Returning to the hotel with a little girl was recieved better than expected. Mellany, the female recruiter, was instantly infatuated with the little girl, and the boys suddenly seemed awkward around her. Her name was (apparently) Mini, or that's how she pronounced it. True to his word, Goddard never once took his eyes off of Mini, even when Samson mentioned how strange it was.

  When Mini was introduced to Barrot, she ran around Paxton's backside and pressed him to be her shield. Everyone (except for Goddard) thought that was just adorable. Paxton explained how they had come across Mini in a forest cave, starving and watching a fire burn. When asked for details, Mini didn't respond, choosing instead to nuzzle further into Paxton's backside.

  "Well, we can look for your parents when we're in town today," Mellany offered sincerely. With that, the magician group set up shop in town and started to call for recruits. Mini was terrifeid by all of the people sorrounding her, but none of them even noticed her. She followed closely to Paxton, gripping his side as they walked through the tiny marketplace.

  "The illusion magic works at a distance of twenty lockes," Paxton whispered.

  "I know," Mini argued, but she remained locked at Paxton's side. Her eyes darted from person to person, suspiscious of the people around her.

  Paxton took Mini around to the stalls, watching the vendors push their wares. It was mostly clothes and other amnenities, including a few food vendors.

  Paxton bought a few kebabs for the disguised demoness, letting her relish the flavors.

  The more time Paxton spent with the little girl, the more he realized her behavior was similar to a dog's. Her eyes would stare intently at food, she would growl at suspiscious people, and she was overly receptive to a simple pat on the head. Whenever Paxton tried to put some space between them, she just stood there looking at him expectantly.

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  The day went by without incident, until the night when the girls wanted Mini to sleep with them. The distance between rooms was too far, and the Byron brothers were not to be let out of their room. To solve this, Paxton had to create a bridge of darkness from room to room. It was a lesson in utilizing both magics at the same time, which gave Paxton a slight headache. The sheer concentration required had Paxton catatonic all night.

  When the morning came, Paxton hadn't slept at all and was napping on the way to the next village. Goddard assured him that their next friend would be a few days away, so he could rest for now. Mini was sitting on top of the carriage with Paxton and Goddard, where Goddard was allowed to question her to his heart's content. He was merciless, keeping a knife in his pocket during the interrogation.

  Paxton was sitting at the edge, looking off into the distance with a thousand-yard stare. He would occasionally flinch or raise an eyebrow, but his eyes remained unfocused the entire time.

  The group arrived at the town and one of the guy recruiters was sent to bargain for another carriage. The stand was set up and the recruiters did what they did best while the kids got to explore the town. They stuck together as a group, trying the restraunts and asking around what there was to do. Mini joined in on the conversations, pouted when she ate something sour, and blinked with bleary eyes when it was getting late.

  When the group was enjoying a warm sunset, Mini fell asleep with her head on Paxton's thigh. It was an adorable moment that made everyone's heart break. Paxton picked Mini up like a child, carrying her back to the hotel where she woke up.

  "Where are we?" she questioned, wiping her eyes sleepily. The little girl's pale skin and thin complexion made her look weak, a rare few would even believe that she was a demon. She was exceptionally light, even for Paxton's muscles that were larger than any ten-year old should have.

  "You fell asleep, so I'm taking you back to the hotel," Paxton said, hefting the girl onto his back in a piggy-back formation.

  "Darn it, I wanted to do something."

  "What was it?"

  "I wanted to see the sunset," Mini groaned.

  "Haven't you seen one before?"

  "I have," Mini reasoned, "but I like seeing them."

  "There's always one more tomorrow."

  "But I might not see tomorrow!"

  "Don't worry, you'll see the sunset tomorrow."

  "What if my uncles come for me?" Mini challenged.

  "Then I'll beat them up," Paxton said confidently.

  "Promise?"

  "Promise."