“It’s that bad?” Isalla asked. “You’re not just going off rumors, are you?”
“No, I’ve seen it happen, though not on an angel,” the demoness confirmed, her gaze softening as she continued. “I can’t help you with that, Isalla. I don’t know of anyone capable of regeneration who wouldn’t immediately hand you over to the queen or someone worse. If I did, I’d have already taken you to them.”
“In that case… could you heal the scars? I don’t think I’ll be in a position where I have to show my back often, but it’d be suspicious if I refused,” Isalla said, letting out a soft sigh of disappointment. A tiny part of her wondered if Kanae was being truthful, but she didn’t dare say anything. Kanae didn’t have any reason to lie, either.
“Mmhm. We may as well check your injuries and see if they’re ready for the bandages to come off,” Kanae said, setting her mug on the table, then climbing to her feet.
“As you like,” Isalla conceded, rising as well, then leading the way to her room. She hesitated a moment, then laid on the bed facedown.
Kanae’s footsteps were almost silent as she approached, and Isalla shivered at her light touch against the angel’s waist as she took the hem of Isalla’s shirt and slowly raised it. Isalla hadn’t put on her chest-strap, as the back would’ve gone over the bandages, so Kanae was able to get to the bandages quite easily.
Kanae removed the bandages carefully, their adhesive not so strong as to hurt as they came off, and her touch was feather-light as she murmured. “Hmm… you’re coming along quite well, Isalla. The scabs should start coming off any day now, and then I can start treating your scars. I’d guess that it’ll take about half a month from now to make them mostly vanish.”
“Okay, that’s a relief. I was afraid it’d take a lot longer than that,” Isalla said, relaxing slightly. “I’m impressed at what you’ve managed to do with herbs and alchemy.”
“Thank you,” Kanae said, and Isalla heard her depart, then return. A few moments later, she applied new bandages as she continued. “I’ve spent quite a few years learning, so I’d hope I’ve improved. It’s a pleasure to hear that it’s the case.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll be honest… I didn’t know that alchemy could do this. Thank you,” Isalla admitted, just as Kanae pulled her shirt back down.
“Mm, being honest, is it? Well, I suppose it’s best,” Kanae replied, and Isalla blinked as one of her hands appeared on the frame next to Isalla’s head, and then the demoness was speaking softly in her ear. “I’ve been considering my reactions of the past few days, Isalla, and I think you should know that I find you very attractive. However, no matter how much I may feel this way, I realize that currently our situation is too… lopsided. You’re in a position of weakness, and I’m in a position of power. Once the scales are closer to even, I will address this again, but for now I will leave things as they are.”
With that, Kanae straightened and walked out of the room, leaving Isalla behind her, almost frozen on the bed. It wasn’t as though Isalla hadn’t known that Kanae was feeling something for her… but even so, it was startling. And Isalla couldn’t help but wonder why her heart was suddenly racing. Kanae wasn’t anything like Roselynn, after all, yet she could make Isalla’s heart race like she was.
Chapter 10
First Sword Roselynn frowned as she tapped her desk with one finger, slowly going through her dispatches. There were the usual reports on what was happening on other fronts, instructions from the Council on what the current goals were, and the usual requests for information on what was happening in Zintas. It was all as should be expected, which was what concerned her. She’d initially thought that Isalla’s letter was a touch on the paranoid side, but now…
Roselynn set the sheets aside for the moment and stood, walking over to the window to look outside at the island. It wasn’t a small island, but neither was it too large, extending just over ten miles from one side to the other, and as she watched, a group of mortals was harvesting fruit from some of the plantations just outside the fortress walls. Some of her lieutenants had suggested that they cut everything back for a hundred yards, but Roselynn didn’t see the point, and kept it at a mere dozen feet or so. If the demons invaded, enough of them had wings that keeping the area around the fortress that clear wasn’t likely to do much good.
“Isalla, what have you gotten yourself into?” Roselynn murmured softly, resisting the urge to tap her fingers on her vambrace. No matter how Isalla’s actions had complicated her life, Roselynn still cared for the other woman, and the letter had indicated that Isalla felt similarly, despite the distance Roselynn had deliberately opened between them.
After a few more moments of staring at the immense clouds and the blue skies above, Roselynn turned back to her desk and opened a drawer, pulling out Isalla’s letter again. The paper was still crisp, though the folds were a bit more pronounced after the half-dozen times Roselynn had read it. Opening it, the angel read through the letter yet again, trying to examine it more critically this time.
First Sword,
I’ll entirely understand if my letter irritates you, but I’m not certain who else to send this to. I originally thought my assignment to the outer tiers of the Evergardens was a complete waste of my time and skills, but I accepted my punishment. It still pains me to think about what my admission about our relationship did to your career, and I cannot express my apologies deeply enough. If you wish for me to cease contacting you, you have but to let me know and I will do so, no matter how much I would regret it.
However, something strange is happening in the Evergardens. At first, I didn’t notice anything, as I was new to the area, but eventually I grew used to the peace of the region. It was then that I realized quite a few angels who I believed were highly ranking were coming to the area, and usually by night when they were least likely to be noticed. I was… confused, honestly. I thought that perhaps some of them were in a situation much like our own, but that makes no sense for the number of them I saw. So I began to investigate, and what I’ve heard worries me.
