Page 40 of Fated to the Demon Lord

“Slave, get the money,” Vaelor muttered.

Imagining I was Erlinen, I replied swiftly and obediently. “Yes, my lord.” I reached into the bag and pulled out the gold and put it down on the counter.

The demon took the money and turned to reach for a key hanging behind him on the wall. “Room thirteen.”

Vaelor nodded and turned away. After taking the key, I quickly followed him. One glance over my shoulder told me that the goblin was still watching us with a much too interested gaze. A shiver rolled through me, and I hurried to catch up with Vaelor, who was mounting the stairs two at a time.

“This is supposed to be a welcoming place?”

“No, I said it was a non judgemental place,” he said.

“I’m pretty sure the price is highway robbery.”

“The inn is hidden. The cost is heightened for that reason. Demons will pay dearly for a little peace of mind.”

He came to the room and motioned for me to unlock it. I stuck the key in the lock and twisted before pulling open the heavy door. Vaelor didn’t wait and faded straight through into the room. I hurried inside, hauling the door shut and locking it tight. After all, I was in a building full of demons.

I heard a thud and spun around. Vaelor had slipped to his knees. He emitted a long groan. “Denara, my wing is not healing. I need you to slip it back into place.”

I set down the bag and hurried to his side. Gods, only a few hours ago I would have thought twice about approaching him at all, but the pain he was going through—it was my fault. He’d risked himself to protect me when I had run off and put us both in a dangerous situation.

“Why didn’t you ask me to do this sooner?” I asked.

“The discomfort was lessened while I was possessing your mount. I was unwilling to pause while we were out in the open.”

I studied the wing. The bone was broken in half, each side angled away from the other. I took a sharp breath. How had he hidden the pain so well while we were checking in? “I’ve never adjusted a wing before,” I said. Truth be told, I had never set a bone before.

“Just push it back together and hopefully that will trigger the healing.”

I reached out and ran my fingers over his soft and leathery wing. Vaelor shuddered.

“Get on with it,” he said in a gruff voice.

“I have to make sure I know what I am doing.” I leaned up on my toes, examining, making certain I understood where the two bones needed to meet. Lightly, I touched the edge of his wing near the break. Another low moan escaped him. I hadn’t realized his wings were so sensitive.

“I think I have it.” I hesitated. “This is really going to hurt.”

Vaelor gripped the bedpost and nodded. “Do it. Quickly.”

He shut his eyes as I laid my hands on the two parts of the wing and got into a firm stance. I’d need to apply a good amount of pressure to snap them together.

Gritting my teeth, I pushed.

The two bones were wrenched into place. Vaelor let out a pain-filled roar, his nails digging into the bedpost. His head tipped forward, and his breaths came heavily as he fought to breathe. “That… was torture.”

I retreated a step as Vaelor rose to his feet. Already, I could see the bones mending together. I watched in wonder. To heal so quickly.

He stretched his wings once in the small space before pulling them against his back. He released a small breath of relief.

“Feel better?” I asked.

“Much better.”

“Thank you… for back there. For saving my life.”

He released a low growl. “You still fight me when I attempt to possess you.”

“It’s not easy for me.” I looked down and then up again. “But it doesn’t hurt. Not the way it did when Raxus took over my body. Why does it feel so different?”