Sticks and Stones

by Alexie Aaron

  “I thought she was just bringing you clean underwear,” Enos said.

  “No one was more surprised than I to see her when she caught up to us at Nicholai’s,” Mia said. “Initially, I thought that she was there to bring me home. Nicholai, as you saw, was not pleased to see me.”

  “He doesn’t like his people being used by Angelo’s group. We are warriors, not babysitters,” Enos said.

  The memory of landing on the beach and the trudge over the cold sand dune to Nicholai’s house to pick up demon blades - tricky with the footwear Mia had been supplied with - assaulted her. Sand had sifted down from the top of her new boots. Mia had sat down on the edge of the deck to take off her boots to pour the sand out.

  “If you had them properly secured, this wouldn’t happen,” Nicholai barked at her.

  Mia knew better than to answer back.

  “Leave the girl alone,” Nanny said, walking outside.

  “But how?” Mia said, getting up. “Enos and I were pushing it to get here.”

  “I left as soon as Lazar and I located some equipment Ted insisted you have,” Nanny explained. “I just arrived. I was just making a cup of tea when you landed.”

  Mia’s nose burned, but she wouldn’t let her eyes fill up. “Thank you,” Mia managed, taking the satellite phone and earpiece.

  “The little ones are being cared for by Susan and Lazar until I get back,” Nanny said. “I don’t want you to have any worries. Try to enjoy yourself.”

  Mia used Nicholai’s facilities and repacked her pack with the clothing she was used to in Nicholai’s bedroom. It wasn’t that Angelo’s driver wasn’t a good shopper, it was that he had underestimated Mia’s top digit. She found a maxi dress folded neatly, ensconced in tissue paper. Two questions came to mind. Did Angelo think she’d be dining formally while backpacking in the wilderness? Also, the driver obviously didn’t have time to stop to buy her a dress. That meant Angelo had a dress for her kept at his home. When had he bought it? Why had he bought it? She didn’t want to give it to Nanny, nor leave it on Nicholai’s bed, so she jammed it back into her bag.

  Enos was listening to Nicholai out on the deck when she was ready. Nicholai turned and said, “I’m trusting you not to get him killed.”

  Mia nodded, tamping down her temper before she spoke. “Thank you for this opportunity. I know you’re going to take heat for it.”

  Something flashed behind his eyes. Was it concern or anger? Mia couldn’t tell.

  Enos’s hand on her arm brought her back. “I need you totally in the present.”

  Mia sniffed. “I’m sorry. How long have you been in my head?”

  “Not long. Before we start off, I know I’m young, but Victor has taught me well. I’ve slept rough, and I can track demons.”

  “Good. I know I’m only here because of my ability to communicate and heal. I did camp a bit in Hell and when Ed took me back in time. But things were done for me. I’m pretty green.”

  “It goes with our cover,” Enos said, handing Mia the ID Angelo had made up for her. They needed identification good enough to fool the rangers if they were approached.

  “Mia Ahlberg? Your aunt?”

  Enos shook his head.

  “Sister?”

  Enos shook his head. “And before you protest, you don’t look old enough to be my partner. I’m the experienced one taking my new bride camping.”

  “Angelo made these IDs?”

  “He trusts me, otherwise…”

  “He’d be going himself,” Mia finished. “Is this a test?” Mia asked.

  “I don’t know, and I don’t care. All I know is, there are twenty-two people at the mercy of tree-bark demons in an old-growth hardwood forest to be found and brought back.”

  “I wish Sticks were here,” Mia said, looking at all the trees. “You and he would get along well.”

  “He isn’t much of a talker,” Enos said. “I’d rather have you.”

  “I’m not sure that’s a compliment. Moving on, I suggest we find the demon line, and maybe you can track the demons from there.”

  Enos and Mia started off.

  ~

  Ted climbed the ladder and extracted any books that would have information on tree-bark demons. He was waiting on a return call from Altair. Ted needed to speak to Sticks.