Whispers from the common folk through the Evergardens speak of someone new. Someone who glows with a brilliant golden light, and who they believe to be the destined deity of the heavens. Blasphemy, I know, but it’s what they’ve heard and are slowly beginning to believe might be true. I fear that perhaps a faction might be trying to use an archangel’s mantle, whether new or old, to make a play for control of the heavens. The problem is that I don’t have proof, and since I’m not certain who I can trust… the only one I could think of sending a message to is you.
Soon I’ll be meeting with a contact I trust, who indicated she can help me. Haral has been a friend since I arrived in the Evergardens, and she has more contacts here than I possess. Despite that, it’s possible someone will learn of my investigation, and should they take drastic action… well, someone should know.
If I don’t contact you by a week after this letter reaches you, I believe something will have happened to me. I don’t know what you should do in that case, but please… know that I still care about you, Roselynn.
My Deepest Regards,
Isalla
The message was simple enough, and at first Roselynn had believed that Isalla had been making a mountain out of a molehill, or possibly even been mistaken about others coming to visit. That had been before the week had passed and no additional letter had arrived, though. Isalla had never missed one of her own deadlines before, and despite Roselynn not having replied to her, her old lover had continued to send regular letters for the past several years.
“Haral, was it? Considering what she said…” Roselynn considered for a moment, then folded her letter again and slid it back into the drawer.
Retrieving a sheet of paper and an ink pen, Roselynn began to pen a letter of her own. It wouldn’t be too unusual if she asked about Isalla, and asking about Haral at the same time would be easy. Her superiors would likely be mildly irritated after the scandal with Isalla, but und
er the circumstances they’d forgive her.
Besides, even if they didn’t, it wasn’t as though they could punish her much further. Not considering the weapon she bore.
Chapter 11
“If I say to stop, do it. Similarly, if I tell you to run, run,” Kanae said, half-unsheathing her sword and studying it for a moment before fully sheathing it again.
“Are you expecting trouble?” Isalla asked, feeling quite nervous at the warning.
“No more than usual. The path to town is safe three-quarters of the time, but there’s no way to know when something deadly has camped out on the trail, at least not until you run into it,” Kanae replied, smiling slightly as she did so. “It isn’t the monsters that worry me, anyway. It’s renegade soldiers that are more dangerous, particularly if they’re from another domain. Many of those ones raid here because they believe there will be plenty of beautiful demonesses to bed, and that makes you and I prime targets.”
“Ah. Why don’t you sound worried, then?” Isalla asked, a little confused by Kanae’s smile.
“Because I’m not. I served in the army for some time, and I practice every morning. I’m not afraid of any of the common raiders, and anyone stronger than that has better things to do than to come after a small town like this,” Kanae explained calmly, picking up a basket. “I doubt it’ll prove much comfort to you, though.”
“Not really, no. I’ll follow your directions, but simply being here makes me uncomfortable,” Isalla replied, letting out a soft sigh.
They were going into town, and Isalla was bracing herself for a particularly unpleasant experience. It might not be, based on her interactions with Kanae so far, but she felt it was best to plan for the worst rather than the best.
“You’ll be well enough in, oh… two months? Something like that. Then you can decide whether you’re willing to risk the climb,” Kanae said, nodding in the direction of the mountain, despite them being inside. She opened the door and checked on either side before stepping out. “It’s not quite everyone for themselves on the way up, but it’s close. Your best bet is to join a caravan, but those aren’t too common and generally charge quite a bit.”
“And since I don’t have any money, that’s not really an option,” Isalla said sourly, following Kanae outside and watching as the demoness locked the door behind them.
“No, it isn’t,” Kanae agreed.
They started down the path, and as they walked, Isalla glanced around as she left the small clearing for the first time. The area was rocky and had numerous outcroppings that forced the path to wind through the trees. There were a few flowers here and there, but all of them were darker than she would’ve expected.
“One thing you should know is that the spider demons in town are the type which resemble spiders almost entirely, with a pair of arms that are similar to yours that allow them to manipulate objects. They’ll likely keep their distance, as they’re something of loners, but we may encounter them or their silk spiders,” Kanae began speaking as they walked, her voice calm and direct. “Try not to overreact if you see them; I know that most people from above don’t care for their appearances.”
“That’s fairly accurate… and I particularly don’t like the idea of the webs they can spin. I’ve seen them before, actually. Some tried to infiltrate the fortress where I was stationed a few years back,” Isalla said, her mood souring at the memory, and especially when she thought of Roselynn. She had to wonder what had happened with her letter, or whether Roselynn had even read it. The thought was… discouraging, really.
“Ah, well that makes things simpler. Those in town aren’t nearly as combative as those who join in attacks in the mortal world, though they protect their livestock viciously,” Kanae replied, leading the way around a tree at a sedate pace. “I’d not talk about where you’ve seen them before after this, though. We’re getting close to town.”
