A while was an understatement. Once she’d sat down and he’d gotten comfortable himself, he was there for hours.

He wrapped his fingers around Elisha’s head so his thumbs pressed into her forehead. Then he repeatedly would ask her to think of the thing she wanted to forget before pushing magic into her head. Telling the magic where it needed to go and what the mind needed to do when that memory tried to come.

There were a lot of tears but no hesitation as they moved from one painful memory to the next.

Every thirty minutes or so they were forced to take a break. During which he’d either eat a little or unintentionally fall asleep. Waking to Harv’s firm shake on his shoulder.

The only reason he wasn’t forced to stop an hour into the job, due to sheer exhaustion, was his own Contracts. By pulling power through them he was able to keep going well into the night.

“Enough.”

Taiken blinked wearily as the other male abruptly picked Elisha up and rounded the bed. She was out before he made it to the side and slid her into the space he’d made by folding over the blanket.

Taiken didn’t move, watching as Harv tenderly pulled the blanket to her chin and kissed her forehead. Then Harv picked up Taiken’s shawl and tossed it to him.

“I should have stopped you earlier.”

Harv offered a hand and Taiken gratefully took it. Allowing the other demon to pull him unsteadily to his feet.

“Why didn’t you?”

“Maybe I was afraid you wouldn’t come back and leave the job half done.”

Taiken snorted and pulled the shawl on. He was going to get cold as soon as he started to cool down. Sweat did that sort of thing. “I would’ve come back. I might still need to.”

Harv courteously held open the curtain so they both could step into the darkened corridor.

“Then let’s say I was afraid she’d change her mind again.” Harv grimaced. “As valuable as her knowledge was 200 years ago, it’s not worth her sanity now.”

Taiken grunted agreement.

“Is there anything I should know about this? Any side effects?”

Taiken took a moment to think about it. Rolling over what he knew from previous experience.

“Suppression isn’t the same as healing or removal. She’ll still react badly to anything that would have affected her before. But she’ll recover faster and she won’t lose her mind anymore. Assuming we suppressed enough.”

Harv didn’t answer. And he didn’t ask any more questions.

They were almost to the last corridor when Harv broke the silence.

“Did you really tell Clophas that you drink your own brain fluid?”

Taiken was surprised into a laugh. Which prompted a weak grin from Harv. “Do you think he believed me?”

“If he did, he’s a bigger fool than you.”

Taiken’s smile faded. He turned his eyes ahead and kept them there as he said quietly, “You realize my existence doesn’t automatically make me a fool, yes?”

The Brethren member didn’t answer right away. His scent oscillating between discomfort and exasperation.

“You, Taiken Vaughn, are a truth that most of us can’t swallow.” The demon growled softly, the noise reverberating in his chest. Then said with obvious reluctance, “You deserve an apology. But, don’t expect it from me tonight.”

Taiken relaxed with relief.

“Then maybe in the future we could be friends, Master Harv.”

The other demon grunted. “Don’t get your hopes up, Vaughn.” He growled in frustration then said gruffly, “I don’t like being in your debt. Surely there is something more I can offer as payment?”

Taiken was about to refuse when he paused.

Lita.

He thought about his dilemma. If he could kidnap the stubborn human and hold her hostage in his Circus, he would. Well, legally he could do that and have only maybe Diana to deal with. But, it wouldn’t work. Lita would be miserable and that wouldn’t make him happy either.

And getting her fired wouldn’t work. She had nowhere to go and wouldn’t accept his help.

And he shuddered at the idea of her returning to the outskirts. Every time he’d trudged out to check on her, particularly in the winter, he’d expected to find a corpse.

At least here he had Diana’s word that she’d look after the girl as much as she could.

“My escort earlier…”

“Diana’s servant. What about her?”

Well, here it goes. “Clophas is harassing her. Could you do something about that?”

There was a long silence as they walked across the entrance hall. He could smell Harv’s distaste at the request. Smell his instinctive repulsion. It was a reaction Taiken fully understood but still considered foolish. He wasn’t about to say so.

“You want me to help a human?”

Harv lifted a lip in a snarl.

Taiken didn’t say anything. Just let the answer sink in.

“I’d have to be creative not to get branded as a human lover. Or to have the creatures expecting me to step in whenever there’s trouble for them.”

Still, Taiken said nothing. They were outside now and the cool air was, as he’d predicted, too cold on his drying skin. He pulled the shawl closer around him.

“I’ll think on it. You’ll consider the debt paid if I do?”

