Chapter 10

10

My dream began, innocuously enough, in the cave. I found myself standing against a wall, watching as a woman with long, brown hair bound in a braid, slim of build but muscular appearing in her trousers and tunic, went through the motions with a sword. She pirouetted and spun, fast and light, her movements whip sharp.

When a man much larger than she, his dark hair, wavy flowing to his shoulders, dressed in all in black, suddenly appeared on the dais—which glowed—she spun and pressed the tip of her blade to his throat.

She growled, "What have I said about sneaking up on me, Ethan?"

The handsome man offered her a cocky grin. "I like to live dangerously."

It occurred to me in that moment that they didn't speak English and yet I understood them perfectly. Weird. That had never happened in a dream before.

She turned from him and headed for a weapons rack where she hung her sword and chose a dagger which she slashed through the air before saying, "A group of five demons slaughtered a small village last night." She pinned Ethan with a look. "You said you were going to put a stop to the crossings."

"I'm trying," he offered with a shrug. "However, Moloch's been undermining my efforts."

I startled at the demon lord's name.

"If you want peace between our worlds, then something must be done about these incursions. Every time they kill my people, they make it harder for me to sell the idea of peace."

"Agreed. The main issue is Moloch. So long as he rules, he won't ever allow any kind of treaty."

Her lips pursed as she did some yoga-like moves with her dagger. "So long as he's around, no one will ever be safe. Can't you have one of your minions get close enough to do the deed?"

"Attempts to rid ourselves of him have failed as no one sympathetic to our cause can get close enough to Moloch to act. Thus far, he's intercepted all our assassins and, to make things even more difficult, takes pleasure in crucifying them publicly. It's made those who would have allied with me leery."

"Does he suspect you're behind it?"

"No, or we wouldn't be talking because my head would be spiked atop his fortress wall."

Who was this Ethan? Was he a demon? He looked human and yet made no bones of the fact he came from Inferis and even had some measure of power there.

"Perhaps I should go to Inferis and handle him myself," she suggested.

"Confronting him in his seat of power would be foolish. And if he were to kill you, then where would humanity be?"

"No worse off than they are now," she grumbled, stomping to the weapons rack to store the dagger.

"You are the hope of humanity."

"A hope that is failing in her duty. There must be a way to remove Moloch from power."

"While he is too strong to confront on Inferis, the same can't be said of him elsewhere. If we could just lure him to this world, away from the bulk of his forces…"

She whirled and glared. "I don't want him on Earth."

"Even if it gave you a chance to rid us both of him permanently?"

Her lips pursed. "A battle between the two of us is tempting, but he'd never come here without his legions."

"Unless said legions were busy. Say, with an uprising?" He arched a brow. "I've got enough troops to cause some serious havoc."

"Moloch would never leave while his kingdom was in jeopardy," she scoffed with a wave of her hand.

"He would if tempted with the right bait."

Her gaze narrowed in suspicion. "What kind of bait?"

"You know the answer to that."

"Me." Her lips turned down and her head dipped as she stared at the floor.

"If I were to approach him with information as to your whereabouts, perhaps even lie about a grievous injury that has you weak, I doubt he could resist."

Her grimace said it all. "I don't like the idea of having him on Earth. If I were to fail, who would be left to stop him?"

"You won't fail." Ethan crossed the floor and reached out to grab her forearms lightly. "You know this isn't my first choice. The idea of putting you in danger is abhorrent."

She snorted. "My entire life has been fraught with danger."

"And I want to change that." He drew her close. "I want to find a way to bridge our worlds that we might be free to be together without censure."

Her head tilted and she gazed at him. "Do you really?"

"More than anything," he murmured before dipping his head to kiss her. Oh, and grope her and… Yup, clothes were hitting the floor.

I turned away from the passionate embrace and wondered in that moment if this was a dream or something else. Was this the voice before she got trapped? If yes, she used to be just like me. A person with expectations placed on her, and a life governed by the needs of others.

But who was the dude? While he lacked the appearance of a demon, I had to wonder at his role in Inferis. Could this be one of the fabled princes? I would have thought they'd look like Moloch with horns and hooves. Then again, given all the talk I'd heard of breeding, the idea of mixed species where human traits might dominate wasn't that far-fetched.

As the kissing noises changed to fleshier smacks, I wished I could leave. I'd never been the voyeuristic type, but their passion did make me think of Vance and Cain. Did they miss me?

Maybe. Or had they, like everyone else, said good riddance? After all, I wasn't some saintly figure they could look up to. I cussed, I argued, I whined, although not as much as before. I'd also been growing in strength and ability. Been helping in the hunt to clear out demon nests. A leader in the making—which might explain Nova's hard line with me. Did she fear losing her position to the new girl?

