Following the ball of light that she had summoned, Six found her way out of the maze. Waiting at the exit was a woman made entirely out of paper mache. She stood like a statue, her paper hair done up in a bun.
“If you try anything my dog will eat you.” Six warned her.
“I promise our intentions are pure. The one you destroyed was different than we are. He was mad… twisted… broken.” The woman explained. “He was pure longing and sorrow… desperation.”
“AND WHAT ARE YOU?” Titan put himself between Six and the woman.
The paper lady bowed. “We are what happens when anger dies and all seems lost, we are hope. We are the collective hopes of forgotten books and before you go we wish to ask a favor.”
“What do you want?” Six asked. “Even if I lived to be a hundred I couldn’t read all of you, not that I would want to.”
“That is fine. All we ask is that from time to time you might return to spend time with us.” A single inky tear started at the corner of her eye. “We are lonely, so very very lonely.”
“Alright, alright. Stop with the waterworks. I’ll come visit every once in a while so long as you don’t try and attack me or trap me again.” Six promised. “I’ll tell you what, why don’t you pick out four books for me to take home? Maybe something for Bael and Maharet too?”
“Oh yes, that would be lovely. Thank you! Thank you!” The paper lady danced down the shelves picking out volumes. “You’ll love these, yes you absolutely will!”
Six accepted the books and went to leave. Granny made a disapproving cough from his place by the fire. “How exactly are you expecting to pay for those, young lady?” He asked.
“Bite me, Granny.” Six called as she walked off.
***
“You two suck.” Six said when she got home. Maharet and Bael were curled up on the couch together. She threw her books down on the floor with a crash. “What was stopping me from starving to death in that maze?” She asked angrily.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“You had Titan with you. No matter what, he would not have let you starve.” Maharet said darkly. “As a pup of Cerberus he would rather die than let harm come to one under his protection.”
“You mean… he would have...” Six looked up in horror. “No. I wouldn’t. I couldn’t.”
“Then it is a good thing that you found your way out.” Maharet replied, standing up to her full height and towering over the child. “Perhaps in the future you will think twice before leaving your guardian behind. Titan swore on his honor to protect you, therefore his life hangs in the balance. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that he would not do to keep you safe.” She let that revelation hang in the air. “So please don’t put yourself at risk, for his sake.”
“I don’t want anyone to die for me. That’s not right.” Six wrapped her hands around Titan’s neck protectively and buried her face in his fur. Tears started to stream down her cheeks. “Nobody should ever die for me.”
“DO NOT WORRY CHILD.” Titan reassured her. “IT IS MY HONOR TO PROTECT YOU. THESE TWO SHARE THE SAME HONOR, THOUGH THEY SHOW IT DIFFERENTLY.” He looked up towards Maharet accusingly. His deep brown soulful eyes damned them for making Six cry.
“That’s enough Maharet.” Bael said, standing and resting a hand on his wife’s shoulder. “She’s learned her lesson, there’s no need to torture her. Titan, I am releasing you from your oath. You can go now.”
“MY WORD IS NOT YOURS TO BREAK!” The hellhound roared angrily. Sparks shot from between his teeth and his spots swirled into cursed runes. “I WILL STAY AND I WILL PROTECT THIS CHILD AS LONG AS I SEE FIT, EVEN IF IT MEANS MY OWN DEATH, OR YOURS.”
“Be careful.” Maharet warned. “You speak to a baron.”
“I AM TITAN, SON OF CERBERUS, SECOND GUARDIAN OF THE GATES OF HELL.” Titan barked back. “NO BARON, NO ANGEL, NOT EVEN SATAN HERSELF CAN BREAK MY WORD ONCE IT IS GIVEN. SO LONG AS I DRAW BREATH SHE IS UNDER MY PROTECTION.”
“Good.” Bael nodded in approval. “Then it is decided, you will stay and you will guard our daughter.”
“THIS WAS A TEST?” Titan asked in disbelief. “YOU TRICKED ME!”
“He does that.” Maharet gave Titan a consolatory pat on the head. “You get used to it.”
“You two are terrible.” Six admonished her foster parents as she dried the tears from her eyes.
Maharet shrugged. “We’re demons after all. You really shouldn’t be surprised. Now do you want to lay there and be miserable or do you want me to make you something to eat?” She considered her words for a second. “Make something for you to eat.” Maharet corrected.
“I could eat.” Six admitted. “But I’m still angry at both of you.”
“That’s my girl!” Bael said proudly. “I’ll make up some bacon sandwiches."
“WHAT IS A BACON SANDWICH?” Titan asked, annoyed at having been played but optimistic about the prospect of food.
“Come on you two.” Bael waved them into the kitchen. “Let’s get both of you fed.”