There was a big temperature change as I stepped past the edge of the shield. The sand was giving off serious amounts of heat even with all the vents open. The devil followed me like a shadow through the crowd.
When people saw me or him they quickly found another path down the arena stairs. It made my progress faster than I had been expecting. As I climbed to where the prince stood. Ravon stopped the prince's guards from blocking my path.
I stopped next to him looking down at the arena, it must have been even hotter then I had thought. The ground was glowing and the stands must have been getting warm with the events open. Which helped to explain the quickly leaving audience.
We stood in silence for a good two minutes. I could have guessed what was bothering him but I knew doing that would have annoyed him. He had to approach the problem in his own time. Finally he sighed and turned to face me, dropping his arms, "I cannot even ask you not to do it again."
"You are right, because I am going to do it again. At least one more time more likely at least two more times. It will endanger the city, if not the planet and it could be avoided if I just died."
Theon's eyes widened, "No it couldn't, you die and we just die a slower death without hope. Don't say that is only the bond, there is something else going on I am sure."
"Maybe, but we don't know what or the timeline or that with or without anyone the outcome will change." I could feel the devil frowning but he didn't say anything.
Theon sighed, "Maybe, you at least promise to win?"
"As much as I can, seeing as how I am pretty sure anything else will be the death of everything our people have worked for to this point."
I held out a hand and Theon grabbed and pulled me into a hug. "I know you are stronger then I get to see, but my heart stopped during that fight. Please don't turn down any advantages out of pride."
"Learning isn't my problem, love. My problem with wizards is more than that, they have fundamental beliefs that run counter to how I see the universe. If I can find a teacher that isn't forcing me to accept those errors to get anything done, I will have a better time at it. I think." Theon let me go but held onto my shoulders.
He smiled brightly at my use of love instead of his name or title. "You do need a bath, love. I think I know one where we can talk alone-ish."
"That works for me." Theon pulled me into a kiss.
It took another minute before I could get myself to pull away from him. Damn responsibilities. We didn't talk as Theon walked next to me letting me hold his arm. I didn't realize how much stress I was holding onto again until I laid my head against his shoulder as we walked. I think we made it to the ground before Theon swept me up into his arms. I woke enough to start to protest but somehow he managed to push my head against his shoulder and my protest died. I stayed awake but only because I could still feel the devil following our group.
I smiled with my head against Theon's shoulder as he carried me out of the crystal city through the field and into the trees again. He wasn't showing any strain from carrying me which was impressive, I might be short but I am blocky and solid. I could change my weight, height, body type even if I put my mind to it but when I relax I always return to the same look.
The prince approached one of the palace's secondary entrances. This one was closer to the baths and made it so we wouldn't have to walk around the palace and back. I looked back when I felt the devil stop as the building came into sight. "Something wrong?"
"What was done to that?" The devil waved at the palace.
"You mean the shield spell?"
"That is a shield like I don't know a real comparison."
"Like a tower is a hut? It serves the purpose of a shield, but it does more. I could sit here for days just watching the magic work together." I blinked and looked at the devil as Theon set me down. "Though it must look odd to you since you must only be able to see half the spell."
"It is strange to see it just stop or turn without reason."
"Hum, wonder how it will react to you?"
Theon shrugged as I looked up at him. "I don't know how the palace will treat a purebred demonic, from what I can find the brothers were half breeds so all the children were less than that. So there isn't a way for me to know if the designers of the palace shield even considered full demonics stopping by. I suppose I could ask my mother."
"Well it was created to keep threats to the royal family out." I looked back at the devil. "You lost to me, and you won't be able to try again until you get off planet for a while because the planet isn't likely to let you build enough power to feel comfortable trying. So are you a danger to Theon or his mother?" I tapped my foot on the ground once while I thought. "Nope. You aren't stupid enough to threaten creatures I seem to like. It might make me angry enough to use some of the tools I have to control you."
Theon raised an eyebrow at me, "Creatures?"
"Demonic has three terms for animal-like life forms. One word for plant life, another for single cell life. One more for incomplete cell life. That is it, that is all the thought demonic seems to give to life forms. You aren't an angel, I cannot seem to pin what demons would call an angel, but you are not one. You might be a demon but your blood is so washed out that your rank would be as much an insult as calling you a creature. Which is the only animal term left."
