Suddenly, Marta swears. Divine magic blazes around her. “Leth, get back!”
For a wild moment, Leth thinks Anton isn’t dead after all, or Ozarell wasn’t banished. But the chapel behind them is silent, and the only people around are Leth himself, Evain…
Evain, with blood-red eyes and too-sharp teeth.
“Wait!” Leth flings himself between Evain and the paladins. He spreads his arms out empty-handed, without sword or spell beads. “It’s not what you think.”
Magic gleams poised around Marta, and Haldis holds her greatsword with both hands. Their horses shy backwards. “He’s possessed,” Haldis says. “Get back, we’ll take care of him.”
More magic tingles under Leth’s skin. Evain’s desire gives him the strength to stand firm. “Evain isn’t possessed,” Leth says. “He’s a demon. He’s always been a demon. But he’s different from the others.”
A heavy arm drapes over Leth’s shoulder, and Evain’s smiling voice sounds right next to his ear. “I wouldn’t normally make things difficult, but I’m bound to Leth now. Banishing me too hastily would hurt him, and I can’t allow that.”
“Marta?” Haldis asks, her sword unwavering.
Pearl-white magic shimmers again. Marta’s eyes widen. “He’s telling the truth. I can sense the contract.”
Leth doesn’t move. “I won’t let you hurt him. Evain’s good.” Hot breath tickles his ear as Evain laughs, making Leth’s cheeks burn. “Insufferable, but good.”
“I’m very good,” Evain confirms.
Marta blinks, then laughs. “Quitethe contract, it seems.”
Haldis rolls her eyes but lowers her sword.
***
A great deal of explaining later, Marta and Haldis depart to round up the leaderless Dravans, and Evain sends Daziroth to fetch Freya, Arthur, and Shae. The Varans will be able to interrogate the living under truth spell, in preparation for whatever military and legal inquiries will await in Ostaris. The necromancer will be able to lay the dead to rest.
And Evain leads Leth through the summoning chapel, up a winding set of stairs, to the roof. A balcony walkway runs along the back of the building, facing the edge of the ruined city and the forested slope behind it. Snow shaken from the slanted roof piles on the walkway.
Leth brushes snow from the stone railing and leans his forearms against it. Evain leans next to him. Their elbows touch.
From this height, the valley is serene. Diamond snow and velvet forest, silver-blue sky painted with paler clouds. There’s a beauty to the landscape that no wild rifts can diminish. Leth thinks he understands why Lyrisenia’s people have lingered here so long after their empire fell. Belonging somewhere can be worth the risk.
Or maybe everything just looks a little more beautiful when he has someone standing beside him. His grief and hurt ebb away for now. They’ll rise again soon enough, but in this moment, Leth can breathe.
“I imagine you have some questions,” Evain says after a while.
“A few.” Leth rubs his hands together, feeling the cold again now that he’s not fighting for his life. He considers where to start. Maybe something easy. “How old are you, really?”
“I’m not sure.” Evain leans closer. One of his hands settles on Leth’s waist, and warmth radiates where they touch. “Time passes differently in my home realm, but I believe I was around fifty when I crossed over through a rift. I know I’ve been in the human realm for around two hundred and fifty years.”
Another thing that should be stunning, but makes sense, in retrospect. “Why do you want to seal the rifts?” Leth asks next.
Evain moves again, this time to stand behind Leth. He reaches around and clasps Leth’s hands together in his. “I should probably say that it’s the right thing to do. That my deep sense of justice and goodwill is driving me. Would you believe that?”
Leth leans his head back against Evain’s shoulder. “I might.”
“You shouldn’t.” Evain sighs. “The truth is, I’m very selfish. I like your world quite a bit. Most of my fellow demons would ruin all the things I like about it, so I have to do my best to keep them out.”
“Our world,” Leth says quietly.
“Hm?”
Leth hooks his fingers between Evain’s, interweaving them. “You’ve been here long enough. I think it’s your world too, by now.”
Evain breathes deep, a full-body movement against Leth’s back. Then he spins Leth around and presses him against the railing. Heart pounding, Leth gets only a glimpse of burning red eyes before Evain leans down.
