“He likesss you,” the old woman said as Azrael handed over Smellicious.
“No, I just put an attachment spell on him. He’ll be over me in a few months.”
The old woman cut her eyes to Lance, then back to Azrael. “Everything happens for a purpossse, child. Even the weakest witches know that.”
Azrael bit her tongue. She knew there was no way to convince a witch who studied demonology that not everything fit into the purpose. “Well then, I’ll just leave him in your hands.”
“Yesssss,” she muttered, staring down at the stink demon. “You do thhhhat.”
She flicked her tongue out, and Azrael flinched. The old woman didn’t notice. Lance grabbed her by the shoulder and pushed her out of the hut.
“Thanks, Eden,” he yelled over his shoulder. “We’ll be back in a few hours.”
They stepped out into the busy marketplace. Dust and steam filled the air. Above them, a firestorm raged, clouds of pink and red swarming. Demons of all shapes and sizes wandered about, some shopping, some selling wares. Azrael stopped to watch a hodoo demon and his pet. When the demon moved the arms on the doll, the furry demon did the same thing, although he was facing the crowd instead of the doll. Lance stood and watched, his arms crossed over his chest. When the show finished, he dropped a few coins in the man’s hat.
“What’s next?” she asked, chasing after Lance as he made his way through the thick crowd.
“What’s next is we find you some protection.”
They walked a long way on the dusty streets. Several times Azrael stopped her attention on the events going on in the market. Each time Lance would grab her arm and pull her away. They ended up turning left into a dark alley. Lance entered a non-descript mud hut, and she followed. Inside, a lady sat at a table, in her hands a collection of glass baubles.
“I have already said I can do nothing more for you, Lance. Please do not press this issue.”
The woman stared at the balls. Inside them, smoke swirled, small tendrils reaching out and caressing the woman’s hands. From the side, Azrael could tell she was breathtaking, her features alluring, yet something about her tone screamed misery.
“Leolacent, I did not come for me, but for her.”
The woman turned to face Azrael, who gasped, her face reddening. She tried to hide her reaction.
“Oh, you do not have to hide your pity from me. I know what my face looks like.”
Azrael lifted her head. The worst thing she could do was ignore the honesty the woman in front of her was offering. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting it. You’re just so beautiful.”
“Half of me is,” she said, chuckling. “The other half is the making of Blais.”
Azrael stared at the left side of the woman’s deformed face. One eyelid was missing, the skin withered and blistered as if she’d suffered a massive burn.
“Blais did this?”
“Yes. Luckily my fiancé came home before he finished the job. Now, what is it you are needing help with?”
“I need protection. Blais came after me and says he will come back for me. We were hoping you could help.”
“We are very alike then, you and I.” Leolacent grasped her hand and squeezed. “Come sit with me, and I will see what I can do.”
Azrael took a seat across from the woman. Curious, she reached out to touch some of the glass bobbles but pulled her hand back at the last minute.
“No, go ahead, touch them, hold them. These are objects of purpose. They help me to read you, to see the best way to assist.”
She picked up the pink ball. It warmed with her touch, and small tendrils of mist wrapped around her fingers. The other woman observed her. Azrael sat the ball down and picked up the next. Each one swirled in a different pattern. After examining all five balls, she handed them all to Leolacent. The witch took the balls in her hands, her eyes turning white. Her mouth hung agape, lips twitching as though she were mumbling. Azrael looked at Lance, who was leaning against the wall. He gave her an encouraging smile.
Several minutes passed before Leolacent’s eyes cleared. She set the balls down, a frown on her face. “I can do nothing to protect you. Neither can any other witch.”
“What?” Lance strolled forward, arms crossing his chest. “Why the hell not?”
“Because her purpose is cemented with yours. Since yours is set, so is hers. I cannot hide her. Her only protection will be the protections I set on you. She’ll see this to the end or die, the same as you.”
“Is this because she summoned me? Because she used my purpose or whatever the hell you witches do?”
“The reason does not matter. The conclusion does. She cannot be protected from this,” Leolacent said. “I need to speak to her alone. Please give us a moment.”
Lance turned on his heels and stomped out.
“Always the temper of that one,” Leolacent remarked, shaking her head. “Still, he has a big heart and means well.”
“How long have you known Lance?”
“Since we were children,” she said, her mouth tilting up in a grin. “I had a crush on him, but he didn’t notice me from daylight. My family moved away, and that was the last I saw of him until he learned what Blais had done.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be. I lived, which is more than I can say of most of his victims. I sent Lance out alone because I wanted to explain to you why I cannot help you.”
Azrael figured that was the reason. She’d heard nothing about purpose interfering with protection spells. Although Lance wouldn’t know that. “I assumed there was a reason you were unwilling to do it, not that you couldn’t.”
Leolacent shook her head. “No, I did not lie. I cannot do anything for you.”
“I don’t understand,” Azrael admitted.
Leaning in, Leolacent took Azrael’s hands in both of hers. “What is the only thing more unbreakable than purpose?”
Nothing is more unbreakable than purpose. Except for….
“No,” she whispered. “I don’t—”
“Yes, you do love him, or you will, at least. I suspect the first.”
Azrael closed her eyes and leaned back in the chair. “Not him. Anyone but him.”
“I can only imagine your trepidation, especially with him being—”
Lance stepped into the room, cutting her off. “An impatient man is what I am becoming.”
Her eyes popped open at the sound of his voice. He was staring at Leolacent, his jaw clenched, eyes intensely seeking hers. Leolacent shoved her chair backward and stood, her fists clenched. “She doesn’t know?”
He grabbed Leolacent by the shoulder, pulling her out of the hut. Azrael followed, but Lance held up a hand. “You stay here.”
The tone in his voice was dark enough to have her sitting without arguing. She watched them exit before slumping and laying her head on the table.
Did he hear us? Is that why he’s acting so pissed off? And what is it I don’t seem to know?
Does he think I’m in love with him?
Am I?
Azrael shook her head. “No, of course not.”
Lance and Leolacent stepped back into the room. He looked calm, but she had a frown on her face.
“Come on. It’s time to go.”
Lance exited the tent. Azrael followed, but before she could leave, Leolacent grabbed her by the arm and whispered in her ear. “He doesn’t know.”
She nodded.
~*~
“You okay?” Lance asked.
She felt his eyes on her face, had felt them since they left the hut. “Yes, I’m fine.”
Liar.
Although Lance had made no indication he suspected what her conversation with Leolacent was about, he’d been unusually sensitive to her feelings. She knew she should ask him about what it was Leolacent believed he was keeping from her, but she wasn’t in the mood. Around them, the streets filled with crowds. A man to the left was haggling over the price of an expensive looking watch. His wife ogled Lance. At least that’s what Azrael thought she was doing. Her eyestalks kept dancing around, making it hard to tell.
“I know you’re worried, but we’ll figure this out. We will find someone that can help, even if we have to search all of Demonium.” He touched her shoulder, giving her a soft smile.
So that is what he thinks my problem is?
If she was being honest with herself, she’d have to admit she hadn’t given it much thought. For some reason, deep down, she knew the protection route wasn’t going to work. It was only the reason why which shocked her.
“Thanks,” she said, forcing a smile.
“You know, we aren’t supposed to pick up Smellicious for a few hours. Why don’t we have some fun?”
Eyestalks was definitely ogling. This time Azrael was certain because when she glanced over, the woman retracted her eye.
“Like what? Do you even know how to have fun?”
“Touche,” he said, grinning. “Come on.”
He pulled her by the arm. A building stood off to the left, its marble exterior gleaming in the orange lighting.