by Raquel Dove
A moonless night visited the small demon town, and an impromptu celebration commenced in honor of the crown prince’s visit. Balthazar occupied the head of a table set up on a makeshift dais with Temel and his family. Temel’s eldest daughter, though still too young to be considered a woman, gazed longingly at him. Alexandra sat on the other side of her, eyes wide with excitement as she tried to take in everything around her.
“My daughter chooses wisely,” Temel said leaning over and nudging Balthazar in the side. Balthazar smirked at his friend’s enthusiasm, but the breath threatened to catch in his throat every time his eyes fell upon Alex. Her alabaster skin took on the glow of the lanterns that lit the town square and her green eyes were sparkling. She wore an ankle length gown of simple cloth that was provided by Temel’s wife. The sheer fabric allowed a glimpse of her well-formed but still slender curves to show through. The desire that flashed across Balthazar’s face could not possibly go unnoticed.
“Its hard not to look, my friend,” Temel said, patting his friend on the shoulder. “Stop trying not to. It’s a little too obvious.”
“I’m not—“
“Yes you are,” Temel said with a half-smile. “No one would blame you. I don’t why you’re fighting it.”
“It’s complicated,” Balthazar said, his back straightening as he forced his eyes away from Alex.
“No, it’s not,” Temel said. Balthazar’s excuses weren’t fooling him, nor anyone else.
“She’s a talkative, clumsy creature,” Balthazar grumbled, his eyes softening as Alex caught his gaze again. When she saw him looking, she smiled happily and waved at him. “And frustratingly troublesome. And the most disrespectful—“
“Hmmm…I can’t imagine you having any interest in her,” Temel said with a laugh. “So tell me, how is Tavi?”
“He’s the Lord Advisor of the Council,” Balthazar said, thankful to get off the subject of his feelings for Alexandra. Temel had always been one of those people that could see right through the mask that Balthazar tried to wear. It’s one of the reasons he respected him so much, and allowed him to speak so frankly with him.
“He was always destined for that position, but I don’t believe anyone would have thought it would be so soon,” Temel said, concern showing through in his eyes. “We were all devastated to hear of your father.”
Balthazar nodded an acknowledgement at the reference to his father. He still wasn’t comfortable talking about him. A pit of guilt formed in his stomach every time he did. Would things have somehow been different if they hadn’t fought? Balthazar knew they probably wouldn’t, but he still couldn’t stop the guilt that came with knowing that was how he said goodbye to his father. His eyes once again found Alex and peace settled over him. He knew what he had to do to save his kingdom, but things were becoming so complicated. The girl made him feel things he didn’t understand, and he didn’t want to understand. He knew what her reaction of what he was planning to do was going to be. He knew that before things were all said and done, she would probably hate him.
A pair of shimmering golden eyes watched the festivities of the town from the darkness that surrounded it. The townsdemons were celebrating the arrival of the crowned prince, a great honor for such a small and inconsequential village as theirs. But the golden eyes were not concerned with the demon prince. They landed on the unusual creature that seemed to be so comfortable with the demons that surrounded her. It was a human, Simiri had known it as soon as she had awoken. She thought they had long since vanished from this world, but to see a human again made her heart leap with joy, and she wanted to run out of the darkness and embrace this girl. When she first heard the call from Temel, her caretaker, she wanted to resist, but she knew she couldn’t, so she had left her well-hidden resting place to come and see what he needed assistance with. Now, she could see why he had called her.
As a phoenix, Simiri would naturally go through different stages of metamorphosis. First, she was born as a young chick, from the ashes of her predecessor. A newborn phoenix was completely reliant on its chosen caregiver. Simiri had chosen Temel in her previous life. He had the insightful characteristics that she knew she would need in her younger life. Eventually she had grown into a bird roughly the size of an adult demon and she wasn’t so reliant on Temel. She happily flew through the countryside gifting wealth and good fortune to those she came into contact with. Now she was in the most powerful stage of her life, but it was also the saddest for it wouldn’t last very long. She had a bipedal form and by all accounts looked like any other demon, though she was vastly more powerful. She would only live long enough to find a caregiver for the phoenix that she would become when she rose again from her ashes.
Simiri had intended to end her life completely after this cycle, never reawakening. The demons, although they often meant well, had become too dangerous to live amongst. When Simiri set her eyes upon the human girl, she had known that she would be the new caretaker. Now it was only a matter of waiting for the right opportunity to speak with her. She couldn’t show herself in front of the demons. They would try to capture her and use her for the luck that she provided. No, she would wait quietly in the shadows until she could get the human girl all alone. Then Simiri could end her life happily knowing that she would be reborn to a caretaker worthy of the title.
All the demons of the village were eager to talk to Alexandra. They circled around her, jostling each other and trying to get closer to the mythical creature. An older demoness with graying red hair reached out a bony hand to push back Alexandra’s stark black hair and see her rounded ears that were so undemonly. Her cold fingers rubbed along the cartilage as she examined the appendage with awe. A demon boy poked at her with his little clawed finger and drew a drop of blood that made Alex jump back in shock. The demons around her mimicked her reaction, jumping back with startled gasps.
“Come eat with us,” the elder demoness said with authority in her voice. Her arm entangled with Alexandra’s before she could refuse and she pulled Alex away towards a table with several other lady demons. Her eyes shot to Balthazar, looking for some kind of assistance. He watched her for a moment while Temel said something to him, then his eyes moved slowly away from her. She was on her own. The demonesses at the table scooted over and made room for her to sit among them.
