by E E Everly
“I bet this one runs under the courtyard.” Thandoran gestures to our chosen door. He pushes against it, and it creaks open easily. The floor beyond is packed earth. Nothing more than a tunnel.
“Are you sure you want to go this way?” I don’t like the downgrade from passage to tunnel.
A mouse runs across my boot, and I jump.
“Easy, princess. We’ll be fine.”
I hold on to Thandoran’s shoulder as we follow the tunnel. He doesn’t seem to mind. The tunnel forks several times, but we follow the branch that’s closest to our heading. We pass under cobwebs and swipe them out of our eyes. Mice squeak in the darkness, but stay out of sight. The chill in the walls makes me shiver more than once, but Thandoran emanates a heat that’s comforting.
He pauses and takes my hand to help me over a muddy patch of earth. After that, I don’t let go of him. We pass more branches, and Thandoran checks the compass every time, and he always retakes my hand after pocketing the compass.
We walk for ten minutes, but it feels much longer. My lungs are clogged with dirt. I cough to clear my throat. Thandoran tells me to eat a caramel, and I listen.
Then we hit a door.
“Another room?” Thandoran asks. There’s no handle, so Thandoran pushes against it. It’s stuck, so he shoves harder.
The door flies open, and he topples into a room. His light goes out, and for a moment I tremble in the dark, but then he snaps his fire to life.
A room much like the first, with a stone floor and more storage.
“I think we traveled under the courtyard.” Thandoran glances around the room, holding his flame high. He sees another circular staircase going up. “I think the foyer is above us. Do you think it passes the ground floor and goes to the first?”
I shrug. I’m not sure what he means.
“If there’s a hidden door in the foyer, we can move past the ground floor and move to the next floor without being seen. We might be able to get to the second floor.”
I lift my hands as if to say, sounds good to me.
“Given the acute sense of hearing the vamps have, we should move without talking.” Thandoran takes my hand. “Up we go.”
The steps hit a landing on the ground floor, and much as Thandoran guessed, there’s a panel like the one in our room. The passage is hidden.
We exhale a silent sigh of relief and climb the stairs. Thandoran gestures to the panel at the next landing. I hold up my hand to stop him and lean in closely to the rough wood. I inhale ever so slightly between the boards.
I pull away. The scent of vampire is strong in the room beyond the panel. I pinch my nose and point to the stairs leading up.
Thandoran nods. Not that I expect the panel to open directly into the room where Isac is staying, but we could at least find one that doesn’t have a sleeping vampire inside.
The stairwell stops at the next landing. This part of the castle has three floors, so it’s what’s behind panel number two, or we face the vamp behind panel number one. I check with my inhale and become excited for two reasons.
One, demon stench. Two, a ward. Anti-vampire.
No way. Of course Isac would have protected himself from the vampires as he did for us last night. My eyes go round, and I give Thandoran a thumbs up.
I feel so lucky. This is it. Isac is behind this panel.
TWENTY-SEVEN
Thandoran feels along the panel for a latch. At the bottom is the faintest release. He lifts it and pries the panel open. It swings into the stairwell like the one in my room.
I hold my breath. Thandoran peeks inside and gives the all clear. I tiptoe after him. It’s a bedchamber, furnished similarly to where Thandoran and I are staying, with one huge difference. The room is bright. Sunny. The curtains are flung open. The window’s cracked so a cooling air coils in, helping to sooth the overwhelming demon scent snaking up my nostrils.
“Somehow I did not expect this,” I whisper. Makes sense. If I were a demon, I’d allow as much sunlight in as possible. An excellent deterrent for vampires.
“He’s not in the bedroom.” Thandoran snoops about, picking up books and personal items on the side tables and desk. He gestures to the door that most likely leads to the hall.
“Try the handle.” I huddle behind him. Where did my courage go? I had no fear storming into Deorc Mansion, but I’ve let the atmosphere of this place get to me.
