Demon World

by Balvir Bhullar

  ‘I’m sure you could be,’ said Rowanne under her breath. In your dreams! she thought.

  Alexander looked at her piously, the very picture of innocence, but his smouldering sapphire eyes gave away his less than pious intentions. Try as you might, you can’t shield from me, can you? he asked rather smugly, as a look of annoyance flashed across her face.

  He revelled in Rowanne not being able to properly shield from him. After all, it only benefited him. Was he a cad? Maybe... He turned and left.

  Rowanne was grateful to have him leave, and locked the door for good measure. She heard his male laughter. Damn it! He’d heard her turning the lock.

  Her cheeks were inflamed, but she was grateful that he was not here to see her like this. God only knew what he’d think. She tried to put it out of her mind as she strode over to her wardrobe and opened the doors. What would she need? Sadly there was not an app on her phone that told her: ‘In Demon World it is currently thirty degrees.’

  She walked to the door, and called out, ‘Alexander, what’s the weather like over there?’

  He smiled, and leaning against the other side of the door, he replied, ‘It’s cold right now. We are heading towards winter, so dress warmly. Let me in and I’ll help you...’ he said unrepentantly, and laughed as he felt her mortification at the idea.

  Lillian faced Alexander with a disgusted look, ‘Honestly, just cut it out and make the damn phone call. I’m trying to focus here, if you haven’t noticed!’

  Alexander became serious. Sitting on the sofa, he made the call to arrange for them to have a place to stay. While he spoke, he watched Lillian struggle a few times to open the portal. Each time she tried to begin, to create the force needed, it would sputter out of existence.

  Putting in his Bluetooth headset, he made his way over to Lillian to see if he could be of any help. She looked at him gratefully. She must really need the help, if she was willing to use his energy as well. He held her hand, and together they focused on opening the portal. Their combined power opened a vortex, and finally it grew big enough to admit them entry.

  Rowanne opened the door and stepped out. She’d packed the essentials, as well as shoving in her winter wardrobe. She was dressed in jeans and a jumper over which went her long indigo coat, finishing the ensemble with knee high boots. She was finally ready. Well, as ready as anyone can ever be going to a new place, or in her case, leaving the planet! It sounded farfetched and preposterous to her own ears.

  Rowanne was shocked as she looked at her living room. She quickly ran across the room to draw the curtains. The portal was flashing with a bright ultraviolet light, and if anybody looked up, they’d think there was a party going on in her apartment.

  Alexander looked at Rowanne quizzically, ‘What are you doing? We are so high up that no one is going to notice anything, let alone look into this room! Hurry up, it’s difficult to keep a portal open for long.’

  Rowanne grabbed her suitcase, and quickly checked that her gas was off, and the front door locked. With one last desperate look around, she took a deep breath and quickly walked up to Alexander’s outstretched hand, and as soon as she grabbed it, he pulled her in tight. She held onto him for dear life. The vortex closed, plunging the apartment into darkness.

  CHAPTER 26

  Rowanne felt herself being pulled through the portal, and found it disorienting, not to mention that it took longer this time. Lillian flickered in and out as she tried to hold onto her form. Rowanne would have grabbed her hand but Alexander shook his head.

  ‘Wait, Rowanne. Lillian isn’t stable at the moment, it would be dangerous to hold onto her. I know you want to help,’ he said kindly, he could see the concern in her eyes.

  Alexander held Rowanne to him, while he focused his attention on getting them to Demon World. Lillian smiled at him. The energy pulsed around them, it was like they were floating at the centre of a mini tornado, mysteriously being helped up. Rowanne turned her head towards him and closed her eyes. He could see that she looked a little green. Travelling through portals wreaked havoc with the body, if you weren’t accustomed to it.

  After what seemed like an eternity to Rowanne, the vortex began to spin slowly, and the energy gently dissipated around them. A portal opened before them and they stepped through. She almost stumbled in her haste to get out, but thankfully Alexander caught her, steadying her.

