Seyari and the others reached the farms on the outskirts of Astrye just in time to see Zarenna flying toward the castle. A blazing dot of crimson against a pale gray sky, she engaged whatever forces were holed up and magic lit the daytime sky.
“This is our chance,” Seyari said, jogging forward. “Anyone and everyone is going to be distracted by her—let’s secure the city as best we can.”
“I wouldn’t advise we all split up,” Kartania added, her heavy boots digging down below the snow into the dirt. “While I believe you and I capable of fighting a greater demon left behind, even we would fall if taken by surprise.”
“Two groups then?” Seyari asked. “I can take Brynna and Joisse, and you can take Nelys and Taava.”
Kartania looked at Joisse, who was in her human guise. “That leaves you with more power.”
“It does. I’ll go to the city, and you can check the outskirts.”
Kartania bristled. “Fine. They’re less likely to trust the Church right now anyway.” She glanced at where Zarenna was fighting. “Let’s hope my sister is as strong as we think she might be.”
As if in answer, a sharp boom sounded across the valley. The entire group looked toward the castle, in time for another pair of booms to sound. A section of the wall collapsed around a growing ball of fire.
Seyari smiled. “She’s fine.”
“I’d’a just flown in,” Taava said. “But really, we all gotta get goin’.”
“I agree,” Brynna said, walking briskly toward town. “There’s a chance we’ll meet allies of mine in the city—so let me lead.”
Seyari walked quickly to catch up. “Understood.”
Joisse joined a moment later, keeping an eye on the castle as she ran alongside her adoptive-mom-to-be.
***
Kartania watched Seyari run off before turning to the two she’d been entrusted with. Nelys, the… she wasn’t quite certain what to consider them—they kept looking between the castle and Seyari’s group. Taava as well looked toward the city, but only for a moment.
“Let’s secure the farms.”
“Sure thing, boss!” Taava answered. “Ya want us to fan out? I can’t really stick ta rooftops with so few of ‘em.”
Kartania frowned. “I want you to take this seriously. I still do not know why my sister chooses to let you travel with her.”
Taava stuck out her tongue. “She’s just that nice! That’s why!”
Kartania’s hand reached for her weapon on reflex. “We don’t have time for this. Let’s go—we’ll check each farmhouse quickly. Nelys, if you have aura sight, use it alongside me. We’re looking for any wards or other trace magic—there’s too many farms to completely cover.”
“Understood,” Nelys answered seriously.
At least they understand how to be serious sometimes, Kartania thought. Standing tall, she turned on her heel and walked off toward the nearest farm.
“Someone’s in that cellar,” Taava whispered, suddenly next to her. The kazzel’s tone of voice had changed, and Kartania realized with a start that she hadn’t heard her approach through the snow.
Kartania glanced at the farmhouse they were approaching. “Dangerous?” she whispered.
“I don’t think so. They hid as we approached.” Taava’s accent was different—and she didn’t shorten all her words into the normal soup she spoke in. “There’s also a set of footprints that match Zarenna’s coming and going.”
“So my sister may have already spoken to whoever is inside. It may benefit us to speak with them, so I’ll approach and knock. Taava, can you scout around the back for other exits just in case? Do not kill unless I tell you to or your life is in danger.”
“Understood.”
This time, Kartania could faintly hear the kazzel as she slunk quickly away through the light brush around to the front of the farmhouse. If anything, she trusted that duplicitous annoyance more now that she knew how competent Taava could be.
Perhaps she’d done more than be saved and guarded by Seyari and Nelys during their fight against the group of greater demons last week.
“She’s like that sometimes,” Nelys said softly as the pair approached the slanted cellar door. “I’d tell you more, but she should be the one to do it.”
Kartania kept her eyes on the cellar door, and listened carefully. “She used to be an assassin. I’ve seen that type before—probably from a guild of them. My guess is that she was a good one too, since she’s more practical than showy.”
“Do you need me to do anything?” Nelys tried to change the subject.
I was right, Kartania thought. “Does Zarenna know?”
“…yes,” Nelys answered after a long pause.
“I’ll speak with my sister later then.”
“She’ll tell you to ask Taava just like I did.”
“She might.”
Nelys didn’t answer directly, instead they focused on the door. “I’ll be ready if whoever’s in there tries something, but I’ll stay back just in case something about me scares them. You take the lead.”
“I was going to.” Kartania reached the cellar door and knocked, the said loudly, “I am Paladin Kartania Miller of the Church of Dhias. Cooperate with my questions and no harm will come to you.” Without saying anything else, she unsheathed her sword and opened the cellar door.
