“They built it,” he answered casually, tying a white ribbon around a bundle of dill.
“Yeah, obviously,” she sighed. “I doubt humans would have built it for them, but why? Why is there a town of Demons to begin with?”
He turned his head away from what he was doing to look at her.
“It is unfortunate for your people, but only those that are small and weak mainly crave human flesh. New and young ones. Demons have been alive for centuries, and those that have eaten enough humans to gain humanity and thought, have begun to behave like them. There are thousands of you, and you grow in number quickly.”
He placed his half-made charm down for a moment to think.
“Many of those that live in or around the town have been alive since the arrival of Demons in this world, and they
were able to feast until satisfied. Then they built, learned to speak with each other by learning the language of humans by watching them, and now they live together.” He shrugged before grabbing two jingle bells to attach them, once more continuing with his task. “There are not many of them. Perhaps a hundred or two, but they don’t leave the Veil unless they are hunters, and they hunt not just humans, but also animals to trade. They don’t need to eat as often, like I don’t.”
“Trade? What are they trading food for?”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing! This sounded... It sounded like he was speaking of an intelligent society of Demons!
“Jewellery, clothing, housing items. Many are fond of creating to spend their time. They also steal from humans, rob their houses and carriages, while also killing them for trade.” He gestured to the cloth bag of salt he had under the counter, something she’d only discovered when he’d given a large jar to the other Duskwalker. “It is where I obtain my salt, and where I have obtained my clothing.”
“Demons made your clothing? I thought you did, or like...
you stole them from a human.”
Then again, he was massive. She doubted any human would have been the right size for him to take them.
“No. I traded for them.”
“I would love to see this place,” she grumbled, knowing that was impossible. “It would be interesting to see it.”
“Perhaps one day,” he surprised her by saying.
Reia frowned at her own trinket, her head rearing back suddenly. “What do you mean, one day? I thought you’d be against it.”
“I am. It is very dangerous. But as I mentioned, they are not like the Demons you have seen so far. They are more interested in the life they have, than taking it. They also do not attack each other like the Demons you’ve seen around my home. With your bath, I can make the human in your
scent undetectable, and I can also disguise you. And, as long as you remain inside my cloak, I can shield you.”
“You’ve done this before,” she gasped.
“I... have.” His hands paused and his eyes darkened in colour. “A very long time ago, I was able to take a human there. She was able to pick things she wanted, and I would obtain them, like food I cannot grow, or items I do not have, or jewels and furniture I cannot make.” He pointed his snout toward the cooking hearth. “I traded for that, as well as anything else made out of metal you see here as I do not have the means to smelt ore or fabricate with it.”
He was speaking of the mystery woman again, and his eyes always appeared a saddened colour. He said that she left him, didn’t want to stay with him even though he’d done all these things for her. Orpheus hadn’t done near as much for Reia.
He didn’t build this house for her or anything around it, in it, and yet she was... slowly melting for him. How had this person remained indifferent?
“Take me there?” she almost pleaded, her hands reaching across the table to beseech him. “I want to see it.”
“I would like to. I have thought about it. But getting to it is dangerous, and if it comes to light that you are a human in disguise, I may not be able to protect you.” Then he let out a sigh. “However, it is much safer to take you there than to walk with you along the border of the Veil where foolish Demons are willing to attack even me, and it is also easier than to take you to the surface where those that are the hungriest and most desperate to consume humans loiter.
They are aware that I seek a human companion, what I am doing is known, so they may leave us be and allow me to walk with you freely as long as you stay with me. Like I mentioned, they are not like other Demons. They don’t kill humans on sight unless they are starving.”
“I trust that you’ll protect me.” Then she put her hands together like she was holding her sword and started
thrusting into the air. “Plus, I’ll just stab them if they try to take me.”
Orpheus chuckled brightly.
“You are strange, my little doe.”
Reia’s cheeks warmed at his pet name for her. He only ever said it occasionally, but it always made her stomach clench with a strange emotion.
It happened now, and her brows twitched when she felt a twinge of pain. It was fleeting, but her insides spasming had sent a wave though her.
“We still need to make you better with your sword. You’re not very good, Reia.”
“It’s hard, okay?!” she shouted with a laugh. “I’m not used to swinging a sword around. It’s tiring.”
“I cannot say the same. It feels as though I have picked up nothing more than a stick.”
“Well, I’m not big and strong like you are.” She reached forward over the table to grab one of the small animal bones, wincing when her abdomen pressed against the hard edge, before reclining back onto her feet on her chair. “You know, when I get good with a sword, I’ll make you...
Orpheus?”
Reia paused when his eyes flashed to crimson red right after she finished tying the bone to the end of her trinket to complete it. His hands slapped against the table before his claws embedded into it.
“Why do I smell blood?” he growled, his shoulders and arms bunching with tension.
“I’m bleeding?”