  Rowanne quickly looked about her for Lillian, and the relief she felt at seeing her standing only a few feet away from them was quickly replaced by fear, as she vanished in a burst of brilliant light. All that remained was a green shimmer in the spot where she had stood only a moment ago.

  ‘Nooo!’ screamed Rowanne, and would have run towards the very spot if it had not been for Alexander holding her back. She turned towards him, confused. ‘Did you see that? Tell me that wasn’t normal? Lillian’s lost her form before, but I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s as if she was violently wrenched away.’ Her heart was in her mouth. She knew Demon World was dangerous, it played by its own mysterious rules, and she had better learn fast, if she was to stand any chance at getting back in one piece.

  Alexander looked at her with a pained expression, ‘Precisely the reason why I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to go to that spot. There could still be traces of the magic, and it could just as easily pull you away as well. However, I can’t honestly say whether this was Lillian’s unstable power, or if there’s an external force at work...’

  He had felt the magic in the ether. Rowanne was right, something felt off. He sensed that in coming to Demon World, they had all sealed their fate.

  ‘Rowanne, we should make a move. We shouldn’t stay here.’

  Alexander walked over to where Rowanne’s suitcase lay discarded on its side in the furore. He held out his hand to her so he could lead the way.

  Looking up, Rowanne was mesmerised by the sight of the night sky lit up by hundreds of burning stars lending it their radiance. She was grateful to have dressed warmly as the cold began to seep in. She took a step towards Alexander and linked her arm with his, absently noting that from the outside they appeared to look like a couple.

  As if reading her mind, he answered practically, ‘This way, we won’t look too conspicuous. If you lug that thing around, and walk behind me a few paces, then I guarantee we are going to draw unwanted attention to ourselves. If we delay further, then whatever that was will be after us next,’ said Alexander.

  Rowanne acceded to his point. Looking around the forest, just in the distance she could make out an enormous citadel. Oh my God, she thought. We’re back where we started...

  ‘Why are we in the heart of Demon World? This is the palace, surely it’s heavily fortified? How will we be able to get past the guards, and what if we run into someone you know? How will you explain my presence here?’ asked Rowanne breathlessly, as she thought about the number of things that could possibly go wrong.

  Alexander stopped walking and looked at her. ‘The reason I opened a portal in the forest is because this is the safest place. They are less likely to track my energy signature out here in this wide open expanse, especially in view of the fact that you are with me. Imagine how easy a target we’d be if I’d portalled us into the heart of the castle, they’d be able to pin us down with precision. We are perfectly safe, you just have to trust me. I know what I’m doing. This is the last place they’ll expect us to be. However, we do need to be within the castle, it’s vital if we hope to obtain the information we need.’

  The ground crunched beneath Rowanne’s feet. She felt something wet land on her nose, and realised that it had started to snow. Beautiful, she thought, as she put out her hand to catch snowflakes. She felt a semblance of peace out here in the snow capped forest. There was an eternal silence here and she was cocooned within it, where nothing could touch her. Are you sure about that? her mind taunted cynically. After all, only less than a few moments ago, Lillian had vanished in this so-called safe haven.

  He watc
hed Rowanne’s sense of wonder, finding it strangely endearing. She was wrong of course: they were no more safe out here, than inside. Wondrous places often hid unseen perils, though, this in no way diminished their beauty.

  ‘Rowanne, I hate to be the voice of reason but if you’ve quite finished, we really have to get a move on,’ reiterated Alexander brusquely.

  Rowanne nodded, and they began to walk. ‘You know, I think the odds were stacked against us from the beginning,’ she said wryly, as she considered all that they had gone through so far. Now they had willingly embraced danger by walking head first straight into Demon World.

  Alexander turned to her, a sardonic smile lighting up his face, ‘We’ve faced worse, and you seem to come out of it quite well. In fact, with added perks, I should say, despite everything!’ and he gave a little flourish of his hand to encompass their disastrous odds.

  ‘Famous last words,’ said Rowanne bleakly. Luck ran out, after all. What would they do then, when the situation was at its worst? More to the point, what would she be prepared to do, to sacrifice...

