Page 13 of The Lich's Leverage

“An orc. He’s in the infirmary right now. You missed quite a fight while you were with your lady.”

“And how does any of this benefit me?”

“You won’t make me angry.”

I’d have sworn if I could actually see his face, it would be curled into a snarl. I wasn’t intimidated.

“I’d say we are pretty evenly matched. I’ve killed other types of demons before. Drained them dry as a bone. Do better.”

A laugh like silk emanated from the void in the hood. Demons were always cocky.

“You haven’t killed my kind before. But I think neither of us is particularly interested in a fight right now. When you break open the box, then I will pass you an axe; you will use it to break a window on your way back to the cells. This is an important escape route during the coming riot. I have no desire to see either good monsters or humans killed. In return you get all the good feelings of having helped innocents survive.”

“What makes you think I care about that? I’d wager not many monsters in here are actually innocent anyway.”

“I can see the past and present too, lich. Not just the future. You’ve protected humans before.”

“Can you see if she will be safe? My mate?”

His form blinked in and out of existence for a moment.

“Direct her to the window; it will be safe for at least the first ten minutes or so.”

“Which window?”

“Next to the infirmary.”

He stood up and drifted away. No feet that I could see. He sort of just floated. I sat back in my chair. I felt that tang of fate on my tongue again. Like a sour candy. A riot was coming. I had to warn my storm as soon as I could. I’d do what the shadow demon asked. But only as long as it didn’t put her in danger. She was all that mattered. I’d let anyone and everyone else die if it kept her from harm.

Chapter 9

Heather

I wasn’t surprised when I found myself back facing Vedrac in my dreams. I was surprised at how much I wanted to run to him. I threw myself into his arms and he held me tight. I pressed my lips to his. I’d been thinking about him all day. I wanted him, but I also knew we needed to talk, and I wasn’t looking forward to it. I took a moment just to feel him against me. Before I was ready, he began to speak.

“My love, we must talk.”

I reluctantly pulled away from him.

“I know.”

He waved a hand, and a room appeared around us. Cozy and welcoming, in the colors of the blankets in my therapy room. He led me to a sofa that felt as soft as a marshmallow when we sat on it.

“There is a riot coming.”

That wasn’t what I had expected.

“How do you know?”

“A shadow demon here has seen the future.”

“When?”

“I’m not sure, but soon, I think. You should leave, love.”

“I can’t just leave. What about my friends?”

I must have said it vehemently enough, as he just nodded and kissed my hand. I could feel my anxiety kicking in again. He watched me and must have noticed my breathing becoming more rapid.

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