Chapter 17

- Elly -

Elly tugged at her hair, looking at herself in the reflection of a window in front of the barracks. Wearing some of Annabelle's clothing - breeches, shirt and coat - and smearing a little dirt in her face had really done a trick on her appearance. She worried her brother might not recognize her even.

Unnecessarily so, the moment he spotted her waiting, he froze with a face of pain she had not even seen on him when leaving their home for good.

"I told the Captain you are the little brother of a friend, interested in joining our ranks. There shouldn't be a problem as long as you don't talk to any of the soldiers," David explained sullenly.

Elly grinned.

"And as long as you don't smile. No boy has such an innocent smile."

"My apologies," Elly said and hurried a more serious expression on her face. Innocence was far beyond her at that point, though.

"Come."

Elly followed her brother along corridors and halls in listless grey, rooms filled with weapons for training and a spacy yard where a man shouted commands a rather large crowd of men followed.

"Training is three times a day," David said as they walked past. "The first time before breakfast. I quite dislike that one."

"You've never been an early riser," Elly giggled.

"Usually the Captain sees to it, but sometimes the General comes around in his stead."

"The General?"

"The General of the royal guard. He is mostly occupied at the castle."

"I see," Elly said, trying to remember what Nathaniel had said. But it had been a too long list to remember all the people of his interest and why they were. "Is he a good man?"

"The General?" David's eyes wandered with a distant expression. "I suppose so. Strict, but fair."

"And he likes the King?"

David rose an eyebrow at the possibly odd question. "Yes. As far as one can like a king."

"Do you like the King?"

"I have great respect for the man."

Elly gulped. That could be a problem for the group's plan. Convincing David would probably be easier if he wasn't loyal. "So you have met him before? What's he like?" she said.

David struggled to answer. "I've only seen him once from afar at a ceremony. He's old. A tall man with the grandest clothes you can imagine."

"Right, because grand clothes is what's important about a good king," Elly snorted, although she didn't actually know so well what was truly necessary to be a good king. Compassion maybe. Authority. A sense of duty to the people. And determination that bordered insanity, Elly added to her list, thinking of how Jake acted at times.

David laughed. "Very," he teased.

They left the yard and turned for the sleeping quarters. David showed Elly his chambers. It was a small room full with odd belongings. The air was stuffy and smelled of sweat. David shared the place with three other men, of which one was present to be introduced to. Elly politely nodded her head.

Then they had finished their tour before Elly had remembered to ask all the things form Nathaniel's long list, she had been supposed to find out. He would be quite mad.

The barracks and the castle left behind, David and her strolled throughout the capital's busy streets. The rush was remarkably similar to Castermere, only that people seemed even more gaudy, stores and their signs even more screaming for attention.

Eventually they reached the small house Elly, Nathaniel and Annabelle stayed in. Light was lit behind the windows and smoke rose from the chimney on the red roof.

"Quite decent," David remarked, looking at as if assessing what to expect. "I feared you had lied to me, and you would sleep in the gutter instead."

"Thank you very much," Elly said sarcastically. "Now, shoes off before you go in. I don't have time to clean the floor every day."

"How house-wifey." David smiled. So did Elly, but with an ache in her heart. If all of this hadn't been a lie, she would have been proud to introduce her brother to a home she took care of.

"Welcome back," Nathaniel greeted them in the entrance room with a smile he would have done better to practice more to look not that unnatural.

David froze.

He opened his lips to say something, but could not quite muster any strength to. His face paled while he stared at Nathaniel with utter shock. He slowly padded for a weapon that would have hung at his hips, had he been on duty.

"Interesting," Nathaniel remarked. "You know what I am."

"D-Demon," David muttered while he stumbled backwards, until he pressed his back against the entrance door. His eyes grew wider by the second.

Elly looked at her brother with sorrow, then at Nathaniel with an uncertain frown. What was going on here?

"Unexpected, but interesting nonetheless," Nathaniel said. He rose his arms in a gesture of welcome. "Sit, please. It seems we have much more to talk about than I imagined."

David eagerly shook his head and grabbed for Elly's arm. "Please tell me you did not really marry that man."

"I - ah -" Elly looked at Nathaniel for permission to reveal the secret.

He answered in her stead. "Of course, we are not truly married. I'd probably burn my entire hand off if I'd tried to put a blessed ring on my finger."

