**** Chapter Twenty One: PACKING UP

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Chapter Twenty One: PACKING UP

I was still in the trashed library, in Demon’s reading nook, on one of the roomy and cushioned but seriously hazardous-for-sleeping-in chairs. After he’d stormed out, I was so afraid to step out that I crashed onto one of the chairs to get my nerves back. I must have fallen asleep.

My head was heavy with the leftover bitterness of last night’s events and my wrists were tender. I rubbed them gently and cursed him. Nobody, I mean nobody, had ever treated me this way. Back home nobody would even think of laying a finger on me much less roughing me up like I was a rag doll!

Tears welled up in my eyes but I was too angry to let them spill. I hated him!

“Aoife!” The masculine voice made me jump ten feet up in air and fall back in the chair. Please, God! Don't let it be Demon!

“Aoife, are you here?” The library door swung open slowly and Azure stepped in.

He was such a sight for sore, weepy eyes! I leapt into his arms as he made his way across the ruined library towards me.

“Azure! I want to go home! I really want to go home like right now!” I cried in one breath.

“Are you okay darling?” He hugged me tightly. “What happened here?” He looked around and then back at me, honest concern in his eyes. “Dee told me he left you here and that you didn't make it back to your room last night.”

“How did he know I wasn’t in my room?” I let go of Azure. “Did he go in to check on me? After what he did to me?”

“Did you two have a fight?” he asked calmly but I could sense he was upset.

“He attacked me! Just to prove he was a much better warrior than I am and all because I –” I looked at the splintered bookcases, the debris – “Okay so I trashed his library. So what? It’s still no excuse for what he did to me. Look at my wrists!”

“I know he can be a little rough –”

“A little rough? I can handle a little rough. But he’s not a little rough. He’s crazy!” “But you have to make it work, Aoife.” This time Azure was firm.

“Why me? Why can’t you tell him that?”

“Because it’s not in him to be nice! He’s a demon who will always, always react on an instinct when he sees you. It’s like a – a cat reacting to a mouse.”

“You think I’m a mouse? Then why the hell is he being such a rat! Is this effin’ Tom and Jerry?”

“Aoife! This isn’t working.” He rubbed his forehead. “And that’s not good. You need him to break the Scepter – you need him. If you aggravate him more he can just choose to walk away from this all because he doesn’t really need to stay.”

“What about his enemies? He needs my help to defeat them so they won’t kill him later when he’s all lame and powerless.”

“That too is helpful to you in turn. He is ready to coach you, teach you all the warring skills necessary to survive in the Realm and above all, rule the throne of Enth.” “Come again? Rule what?” I wondered if I looked as stunned as I felt.

“Okay. Okay that’s a bit too much to take in just now but you must make peace with the devil. It’s literally that. And you must do it. Please!” He took my hands in his.

“But – he said stay away from me. How am I to make anything with him if I can’t even be near His Majesty?”

“I’m sure it was just rage talking.” He tried for a hopeful expression. “Demon knows it more than anyone else how delicate this issue is.”

“Azure –” I sighed and looked at him, defeated. “I swear if there was even a remote chance I didn’t have to kiss his ass to get out of this mess I’d kill him! But I know I’m stuck and – tell me what to do. I have no clue how to deal with this. I’m completely clueless!”

“For starters, keep a calm head around him. If you challenge him, he’ll instinctively retaliate. Don't give him that chance.”

“But I don't challenge him!” I drew a deep breath. “He’s the one putting me in a spot like every time and I – ugh! Okay you know what – fine – I’ll do it. I’ll be as stupid and lame as plain vanilla and I’ll make peace with him and when all this is over, that’s when

I’ll smash his head in!”

“That’s the spirit!” Azure chuckled. “You should get ready now. It’s already noon.

Get out of this hideous robe, eat, bathe, and – for heaven’s sake brush your hair!”

“I’m not hungry.” I frowned. “But I do want to shower and get rid of his robe! Any way I can burn this?”

