Devdan Manor Read online

  Why couldn’t those monsters have rolled through the land killing everything in their path? Why couldn’t they turn the demons’ world into a wasteland? Hiding danger under such alluring scenes was despicable. They fixed the demon world just so they could destroy it. They were giving them a taste a paradise to make the destruction Cyl knew was coming so much more unbearable.

  “How is he, Kephas?” Tahir asked. “I would like to explore the city and we need a place to examine their powers.”

  Kephas nodded. “I have done what I could for Cyl. His power should do the rest. I smell the Ancient power inside you. It is strong. We need to determine how it got in there. I believe that is the key to saving ourselves once the creatures show their true intentions for this world.”

  The fox shifted behind him. It pushed. Cyl put his hand on its back. Ryse stood. With its help, Cyl got to his feet.

  The ground shifted. He rested on the animal. Why wouldn’t the world stop spinning?

  “Anas has taken a liking to you. He has never bonded with anyone so quickly,” Tahir said.

  Cyl noted the hint of admiration in his voice. Cyl bowed his head. His face heated.

  Ozais groaned. “I didn’t get my blood. Still, I want to thank you for stopping me.” He stretched his arms towards the sun. “It has been years since I felt warm. My skin is eating this up.” Frowning, he dropped his arms and shook his head. “What am I saying? Must be this weird air. Can we move on before I start hugging you? This land is disturbing. It’s making me feel nice inside.”

  Uryl hooked one arm around Ryse and dropped her onto Anas. The fox didn’t mind. Ryse face brightened. His sister was going to be beautiful when she grew up. Cyl would make sure she reached maturity.

  Mortaus’ gates were opened. Hordes of demons freely passed through without producing papers. Uniformed guards patrolled. Most of time, they simply stopped others for a friendly conversation. The air was different here. Freer. Demons’ faces held real smiles.

  Through pieces of conversation, Cyl learned the demon world had a new king and queen. Apparently, this was a good thing. Had they forgotten the wars and executions that ended the Royal Era?

  How long had they been trapped in the Devdan’s mansion?

  Mom pushed her way through the crowd. Her face flushed with excitement. She beamed when her eyes landed on them. Sticking out her hand, she pushed demons out of her way. She ran to them. She threw her arms around Cyl’s neck. He stiffened. As a child, he yearned for Mom and Dad’s affection. Now, the thought of their eyes on him turned his stomach. She needed to let him go before he killed her.

  She released him and went for Ryse. Uryl lifted her off Anas before Mom could touch her.

  Mom smile and nodded. “I didn’t think you would forgive me so easily. We’ve treated you terribly. I’m sorry. Our new rulers made me realize how foolish I have been. I’m glad you’ve returned. We can be a real family now.”

  Cyl had no desire to be a real family. What he wanted to do was gut this thing and find his real mother.

  She turned to Nuall. “You parents have been looking for you. They will be happy to see you.”

  Cyl gripped Nuall hands. If they separated, he had the strange feeling they’d never see each other again. She needed to stay with them. Nuall’s hand shivered. Maybe it was his hand. He couldn’t tell. Small tremors rolled through his body. Ryse tucked her head into Uryl shoulder and whimpered.

  Mom patted Ryse back. Uryl jerk out of her reach. He locked her with a hate-filled glare.

  Mom’s smile didn’t falter.

  “Don’t worry. We have plenty of time. You will see. We can be a real family.”

  Nuall tightened her hold on Cyl’s hand almost breaking his fingers. Out of everything that happened, why was this having such a potent effect on him. Felt like ice had possessed his soul.

  A hand was on his back. He jumped.

  “Don’t worry,” Valent said. “We will figure this out. We owe your our lives. We will make sure you remain safe.”

  Mom’s face darkened. Finally, a hint of his real mother. Her smile returned even brighter.

  “Devdans, I didn’t see you there.” Her voice dripped with false niceness. “Any friends of my children are welcome in our home.”

  This king and queen must’ve fed the world a false story about the Devdans. Mom wasn’t the only one eying the Devdans with open disdain.

  Tahir sighed. “I am too old for games.”

  Valent stepped forward and bowed. “Thank you for your hospitality. I am sorry for troubling you. Your children are beautiful even by demon standards. I see they received such a rare gift from you. You must be a descendant of the kings and queens of old.”

  Mom’s face redden. Valent hadn’t needed to flatter her. Mom was plain. Everyone knew it.

  “You have a remarkable way with words Ms. Devdan.”

  “Please, call me Valent.”

  No wonder Kephas called her Lady.

  The two females walked off.

  “I’m surprised she didn’t burst into flames,” Ozais whispered as they followed. “A lie like that should at least turn her tongue to ash. Your mother has to be the most unexceptional demon in history. Even her power tastes bland.”

  Ozais and Valent knew how to lighten the mood. Nuall shook her hand out of Cyl’s.

