Page 65 of Fated to the Demon Lord

“Using magic on him is too risky,” Vaelor said. “Mirvarax, with his shifting ability, is dangerous.”

“Aren’t shapeshifters illegal in the united demon kingdoms?” I asked.

“Mirvarax is a dragon shifter. They differ from the illegal shapeshifters who can turn into any form. Mirvarax has a single demon form and a single dragon form,” Vaelor explained. “Nonetheless, their closeness to shapeshifters often leads to their ostracism, driving them to Misophae, where the mightiest among them rise as warlords.”

“I see.” I massaged my legs. It had been a while since I’d ridden a horse for this long a time, and I knew I’d be sore by the end of the day, but I didn’t care. While Vaelor had no problem keeping up and wouldn’t tire, I wasn’t as well built—or dead. I just wanted to get to Gerand as quickly as possible. “So you request a meeting with Mirvarax and then…”

“I’ll speak with him and suggest that I am in search of a suitable body to bond with. I’ll offer him the money that Bargoth and the town have supplied me so he knows I can reward him. He’ll then call all his largest, brutish guards to him to show off.”

“That leaves fewer demons on the property to stop us from going after Gerand,” I said. It was a brilliant plan.

“Exactly,” Vaelor said. “I’ve visited Mirvarax once before. I assume your brother is among the lowest servants and field hands. They live in the buildings behind the barn, at the back of the compound.”

“I could cast a location spell. I have this agate that Gerand gave me.” Mother tapped a stone on a necklace around her neck. “If we are close enough, the magic will work, and I can use it to find him before anyone notices.”

“No,” Vaelor said a bit viciously. “While many demons are unaware of the scent of hedge witch magic, if one is familiar with it, they’ll smell it from a mile away. It could draw them right to you before you even reached Gerand.”

“If we spend too long searching, we might get caught anyway,” Mother pointed out.

“Keep your head down, pretend to be slaves. That is your best option to remain overlooked and to find your brother.” His gaze met mine. “Work within the system to find him. If you attempt to work without it, they’ll catch you.”

Mother’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t argue. She dropped behind Erlinen and Feron to speak with Bargoth, who brought up the rear of our procession.

“You don’t trust hedge witch magic,” I said.

He glanced at me and hesitated before answering, “Hedge witches work outside systems and use their power to hurt others.”

I didn’t know how to respond. Technically, I couldn’t argue with that. Only the day before I’d used my magic to hurt Namar. “I freed you with my powers.”

“And you keep me bound with the same power.” He eyed the finger I wore around my neck with annoyance.

I stretched my hand out and made contact with its fleshy texture, and swiftly let go as my gut twisted from the unsettling sensation. I couldn’t release him. He was the only one who knew anything about Mirvarax. I needed him to help me save my brother. “Why didn’t you tell me about Gerand when Bargoth bought me and you thought you wouldn’t see me again?”

“You were just sold off to be a slave. The last thing I wanted to do was make you believe you could venture into demon lands and complete such a task on your own. No matter how formidable you are, a human in demon territory alone is a recipe for death.”

I clenched my teeth. “Do you think that matters to me? I mean, I don’t want to die, but I would have taken my chances. But I never would have known because you withheld that information from me.” Part of me understood his reasoning. I also wasn’t sure I could accept it.

His wings spread and then clamped onto his back in agitation. “Nobody matters except you,” he growled. “I refuse to put you in danger without a way out. I won’t allow it.”

My cheeks grew warm, and I opened my mouth, my heart hammering. “And what about you? Time is running out.”

The annoyance in his gaze increased. “Is that your plan? Keep me here, stop me from claiming a body and get rid of me for good?”

My unease mounted, followed by a small spike of panic. “We still need you. I need you to save my brother. You know the layout. You’re familiar with Mirvarax.”

He snorted. “And yet you offer me no choice in the matter.”

A wave of guilt mixed with my apprehension. “I can’t let you go.” Because if I did, he might leave me.

Vaelor slowed his pace as my horse carried me onward, falling behind to walk beside Erlinen and Feron and leaving me alone ahead of them.

When we stopped after the sun went down, Vaelor continued to maintain his distance. I heard him offering to keep watch all night, considering a spirit didn’t need sleep. It didn’t matter, I told myself. I ate and then rolled out my mat.

I covered up in my bedroll and tried to watch the fire and not search for him. It was the excitement of finally finding Gerand that kept me awake, not the thought of Vaelor’s justified annoyance, my guilt, and the twinge of fear at the idea of setting him free. Sometime, when the flames had faded and those around me were long asleep, I managed to slip off into slumber.

When I awoke, I found Vaelor huddled close, watching me.

I stretched, enjoying his nearness and being the center of his gaze. I took in the way his shirt tightened over his massive shoulders and how the muscles in his legs bulged when he squatted. My fingers itched, wanting to run my hands over those muscles to feel their hardness under my hand. Shit. Was I allowed to have these thoughts of the demon who had been my captor only a couple of days before? I rubbed my eyes, drowsy and unwilling to lay claim to my normal inhibitions. My thoughts wandered to the daydream I’d had of him the other day—me on top of him, completely bare, and I was annoyed that clothes were such an inconvenient barrier between us.