Arek persisted with his patient tone.“You’re not going to explain anything until we’re all gathered, are you?”
“Correct,” Pride answered as he plucked a particularly smooth and flat stone.Holding it between his thumb and forefinger, he shook it for emphasis.“This is the one.”
Errshek scoffed and Arek grinned.“I don’t think Errshek believes you.”Greed closed his lips carefully over his teeth in a subtler smile, adding matter-of-factly, “I don’t either, but I admire how you always believe you’re going to win.”
41
Saerdidn’twin.
The demons spent their time together with a healthy mix of antagonism, bonding, and sometimes leisure when the two younger ones convinced Saer to indulge.
Saer fulfilled his pragmatism by crafting two more bed frames for the others and stringing up further canopies to settle under when rainstorms filled the night.Though they didn’t require food, he satisfied his penchant to be alone by fishing or hunting local game to prepare meals.Arek wasn’t as accomplished a chef as Alus, but he’d picked up a few tricks to help with the cooking.
Errshek would watch or sulk.
Greed and Pride fell into a pattern of banter, though Saer sensed a dull, unspoken longing in the twin.Alus and Arek were rarely apart.The longer time stretched on, the more withdrawn and clipped Arek’s responses became.He never spoke of it, but Saer could see it in the subtle ways he’d light up when talking about something Alus showed him or said, followed by a dry brooding as the reality of Gluttony’s absence settled in.
The third or fourth time Saer noticed it, they were in the middle of preparing game meat.Arek regaled him with another Alus tidbit, something about the protein taking on a taste of whatever flora it feasted upon in life.As he finished his sentence, Greed trailed off and bowed his head with creases on either side of his mouth.
Saer touched Arek’s shoulder and tried to meet his downturned gaze.“You know he’s coming back.What are you worried about?”
Greed’s lavender eyes snapped up to the question and he growled, opening his mouth to offer some cynical response.
“Truth, Areknar,” Saer cut him off.“Or I’ll make you tell it during one of our games anyway.”While teasing, the command carried a hint of sincerity all the same.
Arek’s grimace persisted, though the tightness around his eyes softened.He lowered his gaze and paused before admitting, “I don’t want him to get used to us being apart.”
The insecurity was something Saer would have expected more of Errshek than Arek.Then again, if the Twins had a weak spot, it was for one another.
“Alustar will always be fine wherever he is, whoever he is with,” Saer said.Arek flinched, and Saer went on without pause, more warmth in his tone.“Even so, despite his adversity to experience discomfort of any kind, I guarantee your absence is a hollowness Alus feels every day you aren’t together.”
The wounded light faded halfway from Arek’s eyes.He even managed a wry smirk.“Here’s hoping you’re better at predicting such things than you are at playing games.”
Nearly a month later, the familiar noise of aDaemoenicarrival captured their attention.Each turned towards the brightness of the immolating sphere.Saer and Errshek remained seated on their respective carved stumps.
Arek stood with anticipation—then slumped when only one femaleDaemoenicappeared.
Female, and emanating power with perpetual ire.
Runeak arrived in a crouch.Muscular with the unmistakable curves of a woman, they only served to heighten her level of intimidation rather than soften it.
Neck craning to one side in a stretch, the huntress stood and scanned her surroundings.The ebony of the Runeak’s eyes glimmered, though her expression remained blank as she assessed each of the others with a flick of a glance.
“Errshek,” Saer spoke over his shoulder but didn’t take his eyes off Wrath.“Fetch the clothes set aside for Runeakael.”He kept his tone cautious—a predator sizing up another predator.Runeak and he hadn’t departed on bad terms, but neither were they friendly.
“You are fully capable—”
“Errsheken.”
“—of turning any- and everyone into your punching bag.”Errshek slapped his thighs, growling as he stood to do as he was bid.
After her assessment, Runeak’s gaze locked on Saer’s.Even when Errshek offered the pile of garments he’d collected for her, Wrath didn’t look as she grasped them.“You did not kill him.”
Errshek threw a hand up and walked back towards the center of the campsite, past Saer, who barely heard the tail end of his muttering, “—and talking about me like I’m not even here.”
Brows lifting, Saer ignored Envy and pushed himself to a stand, the movements careful.“No, I didn’t.”He nodded towards the clothes she’d taken.“Consider those a welcoming gift.After you’re done getting dressed, we’d be glad to share a meal with you.”
“I do not require food.Only fire,” she said.
