guest by name with a smile and a witty quip. He's the epitome of charm and style and everyone either loves him or has a very healthy respect for him, it seems. He looks quite human, save the black eyes that look like pits to hell—well, the dungeon part of hell at any rate.
When we pass the mermaid swimming languidly in the spacious water tank built into the wall, she places a hand on the glass. Behind her, beautiful fish and sea flora decorate the chamber. Her voice echoes through some kind of speaker system. "Fenris Vane. You haven't come to see me in ever so long."
Fen glances at her, frowning. "Hello, Marasphyr."
Sly stops to watch the exchange, a knowing grin playing on his lips.
Marasphyr smiles, her sharp teeth making her beautiful face much more sinister. "Want to come swim with me, Prince? I've missed you."
Fen glances to me, then back to the mermaid. "Afraid my swimming days are over."
Dean chuckles. "I'll come play, sweetheart. I'm a lot more exciting than my brother, I assure you." He winks at the mermaid, who hisses at him.
"Seems I'm not the only one your charms fail to seduce," I tease, a grin tugging at my lips.
"I never fail, Princess. I have the patience of the immortal. I always get what I want eventually."
Fen nudges Sly in the shoulder until the demon continues escorting us to wherever we are going.
"Who's she?" I ask as I increase my pace to catch up. Now that I'm dry and properly—if extravagantly—clothed, I'm starting to feel the pain of my injuries more.
"An old acquaintance," Fen says gruffly.
"Is that what we're calling past dalliances these days?" Dean asks. "I'll keep that in mind."
I have so many questions. The most pressing is actually one of biology. How exactly does one have a 'dalliance' with a woman who's half fish?
Sly stops again and opens the door to a parlor, escorting us in. I table my questions about the mermaid who was clearly more than an acquaintance, and look around. This room is more subdued than the flamboyant hall we were just in. It's got floor-to-ceiling bookshelves of rich mahogany lined with mostly leather-bound books, a desk in one corner, and a couch, two overstuffed chairs and a love seat in the middle with a fireplace crackling to the other side.
I walk to the bookshelf first, admiring the selection of titles, until I come to a section with modern covers of scantily clad men and women. Sly joins me and smiles. "I see you've discovered my greatest treasures," he says.
"Your books?"
He pulls a novel out and admires the image of a woman being embraced by a topless man. "Romances. I just adore them, don't you? The love, the drama, the scandal when propriety comes head to head with good, old fashioned lust. Extraordinary."
I shake my head, half smiling, as I join Fen on the love seat. Dean takes a chair, and Sly sprawls out on the couch after making himself a drink. He offers us one; Fen and I decline. I have the strong suspicion it's best to keep your wits about you when dealing with a demon named Sly Devil.
Dean obviously doesn't have the same reservations, and pours himself a double of something yellow with smoke coming out of it. I don't even want to know.
"Now, pray tell, what can old Sly do for you?"
Fen speaks first, giving Sly a very short version of what's happening on Inferna. "We just need a safe place to stay until we figure out a plan for defeating Levi and taking back Stonehill. And Ari's been injured. She needs medical treatment."
"I'm fine," I say, more out of reflex than truth. In reality, I'm not fine. I'm weak, tired, sore, malnourished, dehydrated and I have open wounds all over my body. The more I think about it, medical treatment might not be a bad idea.
Fen knows this too. He frowns at me and I shrug, relenting to his idea.
Sly crosses his legs and sips his drink, staring at the two of us. "This is just so intriguing. There hasn't been a good war in Inferna for all too long. Your lot has become complacent in your power. That's
When we pass the mermaid swimming languidly in the spacious water tank built into the wall, she places a hand on the glass. Behind her, beautiful fish and sea flora decorate the chamber. Her voice echoes through some kind of speaker system. "Fenris Vane. You haven't come to see me in ever so long."
Fen glances at her, frowning. "Hello, Marasphyr."
Sly stops to watch the exchange, a knowing grin playing on his lips.
Marasphyr smiles, her sharp teeth making her beautiful face much more sinister. "Want to come swim with me, Prince? I've missed you."
Fen glances to me, then back to the mermaid. "Afraid my swimming days are over."
Dean chuckles. "I'll come play, sweetheart. I'm a lot more exciting than my brother, I assure you." He winks at the mermaid, who hisses at him.
"Seems I'm not the only one your charms fail to seduce," I tease, a grin tugging at my lips.
"I never fail, Princess. I have the patience of the immortal. I always get what I want eventually."
Fen nudges Sly in the shoulder until the demon continues escorting us to wherever we are going.
"Who's she?" I ask as I increase my pace to catch up. Now that I'm dry and properly—if extravagantly—clothed, I'm starting to feel the pain of my injuries more.
"An old acquaintance," Fen says gruffly.
"Is that what we're calling past dalliances these days?" Dean asks. "I'll keep that in mind."
I have so many questions. The most pressing is actually one of biology. How exactly does one have a 'dalliance' with a woman who's half fish?
Sly stops again and opens the door to a parlor, escorting us in. I table my questions about the mermaid who was clearly more than an acquaintance, and look around. This room is more subdued than the flamboyant hall we were just in. It's got floor-to-ceiling bookshelves of rich mahogany lined with mostly leather-bound books, a desk in one corner, and a couch, two overstuffed chairs and a love seat in the middle with a fireplace crackling to the other side.
I walk to the bookshelf first, admiring the selection of titles, until I come to a section with modern covers of scantily clad men and women. Sly joins me and smiles. "I see you've discovered my greatest treasures," he says.
"Your books?"
He pulls a novel out and admires the image of a woman being embraced by a topless man. "Romances. I just adore them, don't you? The love, the drama, the scandal when propriety comes head to head with good, old fashioned lust. Extraordinary."
I shake my head, half smiling, as I join Fen on the love seat. Dean takes a chair, and Sly sprawls out on the couch after making himself a drink. He offers us one; Fen and I decline. I have the strong suspicion it's best to keep your wits about you when dealing with a demon named Sly Devil.
Dean obviously doesn't have the same reservations, and pours himself a double of something yellow with smoke coming out of it. I don't even want to know.
"Now, pray tell, what can old Sly do for you?"
Fen speaks first, giving Sly a very short version of what's happening on Inferna. "We just need a safe place to stay until we figure out a plan for defeating Levi and taking back Stonehill. And Ari's been injured. She needs medical treatment."
"I'm fine," I say, more out of reflex than truth. In reality, I'm not fine. I'm weak, tired, sore, malnourished, dehydrated and I have open wounds all over my body. The more I think about it, medical treatment might not be a bad idea.
Fen knows this too. He frowns at me and I shrug, relenting to his idea.
Sly crosses his legs and sips his drink, staring at the two of us. "This is just so intriguing. There hasn't been a good war in Inferna for all too long. Your lot has become complacent in your power. That's
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