The inside of the cellar was dark, but Kartania caught motion and a pair of reflective, lupael eyes as a young man—hardly more than a boy—stepped into the light that entered from the cellar door. His hands were raised, and Kartania lowered her sword a little.
“Give me your name, why you are hiding here, and your relationship to the cult as well as any information about their activities here in Astrye.”
Even lowered, she kept the blade pointed at the young man. The fur on his tail had bristled out, and he looked like he’d been crying. Aura sight showed nothing.
“The cult… whatever they are, I hate the bastards who’ve taken my family and brought demons in to control us!” He started soft, and then gained in volume. “I don’t know much, but I know they’re holed up in the castle and a big red demon with four arms went after them. I swear she didn’t corrupt me!”
So Zarenna was here with him. “She didn’t corrupt you? What did she do to you?”
“She… asked me similar things, actually. Said she was here to kill the cult, so I told her where to go and…”
“And what?”
“And then… well you wouldn’t believe it.”
“Try me.”
The young man looked from Kartania’s sword to her cold blue eyes. His gaze seemed to hold with her own for a moment before he replied, “She… held me. F-for only a minute. Then she left.”
“I… see.” Definitely Zarenna and not Lorelei. “Your name?”
“Oh. Oh! Doryn. Doryn, Miss Miller.”
“Doryn. Do you know anything about whether the cult is still in the town?”
Doryn shook his head. “No ma’am. I think they pulled everyone back to the castle when they took the townsfolk, but I don’t know for sure. I know some others like me hid—they must’ve.”
“They took everyone to the castle?!”
“Y-yes!”
“Shit. Anything else? Any organized resistance?”
“Yes. I… didn’t join. B-but I wish I had.”
“Are they based in the city or the countryside?”
“The city—I think.”
Good. Brynna’s going there. “That’s enough then.” Kartania sheathed her sword. “Are you okay to stay here?”
Doryn shook his head. “No. I want to help! I don’t want to just sit in a hole. People know me—and they’ll think better if they see me with you and not in irons.”
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“A good point, but can you take care of yourself?”
“I’m pretty good with an axe! I’ve only chopped wood, but—”
“Then we’ll protect you.”
“Your friend outside?” Doryn’s ears twitched.
Right. Lupael hearing. “Friends. There’s a kazzel who’s a bitch and a… well they’re quite nice and you should stick close to them if not to me.”
“Hey, I heard that!” Taava shouted from outside.
Kartania’s eyebrow twitched. “My point exactly. Let’s go—and I want you to take us anywhere you think there might be someone hiding, someone who can tell us more, or a cult straggler.” She motioned for Doryn to follow and walked out of the cellar
“You gonna kill them?” Doryn asked, with some hesitation as he followed Kartania.
“The cult? Yes. To the last.”
***
Seyari ran into the city only a few paces behind Brynna. The lupael woman purposefully slowed herself for blind corners at first, but stopped when she realized the three-quarters angel and full demon had no issues keeping up with her.
It was clear to Seyari that the city had been removed of people—and fast. Some fights had clearly broken out, and a fire somewhere nearby started to toss inky-black smoke up into the sky. With all the snow and damp, hopefully the flames wouldn’t spread. Even if they did, she and Kartania could probably put them out.
The fire, however, was the least of Sey’s worries. The tangle of rooftops in the small, but dense city meant there were a lot of places to hide watching eyes. The town of Astrye probably wasn’t quite as empty as it seemed.
Brynna led them through the city’s empty main square, down a street, and into a relatively narrow alley where overhanging buildings cut off most of the light. A great place for an ambush.
Thankfully, their group didn’t get jumped immediately, and Seyari and Joisse—in human form—joined up behind Brynna as she pounded against an unassuming-looking door. Zarenna’s daughter looked around nervously, red eyes darting from building to building.
“It’s Brynna!” the lupael shouted, the rest following in a language Seyari actually didn’t speak.
Joisse’s eyes stopped and looked at the entrance to the alley. “I hear something,” she whispered. “Maybe on the roof too.”
Seyari tensed, looking for potential cover even as her hand went to her sword. A narrow alley wasn’t an ideal place for a sword fight, but her magic ought to cover it. Did the cult find us?
“Still, Sister,” a lupael woman barked as she rounded the corner, a taut crossbow aimed Seyari’s group.
Seyari blinked. This woman had the same gray-white hair, ears, and tail, and she looked almost exactly like an older Brynna: fit, tall, and currently very ready to shoot.
Brynna stopped her pounding and turned quickly. “Sis?”
Seyari kept herself ready, just in case. The cult had demons that could entrance—so it made sense not to trust anyone returning from outside. Next to her, Joisse gulped and tensed. Seyari’s sharp eyes just barely caught a shift in the shadows.