“More than paid.”

“Good.”

Harv walked him all the way to the front gates, ordered the human enforcers there to open it for him, then left without a backward glance.

The gate clanged shut behind him and he took in the view of the silent city for a moment. It was so quiet out here at night.

Then he began to walk.

Now he just needed to get home and get some sleep. He had some babysitting to do tomorrow. A smile tugged at his lips and he allowed himself to relax.

Lita would be alright for now.

Now, he only had to keep working on Sheldon’s stubbornness. Perhaps tomorrow would be the final break.

And figure out what Aridon hadn’t wanted him to see in their meeting.

Both could wait until he’d gotten some sleep.

“Thank you, Void Lord,” he murmured under his breath. “For an interesting day.”

***

Lita waited until she was sure Diana Veran was gone and would not be coming back today.

She didn’t know exactly how scents worked for demons. How they sifted through what must’ve been a swamp of smells. What she did know was they seemed to know whatever she touched last. As long as it was recent anyway.

But, they also didn’t always pay attention.

Next to no-smell, the best way to fool a demon was to distract them. Away from whatever their noses would otherwise tell them.

So, when her demon Mistress left before dawn that morning, Lita took the opportunity to deep clean.

She oiled the bed frame, scrubbed corners, spread scented petals and herbs around in dishes and vases, and took every scrap of cloth to the laundry. Where they’d be washed, pressed, and doused in other scents.

And while she was at it, she used the cloud of aromas to hide that she’d meticulously went through everything. The Contracts on the desk, the contents of the trunks, under the mattress…

The real problem wasn't the method. It was scantiness. By noon she’d finished everything except putting the laundry away. Which would probably be the next morning.

Diana Veran just didn’t have much to sort through.

Standing in the middle of the sparkling room, Lita tapped a foot. Frustrated. She’d hoped to at least find the Contract Taiken had signed yesterday.

It just wasn’t here. Nothing was.

Frowning, she leaned her head back and looked at the ceiling. Come to think of it, despite all the Contracts she’d seen the demoness create and fill, none of them seemed to be here either.

So, where were they?

She slammed a fist into her hand and scowled. When Dalius apologetically begged to reschedule last night she’d enthusiastically agreed. Thinking it would give her time to find something. Now she had to have lunch and endure a dodging session with some unknown person in the training room before her outing with Dalius.

How was she supposed to enjoy a day out with a friend when she had this on her mind?

Why couldn’t demons just leave their secrets out where she could find them?

After lunch she trudged unwillingly into the training room and headed for the usual mat. No one was there yet so she sat on a bench and stared glumly at her toes. Her arm still ached and she imagined the ache spreading to her fingers.

Voids it! She really, really didn’t want to be here.

She didn’t hear him coming but saw the boots first. Quickly she straightened up to face her tormentor then blinked her surprise.

She’d been expecting a demon.

“Captain Lloyd!” She hastily got to her feet to face the unsmiling man. “I didn’t know- Don’t you have better things to do than chase me around a mat?”

“Yes.” Flat and to the point. “Which is why we’re getting this over with as quickly as possible.” He motioned for her to follow before turning away to stroll to the other end of the mat.

“If you’d rather not, I don’t mind telling the Mistress we did and just skip.” Lita hurried to catch up.

He stopped at a rack of wooden weapons and pulled down a dagger. Testing the weight with dissatisfaction written on his face.

“We’re not lying to the Mistress.”

“I wouldn’t be lying. I’d tell her I met you here as ordered. There! No lies to smell.”

He narrowed his eyes, grabbed her wrist and put the wooden dagger into her hand.

“We are not lying to the Mistress.”

Her shoulders sagged in defeat. Lapper, she thought. Then she lifted the dagger to look at the wooden weapon with a puzzled look.

“What’s this for?”

“I’m to show you some basic self defense. We’ll start with a dagger thrust today. The Mistress will follow up with you later.” He gave her a pointed look. “She’ll know if I don’t show you anything. Come.” He motioned for her to follow again and started walking for the center of the mat.

Lita groaned and followed.

Great. She wants me to spar with her now. So if she accidentally hits Compulsion won’t care because she didn’t mean to. I’m dead if I can’t find that info soon and leave.

As she faced Lloyd on the mat an idea jumped at her like a cricket.

Lloyd. Everyone knew he was Diana’s favorite human enforcer. If Lita wasn’t with the demoness Lloyd often was.

“Show me how you’d stand if you knew a fight was coming.”