  “You will come home with me later,” Nuall eyed Kephas, “You too.”

  “Tahir would be better. I’m not as good with pretty words.”

  “I don‘t feel like being nice,” Tahir grumbled. “I feel like destroying every crystal in this place. This land is only pretty from afar.”

  Tahir was in a terrible mood.

  Nuall grinned. “I think I will have you join us instead.

  Tahir lifted his eyebrow. “Why does a child think she can order me around?”

  Nuall shrugged. She pulled ahead of them.

  A stone statue almost as tall as the surrounding buildings blocked their path. Colored waters shot up around its feet. Laughing children danced in and out of the fountain. Older demons stopped and bowed their heads.

  No.

  Cyl stepped back. Shielding his eyes from the suns, he examined the statue.

  This wasn’t possible. It matched the one that used to be in the chamber under the Devdan’s house.

  “Those statues were broken beyond repair,” Cyl said.

  “Yes,” Nuall said.

  “Could this be a different statue?”

  “No.”

  Cyl needed more than a one word answer. He needed an explanation. It smelled like the Devdan house. The stone had the same glass sheen to it. The face, armor and weapon were the same. Who commanded those stone demons? They were carved to resemble the Devdans. From the matching scowls on Valent, Tahir and Kephas’ faces, they despised those statues.

  Mom walked to it and prayed.

  The statue’s head turn.

  Nuall groaned. “Not again.”

  They could leave. They didn’t have to wait to see when the head would stop turning. Cyl told his body to move. It didn’t listen.

  The head looked down. The eyes snapped open.

  Felt like slimy worms were dancing under his skin.

  The eyes were made of a black and white glassy material. The black marble in the middle rolled as the head bowed.

  They weren’t the only demons in the square. The statue couldn’t be staring at them. Cyl stepped the right. The marble eyes followed him. Tahir walked to his left. The black eyes snapped onto him.

  Ryse whimpered. She tightened her grip on Uryl’s neck. Cyl wanted to hide behind someone too. He was too old to do something so childish. His bones shivered. The eyes had rooted him to the ground. He couldn’t turn away. Somehow, those two black marbles bore into each of them at the same time. The lids narrowed and the mouth stretched into smi
le that also touched its ears. Mom walked away. The statue ignored her.

  “Walk,” Nuall demanded.

  Her strong voice broke the spell. His limbs worked. They walked.

  The sound of stone rubbing against stone.

  The head followed them.

  Those glee filled eyes stayed on their backs as they headed for Mom and Dad’s house.

  Enjoy this world now. One day, we will destroy everything.

  Nuall wrapped her arms around herself. Anas stuck close to his side. His fur was Cyl’s only warmth. The world had gotten colder. The suns were still burning in the sky. Why did everything seem darker?

  Shade’s thoughts jumbled and stuck to the walls of her brain. They struggled to right themselves. The glue was strong. Thoughts fought and, one by one, they freed themselves. The struggle made them dizzy. Scenes were out of order.

  Shade focused on something a little closer. The heinous design on the couch. It was pea green and had shapes placed in spots with no direction or purpose. It looked like vomit. Lavender wrapped around her nose. She was in Vayle’s apartment. It was daylight. Shade inhaled. Darkness had just given the world to the sun.

  Shade shifted. Stabbing pain dug into her body. She bit her sore tongue to stop the whine. It didn’t work. The wounds had closed. The poison was still eating her. The sores threatened to reopen. She sat upright. They remained closed— so why didn’t it feel like it?

  Vayle walked out of the kitchen.

  Shade’s hand shot to her head. Her insides eased. Her hat and dark glasses were on. Damn, that hurt. She had moved her sore arm too fast.

  The black fleece blanket tickled her skin.

  “Where’s my shirt?” she asked.

  “You expected me to leave you in that bloody thing?”

  “So then, why are my pants gone?”

  Vayle rolled his eyes.

  “Do you have any idea how much blood you shed? I had to drop you in the tub and wash you after I closed the wounds. To fill up that tin tank with enough water to drop you in it meant more trips to the river then I would’ve liked. Why is it, little sister, you cannot control your actions?”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I could kill you. You are not back one day and you’re already bleeding.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Stop apologizing. Stupid little Del’Praeli.” He went to the couch opposite hers. “If you apologize one more time, I will strangle you.”

  Shade should curse him to dust for treating her like a darkling. She should remind Vayle he was the one who taught her Lifeblood to react instinctively. Instead, she wrapped the soft blanket tighter and stood. The fabric calmed the poison trying to reopen the wounds. Darkness hung in his apartment, creating a safe place for Shade to remove her hat and dark glasses.

  She walked to the window.

  The forest surrounded Raesul.

  The punishment wasn’t the end of the world. She’d spent a lot of time in the forest as a darkling.

