And she had been scared when she looked over my shoulder… when she sawhim. Had she known his true nature, or was it the fear that he saw her using magic? I glanced at him, I had never heard of demons looking just like us… well except for shapeshifters. Was that what he was?
“So… are you a shapeshifter?” I asked curiously.
His eyes darkened, before he averted his gaze and walked past me again. “No.” The firmness in his voice told me to not press on.
“Okay… but are you ontheirside, then?”
“I’m not on any side, since none would welcome me if they knew the truth,” he chuckled bitterly. “What about you? You’re comfortable killing your own kin, without knowing their side of the story?”
I pressed my lips together into a thin line. “I… haven’t thought about it like that.”
“If you ask me, they’re both stupid,” he continued. “Mages andungiftedfighting each other, while the ones who tore them apart watch eagerly from the sideline, unharmed, until they can swoop in and kill whoever is left.”
Since he told me about the quartz and our bullets only slowing the demons down, I began wondering if any of the higher-ranking officers besides Malakai knew of this at the Ashen Corps? We were simply delaying the demons, while slaughtering humans, mages and non-mages alike, slowly letting the demons grow in numbers, until the day their faction would be larger than their enemies combined.
We wouldn’t stand a chance against them at that point. I felt unease, knowing this, but grateful for his honesty.
“We should try to confront the mages,” I agreed. “If we manage to unite some of them, or at least reach a ceasefire… we could focus on the real threat instead.”
Malakai nodded.
“Thanks… you know, for sharing,” I muttered awkwardly.
“Careful kitten, it almost sounds as if you’re being nice to me,” he smirked teasingly at me and I chuckled lightly.
For a brief moment, I wasn’t feeling tense, or rejecting myself, my flames. I was able to relax, not fearing that Malakai would attack me at any moment because of what he was, or that he’d tell the world of what I was capable of.
A moment of peace.
Before two words entered my mind, making me go rigid again.
Temptation demon.
Coaxing me to use my power, making me feel safe, using sweet words to lower my guard and tempt me to trust.
Shit.
A part of me wanted to believe him, but the other part of me had this gnawing feeling that he didn’t want to tell me what sort of demon he was.
There had to be a reason for it. If he was happy to tell me about his weakness, his shame… then why hidethat?
I swallowed hard, my throat feeling dry and tight.
“Tell you what—” Malakai’s voice broke through my thoughts, making me stumble. “I have a small wooden figure somewhere on my person, if you manage to take it from me, we’ll search for the others.”
I furrowed my brows. “What?”
“Give it your best,” Malakai said, his lips curving into a wicked grin. “For your sniper’s sake.”
My hands balled into fists and I flung my hand towards him, like I had before, preparing a fireball and-
Nothing.
Not a single spark, and I lookedridiculous.
Malakai stared at me for a brief moment, before he huffed and then burst into laughter, mocking my very existence…
I bit my lower lip, before I ran towards him, putting all my strength into a single blow. He leaned back and I missed, but I kept throwing punch after punch at his stupid, taunting face.
