Page 26 of Deranged Demons

I recall the archangel who had healed the giant back in the ballroom. “And you say he’s still in the water? Is there any chance?—”

My words trail off when Theon shakes his head. “I tried to go after him. Many of us did, and we’re lucky any of us were able to get out alive.”

“Okay.” I nod as I process what he’s told me. “So, what’s in there?”

Theon stares at me blankly.

“In the water,” I clarify. “It’d help if we knew what we were dealing with.”

Fear enters Theon’s gaze, and he starts mumbling about rainbows in the water. I have no idea whether it’s the sickness messing with his mind, but when he still doesn’t say anything that makes sense for a while after, I turn and start striding toward the bathhouse.

Prince Callan is quick to step into my path. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to get the medicine,” I say, giving him an unimpressed look and gesturing to the archangels. “They clearly need it, and maybe, I’ll find out what happened to your friend, Syphilis.”

“Saphis,” Prince Callan corrects as Nate snorts, trying to contain his laughter.

I wave my hand dismissively. “Oh right,Saphis.”

“If anyone’s going in there, it’ll be me,” PrinceCallan says. “This is my responsibility. You and Nine Lives can stay out here.”

My lips form a thin line, and both Shade and I stare at him like he’s delusional. Because he is.

Nate bumps the prince on his way to the bathhouse. “Like fuck am I stayin’ out here with these guys. Most of them hate me, and they might start usin’ their powers while in their current state. Unless you want me killing them all, I’m takin’ my chances with the haunted bath.”

Prince Callan looks like he wants to argue, but I follow after the shifter before he can utter a word. The bathhouse is a tall rectangular structure, and I pull out my sword as Nate leads the way through the entrance archway and down a stone corridor. The air cools, and we step into a cavernous room that contains a large bath. The pool of water almost spans the entire width of the space, but there’s just enough room to walk along the edges and past the thick concrete pillars that are evenly placed to act as supports for the structure. A massive panel of frosted glass forms the ceiling above the bath, and dappled sunlight streams onto the still water, illuminating the room. I’m still covered in slime from our fight with the demon bugs, and if I wasn’t convinced that something terrible was in there, I would have enjoyed the thought of having a bath. I scan the area expecting to find blood stains and obvious signs of a struggle, but there’s nothing to suggest any archangels have even been here.

Paintings cover the walls of the bathhouse,depicting pictures of trees and rivers, and showing how everything in Perstalia is connected like in the mural I saw when I first arrived. I run my hand over the cracked paint that’s closest to me and wipe off a layer of dust, while keeping the bath in my peripheral. Just like with the mural, the small gems embedded in the stone gleam and sparkle as soon as the dust is cleared away.

“How can it be full?” Prince Callan mutters. “I thought Perstalia doesn’t have any water?”

I turn my attention back to the bath. “It doesn’t,” I reply, then add. “Well, it didn’t.”

Nate steps right up to the edge of the water and peers in. “So, what do you think we’re dealing with here?”

“Could be any number of things,” I reply. “There are at least a dozen water creatures in Seral, and all of them are nasty. I almost died once when I was little, when Dad told me to practice swimming in the river just outside the city. Of course, it was another character-building exercise, and he didn’t mention that the river was home to a Derois. I think it was mostly luck that I survived, because the creature wasn’t that hungry that night.”

Both Prince Callan and Nate stare at me like I’ve grown another head.

I stare back at them. “What?”

Nate shakes his head. “Your relationship with your father is fucked up, gorgeous. For the first time, I’m honestly glad I never knew myparents.”

I blink and it takes me a moment to realize what he’s said. “Wait, you’re an orphan?”

He doesn’t answer, but instead he strips off his clothes and tosses them against the wall. And then his body is changing, fur bursting from his skin as he grows in size. I’ll never get used to seeing it, and I’m still staring when the giant cat pads up beside me, his massive paws nearly silent on the stone.

I sheath my sword and lean down, picking up a pebble that’s sitting near my boot. I throw the smooth rock into the air and catch it, testing the weight of it in my hand, then I toss it across the water. The pebble skims along the surface for three jumps before sinking in. I brace as I wait for some beast to explode from the water, but the bathhouse remains quiet.

Nate’s tail flicks as he crouches at the edge of the bath, his nose almost touching the water.

Prince Callan strolls casually behind me, and I’m about to pick up another stone when Nate lets out a howl and there’s a loud splash. I whip my head to the side only to find Prince Callan is standing in Nate’s place, a wicked smirk on his face.

“What happened to it beingyourresponsibility?” I ask the grinning archangel.

He only shrugs. “Itismy responsibility, and Nine Lives is being useful for once, and he’s helping me to figure out what’s in there.”

I pivot toward the water, my muscles tensing as I prepare myself to dive in and save my mate, but to my surprise, Nate isn’t thrashing around like I expected.He swims with powerful strokes, keeping his head above the surface and acting like he’s enjoying himself. He’s in the middle of the pool when lights burst to life in the water around him, a rainbow of colors flickering on like lights that have been turned on.

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