Page 31 of Daemon Master

Heartrender sagged. Adrian would’ve gladly cradled her in his arms if he wasn’t already carrying a much heavier charge. Instead, he recalled her. Then, sparing a final glance at the terrible daemon still inhaling aether from the air, he turned and fled with Seymour in tow.

eight

Freedom

By the time Adriantrudged into camp, the early light of dawn had broken above the treetops. He deposited Seymour gently near the firepit before collapsing on a log beside him. His back ached and his forearms burned, but at least they were still alive. Souleater didn’t appear to have given chase. Perhaps it preferred to remain near its drained territory.

Heartrender’s thoughts pressed against his, and he groaned, forcing himself to his feet. “All right, all right. No need to be so bossy.” He kneeled by Seymour, checking the unconscious man over. No visible wounds, but he looked far too pale, his skin cold and clammy.

Hoping the warmth would combat Seymour’s chill, Adrian got a fire going and fetched a makeshift blanket from his shelter. When he returned, he found Seymour watching him.

“You’re awake,” Adrian said with a faint smile.

Seymour shifted, closing his eyes. At first, Adrian thought he’d drifted back asleep. Then, the watcher spoke, his voice hesitant. “I wanted to…thank you. For not leaving me behind.”

“Of course. Anyone would have done the same.”

The watcher gave a soft snort. “Not anyone.” A beat, quiet save for the crackling flames. An expression passed over Seymour’s face too quickly for Adrian to parse. “Your parents would have been proud,” he said, his voice gruff and almost begrudging.

Adrian swallowed hard. Before he could muster a response, Seymour turned away, clearly signaling an end to the conversation. Adrian left the blanket and crawled into his lean-to, his exhaustion suddenly overpowering. With Heartrender’s presence a comforting pulse within him and memories of his parents filling his head, he closed his eyes and let sleep claim him.

Over the next few days, Seymour drifted in and out of consciousness. Adrian did what he could to keep the fire going and ensure the watcher ate and drank from their dwindling supplies.

There’d been no sign of Souleater. Hopefully, they’d be okay so long as they avoided that section of forest. Still, Adrian didn’t dare venture too far from camp, sticking to foraging nearby. The rest of his time, he spent training. Though proud of his progress thus far, he needed to remain dedicated if he wanted a fighting chance should Kali ever track them down.

Three days after their ordeal in the dead zone, Adrian returned from his afternoon regimen to find Seymour propped against a log waiting for him. “We’re running low on supplies,” he said as Adrian approached. “I’ll need to return to hunting soon.”

Adrian frowned as he sat beside the watcher. “Your body needs more time to recover.”

“My body is doing just fine, thank you.” Seymour shakily gained his feet, favoring his right leg. He tried to hide a grimace while gesturing broadly with his arms. “See?”

Adrian had to admit Seymour looked better than he had. Much of the paleness had retreated from his features, and his aether had mostly returned to normal. Still, better safe than sorry. “This isn’t the same as a broken arm. Souleater consumed most of your lifeforce. You need—”

“What Ineedis for you to leave me alone,” Seymour said, his face contorting with sudden fury. “Since when do you get to tell me what to do?”

A few weeks ago, Adrian might’ve cowered before the watcher’s rage. Now, he stepped forward and jabbed a finger into Seymour’s chest. “How about since I dragged your sorry backside for hours through the forest after rescuing you from a soul-sucking monster? Pardon me if I don’t want my hard work to go to waste!”

Seymour flushed and turned away, fixing his gaze on the sky above. Afternoon light filtered through the trees’ rustling branches, casting dancing shadows over the camp.

“I…well, I suppose you’re notentirelyuseless after all,” Seymour eventually grumbled.

“Gee, thanks for the high praise.” Adrian turned to walk away.

“So, you’ve been practicing with that daemon of yours?” Seymour called after him.

He paused. “Yup.”

“Hmph. It shows.”

Hiding a grin, Adrian continued on into the trees.

Though Seymour didn’t miraculously swap personalities after that, he at least started acknowledging Adrian’s presence around camp. Occasionally, he’d even mutter a word of greeting—a welcome change from the previous pervasive silence between them.

“We should go after it,” the watcher said one morning around the fire.

Adrian blinked away the mock battle he’d been reviewing in his head. Heartrender perked up where she lay curled in his lap. “Um, okay.” A pause. “What, exactly, is it you want to go after?”

Seymour rolled his eyes. “I see all that meditation has done little to bolster your intellect. I’m talking about Souleater. Now that I’m recovered—”