by Raquel Dove
Balthazar sat at his desk, rereading the report in his hand a third time. It was bad news. Very bad news. Since his father's death three of their neighboring countries had moved large amounts of men very close to the border. The Asuri were still demanding that Balthazar mate their princess, and the Devasi armies were not as numerous or well equipped as he had originally thought. Add all that to the recent civil unrest and Balthazar's less than perfect condition, and it was only a matter of time before everything collapsed in on him.
He set the report down and closed his eyes with a heavy breath. His palms rested on his knees and he forced the scowl off his face. Time was running out for him and he needed Alexandra to cooperate. That would be a task in and of itself, judging by the way she fought him on even the smallest things. She was so damned defiant. He felt his beast scratching at its cage every time he was around her. He hadn't felt that kind of pressure since he was a young child. If she was supposed to help him somehow learn to control his beast, this was going in the opposite direction. Not to mention the growing feelings for her that he could neither explain nor embrace. Feeling that way towards her would only complicate his situation further. He had to think of the more important issues. He needed her to augment his power and nothing more. He didn't know why he had feelings for her in the first place. She was actually incredibly annoying, troublesome, and the most disrespectful female he'd ever encountered. She was also beautiful in such a very unique way, with an aura that tickled every one of his senses and a scent that nearly made him hard every time he smelled her. A hint of Anouri fruit tinted her natural scent, his favorite fruit and one of his favorite smells. She was clumsy and unrefined, weak and vulnerable, but she was also so innocent that it touched him, and so brave that it overshadowed her ignorance. She had definitely complicated his life, just by stumbling into it. His chest rumbled with annoyance as he realized he had spent the last five minutes thinking of nothing but her.
“I can come back, if now isn't a good time,” a shaky voice broke through Balthazar’s thoughts. His eyes snapped open and focused on the old demon that stood before him, leaning heavily on his gnarled staff. Balthazar wanted to growl in frustration. He was so wrapped up in thoughts about the girl that he hadn't even noticed Salaman come into the room.
“I believe you summoned me, again,” Salaman said, his old joints crackling as he seated himself on a cushion opposite Balthazar.
“I have the human,” Balthazar said bringing his hands to rest on his desk.
“So you do,” Salaman said with a noncommittal shrug. “How fortuitous.”
“How do I use her?” Balthazar said, narrowing his eyes. He was reaching the end of his patience with this old demon. With everything, in fact. He honestly didn't know how his father had handled things with such seeming grace.
The old demon sighed heavily as he stroked at his thinning white beard, the only hair he had left on his body. His eyes trailed to the ceiling in thought. Faster than a heartbeat Balthazar was out of his seat and the old demon dangled in his clawed grasp. He pulled Salaman close to his face as his fingers wrapped tighter around his wrinkled throat.
“I don't have time for this,” Balthazar barked. His fingers tightened fractionally in emphasis.
“I don't know,” Salaman said, his body limp and voice calm in spite of his current situation.
“You what?” Balthazar said, shaking the old demon with force. “You said I needed a human.”
“I did,” Salaman said. There was mirth in his milky blue eyes. “But I never said that I knew how exactly to use her.”
Balthazar growled in frustration and dropped the old demon on the hard floor. Salaman picked himself up, prodding at the bruises that were rapidly forming on his neck. He straightened his robes, and then lifted his gaze to Balthazar.
“You better start making yourself more useful to me,” Balthazar said, glaring at him.
“Please, my lord,” Salaman said with an easy smile as he gestured to the cushions. “Let's have a seat. Perhaps we can figure this out together.”
“I don't know why my father kept you around,” Balthazar grumbled, walking around to the cushion behind his desk. He let out a frustrated sigh as he sat down. He knew why his father kept Salaman as an advisor. It was the same reason that Balthazar had to. Even though he was elusive with his answers and utterly frustrating, he saw things that other's could not. Perhaps he really didn't know why he needed the human, perhaps he did. Either way, Balthazar gained nothing from killing him.
“Look,” Balthazar said, leveling a stare at Salaman as he settled back into his cushion. “I don't need to tell you the problems that we face. I need to know how to increase my power. You said the human would help facilitate that. Against all odds, I now have that human.”
“I understand more than any other the problems that face this kingdom,” Salaman said, his face finally hardening into a more serious look. “Even the problems it will face in the future. I can tell you only that you need the human's magic. It can help to contain the beast within you. It can give you the ability to control it. With the beast comes an immense amount of power, and if you can use it without losing your mind, then you will have everything you need.”
“Magic?” Balthazar said, leaning forward on his desk. “As far as I know she has no such abilities.”
A smile wrinkled the old demon’s face. “She has them, I assure you. Far greater than any other,” he said. He stroked at his wispy beard as a somber look came over his eyes. “I have seen the power within her.”
“So then, she is hiding it from me?” Balthazar said, his jaw setting. He couldn't say he was surprised, though he was a little hurt by the thought that she would trust him so little. Especially after he had risked everything to save her.
“I doubt she is even aware of it herself,” Salaman said, holding a hand up to calm Balthazar. ”But perhaps we can find a way to bring it out of her.”
“How?” Balthazar asked. Salaman hesitated to answer, his eyes narrowed thoughtfully on Balthazar.
“Tell me,” he said, his fingers playing in his beard. “How do you feel about the girl?”
“What difference does that make?” Balthazar asked. He clenched his fists in his lap. He somehow knew that it made a rather big difference, but he couldn't let that deter him from his responsibilities. “She is a means to an end. Nothing more.”
“Good, because she may not be terribly pleased with you before this is all over,” Salaman said. He pulled out a small folded piece of paper from the pocket of his robe. He set it onto the desk and slid it over to Balthazar.
“Magic can influence magic,” Salaman said as Balthazar reached out and picked up the piece of paper. “Perhaps if we put her close to things that are born of human magic, it will help to bring hers out. Though it will be up to her to learn how to master it in the end.”
Balthazar opened the paper and read the writing scribbled on it. A list with only three items. Three very rare items. A griffin egg, the underscale of a water dragon, and the ashes of a phoenix.
“What am I supposed to do with this?” Balthazar asked, waving the paper in front of him. “I don't even know if some of these exist anymore.”
“They exist, I've—“
“You've seen it?” Balthazar asked, raising his eyebrows as he guessed what the old man was going to say. He was getting really tired of hearing that. “Ok, so I collect these items and what? Sit her in a room with them until something happens? That could take forever and I don't have—“
“Take the girl with you to collect these things,” Salaman interrupted, much to the annoyance of Balthazar. He nodded his head once and stood up. “That's all I know for now. Perhaps when you return, I'll have more information for you, my lord.”
20
