Page 39 of The Demon's Delight
“Dead,” she said with finality.
“Good.” He studied her a moment. “The two things together… you’re a null, then.”
My fingers brushed the handles again from the small twitch she gave at the word. I still couldn’t truly explain why I had such aggressive responses where she was involved, but it wasn’t something I could envision going away.
“Been a long time since we’ve seen one of your kind,” he added.
“A what?” she asked, stepping back to her seat. His pants were stained, but the wound was cared for. “That word doesn’t sound friendly. And who is ‘we’?”
Coltor shrugged. “Stone kin, mages. I’m sure the archives at the council chambers in Revalia have more information on when exactly the last one like you was discovered, but as I recall from my schooling, it’s been a very, very long time. Your gifts are unique, like your eyes. They’re a dead giveaway.”
“My eyes?”
The stone kin nodded again, then got to his feet. “The coloring. Split irises are not unheard of, but only nulls have four colors like that. Means your heritage is unique as well.” He frowned. “Did you not realize?”
Hailon shook her head tightly. “People stare at me for lots of reasons, I assumed my eyes were simply one of many.”
“Mmm.”
“What exactly does a null do?”
“Magical… consumption. Often with a side effect of canceling out ambient abilities tied to said magic.” Hailon contemplated that description, her mouth opening then closing again without any words appearing. “Are you able to shift?” Coltor asked me.
“Not fully. Not since I came to Earth.”
“You mean, not since you’ve been near her.”
“I…” I frowned, calculating.
“My ability to shift disappeared yesterday afternoon. When exactly did you fall down the hill and into the area protected by the wards?”
I looked to Hailon. She blushed a bright red, something like embarrassment crossing her face. I hated that she felt shame around something she likely had no control over. And we couldn’t be sure it was her fault in the first place.
“You thinkI’mdoing this? That I’m responsible for blocking your magic?” She gestured vaguely between him and me.
“Yes. I believe you are. You truly didn’t know?”
She shook her head, a pained look on her face. “No. My gift has always been healing. I’ve never heard the wordnullbefore, or had anyone mention that I… consume magic.” Her face scrunched up like the word tasted bad.
“It might have been intentionally kept from you. Or perhaps nobody knew.” He shrugged.
“To what end would it be kept a secret?” she asked.
“I’m no expert, but imagine you were in a place where mages are,” Coltor explained. “Assuming that your presence works on them as well as it does on our ability to shift or fly, it would render them all powerless. That’s a very coveted gift to have,if you can control it.” He tilted his head to the side. “No less incredible, but also quite dangerous if you can’t.”
Hailon swallowed hard, and I shifted closer, itchy at her discomfort.
Coltor turned his attention to me. “I don’t doubt she’s in capable hands with you, demon, but be watchful. She’s valuable beyond gold to some.”
She was valuable beyond gold tome.
My blood bubbled hot under the surface of my skin, remembering how I’d found her in the first place. How she’d been taken. What she reported they were doing to her; sampling pieces of her to examine. She’d assumed they were trying to copy her healing gift, but what if it was more than that? What if they knew what she was? Such an ability would make for a disastrous weapon.
“I’ll get her home safely,” I swore, but that didn’t seem like enough. I wanted to commit myself to her protection from any harm, eternally.
Coltor nodded. “I’ll attempt to send word out, perhaps I can ease your journey a bit. No promises though; resources out here are quite thin.”
“Do you have contacts in Ravenglen?” Hailon asked.