“I think he will.” Azure smiled, but I knew he wasn’t joking. That’s exactly what he’d do. Jerk!

I returned to my room without event. And much to my surprise, the room was made up, cleaned and fixed – yes, all the broken knobs and floors were patched up and back in place. The shopping bags were missing but there was a sizeable armoire in white now standing in one corner. I opened it to find all the new clothes hung up there.

It was a two compartment armoire: one for hangers, the other with shelves. There were about fifteen to twenty tops and just about the same number of various trousers, jeans, and skirts. The tops and skirts were on hangers while the pants and jeans were folded neatly and stacked in the shelves. Below them, a two tier shoe rack held a pair of nice black pumps, a pair of beige sandals, long boots and sneakers.

I was just scanning the collection, all very casual but tasteful, when it struck me.

What about the intimates? That’s when I noticed a drawer just above the shoes. I opened it and heaved a sigh of relief. Yes, there they were and plenty too. Bless that Kara. She was the best thing that had happened to me in this weird, vile place.

Now the only thing that remained was to see if the clothes fit to size. So I hurriedly took a quick bath then came back and once again stood looking at the clothes – which one to pick? I wanted to try them all on but I doubted if I had enough time. If I remembered correctly, I had to pack as well before we left for – Knock! Knock!

“Who is it?” I tightened my bath towel around me. Please don’t be Demon, please don’t be Demon!

“Krâl sends you a message, Madam.” Rumir’s strong voice boomed from behind the door.

“What kind of a message?” I wasn’t about to open the door of course.

“I have an envelope, Madam. I cannot say what the contents are.”

“Okay.” What in hell was he up to now? “Slide it in – from under the door!”

“I’m afraid I can’t.” He sounded adamant. “I’m instructed to deliver it personally.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake! I’m right here Rumir, just slide it in!”

“If you could just open the door perhaps?”

“Oh, crap!” I cursed the universe and then took a deep breath. “Okay, wait then!”

I quickly returned to the armoire and pulled out the first thing that caught my eye: a red sleeveless shirt with a little lace at the neck and regular jeans. I pulled the shirt on quickly and hopped into the jeans.

But vanity!

Before reaching for the door, I stole a quick glance in the full length mirror. The jeans were a little snug on me and the neckline scooped a little lower and wider than I usually wore but I don't think it looked bad. I wrung my hair dry again with a towel, ran my fingers quickly through it and left it untied to fall freely to my waist.

I opened the door. “Yes Rumir! What is it?”

“Krâl sent this for you.” He handed me a small white, sealed envelope. “He is waiting for you downstairs. May I take your bags?”

“My bags aren’t ready.” I bit my lip. “Five more minutes? And – I would need a bag too by the way.”

“Very well, I’ll get you one.” He turned and left.

I ripped the envelope to find a red round stone – the red pearl! I didn't understand why he had given it back to me. Wait a minute – did he want me to use it and go back? Of course that’s what he wanted! Once I left all his problems would be solved and it would be me suffering in eternal solitude once he turned human. Why the nerve of that man!

I eyed the pearl wickedly and then pocketed it. No way was I going back now Mr.

Smarty Pants!

Within the next ten minutes, Rumir not only returned with a duffle bag, but packed in all my stuff and carried it downstairs to the lounge with me keeping up with his quick pace behind him.

I met Azure in the lounge, well in the foyer to be exact. Demon had already gone outside to the stables. Rumir went straight out with the luggage while I stopped to tell Azure about the pearl. He laughed and told me to keep the pearl and my cool. Although, he was a bit unnerved about Demon’s mood that morning. He said the King looked unusually grim. I shrugged my shoulders carelessly and barged out on to the lush lawn.

A golden afternoon sun greeted me cheerfully, its rays bathing the castle and its fields. A soft breeze drenched my senses in instant pleasure. I took a deep breath and marched out to the stables. It was a new day and nobody and nothing was going to get me down.

And then I saw him.