Page 81 of The Demon's Delight
“Sure.” She muttered the words under her breath a few more times. When I was sure her quiet words weren’t going to accidentally activate the mirror again, I put it to the side, setting it on one of the packs.
I took her hands in mine. “Swear that you won’t hesitate to use it.”
“You’ll be with me. Or they will, right?”
“That’s the plan but swear. Please,” I insisted, unable to shake the slithery sensation of nervousness under my skin. “Use the mirror. Summon me back. Whatever you need to do, you do it. Do not hesitate. Promise me.”
“I promise.” She sighed, shaking her head. “You’re very bossy, you know. I took care of myself among those people my whole life. I survived that house for a long time. I just have to get to another city at this point, one where there are demons and mages and stone kin, right? Everything is going to be fine.”
“I know you did. And I know how capable you are. I’ll accept being a little bossy if it keeps you safe.” My lack of humor made her fall serious as well.
“Why does the mirror work near me? That doesn’t make sense.”
“There are many kinds of magic. You didn’t deactivate the wards around the ruins, either, and you felt their effects. Those are similar things. Maybe you don’t have any effect on enchantments, only innate magic.”
“I wish I understood this more.” She pinched the bridge of her nose.
“We will figure it all out,” I promised. “You have a mage and a mystic already looking into things. Not to mention an earth witch and an alchemist.”
“Your brothers? And their wives?”
I smiled. “Yes. We’re all just as curious as you, Hailon. We want to help.” I waited for her to digest my unspoken words. She had a family. Support. She didn’t have to go through any of this alone, even if I had to leave for a bit. I stood and found the hot water was steaming, so I added it to the tub, tempering it with cold until she told me it was perfect.
Hailon slid in, knees tucked to her chest in the small space.
“Head back,” I instructed, pouring a pitcher of water over her hair. It was nearly half white, the strands turning at a fascinating rate.
She washed her body as I worked on her hair, her silence a good indication she’d slid back into her thoughts.
“What did that letter say? The one Sal gave you. From my mother.”
“I’m not sure. Not completely, anyhow. I think it’s written in fae.”
“Fae?”
“Yes. For all the time I spent with Van in that realm, I didn’t pick up more than a few words of the written language. I can make out tavern menus pretty well, but beyond that, I’m useless.”
“Why would she write it in fae?”
“That would be an excellent way to encode her message if she was trying to keep secrets, beloved. Don’t worry though, Vassago’s wife can help with that.”
“You don’t have to do all this for me.”
She felt so far away again. I hated it. I thought the bath would help, but she was still frozen, stuck in her mind and detached from her feelings. “Perhaps not, but Igetto, and that’s a thrilling new development I’ll happily take advantage of as often as possible.” I winked at her, and she softened a fraction, standing up out of the water so I could wrap her in one of the respectably fluffy towels the lodge stocked.
“Are you finished here? We should get some rest.”
She surveyed the clutter all around her and yawned. “I suppose. What about you?”
“I’ll be awake long before you. Plenty of time then.”
I scooped her up, depositing her on the bed before going around the room to extinguish the lights. As I slid in behind her, she relaxed into me. I wound my tail around her ankle, my arm across her hip, the other stroking through her hair.
I dozed off looking forward to a day where I didn’t have to sleep any other way.
Chapter 36
Seir
