The door to the outside opened, and all eyes turned toward it. A figure strode in, folding his brown feathered wings, or rather, winged arms, in front of him as he took in the room. Much like the demon with antlers, he wore loose white robes with light green accents. His gaze found mine, and he smiled, walking toward us in slow, quiet steps. I squinted at him.

  He paused just a few short feet away from me and leaned forward, bringing his eye level closer to my own.

  “Hello, little one. I’m told you speak Thelsian and not the Rhuyi tongue?” he spoke in a low and soft tone.

  I gave him a slow nod, suspicious of how overly cautious and genial he was being. As though he were worried I might dash away and run at the slightest provocation.

  Which to be fair, was still quite tempting.

  Then the demon turned toward the three others, asking them a question. The priestess gave a short response, prompting him to turn back to me.

  “Introductions then,” he said, switching back to Thelsian. His winged arm rose up to press a hand against his chest. “You may call me Fetan. I’m a simple priest of our Eternal Sanctum of Spirits. And as I do not believe we have met before, I’ll say it is quite the pleasure to meet you, young vyxa.”

  He paused, as though waiting for a response.

  “Umm, right.”

  The winged demon simply nodded. “Our armored friend here is known as Kalthuln. I do hope his presence here does not bother you muchly, as he is here rgely for your protection.”

  A likely story.

  He continued, “My fellow priestess here is known as Baelis. As she does not yet know the Thelsian nguage, I was called on to transte in her stead. And stly we have our friendly merchant, Hssthalis, whom I believe you may have met before?” The way he said her name emphasized the consonants in a way that made it sound like it came from another nguage entirely, or at the very least, a very different naming convention.

  I shook my head, not at all willing to admit or hint at my crimes. Even though I was currently wearing said crimes.

  “I see,” he said with an amused smile. “Can you tell us what your name is, little vyxa?”

  I gnced momentarily at Ofnan, wondering if he’d openly contradict me. “It’s Aqua,” I stated tersely.

  Would it matter if I gave my actual name—or what had seemingly become my actual name? I wasn’t sure. Though perhaps it was time I started to be a bit more cautious, assuming it wasn’t already too te.

  “Well, I’m very pleased to meet you, Aqua,” the demon responded, not appearing at all suspicious of the name.

  “What do all of you want?”

  I looked over toward the arachne and the armored one, Kalthuln, before I could stop myself. Fetan’s eyes followed.

  Then he nodded. “Yes, I rather regret to admit that this is at least in part about dear Hssthalis and one of her goods having gone… missing.” He eyed my cloak and I made a point of not freezing up or looking away.

  “I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about.”

  The demon hesitated a moment, meeting my gaze before gncing over toward the priestess. “Of course. That is only part of why my good friend Baelis and I are here to see you, as I mentioned.”

  At her name, the priestess moved closer, still staring at me with open curiosity.

  Fetan gave her a disgruntled look, his tone changing as he chastised her in their nguage. She blinked, looking back at him, her face forming an expression I couldn’t identify.

  “Please excuse her. She is young and new to these sorts of duties, and it seems the tales we’ve heard of you have left her somewhat fascinated.”

  “Tales?” Tales?

  He hummed. “Yes, I assume you are the vyxa who fought in the arena earlier today?”

  “Well, more like a few minutes ago, but yes,” I responded with some reluctance, unsure how much I wanted to tell him, or whether I could get away with ciming I’d been here most of the day.

  “And I’m led to believe you won your duel, in fact. Then there was the incident at the market that, well… Perhaps I’d best leave it at that for the moment. So yes, tales. I’m led to believe that you’re the vyxa who has been causing quite the ruckus around the city over the st few days.” he concluded.

  “I’m sure you have me confused with someone else.”

  “I’m sure.” He sighed, before changing the subject. “Tell me, Aqua, where have you been staying recently?”

  “Staying?”

  “Ah, yes. I believe that is the correct word, is it not? I do not speak Thelsian often, I’ll admit. I’m curious where you’ve been sleeping at night.”

