care of this!” Shetried to shout at him, but she had no air. She clenched her fists in the grass, struggling to regain her breath.

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