Chapter Twenty

Dakata

Pain, burning… they pushed at his psyche as Dakata worked to force his way through what was holding him captive.

He strained, to no avail. Nothing could fight past what drained him, held him imprisoned.

What was happening to him?

Had he been cast into hell?

There, something on the edge of his consciousness tugged, and he felt a visible ripping, then the sounds of wood snapping. In his mind, he cried out—for what, he wasn’t sure. Something broke that was vital to him—to Silas.

What had he done? Asmodeus? Was he responsible for this—whatever this was?

His senses swam and nothing seemed to be as it should. He couldn’t escape the cushion of black surrounding him. A voice floated through his mind. A sweetness came from the brush of… lips against his skin.

He shoved harder at the invisible barrier, only nothing worked to move it. To let him surface from the darkness.

Smells tickled his nose as something silky stroked over him. Energy. What was touching him was alive with it. A part of his mind registered this wasn’t the demon realm, as the life force down there was darker. Heavier.

Light. It surrounded him.

Who had taken him from the demon realm?

Could he smell Silas and their mighty oak?

You are with us. Words whispered past the cloud of confusion he had become cushioned in.

Where?

In my branches, my sweet demon.

Sweet? In his mind, Dakata chuckled because never had anyone ever called him sweet.

You are. I feel it as Silas does.

What happened to me?

I am at fault.

What? How?

We never discussed what would happen once we bonded. Also, someone in your realm wanted to test us.

A chill ran through Dakata’s motionless body.

Asmodeus?

Test us? How? Why? Nothing made sense.

I do not know who, only that they wanted to test to see if our bond was real. They do not believe a blissful bond can make a demon behave differently. Unfortunately, they did this when you became weakened from our separation.

Dakata pushed once more, attempting to escape what kept him in the shadows, desperate to ensure no one harmed those most precious to him. He couldn’t fight—protect—his blissful one and their tree like this.

Underlying the earthy tree scent, there was a faint odor of charred wood adding to his fear. Had demons come and tried to set fire to Silas’s tree?

Calm yourself, you are safe here with us. What you smell is the damage caused by our separation and someone stopping you from returning to us.

If I am with you, where is Silas? His sense of urgency growing despite what the oak said.

In my branches. He is healing us so we can replenish your energies. My branches and leaves will give you back your strength as Silas heals us. But you must trust me for that to happen.

I don’t understand. Dakata didn’t, neither did his demon.

Leaves rustled and stroked his forehead, the life force leaving a trail of warmth in their wake. It soaked into his body, whispering its way through the vessels, sinews, tissue, and bone.

When you bonded with me. Spilled your seed and mixed it with Silas’s, our life force became yours.

Are you saying that I’m now like Wanda and Silas? The panic that had waned at the touches came back with a vengeance.

Breathe for us. Breathe, my demon.

He struggled to do as instructed when all Dakata could think about was how he would protect Silas if someone took him to his realm.

Dakata, please stop jumping to conclusions. Let me explain.

Hurry… please, he added, not wanting to snap, but his fear held him by the throat.

The bond between the three of us is much like the roots of my tree. They connect to each other and though parts can survive independently, to be whole—complete—they require us to remain together to give us the energy to be healthy. We each feed the other.

Shit, I can’t leave you at all? How would the business survive without him overseeing everything? He wasn’t anywhere near ready for his family to be left to their meddlesome behavior when he wasn’t sure how that would work out.

People relied upon him.

Fear not, you will be able to leave us. Just, first, we need to discuss what you would need for this to happen. What boost of energy would sustain our separation? This is my fault. I should have spoken with you once we bonded. As I did with Silas. Only it was so unexpected, and then those silly demons came. You got hurt and, of course, your sister took you back to your realm without so much as a by-your-leave.

He tutted in Dakata’s mind as he processed what it all meant.

So, you and Silas talked about what he needs to go to the city to sing. Then you give him what he needs to sustain his energy while he’s away from you?

He could work with that.

Something like that, yes.

Leaves roamed down his torso, tickling him as tiny zings of energy working their magic. He could feel the layers of darkness lifting. Was this how it worked?

How does it work?

Branches clacked together while leaves rustled, and Dakata got the tree was laughing at him. It’s a genuine question. It was to his mind, anyhow.

Not everything is easy to explain or can be, my demon. I share my life force with you, with Silas. A gift.

A gift?

Yes, all you need to do is ask for what you want.

It’s as simple as that? Dakata was used to his realm and that of the human world, where nothing was that easy. Strings, they came attached to everything.

Yes. We are three eternal souls woven in the fabric of life. We each sustain the other. If you are unhappy, then so will I be, as will Silas. We would not want that. If I can gift you a happiness, then it will be.

Okay, Dakata could live with that. How will I know how much I’ll need? Today—is it still today?

More laughter. Yes. You were gone but more than an hour.

An hour. Dakata’s alarm came right back. And I felt that bad just after a meager hour?

As I explained, something else aided in depleting your energy, forcing us to act to save you.

The very idea made Dakata scowl—that’s if he could in his current state. Can they do this again?

I can protect against it. I had one of your summoning stones, and Silas used it to bring you to us. All I will need is a store of your stones to live within our tree. This will also give you the energy source you need. A simple touch of your summoning stones, after we replenish them, will give you what you need to spend time away from us.

For the first time since Christa took him, Dakata breathed a sigh of relief. Thank you. Is there a gift I can give to you?

Why yes, I believe there is…

A branch stroked down his body and Dakata didn’t need to guess what the mighty oak would consider a just reward, and he choked on his laughter. As long as Silas doesn’t mind.

Fingers ran up his arm, touching as gently as the branches.

I’m taking this as approval.

He chuckled when lips touched his cheek, and Silas whispered in his ear, “You are ours to share…” He laid his head over Dakata’s heart that beat steadily. “ Always, but only after you have healed.”

Dakata’s lips curled at the edges. I can live with that.