  Was he being genuine, or was that condescension? It was too difficult to tell.

  “I don’t see how it’s your business where I sleep,” I hissed.

  “The health and safety of vyxa in and around Asphodel is always the business of the Sanctum,” he decred.

  “Well, not for me, it isn’t,” I insisted back.

  Rather than responding to me, the priest stared, a look of conflict on his face. Then his expression softened.

  “Perhaps I have gone about this poorly,” he admitted, before taking in the room around us. “Now that I’m considering it, it is a bit uncouth of me to have such a sensitive conversation out in the open like this. Shall we head to the Sanctum, then? We have quite a few individuals there who are much more qualified to discuss these sorts of matters.”

  “And if I decline to go with you?”

  He blinked, as if not having considered this possibility. “Well, I suppose, I must rather insist on it.” When I didn’t respond, he continued, “I’m sure you wouldn’t want to make a scene over something so trivial, would you?”

  If it gave me an escape from this nonsense? I most assuredly would. But given the presence of the armored guards, I didn’t like my current chances. Still, this was such an annoyance, and when I was just getting my bearings as well. The goal of finding Lilis was getting pushed back more and more.

  I huffed. “Fine, we’ll do this your way.” For now.

  “Excellent! Is there anything you perhaps need to finish up here, before we depart?”

  I pondered the question. Would it be better to leave my other clothes here? It felt unwise to reveal my origins more than necessary, given how little information I had. I gnced over to Ofnan, who met my gaze with his own questioning one.

  “I’m still getting paid, aren’t I?” I asked.

  “Ah.” The bat-like demon shrugged. “Arena will send… ter.”

  “Very well.” I turned back to Fetan, putting together an air of being both in control and confident. The arena would just have to hold onto my academy clothes for the moment. “I’m ready. Please lead the way.”

  We did not, in fact, immediately leave. Fetan and the priestess had to sort things out with Hssthalis, who it seemed would not be going with us. The arachne merchant did not put up much of a fuss about her unresolved stolen cloak, to my surprise, instead giving us all a polite smile before heading off in a different direction. Kalthuln followed behind her, leaving just the priest, priestess, myself, and Ofnan. I said my goodbyes to the batty arena guard, who told me in return I was always welcome back. His statement helped to ease my mind a little, since it implied that he believed I’d probably have the opportunity to return despite my crimes. Hopefully his insistence that I not be so worried held some credence behind it.

  I was still waiting for the other shoe to fall, no matter how soft the gloves they all wore proved to be.

  The moment we left, I was reminded of the three demons guarding the door. They formed up around us, or rather around me, with one behind me and the other two at my sides. Fetan cimed they were there for protection, in some effort to ease my mind. But I was no fool. Perhaps that was part of the reason they were there, but they surely had no intentions of letting me run off either.

  The priest and priestess led the way forward. Fetan regaled me with the wonders of the “Eternal Sanctum of Spirits,” while somehow telling me very little at all about it. Bh bh bh sanctuary for spirits and demons, bh bh bh beautiful gardens, bh bh bh important sacred duties.

  I got some hints at what the pce might actually be like mixed in with his flowery extolment. Much more telling, however, was the direction we were heading.

  The mesa loomed in front of us. Any smaller buildings from the market and other parts of the city gave way to grander structures. Most of them looked to be residences, though I was only guessing at best. It wasn’t as though I could peek inside of them. What was clear though was that the further we went the more immacute they became, be it spiky red and green hedges, rger buildings, or gated gardens with fanciful fountains.

  The mesa itself rose continually higher as we neared, a sheer cliff-face of white rock with moss and small pnts growing in patches around its edges. The city hugged around it, those buildings closest to its wall trying and failing to match its grandeur. There was something magical about that towering mass of reflective white rock and the tall jungle that sat atop it. And the city seemed to agree. Fetan had mentioned spirits. Now I wonder if that was where they dwelled.

