Page 35 of Taken to the Deadlands

“Iris asked me to greet you, human,” Yien said, her tone almost hollow.

The news of Iris still being aliveandremembering that I even existed caused something to unclench in my chest. I was toofocused on my own survival to see where ethe other two went, but I was happy it was with this demon.

“I hope you’ve been treating her well,” I said with a raised brow. I might have gotten lucky with my demon, but not everyone would. Even though, from what Aris had told me, she had gone through a lot of trouble to win Iris.

Yien gave me a stiff nod.

“Food, water, a bed, and daily walks in the light,” she replied. “Everything a human needs.”

I bristled at her words.

“She’s not a pet,” I hissed.

Yien tilted her head. “She is like one, no?”

I tried to go around Aris, ready to hit Yien with a word vomit explanation of why it was demeaning, but my demon held me back.

“Later,” she whispered to me before looking at Yien. “I need your help banishing wraiths. Apparently, this manor isfilledwith them.”

Yien tilted her head to the side.

“Of course,” she said, unsurprised. “But why banish them? If they don’t bother you?—“

“I see them,” I said quickly. “And they can touch me.”

Yien’s brows pulled together.

“And you can actually feel them?” she asked.

“Yes,” I said with a small frown. I said they touched me. Wasn’t that clear enough?

“Does it hurt?” she prodded further. “Burning pain or anything like that?”

I shook my head. I wasn’t ready to tell Aris about what I saw in case she pulled away from me. I could see how much it affected her when she thought I was scared of her. If she knew that I saw what she had done to them in their last moments, how would she react?

Aris’s hand ghosted my back.

“It’s been getting bad recently,” she said. “Like she’s calling to them somehow.”

Yien’s eyes were still locked on me, causing a light sheen of sweat to coat my skin. Her scrutiny was hard to bear.

“I see,” she mused, her gaze calculating. “Thatisworrisome.”

She stayed silent, as if waiting for me to jump in. The constant pressure from her gaze combined with the swirling smoke around us caused my heart rate to spike, and I knew both of them could hear just how much she was affecting me.

“You’re scaring her,” Aris snapped.

Yien’s head tilted to the side, her almost all black eyes shooting toward her.

“She’s doing that herself,” Yien said, though there was no anger in her tone. She seemed… amused. “Get annoyed with her, not me.”

My gaze moved to Aris just as hers met mine.

“Is something wrong?” she asked. “The smell of your fear is very?—”

“Overwhelming,” Yien finished for her. “Though I am surprised how well Aris is handling it.”

Aris sent her a look but chose not to respond.

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