Page 49 of Hell Burns Between Us
“It’s mine. I always have it with me.”
He stared at her, momentarily dumbstruck. “Why?”
“It’s practical.” Croft shrugged. “...and comforting.”
He shook his head, then noticed that it had grown quite dark.
“Would you be willing to help me harvest the perilla blossoms I need for our project? And as... thanks, I’ll take you somewhere for dinner.”
Croft raised an eyebrow. “I want pasta. The best pasta in all of Hell.”
“Yes, I figured you’d say that.” Oleander coughed out a laugh as he retrieved his harvesting knife from where it’d fallen earlier. “I know just the place.”
Moonbeam Tavern was built inside the tallest peak in the Luminescence Mountains of the Fauna Circle. Its ceiling had been left open so warm sunshine streamed in during the day and stars twinkled above at night, with an enchantment keeping inclement weather out. The result was an airy sense of wonder, softened by the cosy glow of multiple fireplaces scattered throughout the cavernous room.
Long wooden tables lined the left, while firelight flickered across plush sofas on the right. The aroma of cheesy lemon sauce wafted in from a distant kitchen. The place felt comforting—jovial.
High above the crowd, string instruments played lively music. If he’d been here alone, he would have knit by the fireplace for hours. There was comfort in being able to melt into the background and watch life unfold without participating.
Croft and Oleander had just sat when Namble walked by holding a book that looked startlingly familiar.
“Namble!” Oleander called out over the crowd, waving at the scowling gremlin.
Namble stopped and turned reluctantly. “What?”
“Where did you get that book?” He was feeling more certain by the second that this was the book he’d been reading right before Winter Solstice... when it had mysteriously gone missing.
“It was a present,” Namble said gruffly. “From a very persistent friend.”
“Is it a mystery? Does it take place on a train?” Oleander tipped his head to read the title.
Namble backed away slowly. “No…”
Oleander went to snatch the book, but Namble jerked it away from him. “You can have it when I’m finished!” she snapped before hurrying off to sit with her partner, Meriwether.
A harpy named Aello beelined for his table. Harpies were brilliant white from their wing feathers to their anisodactyl feet. The only touch of colour came from their mortal faces; Aello’s was a lovely, rich brown.
Aello tucked her wings tight to her body as she made her way to their table. When the harpy reached them, Croft motioned towards Oleander.
“He’s paying.”
Aello bent to glare directly in Oleander’s face. “Your costs are covered here, son of Laurel.”
Lively chatter filled the confused silence between them. Oleander finally managed a choked, “Why?”
The harpy leaned close to his ear as his parasitic secret burnt in his throat, yearning to escape. Aello said, “You just focus on getting that… shadow out of you.”
Even the mention of his shadow speared him with horror, causing a shiver to run through him. Aello however, stepped away with eyes filled with melancholic hope. The shadow around his thoughts vibrated, but he had recently perfected his thick onyx mind-walls and the parasite found no crack within him.
Aello gave him a curt nod. “We will be waiting for the first sign.”
“What sign?”
“When the stars slip from their long held places.”
Oleander hadn’t considered anything beyond the invasion of his body and wasn’t sure what the stars had to do with it. To cover his discomfort at the conversation's turn, he schooled his face into smug indifference. “How much will that get me, then? A bottle or two of pixie wine and dinner for us, surely.”
The harpy looked at him once more, conflicting emotions flickering across her face, difficult to read. Then, with a flap of her wings, she was gone.
