The pain of betrayal weighed down on her, making her swings slow and sloppy. Still, Tobias barely managed to block her attacks. Dodging a strike, he pulled out his gun, firing a single round into Keshiema’s left arm. The hot, piercing pain rang through her entire body, dropping her to her knees.

  Dásos tackled Tobias, pinning the human down and holding his hands behind his back. “I’m sorry, Kesh!” Tobias gritted his teeth through the pain in his back and arms. “But you wouldn’t listen. I didn’t hurt your friend. I saved him.” Tobias’s words barely made it past her pain, but she looked over to see a demon soldier lying bloody and lifeless near Ipos, still gripping a long spear.

  “kn….kn…knife!” Keshiema stuttered the word. Ripping Tobias’s knife from its sheath, Dásos handed it to Keshiema. With a shaky hand, she plunged the blade into the bullet wound. Though sloppy, she managed to dig out the hunk of metal, allowing her wound to begin healing. Dropping the knife, she stumbled toward Ipos.

  Falling to her knees next to the fallen demigod, she tried and failed to summon the energy to heal him. Although faint, Keshiema's sensitive ears picked up his slow, steady heartbeat, giving her a modicum of relief. She looked to Tobias with questioning eyes. “What are you doing here?”

  Dásos let Tobias stand, but with his eyes warned the human to behave. “Uvall sent for us.” Although short, Tobias’s response answered her question completely.

  “And the other two?” Her eyes were heavy, and her body ached, but she refused to succumb to the darkness.

  “Checking for survivors and treating our wounded. The king’s army was surprisingly smaller than we expected.” He cleaned his blade as he spoke, not wanting to look her in the eyes.

  “A very powerful being invaded the castle two nights ago, taking down a lot of soldiers in the process.” A voice Keshiema recognized answered Tobias for her.

  Looking past her old friend, Keshiema's eyes rested on a familiar face. “Cimeies, at your service, my lady.” The tall, dark-skinned demon took a knee, placing his hand over his chest in a respectful salute.

  Keshiema's mind flashed back to her prison cell in Adramelech’s castle. She could still see the icy walls covered in blood splatter and the two lifeless bodies on the floor. “You were dead.” she whispered, afraid the words might change the reality in front of her.

  “Almost.” The demon removed the fur band around his left forearm, revealing a spear under a round shield as his Friskalian Mark. “Though it was odd to have my powers activate on their own. Thanks to the shards of ice containing your aura, I’m sure.”

  “And the other demon? Was he…” Dásos set a hand on her shoulder, hoping to keep her grounded and give her strength.

  Cimeies shook his head. “i was able to keep him alive, but Moloch was not quite as lucky. He has not awoken yet and his condition is still unstable." Her heart sank with the reality that, in a fit of rage, she killed an ally. Seeing her grief, Cimeies backtracked. “Moloch knew the risk of awakening you. You are not the first Ice-Daemon to cross his path. His hot-headed nature did nothing to ease the tension either. He may still make it through, but if he does not, know that ot was not your fault.”

  Despair weighed her down, her tears leaving streaks on her door and blood stained cheeks. Her eyes turned black, with her hair darkening just as swiftly. “Don’t make excuses for me!” her cry echoed through the gully. “I’ve done nothing but get others hurt or killed!” she pounded her fist on the soft soil, choking back her sobs.

  Someone grabbed her hand, startling her. Looking over, she found Ipos, struggling to remain upright as he gently caressed her hand with his thumb. “We have all made mistakes at the cost of someone else's well-being. Anyone can tell you regret yours. Please don’t let them haunt you.”

  Wrapping her arms over his shoulders, she hugged him tightly. “Thank you, Damien.” She sniffled, relieved to see him awake.

  A ripple in the air caught everyone’s attention. Immediately, Ipos shoved Keshiema behind himself and stood, ready to defend her. Following his lead, Tobias and Cimeies turned around, ready to fight. Dásos chuckled, then showed his sharpened teeth in a cocky smirk. “Who do you think you’re fooling, Damien? A soft breeze could take you down right now.” He turned around slowly to face Lilith, who appeared in a cloud of shimmering blue aura.

  “Uvall sent me, he said you need to hurry up. The king is going to rally his forces. We have to leave Denim as quickly as we can. You know where to meet up."

  “Make yourself useful and take Ipos back with you,” Dásos demanded. Ipos wanted to stay with Keshiema, but his insides felt like they were still on fire. He knew it had to be Sunstone poisoning, and quick treatment was required if he wanted to avoid returning to Ethera, or worse, resetting – again. In a huff, Lilith marched over, grabbed Ipos’s shoulder, and vanished with him in tow.

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  Keshiema picked up Tobias’s knife and handed it back to him. “You should get your people out of Denim, too. The King will want revenge on everyone involved, I’m sure.”

  “We’ll find a way to contact you soon,” Dásos added.

  “I should go, then. There’s a lot to be done.” He turned to leave, but Keshiema grabbed his arm and pulled him into a hug. “Thank you for coming, Toby.” She whispered, before letting him go. A small smile tugged at Tobias’s mouth. Hearing his old nickname from her lips for the first time in twelve years felt almost magical.

