“This is not good.”

She paced in the forge with her arms crosses. The room did not allow her much room to do so, but she could not help herself. Her mind was running wild, not only for the shame of not having been there that day, but for the consequences it was bringing.

With a deep frown, she laid a hand on her head, musing and lamenting.

“We’ve never had the manor empty for more than two days. These people…”

It had been three days since any travelers visited. All the guests that had been staying had left, one by one, wary.

She was not alone in the room. Uriel was on a chair with his claws clasped, looking at the ground silently. At the other side of the room, Alexis sat by the smelter, on his old anvil. The dying fire of the furnace was the only thing that lighted the room, giving it all a grimmer atmosphere.

Not that it wasn’t grim in its own right.

“It’s no one’s fault.”

She answered Uriel’s frustrated remark, glaring with fury at a wall.

“No one’s but that dammed thief. I swear I spotted him watching my every move before I left. He knew I would be trouble.” She raised her hands in front of her chest, and opened them in a strangling motion. “I promise, if I ever get a hold of that bastard, I’ll make him swallow that stupid sword.”

Even though Alexis had the most serious and hurt of expressions, he commented sarcastically.

“Try not to do that, thank you very much. He wanted to steal it for a reason, and it has quite its history with me. Don’t dirty it with him. I will gladly give you some tools of my choice for the job.”

The hatred was quite obvious in his glare towards the fire. If he had been wary of humans before, he would be more now. Uriel was the only one who had a calm expression, even though sorrowful.

“I don’t think violence is the answer. It’s what made the guests leave.”

Ayako’s eyes filled with rage when she heard Uriel say that. Turning sharply to point at the demon, she roared, not loudly, but furiously.

“No, Uriel, it was nothing my daughters did that caused this. That man got into a room, uninvited, to steal from us, after we had given him a warm bed and a roof over his head. He stepped where he was not supposed to, and scared a small child, enough to make her lash out. He got everything he deserved; the bite, the clawing, and your stomp.” Uriel raised his hands up, having her right there, laying the facts to him angrily. There was a fire like no other in her eyes, and pride in her words. “Our manor is empty, not because of our rightful actions, but because some people are scum. They can’t see past their noses, and can’t trust anything that does not resemble them in a mirror. Nobody should have been scared, not of my kids, not of you. Not from my family.”

Alexis and Uriel had not seen her this angry in quite a very long time.

The kids had never heard her like this.

Ariel and Aurora listened closely, hiding below the smithery’s window. They were sitting with their backs against the wall, out of sight, knowing that they had gotten into the room to prevent them of seeing them argue. They could not help themselves, they wanted to listen. They were rightfully shaken by what had happened. They as well had noticed that the guests left.

Ariel felt guilt. Looking sideways, she noticed that her little sister was tearing up again, looking to her in shame.

“I got them in trouble.”

Just by seeing the fear in Aurora’s lidded eyes, she felt a sting in her heart. Ariel snarled, tail whipping down firmly while she looked her in the eye.

“No, you did not, sis. Absolutely not.”

“Then… why nobody is coming?”

Aurora was not able to answer honestly, even though she knew.

“I don’t know.”

She knew. She knew as much as Uriel did. There was no way she could not remember those looks, the judging stares her sister received. She had gotten them too, and now she felt how hurtful they really were. She had not wanted to really think about it, for her father loved his inn.

She took Aurora’s small hand, and then moved a finger to her own lips. Next, she began to pull her away from the window, both peeking to make sure they were not seen. They headed back inside to pretend they were asleep, curled together under warm blankets. With their eyes closed, they heard the three check on them in the night. It was only when the door closed again with reluctance that they stopped feigning being able to rest.

A couple of travelers did set foot into the inn some days later. But it was undeniable that the towns around them had heard of what happened. Humans were social creatures, dependent on the company of their own. Their words always flowed out with their breaths, and their thoughts twisted with their own conception. The manor was not empty, but still full of an eerie familiarity, one that Uriel had experienced.

His violet eyes would look at the hollowed rooms, and remember the days after the manor’s original owners died. Little by little, gradually, it was all forgotten, ignored and voided.

He managed to stand his past loneliness. But he did not know if he could bare their hurt.

——————-

The angel knocked on the door again.

“Aurora.”

No answer.

The demon tried as well, without knocking, only leaning to let out a gentle whisper.

“Please, open the door, Ariel.”

No answer.

Angel and demon exchanged looks, not happy to be ignored. Uriel tried to call again, while Alexis knocked with more force.

“Girls, why did you lock the door? You know that’s not nice.”

“Open up right now, or we will leave without you!”

Uriel moved Alexis’ fist away from the door, giving him a look.

