“Can I have the special participants come forward? Mistress Kelly will help you pick your weapons.”

On Dalius’ cue Mistress Kelly pushed her way onto the stage from the right entrance. She wore a bright, eager smile. As beautiful and delicate as a rose. No one could tell that she’d just had an argument with the disgusting demon.

And had lost. It infuriated her.

Sheldon couldn’t tell either and still wanted to smack the beautiful woman.

“Hello, my friends!”

She approached the eight special participants gathering at the bottom of the bleachers, talking loudly to be heard throughout the amphitheater. Her back was to the selection of weapons the prop master had laid out along the edge of the stone stage ring.

“As you can see, there are daggers. Maces.” She picked up each weapon as she spoke, trading them out only as she continued. “The whip is my favorite.” She wriggled it back and forth enticingly.

Sheldon relit the last lamp by the north exit and again folded his arms, leaning his back against the wall.

He hated this act.

But, regardless of his preferences, here we go.

“Sheldon?”

He turned to see Lita climbing the ladder set inside the north exit. She was grinning and, thankfully, had pulled a slitted blanket over herself. Not as hot as the cloak, and not tied as tightly as he would have liked, but at least she wasn’t practically naked.

“Did you see that? Kelly said they'd enjoy a bit more blood.”

He glared at her. “You did it on purpose.”

“Yup! Wasn’t it great?”

“And what would you have done if it had really hurt you?”

She pouted and crossed her arms. “She said you wouldn't approve.”

“And you did it anyway? Voids, Lita-“

“What's going on?”

The whisper had been loud enough that he paused his scolding to look at the stage. Then he lost his thoughts entirely while he watched, dumbfounded, as Taiken stalked across the ring.

Normally the demon would be stripping as he went. The jacket, the shirt. Until the demon was covered in little more than a kilt. But, to Sheldon’s bewilderment, Taiken was making no attempt to strip.

Taiken looked like a mountain lion, stalking toward his prey. His focus was entirely on Kelly. Part of him felt that way.

The other part felt like he was moving in sludge. One breath he was making no progress and the next he was suddenly three steps forward. Pounding at the back of Taiken’s head was the confirmation of what he’d been trying to ignore. Trying to deny.

“You never pleased me, Master. Do you blame me for looking elsewhere? At least one in every city in the circuit. Now, what are you going to do about it?”

Stupid, stupid, Kelly.

He could focus on nothing but her. Even when he stopped to complete a secondary task to what Compulsion was demanding, his real attention was on her.

For an instant Taiken looked at the sword dancer props, the bloody image of what he could do with those flashing through his mind. But, he’d have to live with it afterwards and the tiny part of his mind that was still in his control blessedly won.

Instead he picked up a dagger from the weapon selection. Up on the bleachers Sheldon felt a thrill of understanding in his gut.

Sheldon grabbed his sister, trying to pull her into him, to hide her eyes. His sister, like the rest of the onlookers, didn't understand what was going on and fought him stubbornly.

Some instinct kept the girl quiet even as she fought her brother’s hold. Below, Kelly finally noticed something was wrong and turned to look at the demon. With a scowl that the crowd couldn’t see.

“What are you doing, fool?”

It wasn’t supposed to, but Kelly's whispered words echoed in the suddenly dead silent amphitheater. As did the even quieter reply.

“For breach of contract.”

Lita gasped, freezing in Sheldon’s arms and they both watched in horror as Taiken abruptly stabbed Kelly in the heart. Just a quick jab in and yank out. Then he dropped the bloody blade to the ground and caught her body as she crumbled.

It was over so quickly that no one had time to do anything. And when it was over, no one dared to.

No one moved. No one breathed as they watched the monstrous demon just stand there. Slowly looking around at them with eyes that were clearing of blackness and turning light blue.

The pain that had been all but debilitating just seconds before was fading from Taiken’s body, especially his head. Relief and grief mingled together in a confused swirl in his chest.

He felt his claws retracting. Felt the magic that regulated his body finally doing its job and renewing what had been damaged.

Lita turned her face into Sheldon's chest, desperately clinging to him as she suppressed sobs.

Sheldon composed himself before meeting his Master’s eyes. Making sure his expression was blank so the demon couldn't see his horror.

It needed to be done.

Months ago.

Hadn't he, Sheldon, been conspiring on how to force the demon’s hand just that night? He just hadn’t expected the blow to fall during a show. Or in front of Lita.

Please, Lita, don't break tonight.

Neither of you break tonight.

“For breach of contract.” Taiken said it louder. Pleadingly. But, it wasn’t to the crowd. It was to him. To Sheldon. Or possibly to Lita in his arms. He didn’t know which.

Voids. Oh voids! He couldn't mess this up.

Holding his breath, keeping his expression as clear as he could, Sheldon nodded to acknowledge the plea.

By the Void’s God, it was enough. Taiken didn’t crumble right there.

Sheldon slumped in relief as Taiken gathered up the body and left the stage through the north exit. Just a few yards from where he and Lita stood.

