Looking around, Velvet didn’t find any path free of poison, even counting the chain’s reach. She could try blowing out some parts of the wall, but that could cause the whole room to collapse.

It still might even collapse on its own… Velvet thought, seeing the sorry state of the walls. Some were corroded already, the paint melting.

What to do, what to do…

She laughed, startling Hyde.

“Are you okay?”

“Ah, it’s just… I look like a castaway, but instead of a whole island, I get a pile of corpses. I feel like writing ‘Help’ with bone pieces.” Velvet laughed again.

“I also feel sticky and gross.”

The flutter of wings prevented Hyde from answering, a back staff growing from the corpses next to Velvet, and Udulluay landing on it.

“You’re the last one.” The owl said. Velvet looked at the half melted bodies of the mages that Udulluay didn’t have time to pull out, guessing he meant the last one alive.

How did he decide who to pull out first? Is it based on personal preference? She didn’t ask, letting Udulluay use some magic to bring her out of there, her sights going dark for a few seconds, before finding herself back at the clothes shop.

She flopped on the cold floor, making the white marble become tainted red.

“Damn dude, are you dying?” One of the three mages that were fighting before said.

“Don’t dude me, I am a lady.” Velvet said. “And it’s not mine… not all of it, at least. Most of it isn’t.”

The mage was going to say something, but Udulluay came back at that moment, setting himself on his staff. Velvet saw that he was staring at one of the three mages.

“Bringing a live, uncontained demon, failing to keep it in check, causing twenty-three lives to be lost and the destruction of rented installations. The fine is 8750000 auris. 250000 as compensation for each family, and 3 million for the breach of contract.”

Choking upon hearing the price, Velvet dissimulated it by coughing, since her throat was a bit burned.

“I’ll have the money this week.” The mage said, after thinking.

“Udulluay gives you until tomorrow.”

What’s the punishment for not paying? Velvet wanted to ask, but she kept silent. What does Udulluay need money for?

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“Then tomorrow I’ll have the money.”

“What about compensation for the living?” Velvet raised her hand.

“Isn’t being alive compensation enough?” The mage said, almost between their teeth.

“I’ve been terribly harmed, and almost killed. But, we can wait until the surviving mages wake up, and see if they also think living is compensation enough. Some of them were hit by stray spells, after all.”

The mage looked at Udulluay, who said nothing. With a sigh, they submitted to Velvet’s tiny veiled threat. “I hope you’re not expecting the same amount of money that the dead get.”

“No. Oh, is this shop yours?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll take compensation in cash or clothes then.”

The mage, who Velvet now supposed was Maneely, or from the Maneely family groaned, even when they were the one responsible for causing the problem in the first place. “I can give you a 50% discount for today.”

“Oh.” Velvet said disappointed, extending her hand. “Then I’ll take the cash compensation.”

“75%.”

Velvet didn’t lower her hand.

Maneely was troubled. She could accept giving that girl a bigger discount, but she didn’t know how much money she had, and could end up losing more than by paying a compensation directly. On the other hand, neither Udulluay nor the girl had given her a number, but if she paid less than what the girl expected, maybe she would decide to wait until the other mages awoke, riling them up.

Maneely’s plan was to wake the mages one by one, that way, she had the upper hand in negotiating the compensation amounts, which would not work if that girl stayed in her shop.

And, by looking at her actions, Maneely was sure she knew that. But, luckily for her, mages tended to be pretty selfish.

“90% discount for today, and I won’t lower it anymore.”

“Accepted, oh, but include some bags on the offer, I can’t exactly carry the clothes like this…” Velvet motioned to the bloody floor.

One of the other mages snorted, getting glared at by Maneely.

…

Going back to the hotel once she finished shopping, Velvet took a long warm bath. Longer than necessary because the blood had already dried, so she had to be soaking until it softened.

I should go to a doctor to check that I didn’t catch any weird things after being inside that meat monster…

Hyde had stitched her wounds, but her throat still had some burns. She had gone to an apothecary shop before going back to the hotel, buying some potion for those. Even then, the potion was for the poison removal and preventing the burns from getting infected and forming pus, not for healing the burns. That would take time.

Were there even doctors that could work under the concealment spell?

She didn’t have to wait much for an answer, once she was out of the shower, clean, dried and dressed, a black staff sprouted from the ground, and the flutter of wings announced Udulluay’s arrival.

“Oh, hello.”

“Udulluay saw you taking something that didn't belong to you.”

Velvet stared at him with a blank expression, thinking. “You mean the chains?”

“Indeed.” She had left them on the table after cleaning the blood from them. Three broken pieces was all she had salvaged, the rest melting with the demon.

“But they are broken, I was just helping them take out the trash!” Udulluay didn’t answer, staring at her in silence. “The chains would have melted if I didn’t save them, and I’m sure those mages think the chains were lost.”

The owl kept his silent stare at her, and Velvet laughed nervously.

She took a deep breath, using her secret weapon. “Today it’s my birthday.”

“Is that so?” Udulluay’s voice was usually very soft and inexpressive, but Velvet almost felt a very small tone of irony in those words. Or maybe she was just delusional.

“... Tomorrow, tomorrow is my birthday. But understand meee,” She kept trying to convince the devil. “I've become separated from my friends, unable to use a faery to call anyone I've ever known. Doomed to spend my birthday alone!”

“My eighteenth birthday, and I get zero presents.”

“Cmon Udululu, no one is gonna miss these chains!”

Velvet heard Hyde's voice in her mind. “Udululu? Do you want to become an Udulluay’s mother?”

“Are you trying to give me nightmares? Not that I can have nightmares, but don’t say that ever again.” She almost shuddered at what Hyde was implying. “No, I need a weapon, and this one works great with my magic. It was made for me, Hyde.”

Udulluay seemed to be pondering Velvet’s words. In the end, he simply ruffled his feathers. “The chain’s owner hasn’t asked Udulluay about the lost chains, but in the case the chain’s rightful owner does so, Udulluay will come to pick the chains.”

Almost cheering, Velvet nodded. “Okay, okay, I accept those terms!”