Page 91 of The Demon's Delight
Imogen chuffed a light laugh. “I’d bet not. We’re happy to do it.” She pulled out yet another blade and started polishing it. She caught me watching her careful but well-practiced motions. “I can’t help myself,” she laughed, the sound a low rumble in her throat.
“Oh?”
“I’m the forge mistress.”
“I’ve never seen a blade made,” I admitted. “But it seems a fascinating process. I have one that needs some care.”
“I’d be happy to take a look. Do you have it here?”
I nodded and dug through the packs, pulling out my worn herb knife with a smile. “I’ve had this since I was a child. It’s seen a lot.”
“I can tell.” She accepted the knife reverently, holding the handle with her palm on one hand and the blade with her fingertips of the other. “Any more sharpening may leave you with nearly nothing.” She frowned, turning it back and forth, looking at it from all angles. “But I’ll see what I can do once we get back to the city.”
“That’s very generous, thank you.”
She nodded and went back to polishing. I found myself struggling to keep my eyes open and rested my head against the wall of the carriage.
“You can sleep if you need to, there’s a ways to go yet.”
I let my eyes close, staying in that dreamless, disembodied kind of in-between place where you’re not sure if you’re more awake than asleep or the other way around as the carriage bumped down the road.
After what felt like just a few short minutes, I was startled awake, heart racing and ready to fight as every cell in my body screamed I was somewhere I was not supposed to be.
Chapter 40
Hailon
Igot out of the carriage, heart pounding against my ribs. The urgency to flee pressed on me, though Imogen had done her best to explain that it was just wards when I woke up panicked.
Lovette wasted no time knocking on the door.
“Isn’t it very late?” I whispered since speaking loudly felt like an invitation for disaster.
“It’s alright. We’re expected,” Lovette said, smiling as a wizened little woman opened the door. She was short and squatty, wrinkles carved deeply into her face. Lovette made a happy noise and bent down to give the woman a hug. “Hello, Ophelia.”
“Hello, my girls! Magnus. Come in, come in.” The little stone kin woman ushered us into a cozy hut.
I found it odd that Magnus lingered at the back, clearly uncomfortable, while his daughters entered without any hesitation at all. Thankfully, the urgent feeling the stone kin’s wards had woken me with disappeared once we were across the threshold.
“Have a seat, get comfortable. You”—she turned to me, her wrinkles rearranging a bit as she scanned me head to toe—“youtake that one.” She pointed at a seat to the right of what I could only assume was her favorite chair. “What is your name, dear?”
“Hailon Derne.”
“Derne. Hmm.” Ophelia squinted, looking at me as she measured the name. She didn’t come up with anything familiar I supposed, and she shrugged. “Nice to meet you, Hailon. Shame your demon couldn’t join us.”
“Sorry?” I stuttered, surprised at her statement.
“It is a demon, yes? Your mate. Another one of the creatures that are so drawn to this city.”
The stone kin looked from one to the other, all grinning in amusement. I gathered quickly that Ophelia was not one to mince words.
“Yes, his name is Seir. He had to return to Hell. Temporarily, at least.”
“Mmm. Odd times, odd times,” she muttered cryptically.
“We appreciate you meeting with us, Ophelia,” Lovette said. “Apologies that it’s late. We were rather anxious to get back.”
“No trouble. I wasn’t sleeping anyway. Tea?”