Another corridor is beyond the door. What a surprise. At least it’s empty of vampires. We start cautiously down the thick carpet. Thandoran keeps a flame in his palms. It must be about lunchtime. Daylight filters into the corridor at the far end.
I seriously hope the vampires are sound asleep during the day. Is that why Isac feels it’s safe to leave his room? Where could he have gone?
A man steps around the corner. For a second I think it’s Vadik, but then I smell demon. Thandoran assumes a fighting stance, but I grab his arm.
The man hurries toward us. He has a slight limp, but he’s clearly in his thirties, with light brown hair. Though he’s thin and not noticeably muscled, he’s not unattractive either. He looks absolutely human, and a bit worn out, as if he’s seen more bad days than good.
I guess that would be the case when a demon shares a human’s body. I’m curious about his limp. Maybe the vamps knock him around occasionally. I wouldn’t be surprised if they did.
Isac waves at us, shooing us toward his room. “What are you doing out here? Go back, quickly. Before someone smells you.”
I’m confused, but as Isac draws closer, I can’t help backing away and pulling Thandoran with me. We reach the safety of the warded room, and Isac snicks the door shut and quietly turns to us. “You really do have a death wish.”
“Are you kidding me?” I ask. “You live in a castle with vampires.”
“That can’t be helped.” Isac feels the air with his hands.
His magic is as strong as I suspected. It pulsates from his body and mingles with mine.
“No one has stirred. You’re lucky.” Isac relaxes his arms.
He can tell that through his magic? A sixth sense?
Thandoran’s at my side, rolling his flame across his hand. He is not the least bit relaxed. He trusts demons about as much as he trusts vampires.
“Are you going to tell me what you’re doing here?” I ask. “Why don’t you live at Vondur Estates with the other demons?”
“I am as much a prisoner here as you are, but that makes no matter. What’s more important is why you’re here.” Isac steps toward us, but Thandoran curls his fingertips, which lengthens the flame. Isac wisely keeps his distance.
“I want my curse lifted.” I fully support Thandoran and his caution, but I don’t want him acting impulsively. I eye him with a warning to cool it.
Thandoran snuffs out his flame with a gust of annoyance.
Isac’s eyebrows lift with curiosity. “I have a condition.”
“We could just kill you.” I crackle the air with static as a ruse. My instinct tells me Isac is no threat despite his power that has me awestruck. “Wouldn’t take much.”
My theatrics don’t intimidate Isac. He responds calmly. “If you kill me, they’ll kill Kaelea.”
What? I blink back comprehension, but Thandoran doesn’t need a moment. He blurs across the room and shoves Isac against the wall. “What did you say?”
“Kaelea.” Isac sputters. “I’m the only thing between her and the vampires. My wards are protecting her. If I die, the wards drop, and they’ll descend on her like wolves to a kill.”
Thandoran pushes into Isac. “Kaelea? The storm sprite? She’s here? Is she all right?” His desperation cuts to my core. Are we really so lucky as to find Kaelea and Isac at once?
“Yes. And well enough given the circumstances.” Isac doesn’t fight Thandoran’s hold. “That’s why the vampires arrived. She’s about to deliver any day. They’re waiting to celebrate the offering.”
I lean toward Isac and breathe in his face. “You mean he
r child to be sold for slaughter.”
Isac holds my gaze with no fear. “I’ve done everything I can to keep her alive. I will not leave her now or ever.”
Thandoran tightens his grip on Isac’s clothes. “Why do you care?”
Isac’s response astonishes me, and yet when he says it, I hear no lie in his words. “I love her.”
Thandoran smashes Isac’s head against the wall. “You can’t be serious, you dirty, old demon.”
I wrap my hand around Thandoran’s wrist. “Easy, Thandoran. Don’t hurt him.”
“Not romantic love,” Isac says with a gasp. “I’m not some disgusting depraved demon. I love her as a father loves his daughter.”
