“A demon is a demon,” Romulus said sharply. “It doesn’t matter what he did for you, he is evil and should be killed.”
I bit my lip, suddenly angry with Romulus. “But he’s not a true demon. He’s a mix. One of the Nephilim,” I countered.
But Romulus would not listen. “By the gods, Aofie, it doesn’t matter. If he has demon blood within him, he is part of the scourge that curses this land. They are all alike. Mark my words, he helped you so you would feel sorry for him and he could have a power over you—perhaps not now, but later, when it benefits him. Think about it. If he’s a greater demon, he could have saved you from Jezebel. Why didn’t he?”
I shook my head. Romulus was wrong, I was sure of it. Adomos had kept me naked in his cavern, doing his best not to frighten or harm me. I’d even asked him to come with me but he’d refused. He didn’t want power, he just wanted to be alone. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”
“Aofie?” Romulus squeezed my knee.
I flinched away. “I need to sleep,” I mumbled in excuse.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Romulus had lefthis jar of wine behind, for which I was grateful. Sleep did not come easily, now that I was aware of where I dwelled. I sat awake on the pallet, holding the jug and listening for the flapping of wings and the hiss and scream of demons. But the night was quiet aside from snores of human and animal alike. Still, I couldn’t shake my annoyance with Romulus, although I tried to persuade myself he was right.
To help me sleep, I drank. A hint of berries burst in my mouth and the deep boldness of darkness spread across my tongue. I savored each drop of the heavy wine before I swallowed. It slipped down my throat like a dewdrop sliding off a flower petal. Warmth flared in my chest and the calming sensation moved to my belly, filling it with an out-of-body sensation.
The wine muted the sharp edges of my thoughts and the recent events faded from my mind. It felt good to let everything evaporate into a dull thud so I did not have to consider my guilt or weigh what choices I should make next.
A glimmer of moonlight cast a white glow across the room, showing the people who lay sleeping. I wasn’t the only one awake, for a mother sat, comforting a child, and a few others moved between the rows of sleeping bodies. They seemed to watch, alert to every sound.
I gulped another draught of wine before a hand snatched it away, and Romulus’s voice came, harsh and full of reproach. “Aofie, you’ll only feel worse in the morning.”
“I don’t care.” I reached for the jar but he held it out of reach.
“I do,” he countered, pivoting and walking away.
He slipped away, leaving those two words buzzing in my mind. I’d known the truth, I supposed, but it was a relief to know that he actually cared.
After two days, in which I finally regained a sense of my old self and strength, Romulus persuaded me to leave the temple. “It’s safe,” he told me. “The sun is out; no demons will bother us.”
Aware I could not sit and hide forever, I followed him out into the sunlight. It warmed my skin and seemed to shine down upon me with the promise of a new beginning. We followed a rough path that led away from the city down to a river, which glistened and flowed noisily in two directions.
“Takari will join us shortly,” Romulus told me. “Her period of solitude is over.”
I glanced back at the city full of rough stone homes packed tightly together, all centering around the temple, where I assumed the witches dwelled. “I’d like to see her,” I replied, sitting down on the bank and putting my bare feet in the water. It was cold, and the shock of it took my breath away.
“Aye, she’ll bring you new clothes, and something to wash with,” he replied, watching me.
I turned away from his gaze, unsure what he wanted. I wasn’t about to undress with him watching, but the idea of a wash lulled me deeper in. I waded in up to my knees, my feet moving over the rocky bottom of the river until something pinched my ankle. I squealed and splashed, losing my balance and sinking in up to my neck.
Romulus laughed. “Watch out for the fish. They bite.”
“Oh.” My face flushed as I stood. “I thought more fairies were coming to attack.”
“Nothing more dangerous than fish,” Romulus reassured me.
A swirl of blue flashed and Takari appeared, running down the hill toward us. She waved. “Aofie! Romulus!”
Her skin had a honey-like glow to it and her eyes twinkled as she joined us on the bank. Setting down a basket, she wasted no time running into the river and throwing her arms around me. “Aofie,” she said gently. “I heard. I’m so sorry.”
Her touch was firm and kind, and a lump settled in my throat as I hugged her back. “I’m okay,” I whispered.
“No one can be okay after such terrible things happen.” She pulled back, her eyes somber. “You must be devastated, but a bath will help you feel better.”
I nodded as she spun back to the bank to retrieve the basket. “Go away, Romulus,” she teased. “The ladies must bathe and dress.”
He stood with a snort. “I’ll leave then. I have business elsewhere.”