I started into the palace while we talked. The devil hesitated then followed past the edge of the shield. I felt some of our group breaking away to go do more useful things as we walked through the palace, again arm in arm with Theon, I was pretty happy. "Yet, you are speaking common, which here at least as many more names for animals."
"Sure but I also need to take into account who I am talking to anyway. Also it is more beneficial if he doesn't think of you as demonic. Demons constantly fight over positions, our whole system here seems to be set up to work with that fact. So if you are demonic you would be a target if you act outside the limits of whatever rights he thinks you should have even as my husband. As a creature killing you has no value beyond how I would react to it. Same with proving he is stronger than you, since it is considered a given that demonics with any power or rank are stronger than most random creatures."
Theon rolled his eyes and opened a door. The hall filled with warm moist air. He waved a hand and the two guards that had stayed with us bowed and took up positions on either side of the door. I smiled as Theon looked at the devil then looked at me.
"It won't matter, and he won't care."
"He might not but I don't think either of us are much exhibitionist."
"That is true, but I have too many questions at the moment, and I need a break. It seems work is finding me every day."
"It seems that way, you are three for three days where something tries to kill you." Theon stepped through the door he had opened.
The devil followed us into the dressing room. The two guards didn't say anything as he passed. They knew they couldn't stop him but I knew they would have tried, if they thought the prince or I had wanted them too. I shook my head pulling up the scarf that was part of the islee uniform but not the elf's.
It was tucked in strangely to keep it from pulling loose while it was down. So it was easier to take it off myself than to let Theon try. I walked over to one of the walls which had large standing lockers on it. They didn't have locks but they did have a place to hang your clothes. There were only six lockers; these baths weren't meant for general use. They were for the royal family and any guests they might invite.
Theon stepped up behind me as I folded the scarf and set it on the shelf above the hook to hang robes or other long outfits. I had to tiptoe to reach the shelf, stupid tall elves. I could feel Theon's amusement at the sight of me reaching up. I briefly considered elbowing him since he was so close behind me.
He bent down hugging my waist and putting his chin on my shoulder, "Now that wouldn't be nice. I might have to get you back if you did that." He snapped his teeth next to my ear then kissed it as my hands dropped to his and my heels dropped to the floor.
"Oh, and you think such revenge will end well for you?" one of his hands snaked away out of my grasp.
He put it to the other side of my neck tilting my head just a bit into his, as it moved slower down my front starting to undo the fasteners of my top. "Unlike you I have been having quite a few lucky days in a row. This is the second day I have been able to get you back to me before nightfall. Even if I wish you would find a way to do it without walking so close to death."
His hand reached my where my key hung against my chest. He paused as he undid the button over the key. The key hadn't moved, hadn't swung or wobbled, he had been careful because he knew the dragon was sharp but it still should have moved. Theon grabbed my shoulder and spun me around so he could look at me.
I knew what he saw without looking down. I had felt it dig in before the fight and spread. It had been slowly receding since the fight had ended but it was still dug in. There were very old stories about the crystals before the city had grown. Powerful warriors could trade their health and life for maybe a month of unbelievable power, and invulnerability. It could make protective armor that supposedly looks much like the crystal golems. Those tales were older than the golems and like the golems it was hard to know how much truth there was to them.
Theon frowned at me then grabbed a washcloth. "So that is why you aren't thirsty? How bad does that hurt?"
"Less bad than the darkroot. I heal quickly and I needed the connection."
I didn't look over but I could feel the devil being curious about the exchange. Theon finished removing my top and used the wash cloth to wipe the dried blood off my skin. Which except where the key was still dug in looked whole and unmarked. Theon could only tell how big it had gotten by the dried blood sticking to my skin. "I am surprised it didn't break through your uniform. Almost wish it had that would have put the elders in their place."
He turned me gently to wipe my lower back. Where the tail had wrapped like a belt. "Or it would have given them another point to show I am dangerous and shouldn't be outside." I felt Theon sigh at the same time I did. I turned back to face him as he moved the cloth to wipe the tops of my shoulders where the dragon's wings had stopped before furling down my arms. "You cannot stop them from being them, anymore than you can stop me from being me. The crystal wasn't what put me in danger, my father and my existence at all does that just fine. If you aren't fine with that then they are right, I should leave, or more preferably for anyone who might get caught in the crossfire, cess existing at all."
