Page 3 of Eight Embers

I get the ball back and the magic binding the game dissipates on a whisper, but now I feel awkward. They have actual feelings for Delaney and here I am just being my normal stupid self. What chance do I really have?

“I am in no way required to say this, but I’ll offer up a truth of my own. I might have known about this contract way back when, Delaney, and I might have been more or less forced to forge a relationship with you by Lucifer, but the way you made me feel in that short time we had together is something I’ve only felt one other time in my life,” I admit as I can’t help but stare at Leo briefly. “And we didn’t even have to break out the potatoes!” Ilaugh awkwardly and rub the back of my neck, wondering what the heck to do now.

“I’ll just…take this off your hands for you. Have a good night, now.”

I do my thing and get the witch to trail along behind me in her frozen state, but I don’t get too far before there are footsteps trailing behind me. I want to hope it’s Delaney telling me not to go, but in fact it’s only one of her mates.

“That’s my sister, and I’m also headmaster here so I feel like I need to oversee what’s about to happen. What do you plan on doing to her? And can I interfere? I have a reinforced room I can take her to that will nullify her magic. Standard equipment at a magical school.”

“Oh, that would be great. Thank you!”

He takes the lead, and it’s probably for the best there aren’t many students out at this late hour.

“You said you’ve been outside Delaney’s balcony? I knew about Leo’s curse, but what…that is, where? I feel like I should know what’s been going on here.”

“You’re allowed to hate me, too. I won’t seek revenge if you don’t want to be nice to me. I think I did a pretty shitty thing all those years ago. I didn’t do it on purpose though, not really. Being raised in Hell means I have a whole different set of morals I’ve always been expected to adhere to. I don’t always understand humans, even if I’ve been around them for years now. And I was a pine tree. A devilishly good looking one, if you'll excuse the pun.”

“Are you really one of her mates?”

I nod, avoiding eye contact. I’ve never felt like a fraud before, but that’s exactly how I feel now.

“I fought it too, the bond with Delaney. For far too long. I actually made myself pretty ill; the goddess doesn’t like it when we ignore her. It’s one thing to not act because you’re unaware, but to do the opposite?” He shakes his head.

“I’ve been topside for a long time now. Since Leo was human, actually.”

“Wait, holdup. He used to be human?”

I smile. Can’t help it. “Yeah. He was pretty spectacular. He was supposed to be a job, but I got attached. My father allowed me to stay topside as a sort of ambassador, but Leo had gotten himself into some tricky situations, as evidenced by the fact that he’s spent the however last many years as a gargoyle. Time is pretty hard to keep track of when you’re cursed.”

“You were cursed together?”

“He made a deal with a witch, and it went sour. She walked in on us in the throes of making passionate, mashed potato love, and was so enraged that she cursed the both of us. He got the brunt of it because she claims he broke her heart. Wait— if this is your sister, that means you’re of her line. No wonder you were drawn here to this school.”

“What are you talking about?”

I spin around as he begins to unlock a nondescript entrance near the main building of the campus, flicking a light switch on a dusty cement wall.

“Sorry, hasn’t been used in a while, but it’ll hold her. I’ll have to get her blankets so she’s not cold, though.”

“The witch that cursed us made it so that Leo wouldn’t remember anything before he became a gargoyle; she also tasked the women in her line with watching over the curse. Iwould hazard to guess your sister has been making trouble for our Delaney?”

“I’m her brother; I’m supposed to love her, and I do, but as she’s gotten older, she’s become obsessed with our lineage and with making herself out to be some superior person when we come from very humble beginnings. She’s needed an attitude adjustment for a while, but I haven’t been able to do much about it.”

I freeze as he locks the cell door on his sister, watching the play of emotions over his face, trying to understand the dynamics. “This is… hard for you, isn’t it? You love her.”

He looks through the bars while his sister is still frozen, an almost longing etched into his eyes. “Something like that. I didn’t think I would ever find myself in a position where my mate and my sister were mortal enemies. Makes me feel like I might have messed up somewhere. I shouldn’t be choosing anybody over my family, yet here we are.”

“Sometimes,” I start, “family makes that decision for themselves before we even get the choice to try and put them first. Parents aren’t the same in Hell as they are up here, but Lucifer wasn’t exactly the exemplary father. Though he did threaten to start a war for me, so maybe there’s something in him that feels something for me. You ready for me to let her go?”

“Yeah. These cells should block her magic.”

I let go of the hold I have on the witch, taking a step back just because it feels like the right thing to do. What I should have done is plug my ears with cotton first.

She starts screeching immediately, throwing her hands as if she’s about to throw all sorts of spell work, and if it wouldn’t embarrass me to do so, I’d totally be ducking to avoid the spells. Even though her fingers are doing absolutely nothing.

“Get me out of here, Zac! Donottell me that girl is more important to you than I am. How dare you bring me here? You know I would never hurt you; not my brother.”

He looks resigned. “But you almost did, Shelly. You were aiming at my mate and one of her other mates. Don’t you think that harming them would do something to me?”

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