“Gods…” Valan murmured as he took in the sight before him.

  Sterling ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head, “I know. I know.”

  “What is this, Sterling?” Ryala’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.

  Cora held tightly to the unconscious Demon in her arms, her hands flat against his skin, one of her Runebinds, glowed dimly beneath her thin, dark clothing.

  He turned her gaze up, “I’m sorry,” She answered for Sterling. “This is---” her voice cracked as she stumbled over words. “He was my friend before I turned.”

  Valan’s face fell, “Sterling said you remember your old life. I’m so sorry… to have a friend become a Faedemon… I’m sorry I don’t mean to cause offense but--”

  Cora shook her head, “He was never human when I knew him.”

  Sterling said he was the one who saved her life… Everyn’s mind raced. A Demon saved a human's life?

  “I got trapped in one of his spells,” Cora continued. “We became friends when he found me,” a soft laugh shook her body. “Well, not right when he found me. I was just as skeptical about him as you are of me.”

  “So you’re trying to tell us that you aren’t the only supposed Saint Demon?” Everyn finally questioned.

  She wished the answer would truly be ‘no”. A single freak anomaly would be so much easier.

  Cora’s expression hardened, any humor vanishing, “I’m not going to lie to you all,” She said firmly. “He doesn't have memories of his human life like I do, and I don’t know all he did in the two thousand years before I met him. But I do know he did some terrible things. He wasn’t a Saint and I’m not either, but he wasn’t evil like you think we all are. Some Faedemons are I will not deny that, but he’s not and I’m not leaving him.”

  Sterling turned back to face the group with a look that told Everyn exactly what his next words would be, “That is why I called you all back. I think--”

  “Absolutely not,” Everyn interrupted preemptively. “We are already in so much trouble.”

  Valan appeared by her side, “I’m with Ev on this one Sterling. We have already gotten so lucky on all this. We can not push it.”

  There he was again, that soldier.

  Sterling’s jaw tightened, “I know. I was not going to suggest we do this without permission. I was going to call her, get back up, do this the right way. I know how lucky we got, but I also think she’ll agree this time.”

  “If she doesn't," Valan said. “You know we can’t go against orders again.” His eyes went to Cora, “I really am sorry.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  “Thank you,” Cora replied. “For trying at least. But if Ella doesn’t agree, I’m not coming back with you. I thought I’d never see him again, and if I leave him I know I won’t.”

  Sterling pulled the engraved glass sheet from his pack, carefully unwrapping it from the protective rabbit hide sheath.

  Everyn stepped forward. Placing a hand on the tablet she locked eye with sterling.

  If he broke that tablet, a signal would be sent to base, a teleport ritual would be activated. They would come. All of them.

  Every able bodied adult would come right here, to this Fae lab, ready to fight and for all Everyn knew, they might have to. Who knows what breaking that case triggered.

  That tablet was only supposed to be used under one circumstance; if there was something that under no uncertain terms could be left behind, something with worth potentially sacrificing dozens of lives.

  Sterling knew that.

  Everyn turned her gaze on the desperate Faedemon on the floor, her attention once again on the man in her arms.

  That Gods forsaken look in her eyes. The one Ryala had when she talked about her wives and her children. The same look Valan had when he talked about the twins… or when he looked at her.

  Gods damn all.

  She let her hand fall away from the tablet, releasing a slow breath.

  Gods she wanted to stop him.

  “Fine,” She muttered. “But wherever happens, it’s on you.

  “I know,” sterling murmured as she raised the tablet.

  He brought it down swiftly, snapping it clean in two across his knee.

  The engravings glowed dimly for a moment before fizzling away.

  For a mere second the room was still, silent, just long enough for Everyn to wonder if it hadn’t worked.

  But that worry nearly instantly evaporated as a loud bang erupted through the enclosed spacing, echoing deafeningly off the walls.

  The Ritual shapes appeared a bright purple glow across the sheet metal floor.

  Sterling rushed to explain as the battle ready guards arrived first. Though he wasn’t given any time to before the next wave of combatants arrived.

  Mages in casual clothing arrived with hastily acquired sacks of components in hand. Some were disheveled, likely asleep when the alert came.

  The tiny space filled all too quickly, voice clashing and echoing from the walls, each trying desperately to figure out what the threat was.

  Many eyes landed on Cora and the unconscious Demon draped across her, but no one dared to make the first move against her. They kept their distance, even if it meant they would be forced tighter together themselves.

  Even Everyn suspected she wouldn’t be able to make sense of the sight before her if she was in their position.

  Sterling’s voice did nothing to soothe the amalgamation before them, as much as he tried.

  Finally Elissa appeared, shoving her way through the horde of bodies that barely fit within the space.

  “What in the hells is going on?” She barked.

  She was dressed in her usual clothes, but her hair was untamed. The usual charcoal she had lining her eyes was missing, making her look somehow more tired and frustrated than she usually did.

  Sterling opened his mouth to explain, but was silenced as her booming voice overtook the cacophony, “Silence! Everyone! So we can figure out what in the holy hells this is about!”

  Her voice was far more effective than Sterling’s, the volume of the room lowering to a light hum of speculation.

  Her wrath turned back on Sterling, all diplomacy that was usually carried in her voice was lost, “From what I see, your only explanation had better be that the glass broke by accident.”