  “Sorry it took me so long,” Altair said, walking down the stairs of the aerie. “Can I help you find something?”

  “I didn’t call you here to be my librarian,” Ted said.

  Altair grinned.

  “I just needed to communicate with you to find out how I could get in touch with Sticks. Aside from tossing some gold at Takemi, I really don’t know how to communicate with Hell. And I understand, Takemi’s no one’s errand boy.”

  “That’s an understatement,” Altair said. “Why do you need to speak with Sticks?”

  Ted told him about Mia’s situation.

  “Angelo sent her with Enos,” Altair confirmed.

  “Yes.”

  “Then he trusts Enos. Do you?”

  “Yes,” Ted said. “But not the tree-bark demons. I’ve been assured they are a benign race, but when cornered, even Audrey Stavros is dangerous.”

  “True. I’ll have to either go straight to Lucifer or Abigor,” Altair said. “It means favors owed…”

  “Is there no way Sticks can be approached independently?” Ted asked.

  “No. He’s Lucifer’s aide at the moment. He was put there by Abigor,” Altair explained.

  Ted pulled his hat off and sighed. “I can’t do it. Mia would kill me. She’s under the assumption that the Hell crew has forgotten about her.”

  “She’s wrong. Abigor will always be keeping tabs on her. He’s seen what she can do militarily, and he’s no fool.”

  “Well, let’s leave this idea for now.”

  Altair walked over and said, “Who got you out of your Yeti situation?”

  “Mia and Enos with Nicholai’s help.”

  “Then they were the best team to send. They can fly under the radar. Enos, I understand, is a great tracker, and Mia’s language and diplomatic skills are amazing. Look how she handled The Balance. She found a solution before they became a problem.”

  “Yes. Thank you for reminding me.”

  “I don’t want to add anything to your worries, but why would Angelo step in and put Mia on a mission and insist that Enos be the other team member?”

  “To score points with Mia,” Ted said. “I already knew that. He’s been way too cooperative lately. He knows how important Enos is to our family.”

  “He’s showing Mia that he is more powerful than Nicholai is. He’s sending a message to Nicholai that he’s already recruited Mia, that he sees her worth. Politically, this is a great move, depending on the outcome. I’ve got an idea. How about I ask Murphy to see if he wants to get a cheeseburger in Hell? We may run into someone and get the lowdown on why the tree-bark demons migrated to upper Michigan in the first place. And if I just happen to run into Sticks…”

  Ted smiled. “Just how good are the cheeseburgers in Hell?”

  “To die for, Ted, to die for.”

  ~

  Mia followed Enos through the trees. She had never seen hickory and pine trees so tall and wide. “Murphy would love this place,” she said.

  “He does love his trees,” Enos said. “I should take him to Troldeskoven. There are beech trees that are three hundred years old. They are direct descendants of the first beeches, which according to my lesson book started growing in Denmark in the early Middle Ages.”

  “Probably planted by Nicholai,” Mia grumbled.

  “He’s not that old. Oh. You’re being sarcastic.”

  “No, a big baby,” Mia said. “I’d love to see those trees.”

  “We also have an old-growth forest. Mia, there are many beautiful places I could show you Martins.”

  “I can speak for all of us, it would be a pleasure
to see where you came from.”

  “I’d like that.”

  Mia put her hand on Enos’s arm and spoke to him through their birdman channel. “Ahead, the tree at one o’clock isn’t all tree.”

  “I see that. What should we do?”

  “I think he’s a sentry. Time for me to test out my Demon.” Mia cleared her voice, elongated her palate and narrowed her tongue, and said, “I am Mia. I am primal demon. Do you understand me?” She repeated it in all the dialects she knew, including the offset which Sticks sometimes slipped into.

  There was a shiver of movement. The ground around them opened, and long arms resembling branches moved out of the ground.

  “I would like to speak to your elders,” Mia continued.

  Claws very similar to di inferi talons opened, and inside the palms were stones. Enos dropped his pack and extended his wings around Mia, preparing to shield her from what could be an onslaught of stones.

