“We'll get him back.” Lephas continued, his tone brightening. “We just need to get back to Banesteppe and then we'll put a plan of attack in place to spring him. He's not the first of us to get captured, he won't be the last. We always scrape through somehow.”
“You have no idea how much I hope you're right,” Lori mumbled.
“Well, we've got you as our ace. Who better than tohelp us get into the castle undetected than the person who managed to escape.” The demon shot her a kind smile.
She shook her head, but Lephas's smile was contagious.
“How did you get out of there? Just curious,” he asked.
“It really wasn't anything glamorous or heroic. I just bribed one of the gardeners to accidentally leave a gate open. He was an old man and had always been kind to my sisters and I. He used to cut us fresh flowers for our bedrooms.”
Lori felt sadness well up in her chest once more. She hoped the kindly gardener was alright. In the midst of her escape, she hadn't given much thought to his fate if her father found out he had helped her.
“That's one hell of a risk to take,” Lephas marvelled.
“I'm forever indebted to him.”
“I can check on him when we go to break out Haros. I wouldn't be opposed to trying to bring him back with us.”
“You sound so confident. It took me twenty-six years to escape that castle and yet you talk easily of walking right in and freeing your friend.” Lori paused, the most important question burning on her tongue. “How difficult would it be to get my sisters out?”
Lephas' face turned grim. “Kidnapping not one, butbothof Lazuli's remaining daughters? That’s a pretty tall order. No doubt he's increased the security measures around them since you managed to escape.”
I understand, but you have no idea how much I worry about them,” Lori replied sadly.
“I may have an inkling.”
“Of course - Haros. I know you worry for him, but my sisters... We've spent our entire lives together. They're all I've got. I've never been apart from them this long. Just thinking about them, still trapped inside that castle–” Lori felt hot tears well up in her eyes. She swallowed, looking away quickly and willed the emotion to recede.
“Hey, hey...” Lephas soothed. He stopped walking and pulled her in to him by the hand he held tightly. “Try not to get upset.”
“I'm sorry, I...” Lori sighed heavily, biting her lip to keep it from trembling.
“It's been a really tough couple of days. Let’s try to stay positive. We can only take it a day at a time. We’ll get out of this forest, back to Banesteppe and then worry about these things. We can't do anything about it right now, can we?”
“No, you're right. Sorry.” Lori nodded determinedly,steeling herself with a shake.
“I know, I understand. Let's just keep walking and try to forget about it for now.” Lephas grasped her shoulders and turned her around.
They continued in silence for a few minutes before the demon spoke again.
“You know, I can't stop thinking about last night.”
Lori faltered and tripped over her own boot. She looked up at him curiously but he avoided her gaze. His handsome face had begun to grow steadily pink. Lori smiled, she loved it when he got embarrassed like that.
She knew he was only telling her because he wanted to take her mind off her sisters, but excitement fizzed in her belly nonetheless.
“Me either,” she said.
“I can't quite actually believe it happened. Things like this don't ever happen to me.” Lephas laughed awkwardly.
“Pft, now I know you're making that up,” Lori scoffed.
“No, really.”
“But you're gorgeous. Surely you have your pick of the demon girls back at home?” She countered, genuinely surprised.
Lephas groaned, smiling despite his face flushing further. “Are you trying to embarrass me? Because it's working.”