“Don’t you know already that they don’t listen if they are scolded? Use reverse psychology, it works on them; positive reinforcement.”

“Oh, please. You know that you are the one they most take advantage of. You’re too soft, and they know it.” Alexis pointed both hands at the door with a frustrated smile, being this close to go for a lock pick. “We can’t be nice if they lock themselves up! They can’t even see us!”

They both jumped a little, because steps finally echoed inside the room. Both sisters seemed to plop themselves against the door, to call stubbornly.

“I’m staying here with Ariel.”

“We don’t want to come out, we feel better in here.”

Uriel winced. Fidgeting in thought for a moment, he smiled again, offering with a hopeful call.

“Come on now, why would you prefer to stay in this boring room, when you can come with us for a little stroll?”

“Near the roads?” Ariel huffed behind the door, her tail tucked close. “Too close to home, people may roam!”

“What she said!”

Alexis’ eyebrow twitched, Uriel groaned and slammed his forehead onto the door. Both girls had inherited the stubbornness of their mother, and no matter how many things they offered in this small trip, they wouldn’t show the littlest bit of interest. Only Aurora had shown doubt when they mentioned the snacks they would take out, but as soon as Ariel showed firmness, she mimicked her sister. Both were glued to each other, and Ariel’s apprehension was clear.

They were indeed going for a small trip, but not the one the girls expected. Even though they would need to walk through familiar roads, they would be headed somewhere new, somewhere where they could leave their worries behind. They just couldn’t ruin the surprise.

“Just get out! I will carve you some wooden swords with which to play, okay? How does that sound?”

Uriel eyed him, amused.

“Who’s the soft one now?”

“Shut up.”

They both blinked, because something echoed from inside the room. They heard the window inside slam open, and then the girls gasp, yelp and scramble in opposite directions. They stopped being confused when they heard Ayako yell, from inside.

“Don’t worry guys, I got them!”

Uriel and Alexis sighed, one covering his face with a hand, the other pitying the girls.

“She was not kidding when she said she would do anything to get them out.”

They were on the top floor.

The girls had not expected their mother to grab a ladder, climb some ledges and then jump into the room, at all. The two were scrambling, sometimes yelping and letting out small gasps. Judging by the fierce noises that echoed out, Ayako was chasing them as they fled, bouncing, crawling and ducking away.

Of course, the little demons were very agile and energetic, but their mother was more persistent. The door opened at last, and Ayako walked out with strong steps, triumphal.

“There we go! Easy!”

It did not look easy at all. She had each girl grabbed in one arm, both trashing in the air and still trying to free themselves. Ariel’s tail was whipping the air furiously, while Aurora’s wings were flapping wildly. The two were still whining and groaning, exclaiming their dislike for the trip.

“I don’t feel like going! I’ll do chores in the basement!”

“I’ll help her!”

Ayako began to march towards the entrance, already having prepared their wagon beforehand. However, the girls were not done yet. As she went for the main doors, she passed the last hallway and wooden arc. She huffed and found herself halted. Looking back, she gasped, realizing that her daughters had clawed onto the wooden frame behind her, sinking their nails into it, hanging.

The human could feel the strong pull of the two demons in her arms, so she began to pull as well. The three huffed a lot, all trying to head in one direction. The girls yelled while they struggled, meeting eyes with Alexis and Uriel.

“There are guests to attend to! They will be angry!”

“We can’t leave!”

Uriel smiled apologetically, raising his hands at his sides. He knew they were hiding in their room to try to keep guests from leaving, thinking they were the issue. He would not allow them to feel unwanted.

“Only two guests. Not much to worry about.”

Alexis pointed to a nearby hallway, smiling smugly.

“Besides… we have a babysitter for those two humans. We won’t be missed.”

The girls paled, nails twitching more weakly on the frame. Mouth agape, they spotted an armor standing in that hallway, haunted by a red glow. That armor sent them an acknowledging nod, to then walk away. Ariel exclaimed, yelling at it.

“You silly cat!”

Alexis neared Aurora. He looked at her with a hand on his chin, and then he eyed her wings. Aurora grew nervous when a finger neared slowly towards her left wing, very slowly. When he nudged a nerve softly, she giggled with a gasp, letting go instantly of the wall. With a fierce war cry, Ayako lifted a foot and then slammed it forward. Ariel finally unlatched from the arc with her strong pull, leaving claw marks all over it. Her expression was one of perplexity and nervousness while her mother carried them away, as she saw she had only left one more thing for guests to notice.

A rabbit watched in confusion as they marched, seeing the girls resist to their commands for the first time. While they were carried out through the entrance, they still trashed about, trying to bargain. Ayako was not faced by their harmless hits, because neither of the two really dared sink their nails or fangs. She ignored them licking her arms, knowing they just hoped it would disgust her and make her drop them.