A feeling of darkness that had nagged at Elly for a while threatened to grow beyond her with her brother's agitated reaction.

All those comments the group had made about Nathaniel. The things he had said himself.

A shudder ran down Elly's spine and caught hold of her entire body. Dread settled upon her heart.

She looked the man up and down like she had never done it before.

The way he moved. Controlled any precise like nobody else.

The way he talked. Odd voice too high and too low at the same time.

The way he smiled. Like a monster blaring sharp teeth.

"You don't mean to tell me you are truly ... a demon?" Elly exhaled. Her voice shook and her heart raced.

Nathaniel threw the hands in the air in played frustration. "Yes, little maid. Good for you to finally notice," he said. "May we sit now?"

"How - Why - No," Elly stuttered. "It can't be true. Demons do not exist." Demons and magic were just excuses people used to explain what they didn't understand.

Or were they?

"I must be a thing of your imagination then."

Elly's heart beat heavy in her chest.

She had known, hadn't she.

The whispers of doubt had always been there. All along. She had refused to listen to them. To believe it. See it. She would have gone mad if she had.

Elly gulped hard. Took a deep breath. Gulped again.

So what?

She was about to be part of a coup against the King. That alone was madness already.

All of her life had turned to madness.

How much worse could a demon on top of that be?

Elly grabbed for her brother's hand. She gave him the best smile she could manage to comfort him, even when truthfully she had needed comfort herself. "May we sit? It seems I have a lot of explaining to do."

David shook his head in disbelieve. He followed her pull only begrudgingly. Every muscle in his body visibly rebelled. He looked in between her and Nathaniel, like he couldn't decide whether to run or attack him.

"Annabelle, Dear, make us some tea," Nathaniel called out.

The woman stepped into the kitchen wearing a dress, as agreed for the deception that wasn't necessary anymore. Elly couldn't help herself staring and received a look that might have killed a weaker spirited creature.

"Sit with us," Nathaniel said after Annabelle had put a steaming pot and cups on the table. "Now, back to business."

Elly rubbed her brother's shoulder who still stared into nothing beyond himself. He held his cup so tightly it should have cracked between his slim fingers.

"Although I quite enjoy it, it might do well for a proper conversation to state you need not fear me," Nathaniel said. "My master is rather particular when it comes to harming people."

"Master?" David asked before Elly could, but she suspected the answer already.

"Yes. A man too ambitious for his own good. He's the reason we found together here today. I am to talk to you in his stead."

David blinked, he found to himself rather suddenly. "Do all demons have masters?"

"Only those sharing a contract."

"I see," David said. His face darkened unexpectedly.

"You have met one of my kind before," Nathaniel said with slim eyes. "You know enough of it to be afraid, but not all there is to it. It couldn't have been in Burgate, I would have noticed, so it must be in the castle."

David meant to answer, but no words came out of his mouth. He grabbed at his throat, as if struggling for air.

"Leave at it, boy, if you value your life," Nathaniel said. "It seems you've been bewitched to keep the secret."

The demon frowned with an expression of worry that was highly unusual for him. He pursed his lips in thought.

"W-What does that mean?" Elly said.

"It means we better find out before the New Year's celebration. We are not prepared to deal with another one of my kind."

"What's at New Year's?" David asked.

"A terrific spectacle," Annabelle said with a smirk. "I've prepared my best fireworks to celebrate the King."

"You?"

"Don't consider her a woman just because she wears a dress today," Nathaniel said.

"I am a woman." Annabelle snarled.

"Don't always fight!" Elly went in between them, before they could end up at each other's throats again. "I have had about enough of it. I swear to God, if I see you at odds with each other one more time, I will find the largest belt in this town and beat you both with it until you can't crawl out of bed anymore for a whole week."

Nathaniel's eyes sparkled dangerously. "You learn quickly. Master'll be pleased to find his Queen come along well."

"And one more remark about my romances and I'll sew your mouth shut with an iron string!"

Nathaniel laughed. Even Annabelle chuckled.

"Romances?" David said carefully. His eyes searched Elly's.

She blushed, realizing what she had just said. "I didn't mean it like that. But they keep teasing ..." At a loss of words, she clenched her hands in her lap to stare down at them.

How had she meant it?

