All three demons stared at me, each equally flummoxed.

  “Enough with all this. You brought me here to talk, so let’s talk.”

  The armored one was the first to recover. “Do you think you can just arrive here and immediately demand things of a High Pries—”

  “Oh, its fine Rist. She’s just spirited!” the high priestess, Hetka interrupted. She leaned down, two hands pressed against her knees as the other two arms stretched behind her. Her voice was high and sweet as she continued, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, little vyxa. I’m Hetka, one of the high priestesses here. Can I have your name?”

  She reached out one of her hands, and I eyed the smooth, brown appendage.

  This was getting beyond ridiculous. I’d done my best to ignore their belittling comments, but even I could only put up with so much. Still, if I could get some information out of them, perhaps my thoroughly tested patience would be redeemed.

  I slipped my smaller palm into hers, allowing her to lead me into a rather vigorous handshake.

  “It’s Aqua,” I deadpanned, almost forgetting to use the fake name.

  It was only as she released me that I realized she was the first demon to give me an actual handshake. All the others had raised our hands up into the air with a small bow. My eyes narrowed as I looked at her in a new light. She’d done that intentionally.

  “Well, it’s a delight to meet you, Aqua! I try to get to know all the vyxa who pass through here, at least a little.” She rocked back up from her crouch, shifting her wings to keep her easy bance.

  “And what does ‘passing through here’ entail exactly?”

  “Oh! I’m gd you asked. There’s so much for you to learn! Let’s see,” she said, tapping her chitinous chin. “Everyone is taught a bit of etiquette and dance, of course. And we give nguage and writing lessons to those who need it.”

  She gnced back and forth, as though looking for spies, before leaning forward, cupping her mouth with a whisper, “They said you don’t speak Rhuyi at all, is that right? Did you happen to come here from the human realm?”

  I was quick to pick up on how she was turning my questions into questions of her own. Her bubbly words and behavior were clearly meant to push past my barriers and to let my guard down, regardless of how intentional or not it was. How much of it was genuine and how much fake?

  “I don’t see how that would be any of your business if I had.”

  There was a moment’s pause, where no one said anything.

  The knightly ogre cleared her throat. “High Priestess, perhaps we should…”

  “Oh, right! Why don’t we show you around as we talk?”

  I sighed. “Fine.”

  “I suppose this is where I take my leave then,” Fetan said with a bow. “I hope the rest of your day is as pleasant as the spring breeze.”

  Before I could say more, one of Hetka’s hands reached for mine. I tried to pull away, but she held firm. The moth demon pulled me forward at an eager pace, forcing me to jog to keep up.

  “L-let me g-go!” I shouted. “Slow down!”

  She did the tter, completely ignoring my attempts to pull my hand free.

  “You’re new. I wouldn’t want you to get lost,” she responded in that same bright tone.

  “I’m not going to get lost,” I growled.

  “Aw, but what if you do? I just couldn’t let something like that happen. I’m one of the high priestesses.”

  My annoyance finally boiled over.

  “Stop that! What in the Under is wrong with you!?” I yelled.

  At that, she finally released me. The high priestess turned, eyes somehow even wider than normal and lips parted. A soft breeze rolled against her wings and the feathery hairs on them swayed. To my surprise, she appeared genuinely shocked.

  “High Priestess, perhaps it would be better if I handle this one.”

  Risteldna’s voice was low, something almost threatening simmering beneath her words. Her feet paused a short pace behind me, and I turned slightly to put the demon back in my sight.

  Another awkward moment of silence passed before the high priestess sighed and slumped. “Very well, I’ll let you take the lead then.”

  The knightly priestess curled her arm against her waist and gave her a smooth bow. Then she turned to me.

  “Aqua, allow me to properly welcome you to the Sanctum. I understand you may be rather confused at the moment, and so I will overlook your previous outbursts. But know that I won’t allow any further shows of disrespect, particurly toward High Priestess Hetka.”

