Bat Out of Hell (Promised to the Demons #2) - Lidiya Foxglove Page 0,43

so far down over my eyes that I could hardly see. "Just some agrimony and blessed thistle, please. Two ounces of each."

"An ounce? Is that like a spoonful?" the stooped man doling out the medicines said. "Boy, you've certainly got the Eleric sisters intrigued, don't you? Oh, to be young again. Not that I was ever quite that handsome."

"We still haven't gotten your name."

"And he's a mage! A skilled one, I bet!"

"I'm not handsome," I said, feeling increasingly agitated.

"That isn't a glamour," the taller one said. "I can smell glamour a mile away. You can't possibly be that modest."

"Maybe he's been living in a cave and he doesn't know what he looks like. Poor lamb." The one with red curls petted my arm as I tried to dig out a little silver to pay with. I always kept a few universal coins of pure precious metal for emergencies.

"Will this do?" The old man held up a level spoonful of herbs.

"Yes, yes," I said, as another woman walked in and immediately grew interested in what the first two were doing.

"Who is this, now?" She was a little older and looked like she was as likely to wrap me in a spider web to eat later as to find me romantically interesting. "A stranger?"

"A human stranger!"

"He won't answer any of our questions."

"Don't tell me you have a wife waiting for you back in the human realms," the older woman said. "We could skip all of that part and just take you out for a drink.”

"Why are there so many seductresses in your apothecary?” I asked the old man.

He laughed, exposing a few gold teeth. "They don't do it to just anyone, but you're pretty enough that I'd take you out for a drink myself."

I grabbed my herbs, gave him his silver, and hurried out of the shop.

The women were following me. "Oh, come on!" One caught my sleeve in her slender fingers. "You seem very shy. If you've heard rumors about fae women being dangerous...well, we are." She giggled.

"We're both sworn to the womanly ways of magic and won't take a husband," the other one said. "But we are free to have fun. In fact, it's good magic for everyone."

"We give good massages too."

"Leave me the hell alone!" I ran back to the castle.

Not that it was any better there. Even some women who had seen my transformation and knew I wasn't really attractive and that I had done terrible things were giving me a second look as I tore up the stairs to my tiny room in the palace and locked the door behind me.

"Sir...I've given you new sheets...did you...need anything else?"

I jumped as a young maid appeared from the washroom. "No. I'm good. Thanks."

I carefully avoided the mirror on the wall as I slumped onto the bed. I looked at my hands. Even my hands were more handsome.

Why the hell couldn't I have had wings and talons?

I never wanted to be seen in public again. My punishment had me completely baffled. I suppose many men would be happy to have this much female attention. I felt like I'd just been out fighting dragons.

A rap on the door kept me from a quick nap--I had barely slept a wink last night.

"Hey, it's Bevan. Just checking on you."

I opened the door a crack.

Bevan started laughing, trying halfheartedly to suppress guffaws. "You look so miserable! Man, you got your hand restored. Try not to look so disappointed."

"This isn't my face."

"Can I see it in the daylight?"

I held the door open, glaring at the floor as Bevan looked at 'it'. The face.

"It's really an improvement," Bevan said. "You're actually handsome enough that your sour expression doesn't even ruin it."

"I'm not sure why you're even here..."

"Well...you did help me find out about the temple. I feel I have to ask if you want to go to a monastery, or maybe you'd rather put your life to some use helping me with this whole thing. At this point I'm convinced that you're no longer any threat whatsoever."

"What is that supposed to mean? A threat to who?"

"My girl. You really are awkward with women."

"I'm...I'm not interested in them, anyway."

"Well, you're awkward with men, too."

"I'm not interested in men."

"You are not interested in people at all," Bevan said, nodding. "That's why, despite your ridiculous new face, I'm okay having you around. I think you'll actually be helpful if we find the temple and we need to figure out any archaeological puzzles or so on." Bevan grimaced. "This sounds