“Fine,” Isalla said shortly, trying to be polite but failing. Kanae seemed to take it as a hint and didn’t say anything more, heading down the path at the same easy pace.
Soon enough, they came over the top of a ridge and saw the town, and Isalla’s eyes widened in a bit of surprise.
The town had a thick wooden palisade around it, along with heavier gates than she’d seen before on a town composed of no more than a hundred buildings. The buildings were largely wooden, and the planed boards must have come from the mill she could see by the river on the far side of town, and aside from the darkness of the building exteriors, it could’ve been most towns she’d seen in the mortal world. The strange aspect was how wide the streets were, and how she could see at least a dozen sheep-sized spiders in a field near the town.
Down near the gates, she could see a guard, the blue-skinned demon standing about seven feet tall, with long spikes extending from his shoulders and knees, while large horns rose from his head. He wore simple hide armor, likely from a type of lizard, and had a large crossbow in hand and a club sitting next to him. He looked up to see Kanae and smiled, revealing pointed teeth and slit-pupil eyes the same color as his skin.
“Kanae, it’s good to see you!” he boomed, his voice a deep rumble. “And this must be the guest I’ve heard rumors about.”
“Indeed. This is Isalla. Isalla, this is Deka, one of the town guards,” Kanae said, smiling slightly more warmly as she did so. “Let me know if he’s rude and I’ll deal with him. We haven’t had a sparring match for a while.”
“Of course not. I didn’t join the army. I’m just a town guard, and I have my pride,” Deka retorted. He extended a hand which only had three fingers and a thumb, though all of them were larger than normal as he said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Isalla. Don’t cause trouble around town, and I won’t cause trouble for you, no matter what Kanae might claim.”
“Thank you, Deka. I’m happy she found me, and I have no intention of causing trouble. I’ve got quite enough problems as it is,” Isalla replied, shaking his hand in surprise. She’d never met a friendly demon before. Kanae certainly didn’t qualify when they first met.
“Glad to hear it! You’ll be welcome around town, then, at least for the most part. Avoid Ms. Pix, she’s just ornery,” Deka said, giving her hand a firm shake before letting go. “Any idea what you plan to do in town?”
“I’m showing her around, getting a few sundries, and buying her a few things to keep her out of my hair,” Kanae said, glancing at Isalla as she added, “Besides, as soon as Enkax saw her, I knew I’d be swarmed with questions and figured bringing her into town was the easiest way to deal with them.”
“Hah! That sounds about right, especially with how much of a loner you usually are.” Deka laughed, grinning broadly as he nodded. “Good luck with holding off the questions.”
“I’m certainly going to need it,” Kanae replied dryly, and walked into town at a more sedate pace, something Isalla’s muscles appreciated.
“What sort of things are you planning to get me?” Isalla asked a few moments later, once they were out of easy earshot of Deka. “I didn’t realize you were planning to buy me things.”
“You need a practice sword at a minimum, since your calluses indicate you’ve used a sword quite a bit. One of the longer ones, I think,” Kanae replied, glancing at Isalla skeptically. “I think a wooden one for practice until you can build up your strength, and a simple steel one for after that. Are you an archer?”
“No, I’m middling at best with them,” Isalla admitted, a little surprised at the demon’s suggestion. “Wouldn’t a sword be expensive, though?”
“Not really. There are a few lava flows from Hellmount that produce large concentrations of iron, so metal weapons aren’t too hard to come by,” Kanae replied calmly as they approached the middle of town. “Not having to buy you a bow is useful, though not ideal from the standpoint of defending yourself. Beyond that, you need a comb, a few hair ties, and other bathing supplies. I can’t have you using all of mine, and I don’t have the ingredients to make decent soap.”
“Don’t apologize,” Kanae said, another smile flickering across her face. “I didn’t tell you not to use them, after all. Now, try not to stare.”
There weren’t a huge number of people in the town square, Isalla realized, but there were enough to surprise her. A couple of demons much like Enkax were clustered around a cart full of some type of squash with dark rinds, arguing, while a demon-blooded woman with pale red skin sat in a booth weaving baskets.
The biggest building took up an entire side of the square, and the building must be an inn, the angel realized, looking at the sheer size of the stables. As she watched, a muscular, four-armed demon carried a pair of kegs out of the stables and toward the front doors, ducking his head to ensure his large horns didn’t hit the doorframe.
Several of the demons in the square looked at Isalla curiously, most of them not bothering to hide what they were doing, and most of the others were glancing at her out of the corner of their eyes. Isalla tried to ignore them, but it was hard. Fortunately, Kanae didn’t so much as pause at their looks, leading the way directly to a building with a broad front directly across from the inn.
A bell tinkled as Kanae opened the door, and as she stepped inside, Isalla’s eyes brightened in recognition. Shelves lined the walls of the room they stepped into, and they were crowded with everything from a saddle and backpacks to pitons and rope. She could see vials of unguents, tins of what might be makeup or shoe polish, and belts hanging from the wall. She hadn’t been in many stores like this in the mortal world, but she’d been in the heavenly ones before. The only difference was that the shelves were even more widely spaced in the heavens due to the wingspan of an angel, while mortals crowded the shelves even closer than these were.
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