Perhaps I'd been hasty in leaving the castle. Given her ultimatum, I could have pitched a tent in the woods and remained nearby. But then again, Nova had been pretty adamant about Clover leaving. Would the forest have still been too close?

Those thoughts followed me as I went from sleep to awake. Had I been too hasty?

The answer? Yes. I mean, I'd left without even taking a clean pair of underwear with me. I was that kid who had a fit and took their ball to go home. Not to mention, I'd left without a word to Mizuki, who deserved better from me.

At the same time, I hadn't said I would never return. I'd told Nova I'd still be available for missions. It wasn't like I'd quit the team.

Time to make sure everyone, even Nova, realized it. After feeding Clover, who didn't seem to mind the weird turquoise veggie we shared for breakfast, I told him to be a good boy and portalled to the castle—sans conversation with the voice. Not even a hello.

I wondered if the voice was pissed at me or something. She hadn't seemed too happy by the end of our last conversation. My fault. I let my curiosity about her past push me into questioning even as the voice showed discomfort. I'd apologize on my return trip.

My arrival at the dais sent the reapers guarding it into a flurry of motion. Spears were pointed at me along with barked, "Halt, state your name and reason for being here." Neither man appeared familiar, but they would have heard of me.

I offered a little wave. "No need to panic, boys. I'm the reaper witch."

"Sure, you are," drawled the guy with the pimply chin.

I arched a brow. "Why would I lie about being the messovenata?"

"Because you might be a demon trying to sneak in," he replied.

"A demon with a talisman?" I held it up.

"You could have stolen it." The guard doubled down.

"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered.

"If you're the messovenata then prove it," blustered the chunkier of the pair.

Annoyed—because the prideful part of me assumed everyone knew me by now because hello, I was the fucking messovenata who'd gone up against Moloch—I waved my hand, lifting them from the ground and suspended them in midair.

I planted hands on my hips and snarled, "Is that enough proof? Or would you like me to show you my skills with fire?"

"You may pass," squeaked the dude who'd been doubting me. "After you let us down."

"You want down?" I snapped my fingers and they plummeted with a yell. I cushioned their fall, but not completely. A hard bump might knock some sense into them. Never mind they did their job. Gone one day and already I was getting grief.

Annoyed, I stalked out of the woods and headed for the hill. Halfway up, I spotted Vance and Cain watching my approach.

Neither ran to greet me. No smiles or open arms. From them at least.

Mizuki went flying past them, screeching, "Bitch! What the fuck!" My sweet friend had obviously been hanging out with me too much, judging by her language.

She flung her arms around me and squeezed so hard I wouldn't need to see a chiro for an adjustment. When she finally released me, I laughed. "Holy hug. I was gone for like a day."

"Without even saying goodbye." Her lower lip jutted for a second.

"Sorry, I was kind of peeved at the time."

"Is it true you adopted a three-headed dog from Inferis?" she asked wide-eyed.

"Yeah. His name is Clover and he's the cutest."

She clapped her hands. "I can't wait to meet him."

"Really?" Her reply surprised me as everyone else just wanted to kill my poor puppy.

"I love dogs. I probably would have adopted it too."

"You're the only one who understands so far," I muttered. "Nova made it pretty clear Clover would never be welcome here."

"She is not an animal person. We can't even keep a cat. Speaking of Nova, boy was she pisssssssed you left!" Mizuki exclaimed. "I've never seen her so mad. Pacing and ranting. Even Asher couldn't calm her down."

"Yeah, well, that's her own fault. When she said Clover couldn't live at the castle, I found some new digs."

"Where are you staying now?"

"A cave."

Mizuki blinked at me.

"A nice cave," I added.

She laughed. "I smell a story and I want to hear all about it. Given you are here sans Clover, I assume you're not staying?"

I shook my head. "Just grabbing a few things. Also thought I should maybe see if I can get a phone or something to keep in touch, you know, in case you need me for a mission."

"What about food for you and the puppers?"

"I've got a bit for now but wouldn't mind some extra supplies."

"I'll make sure our next supply run snags some dog food which will give me an excuse to visit. You think Clover would like a ball? Should I get three? One for each head?"

I laughed. "You are something else. I can't wait for you to visit." As we continued walking up the hill, despite what the voice said about the books in the cave being in a dead language, I had to ask, "How good are you at translating stuff?"

"I've honestly never tried. Why?"

"The cave I'm staying in has an interesting library."

"Ooh, mysterious. What kind of books are we talking about?"

"The kind that I was told didn't exist."

Mizuki abruptly halted to eye me in surprise. "You found a witch's grimoire?"

"More than that. There's got to be at least fifty books spanning a range of subjects, including demons and even texts about other worlds."

"Only you would find a cave with long-lost tomes of knowledge," she giggled, linking her arm through mine as we crested the hill where I was subjected to matching glares.