When Dalius didn't immediately begin easing the frightened crowd he straightened up and yelled as loud as he could. “Show is over. Everyone, please exit calmly and without running. No one else is in danger this night. If you’re a special participant or would just like a refund, please wait for me at the main entrance.”

Then he gently urged his nearly senseless sister toward the ladder.

***

It was almost an hour later when Kandi tapped his shoulder. He’d been helping to close the gates, the unwieldy animal hides and frames taking several people per door to lift and move.

At least she’d waited until they’d slid the frame into ground holes before tapping.

The woman looked tired and shaken. But, so did everyone else.

“I’m sorry, Sheldon. I just noticed that he’s still here. What should I do? Do you- do you want me to escort him out?”

For a moment Sheldon’s mind blanked.

“Who?”

“Lord Aridon.”

He closed his eyes. One more thing before he could attend to what really mattered tonight. Voids! If he’d known it would be like this maybe he would’ve stayed in bed for most of the day.

“No, I’ll take care of it. Go to bed, Kandi.”

In the end, Sheldon came to escort the demon out personally. He could have had someone else do it. Then he could’ve checked on Lita and tracked down the Master sooner.

But he'd been unwilling to expose his already traumatized people to the unpredictable demon.

Lord Aridon was last to leave that night.

Sheldon found him sipping wine and leaning back in one of the few comfortable chairs in the entire amphitheater. He must’ve listened the whole time as the humans filed silently from the theater over his head.

The voided demon was still taking deep breaths through his nose, a sadistic smile hovering on his face.

“I apologize for the delay, Lord Aridon.” He bowed to the demon. “You could have exited any time if you didn’t wish for an escort.”

Aridon appraised him with undisguised contempt, sipping unhurriedly.

The demon had a reputation of speaking to the humans only when he wanted something. So Sheldon was not surprised to be kept waiting for several long minutes. Bowed over until his lower back began to ache with the strain.

“I intended to see your Master tonight. Where is he?”

“I don’t know, sir. He left the grounds.”

“Pity.” The demon continued sipping, watching Sheldon until the young man started to sweat under the pressure.

He didn’t dare speak. Didn’t dare try to hurry this demon along. Even though his back ached and he still had so much to do to try and salvage this night.

What did he want with the Master anyway? Sheldon frowned at his toes. Is this about the Oath again? When will they figure out-

“What was the Contract breach that provided such amusing entertainment tonight?”

Sheldon blinked his surprise at being addressed again. He hesitated before answering carefully. “It's not my place to discuss my Master's affairs.”

The demon casually withdrew a bag of money pebbles from a side pouch and laid it on his knee. The soft chinking drew Sheldon’s eyes.

Aridon smiled, allowing a show of fangs. “I'm sure Taiken doesn’t pay you well enough for your loyalty.”

Sheldon clenched his jaw. Thank the Void’s God he'd come himself! Not that there was another human now alive who’d read Kelly's Mistress Contract. But, who knew what else Lord Aridon would have asked?

“It is not my place to discuss my Master's affairs.”

Pause. Lord Aridon’s smile faded into a watchful glare. “How prudent of your master to send you.” Sheldon could hear the mockery in the demon’s voice.

The demon replaced the bag of pebbles and stood, deliberately dropping what was left of his wine cup on the floor and spilling the contents. “Escort me out now, human.”

Where the demon had been sitting was a private box that jutted out several feet beyond the bleachers. The performers were always aware of demon spectators but generally only special participants got the opportunity to see inside the box.

And likewise there was a separate entrance for the box, a tunnel that led out to the outer wall. The wall which most of the bleachers on that side sat against.

Sheldon bowed again at the door, eyes on the ground, as Aridon stepped past him. To his discomfort the demon didn't just leave. Instead he sat and studied Sheldon for far too long.

“I thought Ampheil was all wiped out.”

Something sick gripped his stomach then a rush of fury he couldn’t suppress. Aridon took a deep breath through his nose and laughed at Sheldon's uncontrolled scent.

“I was right. I thought you looked familiar.” Aridon leaned closer to Sheldon's bowed head. “I'm glad to see your father's child has learned some subservience. You might survive if you keep licking your master’s boots.”

The demon straightened up and walked away, leaving Sheldon there. Clenching his hands. Bowed until the demon was well away.

It took him a few minutes to calm down before he went to check on his sister.

He intended it to be a quick visit. She lay curled up on the sleeping mat in his tent. Even though she was too big to be sharing his tent anymore he didn’t want to leave her alone with the other girls tonight.

Her whole body shook with distress even as she slept, in a way he hadn’t seen in years. He couldn’t see her tear stains but he remembered them.

He'd felt guilty when he put her to bed immediately after the show.

Holding her only a little while before gently pressing a thumb into the base of her skull and calling on a spell he wasn't supposed to know.

There’d been so much to do, he just couldn’t stay and hold her. If he’d known Verona would come so quickly after, he wouldn’t have sent his sister to sleep. He didn’t know when the other girl had left.

He crawled onto the mat and pulled Lita into his arms again. Trying to soothe the nightmares she couldn't wake up from as best he could. When he got back he vowed to remove the spell and be up the rest of the night with her if necessary.

But, for now, he could only linger a short time.