  A polite hostility. At least it was something I knew how to deal with. I felt a familiar mask slide into pce, my back straightening.

  “Very well, Priestess Risteldna. Though I would appreciate some actual expnations.”

  Her eyes narrowed, presumably finding fault in my words. “I will do my best to summarize things for you. I’m sure you know at least vaguely why you’ve been brought here. Two merchants were stolen from earlier today, and you are accused of being the culprit, having matched their description and been identified by merchant Strii Hssthalis. We’ll need to examine what you’re currently wearing to see whether the magical signature within matches their description.

  “We will also request that you reveal where you’ve been residing, as well as any other locations where you may have things stored. I’ll note that it would be wise to be honest. We already have a tip from an anu yesterday evening about where a vyxa matching your description has been staying, or rather squatting.”

  Finally! Some straightforward fucking answers. I did my best to keep my face passive as I considered her words, realizing just how deep in shit I was. Before she could continue or I could give it much thought, the high priestess butted back in.

  “Rist, you’re going to scare her.”

  “I think she can handle it,” the knight commented dryly.

  Ignoring her, Hetka gave me a soft smile, holding up all four of her hands. “Don’t worry. Even if you’ve been a bit naughty, punishments for vyxa are different than they are for most others. And we’ll be able to take care of it.”

  Opting to ignore her condescension, I replied, “Fetan mentioned a fine?”

  “You should call him Priest Fetan,” Risteldna informed, “at least until you begin learning the proper words in Rhuyi. Which we can get to ter.” She gave me an expectant look.

  “Right. Priest Fetan, then.”

  The knight nodded. “As for the fine—yes, that is the standard punishment for minor theft for your kind. Though as High Priestess Hetka mentioned, the Sanctum will take care of it for you.”

  “I believe,” I spoke carefully, meeting her eyes. “That I would rather take care of the fine myself.”

  The two gnced at each other. Then the robed moth demon stepped slightly forward.

  “That’s…” she began, before trailing off. “I would strongly advise against that.”

  “What High Priestess Hetka means to say is that it won’t be possible.”

  “And why not?” I asked, a slight hiss in my voice.

  “You’re a vyxa. And if our guess is right, one that is not bonded, homeless, and squatting in an old storage building that’s barely standing. Under Havkh w, that means you fall under our protection.”

  Fuck. Fuck!

  I should have jumped out of the second story fucking doorway in that stupid tower. Or better yet, just never joined the arena to fight to begin with. Though they would have probably caught and found me before long, regardless, if they’d already found where I was sleeping.

  My hands tightened into fists. “And what? You just fucking keep me here? Locked up somewhere on this stupid rock?”

  This was worse than I’d expected. No, that wasn’t entirely true. This was almost exactly what I expected, in a way. I knew coming in that I’d likely have to break out of here. I simply hadn’t expected they’d also already found out so much about me, to the extent that they’d even discovered where I slept. My presence in the city was even less subtle than I’d thought, it seemed. Which would make escaping here a challenge.

  And I’d hoped, for a small moment, that I could avoid being some kind of prisoner. Still, I was, or at least had been, a Zelian. No one could keep me locked up against my will for long.

  “Did I not tell you that your disrespect would not be tolerated?” the ogre asked, stepping toward me.

  I could feel the intensity of her gre, the magic in the air suddenly sharp, as though ready to snap and sh out at me. My foot slid back as she towered above.

  “Rist!” the high priestess interrupted. “This is why I never let you do this sort of thing. You know that vyxa are delicate. You can’t just…” Her words trailed as she took a deep breath.

  Hetka turned back to me, pity written all over her face as she opened her mouth to speak.

  I sneered, growling as I said, “Don’t you even fucking dare, you—”

  Suddenly, an immense pressure fell over me, knocking the breath entirely out of my lungs. It took everything I had not to simply crumble to the ground, not in pain, but from the sheer weight of it. I felt small—entirely out of my depth. The simple attack was showing just how out of my depth I truly was. Then, as fast it began, the pressure disappeared. I stumbled, barely catching myself.