“Do you mean your demon self or your human self?” I ask, purely out of curiosity rather than disbelief.
“One and the same. We both love her. Isac is the human’s name. I use it. He loves her as much as I do.”
It’s extremely rare to meet a demon who values the life of his human. Sometimes they do bond, especially if the seed demon spends a decent amount of time in his host instead of body jumping on a whim.
“This is insane.” Thandoran glares at me. “You believe him?”
“I’ve taken care of her all these years.” Isac talks quickly as if to convince us before Thandoran kills him. “I am over two thousand years old. Which is why I don’t pretend to love her more than what a father could.”
“But you look young. And Kaelea isn’t that old,” I say. “You could make it work, I bet.”
“Why are you encouraging him?” Thandoran asks. “Why didn’t you body jump to another human and escape your imprisonment?”
“I could never leave Kaelea for that long to find a new body, and I could never part Isac from her. As soon as I leave his body, he’d be powerless, and the vampires would drink him.”
“You expect me to believe that you care for your human host and his feelings for her?” Thandoran asks.
“Yes. It’s true,” Isac says.
“It happens,” I say.
“Does she love you in return?” Thandoran’s voice is filled with disgust.
“I believe she does, though she hasn’t told me,” Isac says.
“You haven’t laid a finger on her? Ever hurt her?”
“Never. Never. I could have returned to Vondur Estates, but I chose to stay for her.”
“How did you come to be here?” I ask. “Thandoran, let him go so he can talk.”
Thandoran releases his grip and steps back.
Isac shrugs, straightening his shirt.
“Korbinian loaned me to Ciprian in exchange for an alliance.”
An alliance that has since been dissolved with Korbinian’s death.
Isac continues. “I set up the wards Ciprian requested so his own people wouldn’t kill his precious prisoner, but when I saw Kaelea, I couldn’t abandon her. I chose this life, staying under the pretense of regularly strengthening the wards.” He looks from me to Thandoran. “The magic wanes quickly in this place.”
“What kind of wards?” Thandoran asks. “How come my magical compass can’t read her trace? I had her for a short time, but then I lost the read.”
“I altered the wards for a time. The original wards kept all supernaturals out and blocked all magical detection of Kaelea and me. But I knew.” Isac turns to me. “I knew you would seek me out soon. Word was that you would return your son to Belyven and then hunt for the demon who cast your curse.”
I exhale. “Does everyone in the supernatural community know my business?”
“Everyone who has a vested interest in what you possess.” Isac looks at me with a devious expression.
“My amulet. Should have figured. I made a deal with Josef to destroy it.”
“And you will hold to it?” Isac asks.
“I’m a sprite of my word.”
“Anyway,” Thandoran says impatiently.
“I dropped the ward masking detection of Kaelea and me so you could find us, but Ciprian found out and made me reset them. I only reset the ward for Kaelea. I was able to fool Ciprian and leave mine incomplete.”
“Hers was down for just long enough for Thandoran to know she was alive,” I say. “We were able to use a magical compass to find you.”
Thandoran shifts his feet. “What are we waiting for? Take us to Kaelea, and let’s get out of here.”
“There is much to work out,” Isac says. “We have to be careful and precise in our steps or we will be caught.”
“My curse?” I ask.
“Of course. I will lift your curse, but you have to promise to rescue Kaelea and me.”
“I would have saved her whether you lifted my curse or not.”
“Why haven’t you freed her yourself?” Thandoran asks. “You’ve been here for years. You’re powerful. You could have dropped the wards and teleported out of the castle.”
“Kaelea’s been too weak. Always pregnant and drained or recovering from delivery. I fear to teleport with her. They keep her on limited ambrosia.”
If she’s weak, how will we teleport out of here, even if Isac drops the ward that keeps us from teleporting? “What’s her ambrosia?” Maybe we can help with that.
“Shortbread.” Thandoran and Isac answer at the same time.
“Shortbread?” I ask.
“Butter, sugar, flour,” Isac says.
