10. Kazrith

Over the years, I've lost count of how many stowaways have tried to hitch a free ride in my cart. None of their attempts ever boded well for any of them.

So why have I stayed my hand for Hanna?

On one hand, it feels inherently wrong to harm such a breathtaking specimen. I've seen many humans here in New Solas, whether passing by the auction house or driving past a newly bought slave being paraded down the street by their new owners.

Like any creature, there are those who are prettier than others and some who leave a lot to be desired.

Hanna, however, is in a whole different league of her own. It surprises me that she has not yet mentioned any relationship with a human mate. I'd have thought the human males would scratch and claw over her.

But her appearance is not all that matters.

Hanna has told me of some of her ordeal thus far. I cannot help but imagine what I would have done if I were in her shoes.

She thinks the same way I do; cunningly and resourcefully, on her feet for the sake of survival.

But I am a volvath demon. I stand more of a chance in this world than a female human does, and yet here she sits beside me, having beaten all odds.

"You should not have made it out of captivity unscathed, Hanna, let alone alive," I say.

"When you're desperate, you don't go down so easily."

Her tone of bravery and defiance is quickly becoming a mainstay of her charm, something I can't help but admire.

Of all the humans I have seen in my lifetime, this woman alone possesses an aura that no others have displayed. I'm drawn to Hanna in a way that is so jarring, yet magnetizing. The human woman is fascinating, and I find myself unusually eager to find out more about her.

"It's indeed a precarious situation you find yourself in," I say, keeping my eyes on the road. "You mentioned that you were on a quest to retrieve your wings, was that right? Tell me more of that."

"Yes, it's something that a lot of human men and women aspire to. It's thought to bring a lot of fortune to one's family, but few rarely ever seem to succeed."

She pauses for a moment, then her next words come out as a hiss through clenched teeth.

"We're all assigned to a xaphan mentor to oversee our progression. Mine took a very particular liking to me to the point where he was only after me as a mate. Fucking Zathex…"

That name…

My heart almost stops at its mention. The name I never thought I would hear of again. It's too much of a coincidence, did I even hear it right? I need to make sure.

"Hanna, what did you say your mentor's name was?" I ask urgently.

"Zathex. Why? Do you know him?"

The blood boils beneath my skin, threatening to manifest into a fiery rage.

"Know him?" I growl. "That piece of shit is no better than the scum beneath my feet. He wronged me like no one else has."

"What happened?" she asks, her tone sharing the mutual disgust we share for the xaphan in question.

I'm never open with strangers, but perhaps it is the common hate we bear for Zathex that makes it feel right for me to tell all to Hanna.

"Years ago, he cheated me and took every last nodal I had under my name. I was left to rot in financial despair while he basked in the profits that were meant for me. Ever since, I've been waiting for the chance to destroy that bastard."

My grip on the reins tightens, the veins becoming thicker under my skin.

"Fucking xaphans. They're nothing but self-righteous fools who claim to be the heroes society should look up to. They'll just as soon rob you of everything like the next low-life thug on the streets."

Hanna sighs softly, wringing her hands together. I look at her, finding understanding and resonance in her emerald-green eyes.

"Then we have a common enemy," she says.

The hatred in her gaze for the xaphan compels me towards a mutual goal. A chance at vengeance.

"Have you ever heard the saying, ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend?'" I feel your pain, Hanna, and for that, I'd be willing to help you."

"Help me?" she asks as if to ensure she heard my words right. "How so?"

"Zathex has robbed us both for the sake of his own gain. He needs to learn what real justice means, and that no one is safe from the consequences of their actions. Not even the xaphans."

"You're serious," Hanna whispers, a hint of a smile showing on her slender face. "You'll really help me?"

"For bringing that bastard down, I'd do anything," I snarl.

"Me, too," she replies, nodding firmly. "But how do you propose we go about this?"

"I need to think about that. It won't be a walk in the park."

Coming up ahead is my final stop in New Solas before my departure to Ikoth from the docks.

"I must halt here. I just need to hand off some goods to a barter. It should only take a moment, so don't leave the cart. Otherwise, I can't guarantee your protection."

"Will do."