  An arm pressed against my back and another hand gently touched my shoulder. Beside me, Hetka gred at “Rist” as she held me. Switching back to their other nguage, she was chastising her. This time with far more fervor than before. I bet the annoying ogre only stopped because Hetka stepped in to rescue me.

  Ugh, saved by the condescending high priestess.

  Part of me wanted to tch onto her, to seize her offer of comfort and security, even knowing that it might be a lie.

  Said high priestess turned back to me, her expression softening. “Don’t worry, it’s not anywhere near as bad as you’re thinking. We’re a sanctuary,” the moth demon emphasized. “We protect vyxa like yourself. Priestess Risteldna wasn’t lying when she said that it is our duty to do so. You’re safe here.”

  Having finally caught my breath, I pulled away from her.

  “I don’t need ‘protection.’ And I have other things I need to do, things that I can’t do while sitting here locked up.”

  The high priestess crouched down, bringing her gaze level with my own. One of her arms seemed to instinctually drift back toward me, but my gre made her pause.

  “Are you, by chance, searching for someone?” she asked.

  My eyes narrowed. “And why would I be searching for someone?”

  “Well, I know a certain kh’aithri, that is, a demon like myself, who has been searching for a vyxa rather simir to you. One that goes by Ruby, and who would be more familiar with a nguage like Thelsian than the Rhuyi tongue.”

  I crossed my arms, turning away from her. Some part of me feared that if she kept staring into my eyes, she’d see right through them to the truth.

  As if she didn’t already know.

  “A coincidence, I’m sure.”

  Of course that demon was still looking for me. It was her fault that I was here, after all. Though I had no pns of giving into her designs for me, whatever they may be, anymore than my father’s or those of the demons here.

  “Furi’el isn’t the only one looking for you or someone like you,” the high priestess continued. Her tone had changed, I realized, drifting from her previously bubbly attitude into something still soft yet much more serious. “There are others as well, most of whom won’t have particurly noble intentions when they catch you.”

  “I can handle myself,” I said, once again meeting her gaze.

  “I’ll admit that I’m impressed at how well you’ve done for yourself, but do you really believe that will st?”

  “Ha! Of course, I…” My argument trailed.

  Would it st?

  I hated how much sense she was making. A number of demons had tried to accost me, or drag me away with them for their own likely unscrupulous purposes. Only Ofnan had ever really stepped in to intervene. Though perhaps part of that was the locations in which many of the incidents had occurred. What would happen as more and more demons found out about me? What could I possibly do if I encountered another demon like the ogre that Melkar summoned?

  Just the fact that a sanctuary existed here said plenty on its own.

  “It’s illegal to force a vyxa into bonding. But it still happens, more often than we’d like to admit. Outside the city is even more dangerous, though for other reasons.”

  Bonding. Had I heard that term before? It seemed to imply more than a simple romantic retionship.

  She let the statement linger, before continuing, “We can help you, Aqua, if you’ll let us. Not just with finding whoever it is you’re searching for. Though we can do that as well. You can learn things here. We’ll teach you to speak the Rhuyi tongue and about the Havkh Queendom. We’ll teach you magic.”

  I almost completely dismissed her words, before the st few hit me. My gaze shot back to hers and watched as she smiled.

  “Ah, that got your attention, hmm? It’s one of the advantages of coming here, yes. I can’t imagine how frustrating it must be, having so much magic flowing through you, yet struggling to use it.”

  Her hand reached out to gently grab my own. “How about we continue with showing you around, while I tell you more?”

  I almost pulled away, but my anger turned fleeting. As much as I wanted to compin again about her treatment of me, I was far more interested in hearing more about learning magic. Biting my lip, I nodded and begrudgingly allowed her to lead me forward, hand in hand.

  FlitterPuff