She did drop them, into their cart.

As soon as they plopped butt first on the inside of the wagon, they tried to leap out of it on their fours. They stopped when they found a big obstacle. Uriel hoped into it too, big enough to block the exit on the back and the view of their freedom. Under his amused grin, they scrambled to face the other end of the wagon. They saw a small space there, where the rider always sat; and so they tried to run for it, even if only one of them could squish through at a time. Again, they did not manage; Alexis and Ayako sat strongly on the seat, and gave them a smirk of their own. Trapped, they found themselves shrinking and sitting down, defeated. They let themselves drop against the multiple bags in the cart, knowing they had no say in this.

They did not look forward to the roads. They were accustomed to see travelers in them, each time they had to cross them to go anywhere isolated.

Alexis and Uriel could see their apprehension and nervousness. However, they knew that they would probably not find any humans in their path. They did not tell them that however, knowing the true core of their worries.

They had a plan, and they would follow it. Ayako hit the reigns of the horse, beaming with excitement.

———————-

Their blue eyes gazed over him, tip toeing, with their small claws onto his shoulders. Uriel leaned a little down, to allow them to peek better. He noticed how Ariel’s tail began to sway curiously, and how Aurora’s wings began to flutter in confusion.

“I don’t recognize this place.”

He chuckled, hiding his smirk under a claw.

“Of course you don’t, you’ve never been here.”

Gone was their fear and apprehension. They had never gone too far away from the manor. Aurora leaned a little more onto him, almost climbing on top. She was light, so he did not even fidget as she moved and asked with pure wonder.

“Where are we going?”

Alexis was the one to answer then. He looked back from the front of the cart, smiling while he brushed his neck.

“Where I met the two of them, actually.” He sighed with an awkward smile, eyeing Ayako. “It was a little frightening.”

As she noted the confused leans of head of the girls, Ayako prodded Alexis’ side with an elbow, scolding playfully.

“Don’t tell them that, you dork.” She met eyes with her daughters, smiling warmly. “It’s not a scary place. All the contrary; a more pretty forest than ours, full of green and blue. To traverse it we will have to leave the cart a little far away, but it will be worth it. No one will bother us there; no one.”

The kids exchanged glances, losing some of the hesitation they had felt when they left the manor.

Ridding for hours, they ventured into greener labyrinths of trees. The terrain became a little bumpy, but their startled reactions soon became entertained laughter, thanks to the tight hold Uriel got on them as they shook. Their eyes filled with wonder, for they spotted the trails of water that coursed between rocks and cliffs, dripping everywhere around them. Soon, their sharp hearing caught something else, apart from the beautiful singing of birds and echo of life.

Ayako stopped the wagon, and Alexis hopped down and went to tie the horse to a tree. Uriel helped the girls get down, unable to hide his happy smile when they began to run excitedly towards the noise.

The current was soft, the water clear, yet the two still heard its frail echo. They panted as they ran up the path hidden by bushes, which led them to the beautiful lake. Shadowed by towering trees, it had a green hue on its surface, which pulsated against its blue depths. A river flowed at its end, coursing down towards a huge cliff, which towered over a clearing.

After a bewildered pause, Ariel and Aurora ran towards it, leaving them to walk slowly behind them. They halted by the soft sand that surrounded its shore, looking wide eyed at the water. They never had seen a lake like this, always confined in Uriel’s territory. Coming here today, they could not avoid letting go of the reclusiveness they had felt, fascinated by this sight.

Uriel was the first to take off his shirt. With a nostalgic grin, he looked back at Alexis, nodding ahead to the water. Alexis did share that nostalgia, but did not run as fast as his demon did. The demon leaped and dived into the deep water past the shore, surprising the girls with his decisiveness. Ariel smirked like Uriel did, and without bothering to take anything more than her boots off, she jumped as well, even if only into shallow water. Aurora stood there, crouching slowly. She neared a claw to the blue surface. She touched it, and once she felt its coolness, she retracted her hand. She stared at it nervously, under the careful watch of her mother, who had sat on a nearby log.

Her wings trembled a little when Alexis crouched at her side, to look down at the water with her.

“Go on, it’s shallow here.”

Aurora moved, but only after giving him an unsure glance. Slowly, she sunk a foot in the lake, and then advanced slowly until it reached her belly. She blinked when she felt a touch on her wings. Looking up, she realized that Alexis had gotten hold of them, and was gently keeping them up over the water.

“Better not get them soaked.”