Jake had kissed her. And she could hardly keep denying the attraction that was growing between them.

Nathaniel straightened in his chair and focused back on David. "I thought about many things to tell a soldier loyal to the King to convince him help bring his doom. But I am not as creative as my master, and all considerations ended in me bewitching the poor man or worse. But it is quite simple: If you help us, I promise to get rid of the demon you fear," he said.

David eagerly shook his head.

"You wish to keep that creature in the castle?"

Again, David shook his head. Hesitant and yet determined.

"Good. It is a deal then," Nathaniel said.

"I will not have a deal with a demon!" David shouted.

"Fine. Then an agreement."

David looked away. Stubbornly stared at the wall.

Nathaniel smirked darkly. He snipped his fingers at Annabelle. The woman begrudgingly fetched the map of the castle buildings. Elly had started to draw up the draft after beginning to work as a cook.

"All you have to do is fill in some blanks," Nathaniel said.

David bit his lip and stared at the demon.

Nathaniel tilted his head and stared back. A strange smile spread on his face. It was charmingly human. Elly would have almost thought it was honest if she didn't know better.

"Help me out here, pretty boy, hm?" Nathaniel said. His voice was even odder than usually. Like he was trying to persuade a puppy to crawl out of a hole.

Elly looked at her brother. She tried to think of things to say to help convincing him, but she found none. She had done as told lately without protests but wasn't sure she was convinced herself.

A variety of emotions raced over David's face. Some she had never seen on him before, some she felt equally.

"Come on," Nathaniel sung. His smile turned wicked. "I know you want to."

The men stared each other down for another tensed moment. Like talking without words. Similar to Jake and Rutger did it sometimes, yet so very different. Something was off, but Elly couldn't put her finger on it.

David shook his head. He silently cursed to himself. Then he pulled the map closer to look at it. "What do you want to know?" he spat.

***

With a swirling head Elly waved her brother good-bye and watched him walk down the dark street back towards the barracks. And even long after he disappeared out of sight, she stood outside the house scared to go back inside to face Nathaniel, the demon. Scared, to truly face all things implied.

Eventually she shuddered from the cold and had no choice but to deal with him. She found him still sitting at the kitchen table with the last of his tea, the map, and a pile of letters to work through.

He glanced at her with a smirk and rose.

On instinct Elly stepped back.

From his face it was obvious he utterly enjoyed the new shades of fear his presence gave Elly. He walked around the table towards her, about to indulge himself some more, when he stopped short.

His face turned grim with an expression of pain, his body tensed with every unnatural muscle.

A cut opened over his throat.

Out of nowhere, no one had touched him.

First it was a slim red line, then it spilled some blood and some more, enough to drench him whole.

"Oh my God!" Elly exhaled. He was going to die, and for all her fears, that scared her even more. She rushed to him, to catch him, to help, to - anything.

He brushed her off with a nasty snort.

"Fool!" he choked out.

In the next second, he straightened himself, his face pure anger, and brushed over his neck to reveal the cut had vanished as suddenly as it had come.

Elly stumbled back, beyond herself. She had only come to admit to herself that Nathaniel was indeed not human, and that display of his unnatural powers was too much to bear. Her stomach clenched painfully.

"H-How - W-What in the world was that?!" she stuttered.

"Jake. You don't want to know more, believe me," the demon said, bristling, but rather unaffected by the event. As if he had been used to things like that. "If you excuse me, I have to change. I do not enjoy bathing in blood as much if it is my own."

***

- Jake -

It was as cold as death and as dark as nightmares.

Jake couldn't breathe. Weight crushed his chest. He struggled to move, but there was resistance to it, like hands of ice grabbing for every inch of his skin. Grabbing him, and dragging him to hell.

He pushed through and gasped for air. He touched his hand to his sore neck and choked. He was covered in his own blood, frozen to his skin and his clothes. Frozen earth and snow fell off his shoulders.

Jake pushed to his feet, wobbled and held on to something to steady himself.

It was a cross. A small wooden cross.

Jake stumbled back, nearly fell over another one. He glanced around. There were at least a dozen of those crosses plastered in the snow in between the underwood of the forest. The one marking the dirt hole he had just crawled out of seemed newer than the others. Less worn by the weather.