The roof. But it’s a terrible angle to shoot from…
“They’re clear, Razz,” a man said from above in accented Ordian, probably for Seyari and Joisse’s benefit. “Silver hair’s half-angel, and the girl’s mundane.”
The woman who looked like Brynna, Razz apparently, lowered her crossbow and whistled. “Half angel… Sorry about the ambush—I just needed Keran to clear your auras.”
“Sister!” Brynna surprised Seyari by dashing past her to hug Razz.
“Yeah, Rynna—I’m alright.” She mussed the younger lupael’s hair and ears, and the normally-serious woman melted, just a little. “Name’s Brazz. Old bastard on the roof is Keran. I’d shake, but I’ve got my hands full.”
Her nickname sounds like Renna, Sey thought. Now’s not the time though.
To Seyari’s side, Joisse kept a nervous watch as a lupael man climbed down into the alley, dropping a few trickles of snow. He looked a little older, but still fit: white had started to mix in with the dark gray of his short hair. Twin pointed ears stood up straight as he gave a curt nod.
“We should get inside. I assume these two are friends? It’s a little late now if they’re not.”
“They’re friends,” Brynna answered without hesitation. “There are others, too.”
“Others?” Razz asked.
“Inside,” Keran repeated. He rapped his knuckles against the door and said something in that same language Brynna was using.
From inside came the sound of wood sliding on wood, and the door opened moments later. The interior was dark and more than a little musty, but Seyari followed Keran in. Joisse hesitated, but Razz deftly used her now-squirming sister to make sure she was last inside.
Smart, Seyari thought. If anything, however, it just made Joisse more nervous. If Seyari didn’t know better, the demon in human guise would look to be a demon-blooded girl nervous about what might happen to her. But Seyari did know better: Joisse was nervous for what she might to do them.
Zarenna, please be right about your daughter’s control over her wrath.
Inside the room was a battered round table, six mismatched chairs, and two other people: one lupael and one human—both men. A big old armoire sat in the corner, and a ratty rug covered the floor under the table. The men in the room shared a short conversation with Keran before they exited the way Seyari and the others had just come in. Keran gestured for them all to sit while Razz hauled a big wooden beam back across the door.
“Let’s start with what happened, Brynna,” Keran asked, taking a seat. He glanced at Joisse and narrowed his eyes. “Actually, why don’t you all tell us who she is and why a girl her age is with you.”
Razz rubbed Brynna’s shoulder and whispered something in her ear before sitting down between her and Seyari. Joisse obediently sat between Seyari and Keran, leaving the last seat between her and him empty.
“Demon-blooded?” Razz guessed. “Pretty eyes.”
Joisse blushed despite how she shook. Almost on instinct, Seyari reached under the table and took her hand in her remaining one. Joisse calmed almost immediately, until she realized everyone was staring at her.
“Um…” the young demon in disguise trailed off.
Brynna looked to Seyari with wide eyes.
Great. Now this is on me.
“I am demon-blooded, yes,” Joisse said with a surprisingly steady voice and a nod.
Or not. Seyari felt a strange pride she pushed away for the moment.
Keran looked at the “demon-blooded” girl with suspicion.
“Why don’t we start with Brynna like you suggested,” Razz offered. Even with the olive branch extended, she side-eyed Joisse.
Brynna nodded, and after Keran gave her permission with a shrug, took a deep breath and began. Much of what she recounted—at first at least—was new to Seyari. A resistance in town, and a stranglehold on winter food stores. Apparently the cult had used food supplies to better control the townspeople. In the town at least—the farms had their own supply, but had been watched closely.
Standard tactic, Seyari thought. Really, the only difference is that these fucks have demons to help them threaten folks.
From there, Brynna’s tale turned into using the forces trying to get food from farms and their focused attention to slip the net guarding the city and go south to get help. Brynna had volunteered because she was fast and had good endurance, much to the chagrin of her sister, Razz.
Once the chase started, Keran’s questioning began. Razz jumped in a couple times, but Keran was the one throwing hard questions until Brynna snapped at him.
“Is it really that hard to believe I got away? That I got help? I’m not a kid anymore—I haven’t been for years.”
Keran sighed. “Sorry, but I made a promise to your parents years ago, and I’m not going to break it.”
“I can make my own choices. I’m not even a teenager; I shouldn’t have to tell you this, Keran.”
“She’s got a point,” Razz chimed in.