I reached up and unbuttoned the top of Theon's shirt. Then the next and the next as he stood there watching me, "The only way through time is forward and no one should be judged unworthy because of the event of their birth like they have some say or control. You exist now in this universe so what are you going to do?"
"Same thing I have been doing, living anyway, and trying to protect those around me from the fallout as much as I can."
"If that were true you would have killed me daughter." I had stood on my tiptoes again and Theon had kissed me while my hands moved back up his chest to pull the sleeves off his shoulders and free him from his own top. I rolled my eyes as the devil's voice brought back my awareness of him in the room.
I stepped back and sighed, grabbing a robe off a hook I wrapped it around my shoulders before removing the rest of my clothes. Theon stepped back with a disappointed frown then turned and did the same. "You trying to tell me the Satan class that is your master wouldn't know the moment I killed you and that wouldn't make me a clear and present threat to him in some way? On the other hand if you are alive there is always a chance you are playing some game with him. That could give me years before he decides to do something about you himself. The way I see it he is probably going to send at least one person who wants to take your spot if you are alive before dealing with you himself."
"Is that how you would proceed in his place?"
"With the information I have now, maybe. Would you like to tell me why your master wants me dead? I would say your daughters but it must be something about me." I turned while talking and opened the heavy cloth that blocked the view of the baths.
Theon stepped up behind me holding the cloth farther open as I stepped into the warm room. The sound of flowing water filled air and the scent of soap was strong. The stone was ruff enough that I was unlikely to slip walking around the room.
I lifted the bottom of the robe as I stepped into the warm gently flowing water. Stairs lead down into the water from this side. Elves like water much more than the islee. I don't normally willingly get into water above my knees. Theon took my robe as I took another step into the water.
He hung his and mine on a post by the top of the stairs. I felt his happiness as I took another step into the water. The devil found a wall to lean against as Theon followed me into the water. He wasn't as shy about how much water there was.
He found a seat resting his head back on the stone. Then he turned and looked up at me. "Come sit."
I sighed as I found the bench next to Theon. It was easy to see the devil from where Theon had chosen to sit. I curled up into his side trying not to let Theon see me wince as the water hit the spot that the crystal key had just pulled back from. It hurt as it retreated more then when it formed but the slowness of it was probably keeping me from going into shock.
The devil snorted, "What makes you think my other master doesn't just want you dead because you are a half breed?"
I rolled my eyes, he sure was good at ruining my relaxing, "If that was the case, none of the crystal city would be here. You cannot claim to be a powerful all knowing being, and then not know what was going on."
"Powerful, sure, but all knowing is not a claim of Satan rank. He has 13 generals to keep track of different sections of the universe. If one of the 13 don't report something, and none of the others find out. Well, he has no way to know."
"Does that mean if he wanted you to report half breeds you wouldn't have?"
"That assumes I knew, the universe is a big place, even only a 13th of it has billions and trillions of planets, stars, and other rocks."
"You knew when you met my mother."
The devil smiled and nodded, "I suppose you are proof of that fact."
"So that wasn't why he wanted you to kill me?"
"Sure it is."
Theon frowned at the conversation, "Wouldn't you have to kill almost the town?"
The devil's eyes flicked to the elf before looking back at me. I wasn't sure the devil was going to answer Theon at first. "Why? As she pointed out you aren't demonic enough to matter. On the other hand my daughter is."
Theon sighed wrapping his arm around me protectively, I tucked my head under his chin, "He doesn't mean it like anyone here would use the term. It just means I wouldn't make a good wife to him."
The devil frowned, "I didn't know your mother died."
"So you think if she had survived I would take your abandonment better?"
The devil shrugged, "You might understand better but I don't think you will understand until you have children of your own. No, there were other things she would have been able to tell you."
"If you had won the odds of me having children would be much lower."
"Price we pay for losing. I probably won't be having more children any time soon. I still have no heir, and I am getting old even for a devil. Not that it matters to you seeing as how you might take the inheritance either way."
"Price we pay for losing. Well, life shouldn't be boring. What do you think happened to Mother if it wasn't natural?"
The devil tilted his head as he looked at me, "I don't know yet. I am trying to work on it since I am stuck here, but I am not used to so many sentient creatures being in one place. I am surprised you can stand it as a half breed."
"You don't have a drive to drink blood as a pure breed? How about when I bit you during our fight?"
