Raxx disembodied once more and slipped away, back out into the farmyard. Fine flakes of snow had begun to fall, sailing serenely through the still air. The demon hurried back towards Magna’s farmhouse, passing straight through the wooden door and into the warm kitchen.
Magna was sitting at the table with a cup of steaming tea in front of her. Lephas and Lori stood to the side of her, both with anxious expressions. The princess was curled beneath Lephas’s arm, her hand clutching at his back. Karn, Lephas’s large wolf, sat obediently at the opposite side of the commander. Raxx watched the scene from the shadow realm for a few moments.
“That girl will be the death of me,” Magna sighed.
“Just give her some time to cool off, I’m sure she’ll come around,” Lephas soothed.
The old woman shook her head. “No, I know Indi. She’s as headstrong as they come. This has been building for a while. She’s been growing more and more curious about the world beyond the farm. I’ve done my best to placate her – we’ve gone on longer, further reaching rides despite the danger I know lurks in these woods. I’ve told her as many tales of king Tennul and his adventures as I could recall. Now I fear I may have been making things worse.”
The old demon woman stared vacantly out through the kitchen window, her aged and clouded eyes shining with emotion.
“You weren’t to know. You’ve been doing the best you could,” Lephas replied.
“Maybe it would be for the best if we did take her along with us?” Lori mumbled.
Both Magna and Lephas looked at her in surprise. She glanced between them sheepishly.
“Why would you say that?” Lephas asked.
“Well, as Magna said, Indi is growing rebellious. I fear I can relate to her more than any of you,” Lori said.
Lephas nodded, but didn’t speak.
“Believe me when I tell you she will not just get over this and forget about it,” Lori continued. “Even if you manage to persuade her to stay this time, how many more times will she heed your warning before she does something reckless like running away from home, with no supplies or protection?”
Lori grinned up at Lephas. The commander rolled his eyes, but smiled back at her. Raxx saw his opportunity and appeared at the opposite end of the large table.
“I agree with Lori.”
The three jolted with surprise as they turned to look at him.
“Raxx. I wondered where you’d got to,” Lephas said.
“I’ve been around,” the shadow demon replied before turning his attention back to Magna. “Let Indi return to Banesteppe with us. As Lori said, she will undoubtedly reach a point where she decides to make the journey regardless. At least this way you can rest easy, knowing she is under our protection.”
“But it’s so dangerous out there for a young woman. Indi has never left this farm, not since I found her all those years ago as a lost, frightened babe.” Magna sighed.
“We will watch over her,” Raxx reasoned.
“She knows nothing of the world out there.”
“With all due respect Magna – neither do my sister and I.” Lori smiled sadly. “I swear to you I will keep a watchful eye over her.”
Raxx nodded. “I will return her to you when she is ready, or if things should get too dangerous.”
Lephas glanced between Lori and Raxx with disbelief.
“I suppose you’re right. I’m just so fearful of what may await her out there.” Magna picked up her tea and clutched it between her wizened, shaking hands. “But, as you said, maybe this is the safer option. If she is going to fly the nest, I would much rather she did so with friends and under Zelrus’s men’s protection.”
A moment of silence fell over the group as Faye walked into the kitchen. She did a double-take, seemingly surprised to see Raxx stood there with the others.
“O-oh. Good morning everyone,” she stuttered, placing her satchel down beside a small pile of other belongings at the door.
“Good morning, my dear.” Magna nodded.
Lori simply smiled at her sister and waved her over. Faye approached and Raxx watched her with interest. The faerie kept her eyes downcast, avoiding his gaze.
“It appears Indi will be travelling back to Banesteppe with us,” Lori explained.