  Excusing himself, Cimeies disappeared to “take care of business elsewhere,” leaving Keshiema and Dásos alone.

  “Keshiema,” Dásos turned to her. Looking over the young woman before him, Dásos frowned. Dirt and blood stained her from head to toe. The scar from Tobias’s gunshot marred her shoulder. “I’m sorry I was late.” He summoned the blue dahlia and held it up like a peace offering.

  “What’s this?” she touched his hand, staring at the delicate blossom.

  Gazing into the icy-blue pools of her eyes, Dásos answered quietly. “I brought it in case you fell in battle. This flower can bring our kind back from the brink of death.” A light sparked in her eyes, making Dásos wish he could still read her thoughts.

  “How long do I have to use this?” She hovered her hand around the petals, afraid to touch them, lest she destroy the flower.

  Smiling awkwardly, Dásos huffed. “I can keep it alive until you’re ready, be it a day or a millennium.”

  The adrenaline from her battle waned, allowing her to finally feel her exhaustion. Quickly deporting the flower, Dásos opened his arms. She stepped into his embrace with no hesitation, letting him hold her tightly.

  Within Dásos’s arms, a floodgate of emotions burst open. They sank to the ground as her legs collapsed. His presence soothed her soul, letting her finally release the rage and heartache. Tears streamed down, staining his shirt as she cried. A subtle shift told her Dásos had teleported them away from Saint Lucifer’s, but she could not bring herself to look up.

  Everything she had endured in the last hour in Vitera and during the countless hours she had spent in Ethera weighed down on her. The way Adramelech had so easily captured her. Meeting Ezekiel and Fotiá and having to abandon them while under attack by the harpies. The emotional vulnerability while talking to Nero. The unhinged bitch that was áeras. The horrible vision Fate shared with her through Aether. The trial of awakening. Retrieving her stolen memories. She was drained, both in body and mind. The uncontrollable, unrelenting heartache flowed freely until she fell asleep in Dásos’s comforting hold.

  Carefully balancing Keshiema, as not to wake her, Dásos bit his hand, drawing the shimmering, glittering black liquid made of stardust and dark matter that was his lifeblood. Placing his plan on the grass, he summoned a thick, plush bed of silky soft moss to lay her on.

  He picked acorns, making a small pile for her to eat when she finally awoke. When he noticed her star fading in and out, he built a fire to keep her warm. Finding her empty canteen he filled it in the crystal clear creek. And when she started to stir, he sat quietly by her side as she slowly awoke.

  Relief washer over he when Keshiema found the muddy gully behind the hospital had been replaced by the serene clearing she often visited in her dreams. “Tsikara crawl, Little Sparrow.” Dásos smiled softly.

  The fire crackling beside her warmed her nicely and the crisp water in canteen soothed her parched throat. Dásos took her hand and smiled sadly. “Seemed like a change of scenery was needed. I hope this is alright.” She nodded, too weak to speak. “You look exhausted. Please eat one.” He gestured to the acorns. Taking one from the pile, she examined it closely.

  “Here,” Dásos held out his hand, “Take the seed and imagine anything you’d like to eat, and it will transform.” The acorn she handed him sparkled with his green aura and morphed into a bright pink dragon fruit. Materializing a knife, he sliced open the fruit to reveal the garnet flesh.

  The sweet, juicy fruit hit the hunger that had been growing since she escaped Adramelech’s castle. When they finished eating it, her stomach grumbled, demanding more sustenance. Dásos offered her an acorn. Closing her eyes, she thought carefully.

  She knew exactly what she wanted. The warm comforting scent filled her mind. She imagined the subtle, earthy, almost nutty taste she had missed for so long. The object in her hand changed, and she could feel the warm, crispy, flaky crust. When she opened her eyes she found a small bread roll, just like her mother used to bake every fall.

  “A wheat roll?” Dásos asked, “that must have been some powerful glamour magic they used.”

  “You know, I wasn’t even supposed to eat the rolls my mom baked. But my sisters used to sneak them for me. I haven’t had wheat since...” she paused. Now that she had her memories back, that night was clear. She breathed, concentrating on the sights, sounds, and smells of the present. Dásos took her hand, helping her ground herself. “I probably shouldn’t eat this, right?”

  “it’s safe. It’s still the same seed, the change is completely superficial. You can eat them as is, too, but they are a bit bitter. So if you have the energy to spare, I’d recommend using it. ”

  He let her eat her fill before placing the rest in a soft silk bag for her. “we should go, I’m sure the others are worried about you.” Nodding, she reached for his hand, signifying she was ready.

  In an instant, the world around them rippled and changed. She found herself in an unfamiliar place. Thick cracks ran along the beige adobe walls, and light flooded the rooms through holes in the ceiling. A spiritual presence lingered within the abandoned temple, giving her a sense of peace. Before she could process anything else, a crowd of demons surrounded her.

  Cresil reached her first, wrapping his arms around her and crushing her against his chest. Stolas pulled her from his arms and looked her over with tears in his eyes. She hugged him as she felt his hesitation, forgiveness filling her heart. Snow Lily took her hand, smiling gently. The Elders kept their distance, not wanting to overwhelm her.