“Fine,” Keran said. “We shouldn’t talk about this in front of strangers anyway. So, what happened that got you free? From what it sounds like, you had a whole damn army of lesser and maybe even a greater demon after you and gaining. That four-armed bitch disappeared for a while, too, so she might’ve even been chasing.”
“I don’t know if she was. But I do know that Seyari, Joisse, and their friends saved me.”
“I don’t believe you made it out of the wilderness. You mean to tell me they saved you in the middle of the mountains in winter because they happened to be there?”
Brynna nodded seriously. “That is what happened, yes. They slew all the demons that were after me and brought me back to the city. From there, I made my report to the city militia, and I decided to return here to do what I could to help. We survived another ambush on the pass south, killing four greater demons, and now we’re here.”
Keran turned to Seyari, eyes narrow. “What were you doing out in the middle of the mountains in early winter?”
“Practicing,” Seyari answered simply. “My fiancée’s sister wanted her to show off her full power, and it wasn’t a smart idea to do it within sight of Linthel.”
“Full power?” Razz asked. “Wait. Your fiancée: what does she look like?”
Seyari deliberated for a moment, but she had no interest in delaying or beating around the bush. “She’s a tall demon woman with four arms who’s too damn nice for her own good. She and I are here to get revenge on both the man who made her a demon and the man who had once ruined my life.”
Keran stiffened, and Razz looked at him before looking at her sister.
“Is this true, Brynna?”
“It is. Zarenna is a demon and she and her friends saved me. From what I’ve seen she’s very strong, even for a greater demon, and she strikes me as kind to a fault. It may be hard to believe, but I swear it is true.”
Keran was silent, and his ears lowered dangerously.
Razz spoke first. “I believe my sister. Zarenna was probably the demon we saw fly toward the castle.”
“She punched through the castle’s wall, Razz. Not even a quarter hour ago.”
So that was the boom I heard, Seyari thought proudly. There must have been a ward she was destroying—probably a hastily-made one since they only recently learned she could fly.
“Punched through the wall?” Joisse asked, breaking her silence. “That sounds like Renna.”
“Was she wearing an… impractical dress that I tried to get her not to wear?”
Razz blinked at Seyari, and she smirked back. “Yes… I guess she was.”
“Yeah, that’s Zarenna then. I’m glad she’s finally letting herself take action.”
“What?” Keran asked.
“She’s usually far too forgiving,” Seyari added.
“Forgiving?”
“She is!” Joisse added. “She forgave me and adopted me when I asked!”
“So you’re her daughter?” Razz asked.
Joisse nodded.
Oh no, Seyari thought. This is either the best idea or the worst idea, and it’ll only be the best if I stay quiet and let Joisse do this. She kept her hand over Joisse’s under the table as it shook.
“Are you really demon blooded?” Keran asked Joisse pointedly. “You don’t have an aura.”
Joisse shook her head. “I’m a wrath demon. Mom gave me this human form when she made a contract with me. Thanks to her, I can control my wrath and I’m… happy.” Her shaking voice paused before the last word like it was a surprise to her too.
Seyari watched Keran’s posture relax into disbelief as Joisse’s bare sincerity broke the room’s tension with a hammer-like blow. Thank the gods. For a moment, everyone was silent; Joisse looked down at the table, crying softly.
“We agreed to help with anything else that needed done while Zarenna struck at the heart,” Brynna said, bringing the conversation back on course and giving Joisse space. “Has Mordwell already gone further south?”
Definitely, Seyari thought, although she waited for the answer.
“He has,” Keran answered. “He took some few hunters and the four-armed bitch with him.”
“No offense to your four-armed friend,” Razz added.
“Razz!” Keran hissed.
“What? They’re almost certainly here to help and we’re fucked if they’re not. I got my sister back safe and sound, so I’m going to bet on those odds and you should too.”
Keran grumbled, looking between the assembled. “Any other demon friends?”
“You’re already met Joisse,” Seyari answered, giving the girl’s hand a squeeze. “She’s a sweetheart. The only other one is Nelys. You would probably call them ‘corrupted’. They were the one to insist on a contract, and they’re still close to a cecaelia in appearance.”
“This is all too strange,” Keran said, now sounding tired. “But I know when I’m outmatched, and we need a miracle, so I’ll take your word. We need to get out there, talk with the others, and make sure there are no more fires before we follow your demon ‘friend.’ We might also find some ‘Church’ stragglers, although I think everyone went to the castle. You two coming?”
“Yes!” Razz hugged Brynna.
Keran sighed “Not you two.”
“Yes,” Joisse said seriously, and Seyari nodded.
When the half-angel stood up, Joisse hugged her. She stiffened, then moved to hug the demon back. Something stirred in her heart, but she didn’t have the time to think about it.