Page 16 of The Demon's Delight
“Wait, are you saying there are some live residents of Hell who aren’t demons?”
“Ah, you were paying attention. Yes, there are. They are very few, but there are some… interesting contracts that currently exist between demons and mortals allowing them to live and work in Hell. Part of the time, at least.”
Hailon only made a thoughtful noise at this information as she came to the edge of the water.
The creek itself was perhaps as wide as I was tall, the rocky bottom perfectly visible. There were sadly no fish, at least not ones large enough to see. Hailon stripped off the boots and her double-layered socks, grimacing as she peeled them down her heels. Had I not been carefully watching her face, I wouldn’t have even noticed the flinch she made. After rolling up the legs of her trousers, she stepped into the frigid water, wading carefully into the center. It only came up to her shins, but the current was powerful enough she had to rebalance on the pebbles below her feet more than once.
“The little greens with oval leaves and white flowers? That’s cress.” She pointed to a plant on the far bank as she continued to cross. “There might be some farther down on your side, too. It likes to grow in the little places the water has carved out. See?” Her fingers traced the little cove the plant had nestled in.
“Yes.” I nodded happily, then plodded slowly along the muddy edge of the water as I looked for the plant. I yelled out proudly when I found some, startling the birds and bugs intomomentary silence. Hailon’s nod of approval, complete with the hint of a proud smile, made my whole body warm.
Before long, we had plenty of fresh greens and even a few handfuls of slightly tart berries between us.
“I’d like to stand here a bit longer, if that’s okay?”
I took the food from her outstretched hands. “Aren’t your feet chilled by now?”
Her head bobbed. “A little, but it feels nice on my heels.” She trailed off, as though embarrassed to admit such a thing.
Frustration bloomed, but I didn’t want to add to her discomfort. “I’ll go start cooking then. Call me when you’re finished, and I’ll come get you.”
She huffed. “No need, I’ll walk.”
“Your feet will be wet, and it will be worse tomorrow if you have damp socks or boots to wear. I’ll carry you back when you’re done.”
“Seir, I don’t need you to?—”
“If you walk through the grass, you will cut your feet, Hailon. It’s sharp, like little blades. Then you would have injured, dirty, blistered, wet feet.I will carry you.” My heart was pounding as the overwhelming need to help her, to protect her, for her to allow me to do something so simple for her throbbed through my bones. The seriousness of my tone had her mouth dropping open, then shutting again into a tight line.
“Fine. But I think this is entirely unnecessary, for the record.”
“Noted.” Surprised at her giving in, but grateful, I left before she could change her mind.
Chapter 7
Seir
Ihad some of the dried meat in the pot simmering away with a handful of the small root vegetables I’d found near the cabin by the time her voice rang out.
“Seir?”
I jumped to my feet. “Coming!”
She was squatted down by the edge of the creek when I approached, a large frog cradled between her hands.
“What’s that you’ve got? An addition to our meal?”
She shook her head. “No, he’s not for eating. He was hurt.” The fat little creature hopped out of her palm and back into the shallows, promptly snatching up several bugs. Hailon rinsed her hands in the water and stood, a relaxed tilt to her full mouth.
“My mistake. Kind of you to fix him up.” My heartburn kicked up something powerful as she met my eye. The odd color variations of her irises packed a powerful punch in the late afternoon glow. The heel of my hand reflexively scrubbed at my chest to ease the ache as I tried to remember how to breathe. She was truly something else, and I wanted to understand better why she affected me so strongly. Perhaps it had something to do with her magic.
“I bought him a little time before he becomes something’s dinner, anyway.” Her eyes scanned my body, her foot lifting as she prepared to walk on the muddy bank. “It’s really not?—”
“It is.” I shook my head, hearing the protest before she could get the words out and striking it down. I turned my back to her, stepping as close to the water as I dared without getting my own boots wet. “Get on.”
“I am perfectly capable of walking, this feels silly.” She sighed, setting her hands on my shoulders.
“We’ve been over the reasons this makes sense. So you shouldn’t. Feel silly, I mean. I’m more than happy to be of service.” I reached back and gripped her thighs, giving her a boost up my back before hooking my arms around her legs. She was warm and soft, though her calves and ankles were shockingly cold from the water. She was stiff at first, but gradually allowed herself to lean comfortably against me. It made my heart thump happily behind my ribs.
