It was a few days later when Demni returned along with my father and I was brought in front of them both.
"You call this taking care of my son's well-being?" growled my father.
"He did kill my daughter and her best friend in cold blood, your highness- you're lucky we didn't kill him on sight."
I couldn't bring myself to look up- to look at either of them. I could feel my father's gaze on me. All I felt was anger.
"I brought my shaman with me to call his Scortha host forward. We can get some answers out of him."
"How often do the spirits go rampant like this?" asked the king.
"This is the first in my reign."
The shaman neared me.
"Father no. Iblis is dangerous…"
"This is the only way to prove your innocence, Jaspen," he said tiredly.
That tone was like a cold slap in my face for it was the tone he always used with me when he thought I was showing how young I really was- that I wasn't acting like royalty and dishonoring him.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
The shaman began chanting.
**** Ibli
"Come forth," I heard the shaman chant in the old demonic language that was now only used by shaman.
"I am here," I said irritated.
The king of the Melekeye tribe straightened and looked as white as a sheet and my king looked at me, his eyes slightly alarmed. So this was this Raksheesh's father. Was it possible that I was drawn to him? We shared some of the same blood.
"Did you kill princess Callan and her childhood friend?" asked my king.
"Why does it matter?" I asked.
"Your host is being held accountable."
I folded my arms. "Well, if his girl had been more faithful perhaps this wouldn't have happen."
The Melekeye king's face turned red with rage. "What was that?"
"I said your girl was in love with that 'childhood friend' as you call it. They were thinking of leaving together and Jaspen was trying to figure out a way to bow out gracefully to that pretty fairy boy."
"How dare you!"
"The truth hurt, sir?"
"Her honor is at stake you …. You …"
"Monster? I wasn't called the night terror for nothing."
The king fell silent.
"How did you take control of my son, Iblis?"
"I learned a trick. We are bound together."
"What kind of trick?"
"I don't reveal my secrets that easily, my king," I said with a smirk. "Let's just say limbo isn't that much fun and I knew who to talk to in order to learn how to return more often."
"Send him back," barked my host's father.
With that the shaman began chanting and I allowed myself to slip back into the boy's consciousnes
***
When I woke up, I didn't feel shackles on my hands and I sat up to find myself back in my room back in our tribe lands. How long had I been asleep? My half-mother sat on the corner of my bed looking slightly saddened.
"You're awake," she said, forcing a smile.
Before could say anything, she called for my father. He came in with two men I didn't recognize. They were dressed in red robes that hid their faces.
"How are you feeling, Jaspen?"
"Tired ... and hungry," I admitted. "What happened?"
She turned. "Ginfried, we need to at least talk to him- you won't leave our son with no answers."
My father nodded and left with the two men. His demeanor towards me had changed and I could tell that I was no longer was someone he viewed as his son. What had happened? How long had I been asleep?
"How long have I been asleep?" I asked.
"A few days- three nights," she admitted. "How is stew for dinner?"
"Three days again? And, yes, thank you."
My mother called for one of her servants- this one was a small mortal child no older than six and if I remembered right, her name was Salena. The food trembled in her hands
and I took it from her giving her a timid, warm smile. My mother dismissed her and she ran out with a short curtsy.
"She's never been nervous before," I said, dipping a slice of bread into my stew. My mother didn't answer for a moment. "Word has traveled fast about what has
happened."
I sighed. "She fears I'll kill her?"
She moved nearer, holding my hand. "Aye."
Her voice was quiet and I could see she feared me a little as well. Honestly, I didn't blame her- deep down I feared myself as well and the piece of me that Iblis also controlled. Why did he have to choose my life to destroy? Was everyone sure I wasn't Asher's son instead of Ginfried's?
I placed my stew on my bedside table. "Who were those two men?" I asked.
She sighed. "Wake up a bit more."
"Mother…"
"Jaspen," she said sternly.
I hushed and grabbed my soup and she moved to the stool beside my bed. There were so many questions reeling in my head and my mind reading ability was working overtime to where I was hearing half the villages thoughts. I felt my head begin to pound so I placed the bowl of unfinished stew on my table before placing my hands together, palms facing.
"Are you okay, Jaspen?"
I shook my head. "My head is killing me."
She knew what this meant and she gently touched my shoulder. "What did I tell you to do that helps?"
I exhaled sharply. "Pretend I'm shutting doors and locking them until the noise lightens and then keep going until I can only hear my own thoughts."
"Aye. Can you do that for me?"
I nodded already starting to lock each door focusing on my own breathing and my own thoughts until the noise died down. My mother understood my mind reading ability for she also had the gift and understood how hard it was the first few years to learn how to control it.
My shoulders slackened. "Better?"
"Aye," I said quietly.
I looked up seeing she looked worried and unsettled. "What's wrong, Mother?"
She sighed. "You really have your father's stubbornness sometimes."
I smirked. "Aye."
"Those men were shamans Rentook and Bane."
A shudder went through my body. Shamans Rentook and Bane were the eternal ones. The half children of Asher and Zenti and ageless- they had been around since the first demons and angels walked the earth and thought the rest of us into existence.
"Why … why are they here? I thought they kept mostly to themselves in the Foghorn Mountains…"
"Somehow they have learned of your interesting abilities and have come to learn more about you and perhaps tame or remove Iblis from you."
I had interested the ageless ones? This slightly worried me.
"Father seems different towards me," I whispered.
I know it was slightly out of the blue, but it was what crossed my mind at that moment.
She sighed. "He has a lot on his mind right now with recent events. It would be best to try to just lay low for a while."