away. It had been hard enough to keep the other demons from
swarming around her, staring at her as if she were a wild exotic animal,
prodding and poking at her, without Ferr advertising it. Karnon shook away the
memory of Mira behind the iron bars, her eyes turning honey-colored as they
brimmed with tears. How come he wasn’t angrier with her? She had betrayed him
and killed his brother yet here he sat, reluctant to speak up. He hadn’t told
anyone yet. He believed it was because he wanted to speak to his brothers
first, to figure out how to handle the situation and not create a panic, but
maybe he didn’t want to tell? What was wrong with him?
“Ferr, can you go and check on the witch?” Cronus spoke up,
interrupting Karnon’s musing. Karnon flashed his brother a grateful look.
Cronus was good at reading a situation. Ferr’s expression darkened but he got
up without complaint and headed to the exit.
“And Ferr?” Cronus called after the demon.
Ferr paused.
“I know that a demon of your caliber would not let his
personal feelings guide his actions, considering how important the
responsibility to guard the witch is. This is why I choose you to be the
captain of her guard until the trial.”
Ferr straightened proudly and gave them a curt salute. “Your
faith is not unfounded, Cronus. She will be in good hands. Thank you for the
position.”
Karnon shook his head in admiration as Ferr exited. Cronus
really did know how to handle personalities. With one smooth move his older
brother had turned Ferr from a vengeful witch hunter to Mira’s protector.
“Now…” Cronus turned back to Karnon.
“Shouldn’t we wait for Xander?” Their youngest brother
Pharic spoke up.
“That is actually why we are here.” Karnon cleared his
throat.
His brothers fell silent.
“So, my son, I hear you have brought a troublemaker into our
midst,” the deep voice boomed through the meeting cavern. All three brothers
fell silent. The Prince of Darkness swept into the room, his nurse escort
unobtrusively disappearing back out the door. Although weakened by illness his
figure was still impressive, tall with a massive torso and thick neck. The long
horns curled back and out, longer than any other demon’s in the realm. His
presence filled the cavern and Karnon quieted along with his brothers, humbled
before their lord and father.
“Father, they told us you were too sick to hold court,”
Cronus said, his voice apologetic.
“Well, I am better now,” Satan said. “Do not worry, Son, I
am not inclined to be upset or threatened you attempted to carry on my duties.
A good ruler understands when their own abilities become limited, they must
allow others to step in. I do appreciate the work you put in.”
Cronus bowed his head, his face effused with pride. Karnon
caught Pharic’s jealous glare and Pharic blushed. Glad his younger brother had
the decency to be embarrassed, Karnon patted him on the shoulder. Cronus was a
hard act to follow and he hoped Pharic would not attempt to. Xander had been
enough of a pain in the ass, no need to have Pharic fill those shoes.
“Where is Xander?”
Cronus and Pharic both looked at Karnon, who cleared his
throat again, regretting his disrespectful thoughts about the dead.
“Xander is dead.”
The news dropped like a heavy stone.
“It’s that witch, isn’t it?” Pharic hissed. “She should burn
for this.”
“Pharic.” The warning in Satan’s voice was enough. “Let us
hear what happened.”
Karnon controlled the shudder from the thought of Mira being
burned to death.
“I am not sure what happened. I felt a surge of the witch’s
power and followed it to Xander’s chamber. I found his body charred and she was
passed out next to him.”
“Burn her!”
“Pharic!” This time it was Cronus who admonished his
brother. “If this gets out who knows what the reaction would be. Like it or
not, we need the blood-witches and they need us.”
“So we cover up our own
swarming around her, staring at her as if she were a wild exotic animal,
prodding and poking at her, without Ferr advertising it. Karnon shook away the
memory of Mira behind the iron bars, her eyes turning honey-colored as they
brimmed with tears. How come he wasn’t angrier with her? She had betrayed him
and killed his brother yet here he sat, reluctant to speak up. He hadn’t told
anyone yet. He believed it was because he wanted to speak to his brothers
first, to figure out how to handle the situation and not create a panic, but
maybe he didn’t want to tell? What was wrong with him?
“Ferr, can you go and check on the witch?” Cronus spoke up,
interrupting Karnon’s musing. Karnon flashed his brother a grateful look.
Cronus was good at reading a situation. Ferr’s expression darkened but he got
up without complaint and headed to the exit.
“And Ferr?” Cronus called after the demon.
Ferr paused.
“I know that a demon of your caliber would not let his
personal feelings guide his actions, considering how important the
responsibility to guard the witch is. This is why I choose you to be the
captain of her guard until the trial.”
Ferr straightened proudly and gave them a curt salute. “Your
faith is not unfounded, Cronus. She will be in good hands. Thank you for the
position.”
Karnon shook his head in admiration as Ferr exited. Cronus
really did know how to handle personalities. With one smooth move his older
brother had turned Ferr from a vengeful witch hunter to Mira’s protector.
“Now…” Cronus turned back to Karnon.
“Shouldn’t we wait for Xander?” Their youngest brother
Pharic spoke up.
“That is actually why we are here.” Karnon cleared his
throat.
His brothers fell silent.
“So, my son, I hear you have brought a troublemaker into our
midst,” the deep voice boomed through the meeting cavern. All three brothers
fell silent. The Prince of Darkness swept into the room, his nurse escort
unobtrusively disappearing back out the door. Although weakened by illness his
figure was still impressive, tall with a massive torso and thick neck. The long
horns curled back and out, longer than any other demon’s in the realm. His
presence filled the cavern and Karnon quieted along with his brothers, humbled
before their lord and father.
“Father, they told us you were too sick to hold court,”
Cronus said, his voice apologetic.
“Well, I am better now,” Satan said. “Do not worry, Son, I
am not inclined to be upset or threatened you attempted to carry on my duties.
A good ruler understands when their own abilities become limited, they must
allow others to step in. I do appreciate the work you put in.”
Cronus bowed his head, his face effused with pride. Karnon
caught Pharic’s jealous glare and Pharic blushed. Glad his younger brother had
the decency to be embarrassed, Karnon patted him on the shoulder. Cronus was a
hard act to follow and he hoped Pharic would not attempt to. Xander had been
enough of a pain in the ass, no need to have Pharic fill those shoes.
“Where is Xander?”
Cronus and Pharic both looked at Karnon, who cleared his
throat again, regretting his disrespectful thoughts about the dead.
“Xander is dead.”
The news dropped like a heavy stone.
“It’s that witch, isn’t it?” Pharic hissed. “She should burn
for this.”
“Pharic.” The warning in Satan’s voice was enough. “Let us
hear what happened.”
Karnon controlled the shudder from the thought of Mira being
burned to death.
“I am not sure what happened. I felt a surge of the witch’s
power and followed it to Xander’s chamber. I found his body charred and she was
passed out next to him.”
“Burn her!”
“Pharic!” This time it was Cronus who admonished his
brother. “If this gets out who knows what the reaction would be. Like it or
not, we need the blood-witches and they need us.”
“So we cover up our own
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