Mentored in Fire (Demon Days & Vampire Nights)

“Can you lower it to the ground?”

This seemed like a trick question. “I’d probably have to follow it in a hover to see where it’s going, but…yeah. Right? Why?”

“Well then. Shall we?” He swept his arm out, indicating I should go first.

“Just so we’re clear.” I hovered up toward the pile of building debris, which I kept in place until I was closer. “I do not have wings. I don’t turn into anything else. So if you know something I don’t, or are playing some sort of practical joke on me, and this ends badly… Well, it’ll end very badly, get me?”

“You didn’t let me die. I suppose I’ll have to return the favor.”

“Mighty magnanimous of you.”

“Yes. I think so.”

I huffed out a laugh as I followed the hunk of rock over the very smooth edge surrounding the badly removed spire. Lucifer followed me. Given I didn’t hover very fast, I took in the sights as I lowered down, feeling the burden of hovering with a load but bearing it. I’d practiced hovering and fighting with large objects often, so I had great stamina. He hadn’t chopped off much—I’d already pushed off most of the roof—so it was probably the equivalent of a few large rocks.

From this vantage point, I could see where I’d entered the inner kingdom with Darius, the road in, and the flower-lined fence of the sect we’d snuck into. A pang hit my heart, and I tried to feel through our bond again. It was all but blocked, whatever the elves had done to it still in effect. The memory of him was still there, though, unleashing an ache. I missed his face and his quips. His soft touch and the way he held me. I missed his boring lectures and the wicked ways he made them more fun, and most of all, I missed his grounding presence.

I took a deep breath and looked away, nearing the ground, finding Lucifer right beside me, peering at my face.

What? I thought, because it was easier than shouting.

You are not taxed.

No. I’ve had practice.

You’ve had practice lowering building tops to the ground?

I thought about that a moment. I can’t recall an actual building top, but it’s possible.

There was that smile again. I had no idea you’d be so far along when I brought you here. I thought I would have so much more to teach you.

A large divot dug into the dirty, scarred ground, and I figured this was where the spire had landed the night before. It had been cleaned away, as though waiting for this one. Or maybe they didn’t just leave parts of buildings littering the grounds.

My feet bumped down after the debris, and I shook out my arms and body, which always tensed up when I hovered and moved things around at the same time. Lucifer lifted his hand, now on the ground as well, and I quirked a brow to ask what he was doing. A moment later, Cahal floated over the lip of the topless tower, his arms crossed over his chest, and though I couldn’t see his face, I strongly suspected he was wearing a scowl.

“Oh wow, you can grab him from all the way down here?” I asked, shocked.

“You can’t?” he responded.

I guess I had a new thing to practice. Cahal did not seem like he would be amused.

“I thought you might want your safety blanket today,” Lucifer said, and I suddenly wondered if I’d let some of my thoughts slip yesterday. If I had, Mr. Boobs had a big mouth. Either way, it appeared Lucifer had a mind to be reasonable. “I heard you were out late in the garden yesterday.”

“Oh yeah, how did that go, by the way?” I asked. “With the disturbance.”

His eyes didn’t so much as flicker. Nothing in his body tensed. And that was what gave him away, because if I had been asking about the dentist or something, he would’ve made some noncommittal movement. He wouldn’t have been this carefully controlled.

I didn’t read much body language, it was true, but I knew when someone was covering up something that affected me. Darius and a life of hard knocks had been excellent teachers.

Cahal touched down a few feet away, his arms still crossed. The scowl indeed in place.

“Thanks for joining us,” I told him, making light of my loaded question to Lucifer. “Now you won’t have to sulk all evening again.”

Cahal’s scowl hardened before his face went flat. He was playing along perfectly.

And now I knew what he’d meant about the battle for my soul starting today. The guy was so melodramatic.

“The Edges have always been wild,” Lucifer said, turning and gesturing for me along with him. “You remember. That’s where you came through, correct?”

“Yes. And where I left, through flames from your dragon.”

“Yes.” He drew the word out. “Right. She was upset that you escaped right out from under her. She expected to be punished.”