Page 55 of Kingdom of Rot & Ruin
I cleared my throat. “What do you need?”
Zariah sat down on the edge of the cliff, his skinny legs dangling over the massive lip. Though if he fell, he could just shift and fly away, couldn’t he?
“I don’t like killing people,” he said softly.
His thin shoulders fell, shaking slightly.
“Shit, you’re just a kid,” Shava peered at him, cautiouslygoing to his side and sitting next to him. One of her thin arms went around his back. Zariah made a desperate crying sound and fell into her embrace.
Tingling raced up my arms and legs, imagining her falling, but I pushed it back. Another flare of emotion went through me, and though I recognized it, it annoyed me. Jealousy implied Shava meant something to me.
“The queen makes you kill people,” I clarified, trying to stick to the topic at hand.
Zariah sniffed, his voice muffled by being buried in Shava’s chest. Lucky little?—
“Anyone she sends up the hatch I’m supposed to just … to just …” Shava squeezed him tightly to her, her breasts bunching together through the hug.
I shook my head.
“What is your suggestion, then?” I asked, attempting to keep things on track.
Zariah’s face peeked up from over Shava’s shoulder. Shava glared at me, as if I were interrupting something.
“I … the people she sends to me. Most of them smell … off. Except for you. And her.” Zariah turned, rudely pointing a thumb at Shava. If Shava cared or even noticed the gesture, she ignored it.
I thought about that. They smelled … off.
The demons? The demons!
“I wonder … if it’s related to something I saw a year ago. I haven’t been able to shake it. I saw a … monster,” I began.
At Shava’s quick glance at Zariah and glare in my direction, I rushed to clarify. “Not a dragon. A true … demon, of sorts. It had gray, ashy skin that flaked off, yellow eyes, and fangs.”
Shava’s jaw dropped. “What?—”
“The Fireguards dispatched it,” I said.
Zariah frowned. “Were the Fireguards surprised to see such a monster?”
The thoughtful question surprised me, as well as Zariah’s foresight to think of it. I stretched my memory, trying to remember.
“No. They weren’t shocked to see the demon,” I replied, a bit stunned at the realization. I’d been so shocked and alarmed myself that I hadn’t realized that not a single Fireguard had blanched at seeing a goddamndemontrying to munch my bones. Or I had noticed it, but hadn’t made the connection in my mind. Idiot.
Mistakes like that could kill me in the future.
Buckle down.
“So they know,” Shava said resolutely, a tic in her jaw.
“You think the weird-smelling people are these demons?” I clarified.
He leaned over and sniffed me again, eyes narrowing.
I drew back, giving him my own glare.
“Yes,” he replied simply.
“I think … we may need to run some experiments,” I exclaimed, a smile growing on my face. If there was one thing I enjoyed, it was experimenting.
