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I’m not sure what I would do if I had to come across one of the xaphan.
My hand goes automatically to the knife that I always keep at my belt, and my mind goes to the knife that I stuck into my boot.
At least I’d be ready if I had to come across any of them,I think to myself ruefully.
I don’t have many regrets about moving to Sarziroch. But the thing that gnaws at me, that won’t leave me alone, is the fact that I never found and killed Zephon.
The xaphan that was responsible for my mother’s death.
He is the one xaphan, out of all I have killed, who actually deserves what I had in store for him. I spent years tracking him, trying to find him, trying to kill him.
But that was one kill I never made. It was a kill I always hoped I would make.
It was just time for you to leave. You had no choice. They were tracking you. They were closing in on you. You left for your own safety.
And now look at all you have done! You have made an entirely new life for yourself.
I continue to stand at the window, almost listlessly, and watch the passersby.
It is close to opening time. Some of the other staff will come in soon, so at least I won’t be alone with Tonnolun for much longer.
I jump when he shouts at me then.
“Elia! Hurry up! For fuck’s sake! You’re slower than a dead equu!” Tonnolun yells at me from the back of the bakery, and I hurry to place the second batch of hearts in the oven.
The third batch of bread is also done, so I take it out to cool down when Tonnolun comes over to me.
He is a large demon, with arms that are the size of tree trunks. He has horns curling from his forehead and his upper teeth are sharp and long, extending over his lower lip, even when his mouth is closed.
“You’re looking pretty today,” he tells me bluntly. I take a step away from him and cross my arms over my chest.
I almost roll my eyes. This isn’t the first time Tonnolun has tried to hit on me.
He must see my impatience because his eyes flash angrily. “Listen to me, you little bitch. I’ll have you in my bed someday. Whether you want it or not. In fact, it doesn’t even need to be my bed.”
I can feel his anger, and more importantly, I can feel his power. I know that I cannot be too impatient, or too dismissive, in front of Tonnolun because he has enough strength to wring my neck right off my head.
And I am quite sure that that is something he has done before.
I know that all the other girls – all of them human – in the bakery have reluctantly slept with Tonnolun to keep their jobs. I also know that the only reason he hasn’t fired me yet is because I practically run the place.
But my days are numbered. If I don’t sleep with him, he’ll fire me eventually.
Tonnolun reaches for me, yanking on the sleeve of my shirt and dragging me towards the back of the store.
“No!” I squeal angrily, kicking at him though it makes no difference. “Let me go!”
All Tonnolun does is laugh heartily as he slams me into the shelves at the back of the storeroom.
“You need to learn a lesson, girl.” Tonnolun growls the words. He licks his lips as he looks down at me. All I can feel is his hot, sour breath on my face.
I know I’ll never be able to forget the feeling of his fingertips digging into my arms. I’ll never be able to forget the feel of his thigh, forcing my legs apart as he licks the side of my face.
You could go for your knife. You could kill him so easily. But who would believe a human? The demons here rape and kill human women every day. If you kill him, you’re writing your own death sentence.
My body goes slack as Tonnolun moves away from me slightly and starts to pull down his trousers.
But then we both hear it. The bakery’s bell that hangs over the door jingles. Someone has just entered the bakery.