  Shade raised her good arm, pulled Bria into her and passed it through her wrist, creating a black ball of silky smoke in her palm. It looked so calm. This serene orb held within it a sound only the one attacked could hear, a sound that would make their ears bleed. Opening Darkness and pulling its Bria into the body was useless if the Del’Praeli didn’t know how to mold it. For some reason, the Academy didn’t instill this into the darklings.

  Vayle trained her as Lafeyette had taught him, in the forest. She pulled more Energy into the ball, making it bigger. Shade concentrated on the flow of Lifeblood, finding each warm pulsing gate located at each joint as well as her chest and forehead. Vayle called them Fykas— points that helped transform and transport the Lifeblood. What Fykas did was different for each body. They still didn’t know exactly what hers did.

  The training sessions were arduous and painful. She loved them. It was the only time she felt powerful. The sessions, however, had reminded her how different she was.

  Creating this ball was senseless. She couldn’t reabsorb the orb. It would be like attacking herself. She turned her palm to Vayle’s back. Shade had never been able to harm him with such a simple attack and didn’t expect to this time.

  Vayle’s shield devoured the ball. He had tried teaching her to do that. It required using more Lifeblood then her half-human body could handle.

  “That was pointless,” Vayle said as he sat on the edge of the couch to face her.

  Her punishment could’ve been a lot worse.

  Despite living off his parents’ vast wealth, Vayle didn’t have much furniture. His living room was a comfortable size but held only two couches. The doors to the bedroom blended in with his black painted walls when closed. The kitchen was open on the other side. His tall havel was empty except for enough bottled water to drown the village, twice. Why did he need an electric ice cabinet anyway?

  She missed digging her toes into the velvety carpet covering only his living room floor. His apartment had many windows that brightened his place at sun up. The black curtains fought the sun in all the windows.

  He had a nice view of the Main. Shade liked listening to Del’Praeli talking, Merchants shouting over one another— it was life.

  She walked from the window to the pile of clothes on the glass table. She dropped the blanket and grabbed her pants.

  “I have a question, Little Sie.”

  Shade groaned as she pulled up the pants.

  “Why do you refuse to wear a bodice to support those massive breasts?”

  She turned away as she zipped and buttoned the pants. He wasn’t supposed to ask questions like that.

  “You try wearing one. They’re constricting and cut into my skin.”

  Vayle chuckled. “Is Little Sie afraid of pain?”

  Shade glared at him. Vayle continued to smile.

  “Carrying that much weight must be a strain on such a little frame. The human males must love you. Doubt the females feel the same.”

  She continued to glare with her hands on her hips.

  “Oh, how cute you are when you’re angry.”

  “Like you’re so pure.”

  He was no longer the antagonizing older brother. He became a predator. Shade held her ground and locked onto those vicious eyes.

  “No, but I don’t play with my food.”

  She reached for the button-up.

  “Before you do that, here.”

  She looked up in time to catch the blue bag. It held a collection of bodices in dark colors with attractive markings. To avoid seeing his expression again, she put one on.

  It was the most comfortable clothing she’d ever worn. And, it fit.

  “How did you know my size?”

  Shade glanced at him. His face was comforting again.

  “Tkeea.”

  She put her shirt on and buttoned it.

  “Bet she loves you now.”

  “Tkeea always loved me.”

  “You know, when a male buys a female underwear, he wants something in return.”

  “I am not human.”

  “No, but Del’Praeli hold many human customs.”

  “True. By the size, the Merchant knew it was for you. You should have seen his face,” Vayle laughed. “How I wish I could’ve been there when Jon found out.”

  Shade could have strangled him.

  “You did this to me just to anger your parents.”

  Vayle laughed harder. “I’m happy you’re home, baby sister.”

  Why was it so hard for him to just call her Shade? He leaned to the side and pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket.

  “Here, I figured you would need this.”

  Shade took the receipt and flipped it over. She had

  10,000 kroll to her name. About as much as she expected, minus five years of rent.

  �
��Dad and Tkeea are still depositing in it.”

  He nodded.

  Dad and Tkeea were nowhere near Vayle’s parents financially. They were still well off and transferred some of their earnings to Shade every month, since no Del’Praeli would take on a half-breed as an apprentice. Del’Praeli and human currency were the same. She had no access to the bank account Grandma set up for her in the human city. She should’ve thought about that before she left.

  Auden is a Dark Fantasy Writer. As a kid, she created her own books by folding several construction papers in half and stapling them down the middle, adding her own illustrations. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get away from writing. She holds a B.A. in English, a M.S. in Library and Information Science and she studied Creative Writing in England. She is a Research Assistant for Aubey LLC and currently lives in Brooklyn, NY. Her short stories, No Vacancy, Clipped Wings and Welcome to My World and her novella, Visible Through Darkness are now available through Amazon. The Sciell is her first novel.

  Find her at: http://audenstreasury.blogspot.com/

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  Twitter @audendj

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  Cover by Auden Johnson

  Interior Image credit: StapletonMcTavish