He stopped just in front of Alicia, smiling down at her.
She smiled back. It was hard, forcing a relief filled smile. Probably not as hard as the smile he was forcing. The corners of his mouth kept twitching in a way Alicia had seen only once before.
During Sister Cross’ briefing just before they began their ill-planned assault on Ylva’s servant.
Brother Maynard reached out, placing a hand on Alicia’s shoulder. He gave a light squeeze before withdrawing his hand.
Alicia had repress narrowing her eyes. His face wrinkled slightly, especially around his nose. He was, however, less subtle in wiping off his hand onto his own robes.
Ylva had never done that.
Alicia knew she stunk. That water hadn’t got any cleaner as the days went on.
She didn’t need it rubbed in her face like that.
“My dear sister,” he said, “I can only imagine a fraction of what you must have gone through. Torture to leave you in such a state must have been cruel indeed.”
Alicia shook her head. “They care about the augur, Nel Stirling. I had no useful information on the subject, and they never asked me questions. I was kept, not tortured.”
Brother Maynard’s face lightened for a moment before his features turned downwards. “However did you escape, my dear?”
“One of the people there, a little girl. She would bring me my meals–a single roll of bread. Earlier today, I bit down into a key. I guess she felt sorry for me.”
“Most fortuitous indeed. Perhaps salvation is not yet out of reach for that one. I shall keep her in my prayers.”
Alicia nodded. She looked down into the glass of water she had been given, looking at her own reflection.
She wasn’t quite sure what was staring back at her.
I need a shower.
Repressing a small chuckle, she took a drink. It tasted… stale.
Looking back towards Brother Maynard, Alicia met his eyes. “Sir, I’m not hurt. Tired and hungry, yes. Give me a few days of rest and I will be fit for duty.”
His eyes darted between her own, looking left and right over and over again. Searching for something.
Alicia kept her own eyes steady, focusing on his right eye. “And a shower,” she said.
Brother Maynard laughed. A good, hearty chuckle, fitting for a slightly rotund monk.
She had to fight to keep her eyes steady. The nerve. He laughed at her.
“I’m glad you’re eager. We have much work to do, my dear. It is good you’ve returned, Sister Heiden. We were all very worried.”
“Yeah, it’s good to be back,” Ali lied.
Chapter 006
You must get up.
But the tiles were so cold.
At some point in her thrashing, Shalise’s shirt had come off. She couldn’t bring herself to care. With her bare stomach pressed against the floor, the metal tiles could take the heat away.
Get up, she thought in a masculine voice.
Grunting in resignation, Shalise pushed herself up to a sitting position.
“Oh,” she said as she glanced down. Her shirt hadn’t come off. Finger sized tears ran across her chest, centered around the black brand on her skin.
Shalise’s eyes went wide as she crawled backwards. She gave a light yelp as a stray shirt button dug into her hand.
The winged demon was gone. His restraints hung empty from the wall.
Despite the fresh marks across her chest–from her fingernails, if the bit of skin on her nails was hers–the marks she had drawn were burned in as clear as day. Prax was probably stuck inside her chest.
Shalise gave a light shudder at that thought.
At least her skin hadn’t turned red. That was what she had expected, anyway. That and growing horns, wings, hooves, and all Prax’s muscles. Transforming would have been helpful, true. As happy as she was that she hadn’t turned into a demon, she was still no closer to escaping.
Prax tricked me, Shalise thought with a frown. He was out of his chains, but failed to help her escape. He probably had a way to escape the burned in brand.
If he hadn’t already. If that was even the brand’s purpose.
Shalise could only blame herself. She had expected some sort of betrayal. She had just hoped it wouldn’t be until after Juliana was better and could help out.
Though the red barrier was still up. Shalise would have expected that to stop him from leaving so soon.
Outside the cell, the indigo demon still paced in front of the barrier. He had moved closer, almost touching it.
Juliana was still on the floor, drenched in sweat. Her breaths came out short yet steady.
That was good.
Well, not good good. Better than some alternatives.
Shaking Juliana did nothing to wake her.
There were clearly more desirable alternatives.
As amusing as watching you flounder about like some neonate is, we need to move.
Shalise screamed and jumped back from Juliana. That was not her thought. She did not use words like neonate.
She blinked. It actually sounded like…
“P-Prax?”
Her query was rewarded with deep mental laughter.
“Where are you?”
Fool, she–HE thought. Figure it out quick. I can’t have such mentally deficient servants.
Shalise felt her breath catch in her throat. He’s in my mind, not my chest, she thought with no small amount of panic. Thankfully, it was in her own voice.
Prax did not confirm her suspicion. He didn’t do anything. After a moment of him not responding, Shalise took a breath and closed her eyes.
Prax is a loser. The worst demon I’ve ever met. Arachne could beat him with her hands tied behind her back without breaking a sweat.
Again, Prax did not respond.
Shalise allowed a small smile onto her face. “I’m not your servant.”
Yet, he said without the slightest delay.
Her momentary victory disappeared along with her smile. His tone was far too confident for her liking.
She needed to wake up Juliana fast. Maybe she would have some idea on how to keep Prax away. Failing that, she needed to get to Eva as soon as possible.
That seemed like a good idea in either case.
Priorities. Shalise glanced down at her friend. Juliana should be the top priority. Her life could be in immediate danger.
“How do we help Juliana?”
Later. First, kill the incubus.
Shalise turned to the leering demon. Since she started moving around, he had moved right next to the red barrier. As close as he could get without actually touching it.
Frowning at him, Shalise held her torn shirt together. It wouldn’t stay without her intervention, but at least it kept him from looking.
“Kill him?”
Do not be squeamish, servant.
The hairs on her neck stood on end. She could feel him roll his eyes.
Demons do not die when they are killed. They merely spend some time in the abyss of the Void.
“That’s not–What do you expect me to do about him?” Shalise did not bother hiding her irritation. “If I could have done something about him, I would have before I smeared your blood all over myself.”
Foolish servant. You were admiring my muscles–
I was not, she thought to herself.
Use them.
“And how am I suppos–”
Shalise blinked.
There was a tickling on her stomach.
Turning away from the indigo demon, Shalise opened her shirt and looked down.
And promptly gagged.
Cords of worms beneath her skin writhed around her body. The worms spread out, reaching down her legs, up her shoulders, and down her arms.
The only thing keeping her from all out panic was the lack of pain. There was just an almost pleasant tickle.
Like a cloth being tightened with a stick, the worms squeezed her. It lasted for only a few short moments before they stopped moving.