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Axle was too carried away with the image of her admiring the portrait and his home to be able to predict the kick in the groin that came in swift and hard. Again, she had him by surprise—and this time hurt even more than the first.
“You have to stop doing that!”
“Soon as you stop being an asshole.” She smirked. It was little recompense for treating her the way he did.
“Get some rest,” he hissed. “Maybe you’ll stop being so cranky.”
He could see how tired she was just staring at her. He could also see how much she was willing to argue rather than listen to him.
“I am exhausted.” She sighed silently.
“Down the hall to your right. The third room. First room is mine, second should not be opened. Third is yours for the taking.” He felt her staring at him, and he added before she could speak, “Don’t ask.”
She nodded and walked down the hallway to the third door.
Axle had not expected her to go so willingly, but it was a good thing that she did. Next, he needed to talk to Bingwen. He was the only one who would have some answers. The only one who could possibly begin to understand.
He called the man and in less than an hour, he arrived, faster than Axle had thought he would.
“And what do I owe this honor?” Bingwen said the minute he entered. He paused in the hallway, sniffed around and peered back at Axle.
“Someone’s here. A woman. And no, I’m not that kind of psychic yet, I can just tell by her scent.”
Axle smiled. “Or maybe I now like fancy flowers.”
Bingwen scoffed. “And the sky is pink.”
“Well, you’re right anyway. There is a woman here.”
The sorcerer smirked. “Well, you dirty fox.”
“No, it’s nothing like that.” Thinking of Natalie in a romantic way just didn’t seem right to Axle. The woman worked on his nerves and defied him in ways no one would think to. His woman would have to be more…submissive. “Actually, it’s regarding her I called you here.”
The smile on Bingwen’s face faded once he saw the seriousness and possible dread in Axle’s eyes. He plopped himself onto the sofa and bit into an apple he found on the centerpiece.
“What if that’s poisoned?”
“And why would you poison an apple? Who were you expecting, Snow White?”
“No, but you could pass for a dwarf.”
“Haha, very funny,” the man said with a bland, wrinkled face. “So, what about the woman? She’s human, isn’t she?”
“Before now, I was pretty certain. Now…not so much. She…she saw a demon.”
Bingwen paused. “A demon? That’s not possible. It should not be. Even I can only see them because of my magic.”
Axle could tell that the old man’s pride was piqued, and he was pleased by it. The look on his face knowing that he was not as special as he thought himself to be was one that would live in Axle’s memory forever, and one he would probably taunt the man with. But not now. Now, he needed his help.
“It shook me to my core. I can only imagine how terrified she must feel. I mean, she was the one who got attacked and fought it off.”
“By herself? That’s brave.” Again, there was an undertone of jealousy that Axle enjoyed. Being envious of a woman because she had some unidentified special abilities was just the most Bingwen thing ever.
“She’s asleep now. You should see her before she wakes. Come with me.”
Bingwen took a final bite and dropped the core of the apple back on the centerpiece.
“You know, I’ve killed men for less hideous crimes.”
