Chapter Thirty Nine: KESUNG – THE BLOODSTONE

Chapter Thirty Nine: KESUNG – THE BLOODSTONE

Demon was standing below to catch me. He put me down quickly and we began walking. The tunnel would’ve been dark but the twinkling diamonds of Nivis’s dagger emanated enough light for us to see the way. Suddenly the light of the dagger diamonds became intense.

“Good,” Demon said, “we’re out.”

As he led the way, I felt a draft of fresh air on my face and then I was standing beneath a starry sky with soft damp grass beneath my feet. I looked back and was amazed at how far behind we had left Castle Ducimus. Demon kept on walking quietly but quickly until we were well into the dark woods with tall shadowy trees. I realized that in spite the thick foliage, the forest was nicely lit by moonlight and Demon had sheathed the dagger in a belt at his waist.

The cool wind was so refreshing. I inhaled deeply and felt much of the stress slide from me.

I didn't want to think about Nivis and his death and his lust for me, anymore. I tried not to think about Demon and Aoibheann and how I felt for him and all that nonsensical stuff. I was too tired to think anyhow. Or to hold grudges. Or to even judge.

Demon was his own man. I didn’t know why he’d come for me but it was clear as day there was no romance in the air when we shared it. He did try to be nice to me in his own way. I’ll give him that. But mostly we pretty much had our daggers drawn ready to shed blood and – Gasp!

Something caught hold of my dress near my left thigh. I quickly grabbed it only to find a little twig that had got wrapped in all the frills of the gown. I sat down to free myself when Demon noticed and came up to me.

“Something wrong?” He knelt beside me.

“No. Stay away from me.”

“Excuse me?” He looked confused.

“I wish I could!” I snapped, helplessly trying to free the lace that kept on getting more entangled in dry leaves and twigs.

“What’s the matter with you?” He sounded annoyed.

“I don't know!”

“Aoife!”

“Look!” I was so gonna to explode in his face! “Maybe this is a little hard for you to understand but I’m very different from the women you’re used to! You’ve definitely never met anybody like me before so do not treat me like you do the women you entertain in your bed!” Stop Aoife! Stop now! “Especially, the ones who come in trying to kill you!”

He stared at me with his mouth open for a long moment before he blinked. And then – he was furious. “You were in my room? When were you in my room?”

“I wasn’t in your room.” Liar, liar! Pants on –

“Then how’d you know Aoibheann tried to kill me?”

“Okay, fine! I was in your room. But when I saw how busy you were, I left.”

“Why did you come?”

“I had to ask you something.”

“Pray tell!”

“Don’t you dare be smug with me, Demon!”

“No, no. I’m not smug. I’m hyperventilating here that Her Highness the Princess of Enth broke into my room in the dead of night and I couldn’t entertain her because I was busy making out with another woman!”

“Yes, you were!” I glared at him. “Sleeping with the enemy! And to think you wanted me to stay away from them!”

“Oh! Please do forgive me if I’ve interrupted any nocturnal plans you had brewing up in the Ducimus cauldron, Princess!”

“God! You’re impossible! I don’t know why I put up with you!”

“Why do you?”

“Because I have to! I can’t do this alone. It’s like I’m learning a new term every single day. Nobody cares to tell me the whole story. Not you. Not Azure. Not Ogaz! Like – what the hell is a Bloodstone? That’s what I came to ask about when – whatever!”

“Whatever? You could have bloody well knocked!”

“I did but you weren’t in to answer it!” I snapped. “I’m not like you who’d simply barge in anyone’s bedroom! I didn’t know you were outside or I wouldn’t have – whatever!”

There was a momentary silence. The rant had left both of us more furious than we were at the beginning of it. It was perhaps better to shut up for a moment or two before even thinking of resuming any conversation.

I looked at Demon from the corner of my eye. He was looking the other way and looked annoyed. Stupid Demon! He has no idea of the agony I had to endure and he’s mad at me? It’s not like my presence interfered with his awesome night life! I looked away too.