"I should have been more careful, yes that urge was demonic in nature. Other than during a fight though, no we don't drink blood that is unique to half breeds."
"Guess that is where tales of vampires came from."
"No, vampires are sentient life that were bitten but not killed by half breeds. The half breed goes mad and has to be put down, the life form gets a few of the benefits of being demonic but they are stuck as neither what they were before or demonic. A few demons studied the effect, it was determined they couldn't be controlled and it became illegal to make vampires or half breeds that might make vampires."
"Yet you chose to have me anyway?"
The devil sighed and seemed sad but I wasn't sure if it was real or a trick. "I knew your mother long enough to know that you wouldn't be allowed to make vampires. The law is you cannot make half breeds that might make vampires not you cannot make half breeds."
I grunted in pain as the key released from my skin. Pulling up the cord I spun the key in the water which helped to clean the dragon. It also cut my finger again but it healed before I looked at it. I could see the weariness in the devil's eyes as he watched what I was doing. "If it wanted you dead you would have died by now."
"I probably know the limits of that better than you do, child. Yet, if you notice I am walking a line with you. I am not trying to make you angry."
"You have been pretty talkative for a slave. You have to answer but you don't have to volunteer information." I lifted the key out of the water then dropped it. The crystal splashed a little when it hit the water and it moved just a hair slower in the water than in the air. Soldiers normally wear their keys at all times so having it in the bath was not strange. Theon's key flashed from where it hung on a golden chain around his neck. "What is your name, devil?"
"What makes you think I have one?"
"Easy there are 13 devils that report to your master, if there is more than one in the room he wouldn't be able to get the attention of the right one by using your rank, so you must have a name. If you want me to believe you don't have one I will give you one. I won't call you father, you haven't earned it, and 'devil' has other condensations here, mostly negative but not all. My last unit commander called me a devil as an insult, until I told him that was a rank above demon."
"You are right he cannot just say devil when we are together, he calls me five. Seeing as how I control the fifth territory as he defines the universe."
"Five that could still be confusing, Quintus would work for me. Good for you?"
"Doesn't concern me either way, owner."
"Call me lady Des for now."
Quintus gave a small bow that looked like he just copied the guards that stood watch outside. "As you wish, lady Des."
Theon snorted and I turned to look up at him, "You will let him who should be your father call you that but you get annoyed when the guards or servants call you that."
"I also don't get mad at Ravon when she calls me lady. I think it has more to do with if I have done something to earn the added respect."
"Oh, and agreeing to the bond wasn't enough."
I got the feeling he was talking about more than just the title now. Since I could feel things through the bond and I was sure it wasn't a one way street I knew he was talking about more than just titles it took me a few moments to pin what it could be though, "It is not that it isn't enough, I am just not an elf, love. I won't ever be one and I don't think I should try overly hard to become one. We balance each other better as an elf and an islee. That means you might have to put up with some islee traditions."
"That is fine but why didn't you talk to me about it first?"
"I didn't know for sure I had a family to fill the obligations. Besides among the islee the man is often the last to know, it would be my father's job to tell you of my attentions and give you the chance to run. Seeing as I didn't know my father was alive, I would need two brothers to take his place. That is hard for me-"
Theon kissed me before I got lost in thoughts about tradition, "If it is important to you love, it is important to me. Just give me some time to work on it. It is OK if I talk with Markus then?"
I smiled at him and set my head back on his arm. "Yes, you will need to talk to Markus who should be able to fill you in on much but I am sure he has questions for you as well. I think he likes Cryon, if he can remember she trusts him but not others necessarily."
"You are getting a reputation, my love." He kissed my forehead as his arm dropped to my side.
"Well, Quintus, what do you intend to do when I take my eyes off of you?"
"For now, watch, your people make an interesting study."
"Alright, I know you are aware of almost the whole city from here but go wait for me in the locker room. I am not done trying to get answers out of you that I understand."
"Of course not, lady Des." The devil bowed and to the eye seemed to vanish. The curtain didn't even swing as he passed but I knew exactly where he was, which made me wonder for a moment if that was because of the planet or because of the demonic oath.
Theon splashed me with the arm that had not been occupied with holding me. "Take a break, let some other people worry about the details for a while." After that he did a pretty good job at distracting me for a few hours, making that midday bath one of the longest I have ever had reason to take.