  Eventually the wide, clean street met alongside a river that merged with a waterfall tumbling down the mesa in a distant roar. Its existence confused me somewhat, but I was no expert on the nature of water; I didn’t bother to question it. How it existed was less important to me than the fact that it did.

  Despite how wide the street grew, its popuce dwindled. Typical of areas with wealth. It seemed some things never changed no matter what realm you were in. We also passed two succubi—or vyxa, as I would likely need to begin calling them—both with the same red skin as my own and long bck hair. Neither of them traveled alone. Given how few I’d seen in other areas of the city, even when crowded, it made me wonder. And I didn’t like the potential conclusions.

  The street went all the way up to the cliff edge, much to my surprise, and we followed it all the way there. At the end was a small half-circle square with benches and some kind of pulley contraption up against the cliff-side. There, opposite the river and waterfall was a wide tower, with bricks the same color of stone as the mesa wall. The two clerics led me toward its entrance, or at least its lower entrance. Much like many other buildings in the city, there were two small nding areas for those who could fly higher up. I eyed them with a scowl.

  Two long banner fgs stretched down on each side of the entry doors, the same slightly creamy white as the priestly robes, with a detailed flower pattern in the middle done in light green and tiny flecks of red. A guard stood watch outside, some of the leather of their armor dyed a simir green. And now that I happened to be looking at it, I noticed our own guards were dressed much the same. I wasn’t sure if realizing I was being accompanied specifically by temple guards made me feel better or worse.

  With a few words to the demon standing guard, we were allowed entry. He opened the tall sleek doors and the two clerics led me in, our retinue of guards staying behind outside. I couldn’t help but notice how nervous Baelis suddenly became, her back straightening and eyes scanning the way forward rather than constantly gncing my way.

  A small part of me wondered if this would be the right time to find a route to escape, though I wasn’t sure I fancied attempting to jump down from one of the other exits. Instead, I followed them through a short hall full of decorous pnts, a rge mirror, paintings, and other trivialities, all of which set an affluent, almost luminous vibe. Then we moved up the stairs and into a rge office.

  The room was immacute, with not a speck of dust to be found. At the tall desk in the center was another arachne demon, holding two books while writing on smooth white paper. She looked up as we entered, four extra eyes opening to take us in. Much like the other arachne, her mouth split down the middle, creating an eerie sight as she asked some question I couldn’t understand. The priest, Fetan, gave a few words in response, and a short silence followed.

  The tower was a level of quiet well beyond that of the still city outside, only the sharp click of the arachne’s fingers along the desk breaking it. I fidgeted as her eyes found me, looking me up and down. The demon turned to the priestess, who somehow stood up even straighter. With a simple word or two, she dismissed her, and Baelis gave a deep bow before leaving.

  Then the arachne turned back to Fetan, and after a short exchange, she stood, several spidery limbs almost climbing up the wall to get to a drawer that was out of reach. From it, she pulled out a key, or at least what I suspected was some kind of key.

  It was a long silvery piece of metal, with key-like patterns, but instead of just one edge and biting, it had more than four. On its end, a delicate silver flower swirled outward, each petal appearing to be meticulously crafted. In short, it was no normal key.

  The arachne handed it over, and Fetan gave what I expected was a word of thanks. Then we departed.

  I couldn’t hold my questions any longer. As we exited the tower, I decided to start by asking Fetan exactly what that was all about.

  — — —

  “Finally found you, my little Ruby,” Berithal’tiil Leshn said, his voice a low rumble. “To think you ended up here of all pces.”

  The rge ogre leaned across the railing, his weight enough to make it creak. He watched as the vyxa, clerics, and their guards left the arena in the direction of the Sanctum.

  While the deal with the human boy, Melkar, was all but nullified, he had still cimed the vyxa as his and had no intentions of giving her up. Regardless of the obstacle. Especially so after getting to see the end of that endearing little fight she’d had in the arena. No, he would have her. Of that, he was quite certain, even if the Sanctum now presented an unfortunately difficult impediment.

  “But how to go about getting you back?” he pondered.

  FlitterPuff