Page 74 of The Deer and the Dragon
I exhaled slowly at the decompression of fingers against my forearm. I kept my eyes on the ink as I said, “It was above my door. I didn’t see it for a long time. Not until after Silas was in my apartment. It was the last night I saw Caliban.”
“Caliban?” He repeated the name, sliding a thumb over the still-healing tattoo to feel the scab. As his touch passed, so did what remained of the wound. Only perfect ink was left in its place.
My heart ached at the memory of that horrible night and how he’d kissed my hand, healing the cut I’d acquired in my scramble to survive. I bet Richard was the sort of man Az would have loved to have killed, and I wondered how different my life would have been if he’d been the one to respond to Richard’s mark. Maybe if they stopped making fun of me for my questions, I would ask how a human was marked and how another might respond to its call. Instead, my thoughts were focused on Caliban.
“The Prince,” I said, answering his question.
“I like it,” Fauna added. “It fits him, don’t you think?”
Az considered it before asking, “Did you give it to him?”
I nodded, recalling the way Caliban had smiled at the name all those years ago.
“Speaking of Caliban,” I said, “if he’s not in Hell, why do we think the King will know where to find him? Or why he’ll help?”
The pair exchanged a meaningful look. Az said, “Trust me, he’ll want to help you. As for how they’ll be able to find him: call us legion, for we are many.”
“The parasite said the same thing,” I mused.
“I know,” he said. There was no amusement in his voice. “It’s their line to start with. But since it was accredited to demons, we don’t mind the catchphrase. We’ve got manpower, we’re well connected, we’re everywhere.”
“Like the KGB,” Fauna added. Then, “Because of the Cold War demons and angels—you know what, never mind. My magnificent references are underappreciated.”
Between his interesting piece of information and Fauna’s chatter, I’d been too distracted to realize Azrames was still holding on to my arm until his phone—or, what I could only describe as a phone—rang. He released it to pick up the device. Much as in the mortal realm, it was a glassy, black rectangle. It didn’t appear to have buttons, a screen, or any harsh, white glow. He lifted it to his ear and stepped away, heading to his room as he began to speak quietly into the shape. He disappeared around the corner.
“He’s dreamy,” I said, complimenting Fauna as our eyes trailed his shadow-like wake. “Are you going to explain what that exchange was about? Is there some reason the King will want to see me that I should know? Or is this all…” I hesitated before spitting out what felt like the most ridiculous end to the sentence. “Apocalypse talk.”
“Well sure; now that you’re involved we’ve all got the end of the world on the brain. But more importantly: of course Az is dreamy. I have impeccable taste,” she agreed. “But sometimes I just do things for the plot. So, you know, you gotta fuck a centaur for the party anecdote.”
I didn’t have time to ask if she was serious before he returned. To both my relief and dismay, he’d slipped into a pair of black pants and a white tee. “Company is on its way. Fauna, did you ever meet Ianna?”
Fauna’s prolonged whine told me that she did not like the individual in question.
I missed the days when I had answers to things. Instead, I sighed as I asked what felt like yet another in an endless string of questions. “Who’s Ianna?”
Fauna grimaced. “She a lillith.”
A bolt of lightning shot through me. “Lillith is coming to your apartment?”
“NottheLillith.Alillith. More of a miscellaneous femmefatale. It means shriek owl or night monster depending on the text,” Fauna said, correcting me before answering his question. “Yes, she was at that party we went to in 1360. She was an absolute bitch. Call someone else.”
He made an apologetic face. “She still is. And I’m afraid there’s no calling anyone else this time, Fauns. She’s already on her way, and she’s my only in.”
Fauna hopped down from the counter and began to riffle through his cabinets, frowning at the lack of food. She settled on a box of cookies and addressed me with a crumbly mouthful of what looked like sugar-crusted cookies with caramel chunks.
I raised a finger. “Can I go back toalillith?”
Fauna waved one hand while tearing through the box with the other. “It’s a thing. Nymph, vampire, valkyrie, angel, lillith. Throw a dart at the board: it’s all real. Google the specifics on your own time. Just—”
Azrames interrupted her long enough to give her a chance to chew. “Listen, Faun, I know you don’t like her, but she can pull strings, and she owes me a favor. She’ll be here in twenty.”
Fauna sucked her teeth. “Afavorfavor?”
“Indeed,” he confirmed. The word seemed to have some deeper meaning, but neither of them offered to elaborate.
She sighed while riffling through the box. “In that case, thanks for wasting your favor on us. I’ll keep what I think of her to myself. Probably.” She then offered me a cookie, and I took one. “She’s a stylist for the royal court. It isn’t exactly a royal title, but she comes and goes from the palace and can definitely get us an audience.” She ended her explanation by extending the box to Azrames.
He shook his head. “I hate those things.”
