“Big boy, you’re up in the front,” the white haired leader instructed, pointing at Nate.
“Me?”
“You barked loudest,” The Lieutenant shrugged, before he took another glance at Nate. “Or are you all bark and no bite?”
I saw how Nate’s jaw tensed, holding a snarky comment back, before he nodded and followed the instructions of our leader who pointed him in the direction we were heading. Ashley and Mey kept close behind him, with Carolyn right behind them. I kept my pace slightly diagonal from her, wanting to have a clear view on all of them in case trouble found us.
The sun was already on its way up, bringing a beautiful, but soft, light between the thriving bushes and trees. A gentle breeze in the air, cooling us slightly while traveling. There were no paths to walk on, so we tried our best tofind clearings and animal trails to ease our travel, avoiding the thicker brush.
An uncomfortable feeling prickled my neck, and as my gaze drifted towards the left, I caught red eyes studying me as we marched.
“Keep up. Can’t have dead weight dragging my unit down.”
“Don’t worry, sir. I’d hate to be the reason you finally fail at something,” I said flatly.
The Lieutenant snorted. “Cute. Pup thinks she’s clever. The name fits; you yap a lot, but have no teeth… yet it doesn’t feel right.”
My hands balled into fists.
“Better a pup than a mangy mutt past his prime,” I mumbled.
“Careful. That tongue of yours could get you killed out here. And not by the enemy,” his voice turned cold, yet a sneer found its way forth.
“I’m sorry if I hurt your brittle feelings, sir,” I smiled without any warmth.
His smile vanished. He leaned close enough for his words to sting, his tone venomous.
“Listen closely. Out here, no one gives a damn if you live or die. And if you keep yapping at me, I’ll make sure your first hunt is your last. Then you’ll be nothing more than another corpse for the crows, forgotten before your blood even dries.”
I met his eyes for a beat, forcing my expression flat. Then I looked ahead again, refusing to give him the satisfaction of flinching.
I already knew nobody would care if I died, that was why I had nothing to lose by joining them.
No parents, no family. I was lucky enough that Lionel’s family had found me as a child. Alone in the mud, wrapped in a dirty cloth, screaming and desperate to survive. It wasn’t unusual. In this world people were allowed to sacrifice their own children, if they had no food to keep them alive. That was why no one asked me questions about where my mother and father were. But that’s not what had happened, they hadn’t abandoned me.
Magesmurderedthem.
My eyes caught the slightest twitch in front of me. Ashley, that chaotic girl with her icy blue eyes and a grin that never seemed to know the right time, raised her brows in wicked amusement. She didn’t say a word, but the sharp gleam in her eyes told me she knew something was up, but I had no idea what.
The Lieutenant slowed his movement, placing himself in the back. I felt as if the predator was staring at his prey from behind.
Mey turned her head. “So… what do demons look like?”
“Depends on what kind we face.”
“Such as?” Ashley asked, with a hint of eagerness.
I had only read about demons, how their only way through to our realm was by magic, with the help of mages. Stories tend to change with time, however, so if they were overexaggerated or not, I wasn’t sure.
“Demons cross over through greed,” the Lieutenant began explaining. “The kind that’s lured depends on what the mage sacrificed to the demon. Do they offer their magic, or perhaps loved ones? It all comes down to how far their greed goes.”
I heard how he slowed the last words, locking in on Nate and Mey.
“That’s stupid,” Mey deflected easily.
“You’d be surprised how easily people cast their humanity aside for trivial things.”
“So… why do the demons attack us then?” Carolyn cut in.