She thrust the knife out with both hands and spread her feet. With one foot he batted her feet further apart then started correcting the rest of her stance.

“Captain, can I ask you a question?”

She had no idea how to lead into ‘do you know where else the Mistress might be hiding things?’ But she had to start somewhere.

He grunted. “You may. Hold your wrist like this.”

“Is the Mistress hard to work for? From an enforcer’s perspective?”

He paused to give her a searching, closed look.

Remember, Lita, he’s a lapper. A very loyal one, she thought. She quickly backpedaled.

“It’s just, when I first started I was told she’d be a pain to work for.” She leaned forward, making her tone and expression earnest. “She’s not bad at all. I’m just confused about how such a rumor started.”

It was subtle but she caught a slight relaxation in his shoulders.

“No. She’s easy to work for. Stand like this. As long as you actually work. Whoever started that rumor was probably lazy. Now, what you’ll do is swing like this. No, hold your wrist this way or you’ll break it. Your goal is to stab the person, which will distract them, and run. That’s better.”

“Do you think-”

“Concentrate, Lita. I don’t have much time.”

He didn’t give her much of a chance to talk as he had her practice the movement. Over and over again. Even bringing out a shield that had been extended out six inches with a wire cage and stuffed with straw for her to stab.

Sweat was trickling down her back by the time he called their session done. In that time she hadn’t been able to ask another question and was scrambling for a way to continue the conversation before he left.

She stretched her sore muscles and followed to the supply racks.

“Captain? Is it true the Mistress makes all the enforcers learn to read?”

“Hmm.” He was inspecting the shield for damage before hanging it up. Straw leaked out in patches. “It helps with our job, yes.”

“I wish I could read.” Which she could. Taiken made sure of that. But Lloyd didn’t know that. “Then I could organize her Contracts for her.” She made a dramatic face and sighed as she hung up the dagger. “The Mistress just leaves them all over and gets frustrated when she can’t find what she’s looking for.”

“You should suggest it to her.” He hefted the shield into place. ”Perhaps you could organize the mess in her study, too. Now, miss Lita, I have other things to do. Until tomorrow.” He bowed his head to her and marched away.

She stood there for a long instant. Excitement and disbelief stealing her breath.

That had been… easy.

Maybe the Void was listening to her pleadings?

Trying to control her excited breathing, she turned and headed toward the entrance hall exit. She almost bounced with each step.

Diana Veran had a study.

Lita smiled as she waited in the stairwell, leaning against a wall. Light filtered down to her from a line of windows in the corridor at the top.

She’d found the study.

It must’ve been common knowledge among the enforcers because the first person she’d asked, a child, knew where it was.

Unfortunately it was down a hallway off the training room. With the constant activity in there she’d never get in during daylight without being seen. That meant a long vigil tonight.

What she should be doing is taking a nap and preparing for it. Instead, she was here. Waiting for Dalius.

I deserve a break, she told herself fiercely and firmly. Her nerves had been so strained for… for years, really. And she hadn’t slept well since Nakos’ death. Maybe tonight she’d finally crash.

After searching the office. After a long afternoon meandering around the city.

“Well, aren’t you pretty today.”

Lita jumped. Then sagged as she lifted her chin and smiled at the man. Dalius bowed dramatically and grabbed her hand, raising it to his lips.

“For someone who just wants my company, you’re laying it on thick.”

Dalius laughed and dropped her hand. “I’m sorry I couldn’t keep our date last night.”

She shrugged and pushed off the wall. “You’re here on official business. With demons watching your every move. I get it.”

“I knew you would.” He grabbed her hand and casually looped her arm through his. “Which way, my lady?”

“We’re going to take the servants’ stairs and then out the kitchen.”

“Avoiding demons?”

“Exactly.”

Morning was long gone so Lita had left behind her shawl. She’d also changed into her best skirt with big beads, made from some amber stone, sewn into the waist.

And no matter how much she told herself that this was just a friendly outing, her stomach turned with butterflies and she grinned far more than she should have. It helped with ignoring the looks from people in the kitchen. Looks that ranged from sly grins to disapproving and jealous scowls.

Yes. Dalius was hot and she had his attention for a few hours.

“This way.” She pulled him toward the gardens. “If we take this path there’s a gate that hardly anyone uses. I think even the demons don’t remember it’s here. I’ve never seen it inspected like the other gates.”

That didn’t make it easy to open, though.

She tried first. Usually the hole she could force open was enough for her and she easily slipped out. Getting the gate open large enough for Dalius, though, took some more effort. And lots of laughter.

