nothing makes me happier than to see you crawling around on my dirty floor."
"But I could make it up to you," Piers said. His voice had a slight rasp, and I didn't trust an inch of him. "I could help you take Variel's power and I don't ask for any of it for myself. I just want my body back. That's it. It's not even much of a prize, scarred and maimed as it is, but it's still mine."
I laughed dryly. Like I was stupid enough to fall for a bargain like that. It was insulting, frankly, to be treated like my skills were Amateur Hour and I would just team up with the most cruel and conniving asshole I'd ever met. "I think I'll take my chances."
"Where is Jenny?" Variel asked as I left the cottage. "Do you think you're going somewhere?"
"She ran away. Seems like something upset her. So I'm going after her, Variel." I met his eyes, man to man, although it was annoying that I still had to look up toward the sun to do it.
"What upset her?"
"What do you think?"
Variel's expression wrestled and then he growled, "It is fully within my rights to do whatever I like with my servants."
"Is that how you want it to be?"
"I'm going after her," Variel said. "You stay here."
"If she went to Sinisral, you can't go," I reminded him. "You've been blocked off."
"Then I will order her to return to my side! She has to obey me, and so do you. You're not going anywhere at all. And...and then I'll do it again. You'll do whatever I demand for my amusement. I might be stuck in this place, but all of this is mine now, and so is your soul, Bevan Soundhunter."
I shook my head and then I just started walking. I expected he might stop me with a spell any minute, but he would have to drag me into a fight if that was what he wanted.
I was braced for it. A battle of wills.I might lose, but I was going to take the risk. I think he cared about Jenny more than he would say, and in the end, he wouldn't hurt me because she would never forgive him.
I heard a distant sound of thunder. I stopped to listen and it was getting closer. Not thunder. Hoofbeats. Coming from the path that led to Monarch's Rest.
I didn't make it any farther before a full dozen Ethereals charged onto the scene, winged and golden—and looking ready for a fight.
"That's him," the leader said, waving a hand and sending a cascade of light magic toward Variel.
For crying out loud.
Chapter Thirty
Lord Variel
I was thrust directly into the fight, and I can't say I was sorry to see the Ethereals return to battle against me. I would much rather fight than discuss what happened with Jenny. My feelings for her were not natural, but for a demon to fight an Ethereal—that was right and good. They certainly had an advantage, outnumbering me on their own turf, but on the other hand, none of them was a High Ethereal. If I didn't hold back, I had a decent chance of defeating them.
Their spells flew fast and furious. I hastily blocked spells intended to disorient and confuse me. Ethereals preferred not to kill, and I expected they wanted to capture and imprison me instead. One of them singed my shoulder.
Nils thundered past me on his horse. "You are under arrest by order of the Orra's Forest Guard," he said. "You've been terrorizing the populace, but if you surrender now, we won't hurt you."
"I have no intention of that," I said. "And I must add that I don't wish to terrorize the populace. You were the ones who picked a fight with me. Do you expect me not to defend my honor at my own home?"
"Your home? The bat lives here, does he not?"
"The bat serves me now."
"In that case, we won't hold back in destroying his home," Nils said. "Raze the buildings and capture the demon!"
The Ethereals immediately turned much of their energy toward my cabin and Bevan's cottage. A chill of horror ran down me as Whisper whinnied in fear tied to her tree. I knew that if the cottage was destroyed, Jenny would have no place to cook. Her precious ingredients would be ruined. The servants would have no good place to sleep.
Bevan dropped his bag and rushed to defend the cottage. He whipped up a protection spell on the building,