Alex settled into a worn cushion and eyed the many dishes that littered the old table. The smell was incredible and she licked at her lips in anticipation.
The food was simple, and far from the delicacies offered in the Royal Palace, but it was delicious nonetheless. Alex was so lost in a plate of smoked meats and steamed greens that she didn’t notice the stares she was getting from the young males in the village. Balthazar noticed, however, and it was not sitting well with him. He was fighting the urge to fly across the small town square and tear one of the younger male’s throats out as he brazenly made his way towards her.
Alexandra licked her fingers clean of the sweet sauce that coated the smoked meat she was eating as the male took the empty cushion next to hers. He was young, with a fresh face and eyes that wandered to the crevice of Alexandra’s barely visible cleavage. When a sickly smile spread across his lips Alex followed his gaze and tried to shield her body. She stood from her cushion with a huff as she tried to put some distance between herself and the still gawking demon male. She didn’t even have the appetite to bring her food with her.
She’d had enough of all the attention and she really just needed a few moments alone, so she found herself a quiet spot in the darkness of a deserted side street and leaned against the stucco wall of a house. She let out a heavy sigh as her eyes trailed up to the sky.
“They can be trying,” a soft feminine voice in the darkness said.
Alexandra straightened and tried to see who the voice belonged to. A pair of golden eyes burned in the darkness. Her heart began to race, and she took a step back, looking around her. Perhaps it wasn’t such a good idea to wander off by
herself.
“The demons,” Simiri said, stepping out of the darkness, “They can be trying at times, can they not?” Simiri flicked a lock of crimson hair behind her shoulder as she flashed Alex a smile.
“Who are you?” Alex asked, taking another cautious step back. “What do you want?”
“I’m Simiri,” she replied with a widening smile that showed off her pearly white fangs, “and I would very much like your assistance, dear little human.”
Alex took another step back but was stopped short by the wall at her back. She tried to look around the woman in front of her. She wondered how long it would take Balthazar to get here if she screamed. Would he even hear her if she did?
“I don’t have much time left,” Simiri continued, her eyes shining, “and I’m afraid I can no longer trust the demons.”
“What do you want from me?”
“I want you to be my caregiver,” Simiri said, her eyes lighting up as she stepped closer to Alex. She didn’t appear to be threatening, but Alex had learned she couldn’t be too cautious.
“Caregiver?” Alex asked, “What do you mean? I don’t know if—“
“Before I’m reduced to ashes,” Simiri said. Her crimson tinted lips curled upward “It can be only you.”
“The girl has no choice in the matter,” Balthazar said as he stepped out of the dark behind Simiri. Temel and several others followed, encircling Alex and the phoenix.
“Temel,” Simiri said, her brows pulling together in confusion. “What’s happening here?”
“I’m sorry Simiri,” Temel said, and his eyes full of sadness. “I have to do what I can for my kingdom. I didn’t want this for you.”
“You intend to contain my ashes,” Simiri said, her voice turning angry as the realization washed over her. He was her caregiver, and the last person she thought would betray her. She felt suddenly crippled. She wanted to run, flee from the group of demons that would capture her, but Temel’s caretaker influence was binding her from moving. It was a stinging betrayal.
“You can’t do this,” Simiri hissed at Balthazar, as he moved behind her. He grabbed her wrists and bound them with a small link chain Temel had given him earlier. It was forged with a fire produced of Simiri’s own feathers, something that Temel had been privileged to own because he was her caregiver. It was the only thing that had the power to restrain her through her fiery death.
“What are you doing?” Alex asked, turning to Balthazar for answers as she watched the scene playing out.
“You make good bait,” he said mockingly before turning to walk away. He didn’t want to see the hurt and confusion in her beautiful eyes. The discomfort he felt at seeing her upset concerned him but he knew this had to be done. There was no other way to get close to the phoenix. This would also help to put an end to the growing feelings between him and Alex. It simply had to be done whether he liked it or not.
“You used me as bait?” Alex asked, her fists balling at her side. Balthazar said nothing as he continued down the dimly lit street towards Temel’s house with the phoenix in tow. Simiri hissed and cawed as she was dragged along, hands bound behind her back.
“Why is she tied up?” Alex asked, her voice rising sharply as her anger grew. She caught up to Balthazar, grabbed his arm at the elbow and pulled him to face her.
“Answer me,” she shouted at him. “What the hell is going on?”
“Do not presume to give me orders,” Balthazar growled yanking his arm away from Alexandra. Her lips tightened as she drew a hand back. She’d had enough of him, of his haughty attitude.
Balthazar saw it coming, and he certainly could have stopped it, but he didn’t want to. He was surprised at how much it actually hurt him, though. The sting of Alexandra’s feeble slap traveled from his cheek, down his neck and straight into his heart, constricting his chest in a strange way that he had never before experienced. He wrapped his clawed hand around her slender wrist and pulled her roughly into him. His voice was low as he spoke to her.
“I have tolerated you thus far,” he said, “but my patience has limits.”
Balthazar pushed her away from him and she stumbled back, falling to the ground with a thud. Her cheeks burned red hot as Balthazar glared down at her with nothing less than disgust in his eyes. His suddenly harsh treatment caught Alex of guard and she couldn’t stop the tears that began to spill over her eyelids. Balthazar turned away with the horrible salty smell of her tears swirling in his nostrils. It was almost too much for him, but he knew it was better to crush any feelings they had developed right now.
“Consider yourself lucky,” he said over his shoulder, even as he hated himself for doing so. “Most would lose their hands for daring to assault me in such a manner.”
36