“They couldn’t have made it more non-passable if they’d sealed it.” Dalius finally scraped his way out.

His clothes were a mess from the tight, dirty space.

“No. If they sealed it, it would be sealed.” She waved a hand. “All the Brethren have secret chambers inside. And if you don’t have demon touch, you don’t get in.”

“How so?”

She described the way the doorways were opened and closed, with the walls moving out of the way under a demon’s hand.

“Sounds like you’d need a battering ram to get them down.”

“At the very least.”

Dalius batted his shirt as clean as he could while they walked through a jungle of plants and finally onto the main road.

“Do you go this way often?”

“I don’t get out often.” She shrugged, steering them down the fork that would lead them to the dock. “When I do I usually take the main gate. Otherwise my Mistress will hammer me with questions about where I’d gone and why she couldn’t find me.”

“They notice everyone’s comings and goings?”

“Mostly.” Lita looked around then lowered her voice. “They’re paranoid about spies.”

“So I saw.”

The mood turned grim and Lita felt sick for a moment. She was glad she’d been able to look away that night. It didn’t fix it, but it helped.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. Where are we going?”

Dalius reclaimed her arm as soon as he was done batting at his clothes and they talked. He told her about being a magistrate, what a pain it was to deal with the local demon (Leo) who didn’t know when to stop talking.

Then he asked her about life in the Palace and about Diana Veran, 'The demons’ scariest enforcer.'

Lita snorted at that. “Aridon is the scariest one.”

“Aridon doesn’t usually leave the Palace and harass everyone.”

Lita thought about that then nodded. “I’ll give you that.”

“So, what’s it like serving her?”

She shrugged and frowned, looking down the sloping road. The part of the dock she was aiming for was on the very edges of the market. The best place to get fresh fish, she was told. Though she’d never had to buy any while in the Capital before. There’d always been someone else who did that.

“Mistress Veran keeps mostly to herself. She grumbles and throws tantrums. I frequently find her room destroyed, though I’ve never had to do more than clean some glass.” Lita bit her lip, thinking. “Really, she’s actually pretty easy. Mostly she just ignores you. Or makes you join her training sessions.”

She shuddered dramatically and Dalius laughed.

That was when she noticed that he’d slyly moved his looped arm down until he was entangling her fingers with his. For a moment she thought about telling him that this was not how you casually spend time with someone.

She glanced at her hand and pinched her brows together before coming to a decision.

Honestly, she liked this version of male attention.

As long as I don’t let it go any further, I won’t be the next one he woos.

She nodded to herself and didn’t push his hand away. It felt… nice. Very nice not to be alone. Even if it was just for a moment. Just for the afternoon.

The street began to widen as they left the more residential areas surrounding the Palace and entered the dock and market.

Immediately she saw one of the little advertising groups for the Circus. One woman was standing on her hands while contorting her body to lay, midair and horizontal to the ground. While her partner urged a trained dog to jump on her back.

The people watching, especially the children, laughed and clapped with each trick the dog performed on his human platform.

“Let's go this way.”

She tugged Dalius’ hand the other direction.

“You don’t want to talk to them?”

“I don’t want them to see me.”

Dalius winked and allowed her to pull him behind a large group heading the same way. “Embarrassed to be seen with me?”

Her face flushed and burned. “No! I just- I haven’t talked to most of them in five years. I just don’t want to see anyone if I can help it.”

“I understand.” He turned very serious and sad, tightening his grip on her fingers. “I avoid them, too. I bet they’d probably welcome you back if you wanted to go.”

“Probably.”

She didn’t want to talk about this. Maybe he sensed it because he changed the subject.

“Have you seen those hovering things above the dome?”

“You’ve seen them, too? Any guesses about what they are?”

“I was thinking some sort of magical bird.” With one hand he dramatically imitated the hovering. “With the dome so solid, perhaps they’re building a nest? Soon we’ll have eggshells and twigs raining down on us as they attract more and more of the creatures for this perfect nesting site.”

Wouldn’t happen, but she laughed anyway as he imitated the idea of eggshells dropping to earth.

“The demons did do one thing right.” Dalius looked around as they entered the square that included the edge of the dock. Further down was where the fishing vessels were actually stored when not in use.

“What’s that?”

He pointed to the large fountain in the middle of the square, surrounded by benches, patches of soil and trees, and other places to get out of the sun. A miniature garden.

“They can make some beautiful things. Right?”