“Kesung – or the Bloodstone,” he spoke after a while, his strong voice tearing through the uncomfortable silence. “It’s a small piece broken off the grave of a dead Demon of Volttus. If it’s dipped into fresh blood of the ruling Krâl, it can be used for controlling a number of powers – including the Demon’s Scepter of Fire, which we’re after but we don’t need the stone because I am the ruling Krâl.”

“Aoibheann said they have this Kesung and it’s only the blood they’re lacking,” I recalled.

“Yes,” he said. “The stone they have is from the grave of Darchuz. Before he died he had his gravestone made and sent away a small piece of it to Lorez’s family. I guess to rectify what he’d done to them. I think Arela or Aoibheann might’ve stolen it somehow and now all they need is – my blood to use it.”

“And you still didn’t kill Aoibheann!” I glared at him. “Unbelievable!” She must really be good in – ugh!

“I didn’t kill her because while I was with her –“

“Oh, shut up and spare me the details!”

“She seemed weak!” he said forcefully. “As if she had no power over me. I couldn’t kill a weaker adversary.”

“Oh, how charming!” I mocked him. “You do realize it won’t stop her from killing you.”

“Once the Scepter is broken everything will fall into place.” He shrugged. “You’ll be you. I’ll be either dead or human – either way absolutely of no consequence to them so – relax.”

“O yeah sure I’ll relax because it’s just so easy to –” I stopped and took a deep breath. What the hell! “Why don't you just kill them all right now? You can do it. You killed Nivis like he was some – and you didn't have to by the way!” “You’re mad at me for killing him?” He looked shocked.

“He didn't have to die! I could’ve taken him.”

“Oh, so I’m supposed to apologize now – to you? For killing him?”

“Kill them all then! Just end this thing!”

“End what thing?” He looked vexed. My sentiments exactly only I didn't understand what his problem was. “What exactly do you think is going on here? You think killing them is going to solve everything? It won’t! The idea is for us to break the Scepter and there is nothing in the entire Realm that could save you if this isn’t done right. Arela’s ring was more a trick than anything else. Yes, she was bound to not touch me but which Krâl would she be enslaved to once she possessed the Scepter? She could’ve broken all her promises then since there would be no Demon to hold her accountable! As for you – she has no jurisdiction over the Curse or any Demonic entities. Her promise in that regard was nothing but a lie from the start.” He stopped and drew in a long breath. “I break the Scepter – with you – that’s the only way you don't turn into a spirit! And we don’t need a bloodbath. Get it?”

“Why do you want to help me?” I asked him bluntly. “If it doesn’t pose a threat to you why are you helping me?”

“Because I gave you my word that I would.” He looked annoyed.

Ah yes! He gave me his word. Man of his word. I so needed therapy! I wanted to vent but words failed me. So I simply shook my head and, forgetting that my dress was still entangled, got to my feet.

The measly little twig wasn’t so measly after all and ripped through the silk leaving a long seam hanging from my knee to my feet.

“I hate this stupid dress!”

Demon smiled. “I rather like it this way,” he said.

"Oh, I think Aoibheann's outfit was more to your taste." Pervert! I ripped off the remaining seam just above my knee.

"Yes, very sexy don't you think." He had the usual roguish twinkle in his eye. "And quite easy to undress too if you just –"

"Oh my God! I can't believe you're telling me all this!"

"I'm simply filling in the details you may have missed."

“I don’t care!”

“Yes, you do.”

“No, I don’t! I couldn't care less if you drilled holes in her!"

I didn't think I sounded funny but he threw back his head and laughed – loud! “Ah yes! That would’ve been nice only I didn’t feel inclined.”

I eyed him suspiciously. “You mean to tell me that the most beautiful woman in the entire universe practically threw herself at you and you did nothing?”

“Well.” He smiled impishly. “I wouldn’t say nothing.”

If I had any fire powers I would have burned myself or him down to nothing! Instead, I shook my head because I couldn't find anything suitable to say, and then finally looked away from him.

“Come on.” He got to his feet. “We need to find a safe spot before morning and get some sleep. Azure might be looking for us too so let’s move.”

I watched him stroll past me and trek ahead into the dark jungle. Then, bracing myself, I followed.