  “I mean you no harm. I’ve come to help,” she said, still directing her words to the demon before her.

  The claws turned over, and the stones fell harmlessly to the ground. Enos released Mia, and she walked over to the nearest arm and raised her hair. The claw stroked her neck and disappeared into the ground, taking her scent with it.

  “What do we do now?” Enos asked.

  “We wait.”

  “I’m going to make camp. This will keep others from coming here. I can’t make a fire here. It will be cold.”

  Mia wanted to say things like “oh joy” or “we’ll make our own heat,” but opted for the more appropriate, “No problem.”

  Mia and Enos had just started to clear a space for the tiny two-man tent when the ground trembled around them. Through the gloom, several bark-covered demons approached.

  In very clear Yooper dialect, the middle demon said, “We offer you hospitality, eh.”

  “Thank you,” Mia responded in English.

  Enos helped Mia on with her pack and put his on.

  “You have wings,” the demon addressed Enos.

  “Yes. We both have wings.”

  “Not many primal demons have wings,” he said to Mia.

  “I’m a hybrid.”

  “I’ve heard about you, Mia Cooper Martin, leader of the half-million, eh,”

  “Yes.”

  “You are welcome.”

  “Enos is my partner. Is he welcome?”

  “He is welcome. We go home.”

  Mia took Enos’s hand and followed the demons. The deeper they walked into the forest, the more tree-bark demons fell away from their hiding trees and joined in the procession.

  “I don’t know your society’s rules. Do you have a leader?” Mia asked.

  “We have three, eh.”

  “May I speak to the three?”

  “After feast-een.”

  “Thank you,” Mia said.

  They walked past a few old copper mines and then into a crevice. Water ran through the middle. The demons sloshed through the water. Mia and Enos did the same. When the path became slick, Enos kept a steadying hand on Mia. When the path narrowed, he put his hands on her sides and lifted her when she stumbled. The crevice opened, and he resumed walking at her side. “Whoever taught you your manners, they did a fine job,” she said silently.

  “The Gray Ladies.”

  The procession passed two large deep cages constructed out of fallen branches and ropes made up of twisted plants. Inside sat teenage boys. Because of the depths and the lack of light, Mia did not immediately see the teachers.

  “Hey, backpacking Barbie! Get us the fuck out of here!” demanded one of the braver youths, shaking the gate.

  Mia did not make eye contact. She was being watched, and she would not make the mistake of playing her cards out in the open. Enos put a protective arm around Mia.

  “That giant’s not going to be able to protect you, bitch!”

  “Sean, for god’s sake, shut up,” another youth pleaded.

  “Did you see the tits on that ho?” Sean asked. “I’m going to…”

  “That’s enough,” a deeper-voiced male shouted from the back of one of the cages.

  “And we’re supposed to save them?” Mia questioned.

  “Don’t let the name-calling influence you. They are scared,” Enos sent back.

  The lead demon stopped before a deerskin-clad structure. He nodded and the flap was drawn back. “Rest. Feast soon. Stay away from cages. Bad seed, eh.”

  Mia nodded and walked in. Enos ducked and drew the flap shut. Inside, there were furs piled on the ground. He looked upwards and saw the wood twitch at the top of the structure.

  “They are watching.”

  “What happens in here, stays in here,” Mia said.

  She set her pack down, took off her earpiece, which had ceased transmitting hours ago, and placed it inside the front pocket. Enos took her pack and set it next to his. He then extended his wings while pulling her into him. He surrounded them with his wings. They heard movement above them as if their watchers had left the structure.

  Enos opened his wings. Mia sat down and took off her wet footwear. She lay back on the furs and looked up through the hole in the ceiling. “That must be for when there is a fire inside.”

  Enos sat down next to her. “I’m having trouble imagining those wood creatures building a fire.”

  “They aren’t made of wood. They just look like wood. Great camouflage.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because Sticks would cradle me in his arms while we slept. I assure you, he wasn’t made of wood.”

  “You let him hold you?” Enos questioned.