I ignored Vance and Cain. What did they have to be pissed about? They'd not only wanted to kill Clover, but they also didn't stand up for me with Nova.

Jerks.

We entered the castle to the usual chaos of people in constant motion. Going here and there, always looking busy. A few shot me looks, but none stopped to say hi. Hard to not feel like a pariah, and no this didn't start recently. Only a few reapers ever dared to talk to me, and I couldn't tell if the others abstained because I scared them, or they just didn't like me. At least the witches were slightly better.

A brownie crossed the main hall only to do a double take and squeak, "Messovenata. You've returned."

I crouched. "Hi, Isa." I smiled at the diminutive brownie who wore one of the barrettes I'd given her.

"Do you require sustenance?" she asked. Isadora and the other brownies acted as servants in exchange for food, a roof over their heads, and protection. It felt weird to me to have them taking care of and even anticipating my every need, so I often brought them back goodies from the outside world, like the tiny hair clip Isadora wore.

"I'm not hungry, although, I could use some of your cooking to bring with me when I leave."

"Of course. What of your garments? Should I pack you a bag?"

"I can do that myself. I could use a mop and a bucket though. My new place is dirty." I grimaced.

Isadora pursed her lips. "That is not acceptable. You are the messovenata. You should not be living in squalor. The Regina should not have chased you away."

I didn't ask how she knew what happened. The brownies had eyes and ears everywhere. "Yeah, well, it's probably not a bad thing. It's kind of nice to have a quiet place to think and stuff."

"Of course. The messovenata needs to be well-rested and clear of mind that she might perform her important duties. You also require proper nourishment. I shall prepare you some meals to take."

"Thanks, Isadora." I reached into my pocket and withdrew a tiny comb I'd found in the cave when I'd bathed before dressing. It had been in an alcove at ankle level that also held a small brownie-sized mirror and an itsy-bitsy urn. Guess the previous occupant hadn't been entirely alone.

Isadora's eyes lit up. "Oh. This is a lovely gift." She stroked it before hugging it to her chest. "Thank you."

She scampered off and Mizuki murmured, "The brownies really adore you. Unlike some, you don't ignore them. You acknowledge their existence, thank them, do special things for them."

"Um, isn't all that common courtesy?" I replied. "It's the least I can do given how hard they work."

"The Regina's never imposed any tasks on them. They could live here for free if they wanted, but brownies are happiest when busy."

"If you say so."

"I won't disagree that many in the castle take them for granted. Which is their loss. Brixie loves the roasted chestnuts I bring her in the fall and shows her pleasure by leaving me freshly baked treats for snacking at night."

"Mmm, I hope Isadora packs some of those apple turnovers I love."

"Knowing her, she'll ensure they bake a fresh batch."

We passed from the main entrance into the witch's wing. It hadn't completely recovered from when the demons had taken it over. The walls still showed signs of damage and the furniture hadn't been completely replaced. The couch in the sitting area flanking the stairs had been replaced with something plaid rather than gilded legged and velour covered like before. The paintings that used to hang had been too damaged to fix leaving bare walls.

As we hit the first step going up, I asked, "Will Nova be pissed if I take my clothes and stuff?" Everything I currently owned had been given to me by Nova who managed the castle supplies.

"She's mad, not petty. Give her some time to calm down and realize your dog isn't going to eat you. She just wants to keep everyone safe."

"I get that, but even if she does come around to realizing Clover isn't a menace, I don't know if I want to come back."

"Why not?" Mizuki countered.

I paused on the stairs. "Because this place doesn't feel like home."

"And the cave you found does?"

"Oddly enough, yes, and no I can't explain why." My shoulders rolled.

"In that case, enjoy your new home but be sure to visit often."

"I will. You're the one thing I will miss."

"Not the food?"

I laughed, "Okay, maybe there are a few perks to castle living."

"Like a certain pair of reapers?"

I scowled. "You mean Jerk One and Two who couldn't even say hello?"

"And yet the moment they heard you'd come through the portal, they went flying."

"How did they know? The guards never had time to contact anyone."

"They had me scry for your location the moment you left. There was much consternation when they couldn't find you."

My lips pursed. "I wonder if the cave hides my presence." It would make sense. Someone choosing to live that remotely wouldn't want people to be able to find her.

"The more I hear of this cave, the more I want to see it."

"You can visit anytime," I said, linking my arm through hers to resume our plodding up the several flights of stairs.

We reached my room and I entered to see it immaculate as usual, but with a suitcase sitting on the floor. Isadora worked fast. I opened it and had to shake my head. Despite me telling her not to, the thing was already mostly packed with my favorites: jeans, t-shirts, undies, socks, and my comfy sports bras. Isadora had even packed a separate bag with toiletries. How she'd done it so quickly… Or had she prepacked it knowing I'd be back to get it?