I hitch the cart and dismount, walking to the back to acquire the box of goods for my client.

As I wait for the stallkeeper to gather his payment, I watch the roads, reflecting on the inevitable challenge that'll come with taking down a xaphan.

A long journey lies ahead for me and Hanna. As I mull over ideas on how to get to Zathex, a convoy of xaphans rides past my cart. The sight of the bastards ignites the urge within me to chase them down and behead them in the name of revenge.

Perhaps I would've, if not for their armor and heavy weaponry. Getting to Zathex will be tough, and it doesn't help that xaphans like to poke their noses into everyone's business.

"How can I keep Hanna around me?" I mutter.

Walking around with a human by my side would be easier in Ikoth, but I would still need a cover. Something that would keep our public outings safe.

After all, demons don't take too kindly to humans if they show up by themselves in the city.

Think, Kazrith!

The perfect solution springs to mind, and so I hurry back to the carriage as soon as possible.

"Hanna, I have a cover story for us," I say, whipping the reins of the zarryns who quickly start moving. "We'll soon be in Ikoth under the eyes of my kind instead of the xaphan filth here."

"Sounds fun," she mutters.

"Don't worry. Though demons aren't generally trustful of humans, they're more accepting if they're mated with a demon."

Hanna blinks, her eyes widening in the process of my proposal.

"Wait, are you suggesting that—"

"We fake a marriage, yes. Hear me out."

Her lips tighten. She's clearly shocked by the idea, so I'd better give a good explanation.

"Cornering a xaphan is going to need secrecy and a strategy, and I mean a lot of strategy. The perfect plan won't come to us overnight. You need a place to stay, and you can't exactly go back to your father's home."

"No," she says sadly. Looking up at me, her sadness soon becomes a glimmer of hope.

"The fake marriage will make a good cover for you staying with me."

Hanna frowns slightly. "I've heard stories of human and demon pairings, but they're not at all common, right? Surely we'd still catch attention."

"No doubt we'll be subject to many disapproving looks, but it beats the xaphans' prying eyes."

Ever the trade-oriented mind that I possess, the idea of our feigned pairing entices me in more ways than one. I'm always seeking out and trying new methods to increase my and Vrask's revenue, but none have ever brought about the desired results. Something I've seen that does work but has never been able to try is the human-demon couple dynamic.

Over the years, I've observed firsthand just how attractive such pairings are in the eyes of the public. The appeal of such a relationship is its rarity, and now that the opportunity to partake in one has presented itself, I'd be a fool to blow it off.

Most demons tend to accept a human chosen by a demon to mate with. They believe it's because the human has something remarkable about them, so much so that a demon has found them a suitable partner.

Hanna is, most certainly, a remarkable human. And she'll be helping me in more ways than one with this plan.

More eyes on my business will no doubt mean more conversions and sales, and my pockets could always do with a little more lining.

"I can't believe I'd be doing this," Hanna says, shaking her head.

"I never thought I'd be working with a human, either," I reply. "I never saw the use of cooperating with your kind, if I'm being honest. I always figured you humans were pathetic little creatures."

"And why exactly should we trust one another?"

"Hanna, I could have handed you over to the authorities, yet you're sitting here in safe passage with me. Is that not reason enough, aside from the common enemy we have in our sights?"

"I can't deny that," she says with a slight nod.

"I promise you safety under my company. All I ask in return is that you help me claim my retribution against Zathex. Once he's dealt with, our pact will dissolve. And you'll be free to return to your home."

There is a long pause before I speak again, observing her concentrated silence.

"Are you with me or not?"

She speaks then hesitates, grumbling to herself.

"Come on, Hanna, I need to know. An opportunity like this comes once in a lifetime."

She turns to me, a hint of fear poking through her courageousness.

"It's a good plan, Kazrith, it really is, but even a great plan can fail. It's a big risk. What if it crashes and burns? I have a lot riding on this."

"Of course you do. I understand that. Keep in mind that the only way this will absolutely fail is if we don't try."

I've said all I can say to convince her. The choice lies now solely in Hanna's hands.

I hope she will use more of that bravery that got her to my carriage in the first place. It's not just me that she needs now but herself, too.