Jake fell to his knees, choked again. He had trouble keeping control of his body. Everything was numb with cold. The chill sat so deep it had even his bones tremble.

But he had managed to get out of the church. The soldiers must have thought him dead and buried him here. Wherever this was.

The longest time Jake stumbled through the cold and snow aimlessly, only barely registered his surroundings. When he reached a village, he managed to sneak into a barn to warm himself up a little, before borrowing a horse.

He set out towards the capital, but for the entire ride imagined not to.

He could try to outrun Nathaniel. Maybe if he just put enough distance between him and the demon, if he could outrun him long enough, maybe forever, maybe he would have a chance to live.

But then what for?

All he cared for, all he had spent his life believing in and fighting for, it was all here. If he ran, he could never make amends with Rutger. The rightful hire would never return to the throne.

He would never see Elly again.

Upon arriving at the capital, one of Nathaniel's cursed ravens awaited Jake and guided him to the hideout the demon had told about in the letters. It was a house that looked so painfully normal, Jake hardly believed it to be the right place until the demon opened the door.

"Interesting," Nathaniel welcomed Jake. He looked him up and down and pulled a face.

"Keep it to yourself," Jake grumbled. He knew himself he looked a mess. Brushing past the demon her want straight to the oven to warm up. Ignored Nathaniel as much as possible. Somehow the demon had guessed Jake's intentions to free himself of the deal, but he wasn't going to admit to it. Or admit to failing at it. "Where are the others?"

Nathaniel tilted his head with slim eyes. "Specify that question, please."

Jake brushed a hand over his face. "I am in no mood. Can't you just tell me for once wh -"

"Annabelle is meeting with the Earl. He and his men arrived a day ago and are in hiding in the suburbs."

Jake nodded. "Good." At least one thing that went according to plan. He started having a feeling in his fingers again and slipped out of his coat to throw it into the flames burning at the stove.

With all the holes and dirt and what not there was no saving that clothing anymore anyway. Much like his soul.

"Your little maid is meeting with her brother at the castle for preparations on their end."

"Elly is not part of this." Jake turned back to the demon. "Neither is her brother. Don't have them do your odd tasks," he said.

"Whether you like it or not, they are very much part of this."

"They are not!"

"Let's agree to disagree about their involvement for now," Nathaniel said. "Don't we have more pressing matters to discuss?"

Jake sighed. He didn't have it in him anymore to fight the demon at every turn. "How many men has Rutger brought back?" He grabbed for a wet cloth from the sink to clean his face and arms of the frozen blood and dirt he had taken with him from his grave.

Nathaniel crossed the arms over his chest. "See, that is the interesting part you didn't want to hear about."

"What is?"

"And judging by the genuine lack of your emotional reaction you don't even know."

"Know what?"

"Because you are not that cold hearted," the demon continued. "Or you finally came to understand my point. Did you?"

"Nathaniel," Jake bristled.

"He is dead."

"Who?"

"Rutger. He is dead."

"No, he is not," Jake said. "He went to recruit more farmers in my stead."

"I know. They arrived. He didn't. I tried to send him a letter. But my raven did not find him. Which is impossible. Unless, there is nothing to find."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Oh, I think I said it already. Rutger is dead."

Within a heartbeat Jake grabbed Nathaniel by the collar. He stared the demon down, more furious than ever. "Don't joke with me about things like that," he pressed out between clenched teeth.

Nathaniel stared back as calm as a dead river. His eyes were just as dead, which was probably the most emotion they had ever shown. "As much as I would enjoy playing that trick on you, I am afraid it isn't one," the demon said slowly. For once his odd voice was soft. "He hasn't come back. He can't be found. You know what that means."

Jake let Nathaniel go and stumbled backwards. A storm of dread had him tremble all over.

It couldn't be true.

They had come too far, had been through too many dangers. They had lived through the attack on the castle, through the soldier's pursuits and through the tortures in prison together. They had survived all that. It couldn't be something simple as troubles during travels, that got the better of Rutger.

No way.

"He is dead," Nathaniel said.

"He is not -" Jake started, but his tongue wouldn't listen to him anymore. Something in the way Nathaniel looked at him, gave him an understanding deep inside.

Coldness grabbed for Jake's heart.

Everything inside him froze. He couldn't even breathe.

"Rutger is dead," the demon said.

***