  They finally reached the other side of the forest, and stepped out of the line of trees.

  She was at once awed by the roaring fires in the citadel, and in each of the adjoining watchtowers. It was a magnificent sight to behold, not to mention the heavily armed demon guards stationed along the top in their fine regalia.

  The snow had started to fall heavily by the time they had made their way across to the castle. They passed under an arch, and ended up in a courtyard. Rowanne was familiar with this place from sharing Lillian’s memories. Her eyes widened in trepidation as a man stepped out of the shadows to stand before them.

  ‘Alexander? Good, you’ve finally arrived,’ said the tall man, with a billowing long coat buttoned up to just under his chin. Rowanne observed that his clothing looked military, especially the brass buttons with the strange insignia that winked in the dark. The bottom half of his face was covered by a scarf, so that only his eyes could be seen.

  The man noticed Rowanne for the first time, and turning to Alexander, nodded. ‘You can go up, everything’s ready for you. We all wondered at what was keeping you so busy that you avoided Demon World. I see that it wasn’t only duty...’ he winked at Rowanne.

  The man offered his hand to her, and she managed to shake his hand without trembling.

  ‘Good evening, my lady. I’m Kieran Black, Alexander’s cousin, at your service,’ he gently bent his long frame at the waist to kiss her hand. Turning back to Alexander, he said, ‘I can’t wait until you introduce me to?’ and turning to Rowanne, he said, ‘I beg your pardon, but my cousin has sadly neglected to introduce us properly.’

  ‘Rowanne,’ she quickly supplied, and then slapped her head metaphorically at giving away her real name.

  ‘Rowanne, follow me, please. I’ll show you that not all demons are so ill mannered,’ he said, pointedly looking at Alexander. ‘Where was I? Oh, that’s right. I’m sure the rest of our family will delight in your company. You’re in for a treat,’ he laughed wickedly.

  She was about to protest that they were just acquaintances, when Alexander looked at her intensely, trying to convey a warning.

  Alexander stepped forward smoothly, and unceremoniously dumped her suitcase on his cousin, much to his chagrin. He put his arm lightly around Rowanne’s shoulders, and turned her briefly away from his cousin. Sparks were shooting out of her eyes at this indignity, but after a moment of him glaring right back at her, she turned around with her brightest smile, and mirrored him by placing her arm around his waist.

  Kieran smiled dubiously at the pair, although they could not see his expression beneath his scarf. ‘Follow me this way. Why you do not stay with the family is beyond me,’ he spoke over his shoulder, as he led the way through the courtyard towards the back of the castle. ‘Rowanne, you will soon see for yourself that my cousin dearest has his... quirks. And if they ever become too much,’ and this time he turned around, ‘I’ll be happy to show you how a true gentleman treats a woman, especially a beautifully formidable one.’ Kieran gave Rowanne a long penetrating look, and smiled smugly at her beaming smile, not to mention Alexander’s expression. If looks could kill... he thought, enjoying himself, especially now that his fool of a cousin was back.

  Don’t encourage him like that... warned Alexander.

  His cousin began walking again. Rowanne could feel Alexander desperately gripping her hand, as if he thought that she’d leave him and choose to walk on ahead with his cousin instead. You know, your cousin is very charming, you could learn something from him, she said sweetly.

  Alexander chose to ignore the inane comment. He walked quietly with her, all the while keeping his cousin firmly within his sight.

  Rowanne looked about her in wonder; it was like being in a gothic tale. Here and there the fires from the top of the watchtowers illuminated parts of the huge complex, so that the roof and windows, which were coated with a layer of frost, sparkled like diamonds.

  She was not so mesmerised as to not notice that there was a very real sense of danger and foreboding that seemed to cling to this place; underneath its beautiful facade it concealed innumerable dark secrets...

  It took a while to reach the buildings that were situated towards the back of the castle. Kieran opened a door that led to a staircase winding its way up. Alexander stood aside and let Rowanne pass before him, before following closely behind.

