I should step away. Should reject his touch. But even now, even with all he’s done, I can’t. I don’twantto. In fact, the only thing I do want is to lean in, to demand he move his hand lower. To touch methere?—-
I shake my head, pushing those dangerous desires to the back of my mind. I blink heavily, focusing on the demon’s mouth, the words flowing from his full, perfect lips.
“You’re safe here, like this. They won’t try to take you from me, or make me send you back.” He frowns. “At least, not unless they find you.”
I’m not sure whothey are, but I don’t think I’ll like them any better than this creature. “I want to go home,” I whisper.
Ignoring my request, he touches my belly, frowning in concentration. “Are you hungry? I’m not sure how often your kind needs to eat…”
At the mention of food, my stomach rumbles. I hadn’t eaten the morning of my wedding, so God only knows how long it’s been since I last had a decent meal.
I was so looking forward to that wedding cake…
Thinking about the cake has my stomach letting out a loud, angry growl, and the demon jerks back in alarm, his eyes wide as he stares down at my belly.
“Your stomach… it… spoke.”
“It does that. When I’m hungry,” I explain.
“So youarehungry!” he says, happily. “I will procure some food for you to fill your belly.”
“That’s not necessary. Just take me back home—” But it’s too late. He’s gone.
I stare at the wall of ice, the hide draped over the exit, functioning like a door. There’s no way for me to get out of these chains, no way for me to call for help. I’m not physically strong enough, and if I scream, I could alert thoseothersthat he spoke of.
It’s best to keep silent and wait for his return—and plan my eventual escape.
4
Rhune
What doesa human female like to eat?
I’ve never interacted with any of the human kind directly, but I’ve witnessed many male hunters in the woods killing deer and the like, so I know her species eats meat, at the very least.
The souls of the beings that dwell in The Far Place taste pretty foul to demons, but I’m hoping the flesh is better and will be acceptable for her human palate until I can take a trip back to the living realm.
The storm was bad when I brought my human to my home, but in the short time since, it’s tripled in strength. Flurries of snow whip around me violently, clinging to the tops of my wings and frosting the tips of my lashes. I can see no more than a hand’s length in front of my nose, and I’m having to navigate the landscape by muscle memory and scent alone. My muscles have grown sluggish, my fingertips numb, and no matter how much I will my wings to pump faster, they refuse. It’s all I can do to keep them moving, to fight against the frigid storm. The suit I wear is imbued with magic and helps keep out the worst of the cold, but even still, it creeps beneath my skin and causes me to shiver.
Experiencing these conditions firsthand, I’m even more grateful that I was able to get my Willow to safety when I did. Gods only know what would have happened to her if she was caught in this snowstorm.I’mbeginning to feel the effects of the weather, and my body was designed to thrive in it.
Unable to see through the dense flurry, I tilt my body downward, my wings outstretched and glorious as I glide lower to the ground. I sail beneath the canopy of the welwig forest, adjusting my speed so I don’t accidentally smash into the thick, twining branches.
My wings flap hard against the air, stopping my forward momentum and allowing me to float softly to the frozen ground. As soon as my feet touch the ice, I take in a deep breath, enjoying the little bubble of tranquility.
The welwigs grow so tall and thick in this part of The Far Place that they completely block out the snow and wind—making it a perfect spot to escape the storm.As long as you’re not scared of monsters, that is.
There are horrible creatures that live in the heart of this forest. Things that would givemenightmares. Things that I have only ever heard of in whispers and dreams. I have no desire to ever come across one of these beings, so I will be sticking to the perimeters to look for food for Willow. The beasts that roam this portion are far less formidable.
Speaking of beasts…
I gaze to my left, spying the fuzzy pink head of my familiar peeking out from behind one of the welwigs. Once he notices that I’ve spotted him, Sasu tips his nose into the air, letting out a happy chitter.
“Did you come to give me company?” I crouch down, holding my hand out, and Sasu jogs toward me. He presses his forehead into my palm, and I give him a few gentle scratches, grinning as his eyes flutter closed. I’m not entirely sure how me and Sasucame to be bonded—I don’t know if anyone is alive who does—but I’ve grown to love his company over the decades we’ve been together.
He’s an odd-looking creature with his bird feet and bread-shaped, fuzzy body, but he’smyweirdo. The tiny pink capybara has kept me company when I needed it most, and has given me a reason to smile on the darkest days. Before I met my Willow, he was really the only thing that made me happy. Now that I have my mate in my bed, there will be twice the love and happiness to go around.
Newly invigorated with thoughts of my mate, I begin looking for food. I roam the woods for some time, searching tirelessly for a hint of movement, listening for a creak or misplaced footstep. There is nothing. No scurrying eesle, no tweeting craws. Even the flaylings have abandoned their homes, and no matter how many tree cavities I gaze into, I cannot find anything for my mate to eat.
