Page 19 of The Demon's Delight
“Hailon?”
There was no response. I propped myself up on my elbows and looked closer, finding her eyes closed and the hand holding the little wooden figure relaxed. Her chest rose and fell in a steady, slow cadence.
I quietly banked the fire and settled myself for sleep.
I’d have to tell her my favorite another day.
Chapter 8
Seir
“I’m not getting on your back, Seir.” Hailon shifted the pack on her shoulders—something else I’d tried and failed to reason with her over—and strode with purpose straight for the road, not even looking back to see if I was following. “But thank you for braiding my hair.”
Stubborn, wholly independent Hailon was back and unbending after a full night’s rest, it seemed.
I’d done as I said I would and washed the dishes in the predawn hours while gathering more berries to have with some hot grain porridge. Then, after we’d eaten, I’d cleaned up again and made sure she applied the healing ointment before sliding her feet back into the too-large boots. Finding her a suitable pair was at the very top of my list, even above locating us a horse or wagon, though either of those things would make our journey much less physically demanding.
After she’d been fed and had made a quick sojourn back to the creek to freshen up, I’d been brave and asked if she’d like me to braid her hair. Endless decades of practicing on myself, my brothers, and many others had left me skilled in weaving plaits for every function. Getting her uneven raven locks out ofher face and away from her constantly questing fingers had been my absolute pleasure. Never mind the closeness such a thing afforded. The trust.
I wanted to pamper this woman who had seen nothing but an iron bed with a thin mattress, a worn sheet, and mistreatment the last several months. To my bones, I believed she deservedeverything. That I was the one responsible for giving it to her. Those kinds of thoughts nagged at me more than I wanted to admit and had nothing at all to do with the fact she’d summoned me.
We were on our way early, while it was still pleasant, and the sunrise painted orange and pink all over the horizon. My traveling companion was efficient in her preparations for the day, which I appreciated. Breaking camp was a fast team effort and there was little fuss about anything. It was nice. Hailon was a wonderful travel companion all the way around.
The cool morning breeze and dew on the tall reedy grass too quickly gave way to full, brutal sunshine and no air movement at all. In fact, the day was a very close duplicate of the one before. Just one foot in front of the other until a quick stop for lunch that left me aching to throw Hailon over my shoulder so her subtle limp was no longer an issue and I could be assured of her comfort. I wanted to know what it was about her that made me itchy in this way, but I also enjoyed the mystery of our connection enough to leave well enough alone… for now.
The road was barren of travelers all day long, and we were walking at a pace meant to consume the long distance, so conversation between us was sparse. I was completely drained of enthusiasm by the time the small village finally loomed into view, something I wouldn’t have thought possible even a few short days before.
“I truly hope they have an inn,” I mused, wrapping my tail around my waist under my shirt.
“Ignus had to have stayed somewhere,” she answered thoughtfully. “Though in truth, I always suspected there was some kind of brothel he was utilizing, not necessarily a reputable inn. He always came home much less prone to violence than before he left. Calmer.”
I choked on the breath I’d taken, then laughed in earnest at her assessment. She spoke her mind plainly, and I appreciated that about her very much.
“You’re very observant, Hailon.”
“I didn’t have much to keep me occupied other than watching people,” she admitted, voice low but firm. “It was sometimes entertaining, though I did it mostly to figure out a way to stay alive. Maybe to escape.”
The anger that had quelled to a simmer in my blood perked up once more. Our footsteps in the gravel of the road were the only sound for several long beats.
“I always appreciated when his trips here coincided with research days. At least then I was able to get some rest without healing someone.”
“Research days?” Just the sour taste of the word in my mouth made me feel like finding a necromancer to bring them back again so I could have another slower go at their useless corpses. I’d met one once, near where my brother Tap lived. Interesting fellow with a biting, dark sense of humor. I made a note to ask after him next time we spoke.
“How you found me in the den, with the men? That was a research day. Most of them weren’t like that, though. That day was unusual.”
“Everythingabout that was unusual, Hailon,” I scoffed. “And that’s coming from someone who lives in Hell.”
She cracked the smallest of smiles, glancing over at me with those entrancing eyes. “I suppose you’re right. But usually, theywere just experimenting on me. Gathering samples.” Her fingers absently reached for her hair but stalled, finding the braids.
“Samples?” I asked, the word coming out more like a growl.
“Blood. Hair. They wanted to see if they could replicate my healing gift. Make a potion or something like that. To sell to people. It was always ridiculous, honestly. Seven of them to just one of me. I did my best to fight back but it didn’t take long for them to wear down my strength.”
I bit the inside of my cheek so hard I tasted blood, and my fingers itched for a blade to throw. Then something else she’d said rose through the anger. “Seven? By my count, we only left five bodies to burn.”
“There were two others that would usually come for those days. I don’t know why they weren’t there.”
My breath stopped. Stragglers could not be discounted. “Can you describe them to me?”