“That’s a lot like mine. Cream and sugar. Butter’s made from cream. We can give her my ambrosia to strengthen her before we teleport.”
“It’s no use. If I drop the wards, the vampires will know immediately. We’ll never make it out of here.”
“What can we do?”
Thandoran squares his shoulders. “We have to take them out. All of them.”
TWENTY-EIGHT
We relax, and Isac invites us to sit in his armchairs so we can plan.
“There’s another big feast tonight in which you’re once again invited.” Isac sits in his desk chair that he pulled up to the fire, between Thandoran and me. He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
“You want us to take them out at the feast?” Thandoran looks particularly excited.
“Can you take on fifty vampires at once?” Isac asks.
“I can toast them with a firestorm.”
Isac looks up with interest. “Really?”
“He’s no typical storm sprite,” I say.
“Can you drop the wards while we’re at dinner?” Thandoran asks.
“Ciprian senses all magic. The moment I do it—” Isac says.
“Gotcha. Take out vampires first. Then the wards.”
“How will we teleport a very pregnant storm sprite?” I ask.
“Once she has ambrosia, she’ll be safe to teleport,” Isac says.
“I’d like to see my sister before we go to our rooms,” Thandoran says.
“I’m worried that you’ve lingered here too long.”
“If she’s as weak as you say she is and you can’t step through your own wards, who’s caring for her?”
“Humans are the only ones who can move through the wards. They bring her food and give her health checkups. I’ve never once touched her. I’ve never been able to hold her when she cries.” Isac’s voice breaks, and he clears his throat. His next words are filled with hatred. “Never been able to console her when those bastards bring demons in to sexually assault her.”
Thandoran’s eyes burn, and his nostrils flare. He jumps up from his chair and storms across the room. His body shakes. His skin takes on a faint glow.
Oh fizzing faeries! He’s going atomic. I blur over to him and haul him into a corner. His ears are steaming.
My heart aches for him. To learn all this about his sister, to know she’s suffered for many long years and been abused at the hands of monsters. “Breathe, Thandoran.”
His eyes are a blank stare.
I’m not sure if he can see out of them when they’re red and glowing like this. I brace his face and tilt it toward mine. “Listen
to me. We will save her. We will get her home.”
He shakes his head, fighting me off.
“No.” I push him against the wall and place my hand over his heart. “Thandoran. You are not going to go atomic. I am here for you. Me. I’m here. Stupid, spoiled Sasha.” I slide my hands around his neck and pull him into a hug. His body smolders. I ignore the sting and tuck my face into his neck.
I would do anything to make him happy, to take away his pain. Tears drip from my eyes and leak all over his shoulder. Feel how much I care for you. I would take this away if I could.
Then Thandoran returns my embrace. His shoulders surrender. His arms find my back, and his face nuzzles my neck.
My heart skips several beats.
His body cools as he noses my earlobe. “Thank you,” he whispers. His lips graze my neck right below my ear. “Sasha…” His hand cups my neck and slides down the length of my ponytail. “Sasha.” His voice cracks.
My heart trips all over itself. “It’s all right. Shh.”
I tell myself the same thing as I fail to look away when he lifts his face.
Thandoran’s eyes are normal. And brown. And deep. And shimmering with moisture.
I swallow and emotion hits me hard in my chest.
Oh demons and hellfire.
I think I love him.
Blood whooshes in my ears.
I can’t. This is madness. I pull away from Thandoran, but it’s fine. He’s past his breakdown.
I might not be.
I turn to Isac and carefully say my words, hoping Thandoran won’t lose it, hoping I won’t lose it. “Demons? They use demons?”
“It’s the only way to ensure she gets pregnant the first time,” Isac says. “You know how it works when storm sprites mate with other species.”
“The moment always results in conception, and the fetus steals the powers of the supernatural parent.” I frown. “That’s how they’ve been doing it. Using humans wouldn’t always result in a pregnancy.”