  At the top, Kieran led the way along a corridor with several doors branching off. He chose the central one and opening it stood aside to let Rowanne and his cousin pass through, and quickly closed it behind them.

  ‘Here’s where I leave you, I’m afraid,’ he said seriously, addressing Rowanne. ‘Hopefully we will get to talk under more pleasant circumstances.’ For a moment, the facade of the joyfully carefree young man slipped. Kieran Black knew that this was no social visit. He knew of the danger his cousin and the woman before him faced.

  Alexander hugged his younger cousin fiercely; they both knew what was at stake. He nodded his head and watched his cousin walk away. After all, they had both decided to keep their families out of this, but he’d been forced to ask his cousin for help.

  Alexander had needed someone on the inside to keep him informed of what was happening in the palace. Kieran was the perfect candidate: he knew the guard shift, and the precise time they needed to be at the castle gates in order to pass through unnoticed.

  Rowanne felt a burden on her heart at the thought that Alexander had been forced to use a family member. She watched the door at the end of the corridor close behind Kieran as he left.

  Alexander flicked a switch, flooding the large living quarters with much needed light.

  Rowanne stood in the centre of the large room and slowly looked about. It was more like an apartment, she observed, with doors leading to separate rooms. It was lavishly furnished with beautifully gilded furniture and long ornate mirrors that hung on the walls, not to mention the massive chandelier that hung in the centre.

  Rowanne turned to Alexander and asked, ‘Is your cousin by any chance a guard in the palace?’ He patted the seat next to him and she joined him on the chaise lounge.

  ‘Kieran is five years younger than me. And yes, he works for Lady Enid. He is a part of the royal guard. His living quarters are close by,’ he replied.

  ‘Who’s apartment is this?’

  ‘This,’ replied Alexander nonchalantly, ‘is my place. Or more rightly it is reserved for my family’s use when visiting the palace. Hence, the adjacent rooms along the corridor are for the rest of my family.’ He watched her look about curiously.

  ‘I wonder how the rest of the palace must look if these are simply the guest quarters,’ she spun around at the sound of Alexander’s laughter. Damn it. She had not realised that she had said it out loud.

  ‘Where in Demon World do you live, Alexander?’ asked Rowanne, genuinely intrigued. Did he live alone or with his family? She had a dozen questions she’d
love to ask, but would not.

  ‘I will take you there one day, after all of this has been settled,’ he said sincerely, his sapphire eyes piercing her with their intensity of emotion.

  ‘Sure, after we get out of this in one piece,’ she said, punching him lightly in the arm. She looked away feeling confused.

  The chaise lounge was as uncomfortable as it looked. What she would not give for her own sofa right now. She shivered, she could not seem to get warm.

  Alexander looked at Rowanne; she looked cold and out of place in his world - he was sorry to have dragged her here. He walked to the fireplace and lit a fire, and as he stoked it, he called to her over his shoulder, ‘Come here. I think this will help.’

  Rowanne walked over and sat on the rug before the fireside, and taking off her gloves warmed her hands. Alexander finally sat back next to her, satisfied with his handiwork.

  ‘Thank you,’ she said, and could have sworn that she’d just seen her breath mist before her. This place was certainly draughty...

  ‘The rooms are a little too ventilated,’ he said ruefully. ‘I’ll make us tea, or would you prefer coffee?’ asked Alexander. He looked serious like a man on a mission.

  ‘Whatever you’re having will be fine.’

  Alexander disappeared through a side door which she assumed must lead to the kitchen. He reappeared shortly with an ornate gold trolley, and she was glad to see that not only did it have two steaming cups of tea that smelled slightly sweet, no doubt made from some kind of flower, but food, as well. She looked at it lovingly and thought, I could kiss him.

  Alexander set the tray down on the glass table before them, and then turning to Rowanne, leaned towards her obligingly until he was level with her face.

  What the hell was he thinking? Again, he invaded her personal space. However she refused to back away this time and looked him straight in the eyes, exasperated with him. ‘What is it?’

  Alexander pointed to his cheek, smiling sweetly at her. After all, he was not one to turn down a reward...