I added a few more things despite having plenty. I took a second to look around my assigned room. Not a bad space, all things considered. I especially loved the mattress. I'd spent the previous night curled up on all the fabric I'd found so I didn't have to sleep on the stone bed frame. Pity I couldn't pack it. Or could I?

Shrink. I pointed my finger, and nothing happened. Bummer.

When I exited my room, Mizuki was waiting with a knapsack and an armful of books.

I raised a brow. "Going somewhere?"

"Yes. With you."

"Are you sure that's wise? I'm not exactly in Nova's good graces." I'd not seen her yet but could only assume she hid in her office, simmering.

"You're my friend and, hello, doggy to cuddle. Besides, it's just for one night. Barron comes back tomorrow," she admitted with a dimpled smile.

"What are the books for?" Because while I recognized one work of fiction, the others appeared to be college textbooks.

"Books on ancient tongues. I borrowed them from our library to see if we could figure out the root language of the tomes you found."

"That was fast."

"Brixie helped. She knows I love a good puzzle. Oh, and look what she found." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a yellow tennis ball. "She scored three of them, one for each head."

"Just be warned, that while he likes me, I haven't tested him with other people yet." I'd like to think Clover would know better, but I did have to recognize all the warnings people kept giving.

"I'll wear a shield until I know he loves me. But I'm not worried." She patted the pocket of her jacket. "I also brought treats."

Together we descended the stairs. At the bottom a scowling wall of reapers stood.

Given Cain and Vance looked about as approachable as a porcupine, I offered them a stiff. "Move."

"Not until we talk," Vance stated.

"About?"

"You running off by yourself for starters," huffed Cain. "That wasn't exactly smart."

"For starters, I did not run off. I left because I wasn't welcome."

"The dog wasn't welcome," Cain growled.

"The dog and I are a pair now, and quite honestly, I don't give a fuck if you approve or not. Just like it's none of your business if I leave. I am a grown-ass woman, and you don't get to tell me what to do."

"This isn't coming out right." Vance sighed. "What we should have said is we're worried because we care about you."

"If you cared, you wouldn't have stood by while Nova attacked me," I pointed out.

"She was only doing what she thought best," Vance defended.

I arched a brow. "Do you often try and restrain reapers because they have their own opinion?"

Cain's lips pursed. "No, but your situation is different."

"Different how? I am not some weapon you get to point and use at your whim."

"We realize you're a person but you're also the only reaper witch we have." Vance dug the hole deeper.

"I am, so don't piss me off or maybe I won't come the next time I'm needed." With that, I stomped out of the castle, a flouncing, stiff-lipped Mizuki by my side.

She burst into giggles the moment we hit the sunshine. "Hoo boy, they are not happy. You should have seen Cain scowling after you left. The poor junior reapers took the brunt of it during training."

"As if anyone would notice a difference from his usual demeanor."

"Cut them some slack. They're torn between their duty to the brotherhood and affection for you."

"An affection that only exists because of what I am. If I were still regular ol' Sadie, they would have never paid me any attention." I couldn't help but sound sour.

"Don't be so sure. And on the same note, if not for circumstance, you wouldn't have actually met."

"Semantics."

"Truth."

Halfway down the hill, I cursed. "Fuck me, I forgot to grab the food Isadora was prepping."

"You might have, but she didn't."

She pointed to a pair of reapers each carting a large cooler into the woods.

I shook my head. "Pity brownies don't rule the world. They get shit done."

We entered the forest and made our way to the teleporting dais. The pair of reaper guards from before said not a word but stood stiffly at attention as I stepped onto the stone disc. Mizuki practically vibrated in excitement by my side. The coolers were placed at our feet.

Holding hands while our legs hugged the bags, I invoked my talisman.

The cold place would have stolen my breath if I had any. The voice spoke. I wondered if you'd return.

I just needed to get some stuff. You okay?

I am fine. A stiff reply.

I'm sorry if I badgered you for answers before. I didn't mean to reopen old wounds.

Your curiosity is understandable. It is my shame that rendered me terse. My past is not an easy thing to recollect.

Understood. I'll try to be more sensitive.

The voice changed the subject. You brought a witch with you.

Yes. But not as a body, I clarified.

Good. I don't know how I'd enjoy only having fire to wield. It is a force useful mostly for destruction when I used to be more about protection and building.

I will find you someone.

Perhaps it's best if you don't.

Wait, why not? I thought you wanted to live again.

I did, but our discussions have reminded me of the poor choices that led me here. Perhaps I should be punished.

No one deserves an eternity of loneliness. I didn't care what the voice had done. She'd paid her dues and showed remorse.

I'm not lonely anymore now that I have you.

With that shy remark, we were thrust onto the mountaintop ledge.

Mizuki squeaked, "Damn, it's cold."

But my new home was warm, and as we entered, I flung out my arm with a flourish and announced, "Welcome to my cave."