“Charmed.” Faye nodded politely.
“How?” The demon glanced at Lori with a puzzled expression.
“It's a long story. She's been out here looking for me,” she replied.
Apparently disinterested in any further explanation, Lephas stooped and lifted Lori from the ground, squeezing her into a tight embrace. “I thought I'd lost you,” he sighed, burying his face into Lori’s neck. “Where have you been?”
Faye shuffled from foot to foot, kicking the toes of her boots into the snow. She averted her gaze, feeling awkward and unsure where to look.
Raxx appeared nearby, in the shadow of a pine tree. Faye watched as the shadow demon took in the strange scene before him. He glanced across at her and shot her a confused frown, rolling his eyes a little. Faye almost smirked, but held it together.
“Well, that's the complicated bit,” Lori laughed.
“My fault I'm afraid,” Raxx interjected.
“No...” Lephas dropped Lori to her feet and spun to face Raxx.
“I didn't realise the princess was still in your charge, I would have never—” Raxx began, pausing as the commander strode towards him.
“Corporeal. Now.” Lephas ordered.
Raxx hesitated for a moment, but reluctantly obeyed. The shadow demon had only just solidified when the commander punched him in the mouth. There was an immediate crackle of majick. It was a split-second, almost imperceptible, but Faye’s eyebrows quirked up in surprise. Outwardly, Raxx was calm and quiet, taking the hit without complaint, but Faye sensed the fierce, almost primal response from his majick. The shadow demon hadn’t appreciated being struck.
“That's for stealing my charge out from under me and making me run the length of this fucking place looking for her,” Lephas snapped, ire melting instantly from his face as he pulled his friend into a brief embrace. “But it's so good to see you.”
Raxx hugged him back roughly. “You too, commander.”
“How did you find us?” Lephas asked, draping his arm over Lori's shoulders as she tucked in beside him.
Faye watched as Raxx ran his black eyes over the pair curiously. “The same way I find anyone. One of Zelrus's men made it back to Banesteppe and told us you'd been ambushed. The king went to meet with Cirro without us.”
Faye’s stomach churned. What was the demon king doing visiting her uncle? She scowled and opened her mouth to protest, but Raxx caught her eye. Faye hesitated; this was her family and she had every right to ask what was going on, yet something about the shadow demon’s expression seemed off. She closed her mouth and pursed her lips. She would hold her tongue for now, but the minute she and Raxx had a moment alone, she would insist he told her everything. The demon knew more than he was letting on.
“I happened upon your charge by chance,” Raxx explained, casting his dark eyes across to Lori. “I spotted her in the woods alone and decided to strike. I thought she'd be able to tell me of your whereabouts.”
“You couldn't have brought her back before I spent all morning hunting for her?”
“I tried.” Raxx shrugged and nodded in Faye and Lori’s direction.
“Sorry Lephas. I was so worried about Faye. We spent a bit of time catching up before leaving to find you,” Lori replied.
Faye felt bitterness building inside her once more, just listening to her sister’s simpering. Yes, Lori had been worried about her – so much so, she had barely stopped talking about her new lover the entire journey.
“And I'm afraid I'm almost as useless as my sister at hiking through the snow, so it’s taken us a while.” Faye replied, shooting her sister a pointed look.
Lori scowled, before turning her attention towards Lephas once more. “I'm getting better, aren't I, Lephas?”
“A little,” the commander laughed.
“I can’t believe you’ve both been out here all this time. You must be exhausted.” Faye continued.
Both Lephas and Lori were looking rather bedraggled. Her sister’s once beautiful fur coat was grey and matted beyond recognition and the commander’s leather armour had certainly seen better days. She cast her eyes curiously over him, noting the scuffs and rips. If she didn’t know better, she could have sworn some of them looked like claw marks.
“It's been a really tough few days.” Lori nodded.
“Then there's no time to waste.” Faye looked to Raxx. “We must take them back to our camp.”
“A good plan. Come on.” Raxx's body flickered as he melded back into the shadows.
