Page 51 of Fated to the Demon Lord

The demon extracted his weapon and didn’t move.

I wrapped my hands around Vaelor’s. “Are you… are you all right?”

The demon plunged the sword into him again, and this time I cried out.

The blade was yanked out of him. There was no blood, just three horrible gashes in Vaelor’s body that must feel excruciating. Vaelor lost his grip on the bars and crumpled to the ground.

“Get inside the cage and do not leave,” Namar commanded.

Vaelor remained still, and I held my breath. Get up. Please get up, I willed him. With slow movements, he got to his feet. He faded through the bars and collapsed onto the cage floor.

I spun to grab him, but then hesitated. It was odd that we could touch each other. Perhaps I shouldn’t give it away to the slavers. So I knelt beside him and stared at his injured form.

“Let’s get moving,” the slaver said. Namar and the hedge witch climbed onto the driver's bench of the horse-drawn wagon. A large wooden partition separated us from the front of the wagon, blocking the drivers from view. The other demon mounted a rhinoceros-like steed. Moments later, the beast lumbered into motion, taking the lead as the wagon rolled after it.

I touched Vaelor’s shoulder, and his hand reached up and squeezed mine. “I’m… glad you are unhurt,” he managed to say.

I sat back on my heels. After what he barely went through, those were his first words?

He wasn’t treating me like a tool to be used or something disposable. And when I saw the slavers hurting him, I’d wanted to wipe them from existence. I would have, if only I’d had the power.

Gods, what the hell was happening to us?

Already two days out of ten had passed. Last time it had taken nine months for me to enact an escape plan. If Vaelor didn’t find a body in time, he’d cease to exist. How were we going to get out of this before Vaelor’s time limit was up?

Fourteen

We travelled all that night, heading deeper into Misophae territory. Vaelor lay barely conscious on the floor of the cage, and I huddled by his side, knowing he’d eventually heal but wishing there was some way I might help him.

When we stopped to water the horses, the hedge witch came to my cage. She wore hand-woven clothes and a necklace of demon teeth. Flowers adorned her dark hair. She held out a waterskin. I wasn’t too proud to take it and drink.

“You differ from the other humans we have taken into captivity,” she said.

“Why do you say that?”

“I’m unsure, but I sense something about you.”

“You’re wrong. I’m nothing.” I was incapable of anything. I couldn’t heal Vaelor, couldn’t help us escape. Useless.

She took the waterskin from me, her expression suspicious. “Say what you will, but my instincts are rarely off.”

I wanted to throw something at her. How dare she come and taunt me in my captivity? I sat back, refusing to respond to her more.

She didn’t appear fazed. “Perhaps I’ll tell Namar not to sell you for too low a price.”

“What… do you want with me?” Vaelor asked, his voice full of pain.

The hedge witch laughed. “You don’t know? There are spells and magic that use spirits to bring about dark, powerful purposes.”

“You mean… use me in sacrificial spells.”

“It'll be painful.” Her smile grew as a cold delight shone in her eyes. “Even for a spirit.”

Vaelor’s lip curled. “Go to hell.”

The hedge witch only laughed again before walking off. I watched her go, anger clutched in my chest. “Gods, I wish I had powers so I could cast page ten on her.”

“Page ten?” Vaelor asked.