  “I let him protect me. We slept in a tree,” Mia remembered fondly. “We were engaged once. It was accidental on my part.”

  “Are you still engaged?”

  “No. He dropped me headfirst out of a tree. That ended the engagement. Strange custom.”

  Enos laughed.

  “How many demons did you count?”

  “One hundred thirty-three, but I know there must be more,” Enos answered. “Someone approaches.”

  Enos pulled Mia to him as the flap opened.

  “Sorry, feast ready,” their demon host announced. Two smaller demons walked in and brought water and large cloths. “Wash, dress, and open flap. Someone will come and guide you.”

  Mia popped up. “What is the custom upon meeting the three?”

  “Bow. Wait.”

  “Thank you.”

  The demon left, and Mia walked over to her pack. She pulled out the wrinkled expensive dress. “I really hate it when men buy me clothes. I have clothes. Not expensive ones, but I like them.”

  Mia didn’t turn around. She could hear Enos washing. Mia kept her back to Enos and did her best to make herself presentable. When she turned around, he studied her but didn’t say anything.

  “Do I look that bad?”

  “No. You look like a proper Danish wife. I find it unnerving.”

  Mia swallowed hard.

  Enos started laughing. “It was a joke, Mia.”

  Mia laughed and the stress rolled off her. “I’m going to toss you in the creek when we get back home.”

  “It’s not my home anymore,” Enos said sadly.

  “No matter where you go, how many proper Danish wives you have, Woodlands will always be your home.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Altair and Murphy sat down at the café. Murphy was handed a menu written in Demon. He turned it around and asked Altair, “Can you read this?”

  “Yes.”

  “Can you read it to me?”

  “Why, when I know what you’re going to order?”

  “I may change my mind.”

  Altair read off the selection of French, Italian, and Greek dishes. Murphy ordered a cheeseburger and a glass of milk.

  Altair ordered the house special and a large glass of wine.

  “I didn’t
think you drank wine,” Murphy said.

  “Whiskey is a bit strong down here. They call it the ‘Devil’s Cut.’ The ‘Angel’s Share’ is the whiskey lost due to evaporation, and the ‘Devil’s Cut’ is what has been absorbed into the wood of the cask.”

  “What is it like?”

  “It burns, potent and, sometimes depending on the cask, smoky,” Altair answered. “I’m not really a fan.”

  “It’s only because you’ve lost your nerve,” Lucifer said behind them.

  “Hello, Lucy, what brings you here this fine day?” Altair asked.

  “I exist here. Why are you here?”

  “Old Murphy craved a cheeseburger.”

  Lucifer looked around.

  “She’s not here,” Altair answered without saying Mia’s name.

  Lucifer seemed disappointed.

  “Where is she?”

  “Diplomatic mission for the birdmen.”

  Lucifer curled his lip.

  “Would you like to join us? Altair is buying,” Murphy said, keeping his voice hospitable.

  “How come I can’t sense her?” he asked Altair as he sat down.

  “Can you sense Mbengar?” Altair asked.

  “No.” Lucifer frowned. “How?”

  “Second Day Sea.”

  “Why?”

  “To move The Balance on,” Murphy answered.

  “Tell me more.”

  Murphy told him an edited version of the events.

  “Well damn, how’d I not know about this?” Lucifer asked.

  “Who’s advising you these days?” Altair asked, pretending to be concerned.

  “Abigor.”

  “Mia says that The Balance were primal demons and you had no power over them.”

  Lucifer didn’t say anything, but his expression confirmed it.

  “Maybe Abigor didn’t know about them either,” Murphy offered.

  “It’s possible. Now tell me why you’re really here?”

  “We’d like to borrow your aide Sticks,” Altair said.

  “Why?”

  Ted’s worried that Mia may, and I stress may, be in danger with a group of tree-bark demons.

  “As long as she’s not in the Porcupine Mountains of Michigan, she will be fine,” Lucifer said and closed his eyes. “Of course, she’s in the Porcupine Mountains.”