Lita smiled ruefully. “Too bad we can’t keep that talent and get rid of them at the same time.”

“Shh, Lita. An enforcer might hear you.”

As they entered the little rounded garden he abruptly turned and grabbed her by the waist.

She was so surprised that she didn’t have time to protest before he was hoisting her onto the edge of the fountain.

“There! That completes it. One beautiful woman is all this lovely place needed.”

Lita flushed. “You.” She pointed a finger at his nose. “Are the worst kind of scoundrel.”

“And what’s that?”

“A heartless flirt.” She stuck up her chin and propped her hands on her hips, enjoying being a couple heads taller than him. “Don’t you think I know that you’ll go back home and forget all about me?”

“I won’t forget.” He grinned and held out a hand to her, helping her back down.

When he kissed her hand instead of pulling her into him she was almost disappointed. Easy, Lita. Don’t let your fancies get away with you.

“I won’t forget.” He repeated. Then laughed. “At least, I’ll remember by the time I’m summoned back here. Unless.” He looked slyly to the side at her as he again looped her arm through his. “I can convince you to go back to Kahnay with me?”

Ah.

If he were serious about settling down…

“No.” She said it firmly but with a regretful smile. “Ask again when you stop flirting with other women.”

“Ooh.” He slapped a hand against his chest. “But, that’s part of my charm!”

“And your downfall.”

When he laughed she started laughing with him about a heartbeat later.

This feels amazing! Walking around with a good looking man rather than stressing about what information I can get.

I wish I could do this forever.

“Let’s find somewhere to eat. Know any good places around here?”

“I haven’t actually eaten here.” Lita looked around. “I guess we can just pick somewhere. How about the first eating stall we see?”

“Lead the way, my lady.”

When they finally found a place it resembled the eating house that Dalius had taken her the first time. Patiently she sat down and waited for him while he sat in a surprisingly long line to the vendor. As she waited she looked around.

Why haven’t I come here before?

Dalius was right. The only good thing the demons had done was to create such beautiful places.

She was about to turn back and watch the line, well, watch Dalius’ handsome figure, when she spotted a couple of faces she wasn’t expecting. Abruptly she jumped up and backed away from their table, which had been at the edge of the eatery, and hid behind a potted tree at one of the pillars.

Verona had just tripped. And Lita’s brother, awkward and smiling like he’d had sunshine in his breakfast, caught her around the waist.

“Is something wrong?”

Lita barely glanced at Dalius before pointing and whispering. “Guess who’s here?”

He followed her finger and, with a start, also hid behind the tree with her.

For a moment they just watched Sheldon and Verona as they continued up toward the docking area. Probably to see the fishing boats, she thought as she watched them get swallowed by the crowd.

“Is there a reason you’re avoiding Sheldon, too?” asked Dalius. It was only then that she noticed how tense and rigid his stance had become, glaring openly in the direction her brother had gone.

“Are you alright?”

He visibly shook himself and sighed. “Sheldon and I didn’t part on good terms,” he admitted. He held out one of the bowls he’d been carrying and she took it.

“What happened?”

Dalius shrugged, boldly took her hand and led her to another table. The first one had been taken while they were hiding.

“Some pebbles, well, a lot of pebbles, came up missing right after you left. You and I were both accused of stealing them.” He shrugged. “Among a few others. In the end he believed the stories of three people who claimed it was me and I got kicked out.”

“No!”

“Yes.” He forced a smile as they both sat down. He kissed her hand again. She was beginning to enjoy that. “I think it was those three, personally. But, it turned out well. I got a much better job offer.”

“Why’d they think I took them?”

“Because you just disappeared.” He smiled faintly. “If it weren’t for the three witnesses you might’ve been blamed for the whole thing. It’s ridiculous, of course.”

“And unfair.” She squeezed his hand sympathetically. Then realized what she was doing and quickly let go with a blush.

“Anyway, poor Reddie.” Dalius blew on then took a bite of food.

“Reddie?”

“Verona’s husband. She left him and is now going after Sheldon apparently.”

Sheldon? Verona got married? And to Reddie? She tried to remember something about the man and failed to recall anything specific. Beyond being a stagehand who ignored her.

She frowned into her food. Maybe she should warn her brother about Verona.

They were out for about five hours, returning just before dinner. After sneaking through the hidden gate she led him back to the top of the stairs where she’d met him earlier.

Instead of immediately kissing her hand and leaving to get ready for dinner, Dalius lingered. Holding her hand. The silence between them lengthened and her heart began to pound furiously.