She did not understand why, but did not protest. He followed her every move, to not obstruct her advances. Her wings did get wet, but not to the extent that they would have if she sunk them. She soon began to show interest in the deeper parts of the lake, where Ariel and Uriel were swimming and playing.

“Can’t I go there?”

Alexis followed her gaze, towards the deep water. She could feel his hold, and instinctively knew that he was being careful. Her sister was swimming with Uriel, neither able to touch the depths, a sight that made her feel longing. Her expression was similar to one he had once a long time ago, as he pondered diving in. Once, he learnt to fear water.

He did not want her to fear it. He would not let her.

Sinking himself, he swam under her, and then went up shoulders first. Her little claws latched onto his back in surprise, where his scars were. But he did not care. While carrying her on his back, he swam carefully, allowing her to have much more mobility.

“Let’s go. Keep your wings up.”

She did not seem to hear his remark, too entranced by the water. He swam forward, where she could not set foot; she kept looking at her wings, which dragged behind them, soaked and heavy. It did not matter, he was holding her. He did not want her to worry, he did not wish for her to learn about her weaknesses like he did, in a panic and in fear. He would not let her sink and feel the need to breathe. Slowly, he let her assess her surroundings, how her wings reacted to it all.

It was strange to her, to see everyone move so quickly, while she had to be carried and held up. However, when she got at arms reach of Ariel, she did not care.

Ayako had a warm smile on her face. As she rested against the fallen log, she watched her family swim, prudently. Sometimes, Aurora would dare to let go; she would fall, trash and sink a little. But Alexis or Uriel would always get a hold of her in an instant. With only a small cough and a little determined growl, she would again chase after Ariel, too proud to acknowledge her wings’ heaviness.

They did not want them to enclose themselves away from judging eyes and harmful whispers. They wanted them to feel free, free to do as they wished, to grow happy. They were not at fault.

This place had always given them solace. And so they brought them here, in hopes it would do so again. Maybe, it would help them forget their apprehension towards humans, as Alexis once did.

They went to the lake first, but they had another objective. They had lost track of time; the sun began to hide as they were still in the water. But they did not need to worry, nor sleep in the open. Drying their clothes first, they changed into others they had brought. Then, they headed south. They followed the river and a small path, walking around the tall cliff ahead of them. And then, they reached the home Alexis had built, so many years ago. The cabin was spacious enough, a roof over their heads. The girls did pay it its due admiration… but they also showed great interest in a nearby cave, much fuller of moss and dust. With how they looked at everything, one would guess they were in love with the forest. However, what eased their past sadness and seclusion was the fact that their family had chosen to share this place with them. Time was something they wished to halt.

As they tried to run to the nearby waterfall, the three had to pull them away to call it a day, to sleep inside the cabin. They did not want them to near the most damaged side of the cliff at the other side of the river, where ruin had fallen and crumbled.

Asleep in the night, they only focused in each other’s breathing. Nothing could disturb their peace, their protective hold. Not even the bittersweet aroma that flowed, or the faint sound of clawing in the dark.

Scratching, pulsing… something echoed from below the rubble and dust. Creaking, breaking its way out, needles pushed against their boundaries. Slithering and bending through the cracks, the ruin parted slightly, revealing a long spiked shadow. Like a snake, it rose from the ground, reaching for a deep intake of air, for freedom. Crawling out of its restrains, its figure twisted, unnaturally. First, the outlines of a claw; then, convulsing, a long mesh of threads, outstretching painfully, to elongate and crawl away from the ruin. Falling near the water, it kept trashing, as if in pain. What had been a claw, opened and divided into a needled maw, which moved up to let out a silent hiss at the sky. Convulsing, a thousand limbs throbbed on its outlines, sharp yet vine like. Pained and exhausted, the creature collapsed by the water… for a while. Twitching again, ten long needles expanded from its core, tangling on the ground like roots. Taking a deep breath with its sharp unnatural jaws, the shadow slithered away, savoring the breeze and what it hinted.

Nothing disturbed their sleep. Nothing crawled its way to them in the night or day. Nothing remained there when they awoke, not even the bittersweet scent.

They left that place, unknowing of what surfaced.

————————

The rain felt heavy.

The manor stood out in the dark, grim yet inviting in the middle of the path. Soaked, caught by the storm, a figure pushed its way through the old doors.

Walking surely through the corridor, the man did not even take off his coat. He was received by a young horned girl. His eyes fixed on her, thoughtful; she seemed to be in her teens, her eyes questioning and weary. Her apprehension was obvious, but under it was confidence and serenity. Without word, he handed her some coins, and she was quick to hand him a key.

He was grateful for her knowing silence, and she seemed thankful too, not having to spew the usual charade. Professional and direct, she knew what she was doing.

A shame it was for nothing.

He kept advancing, heading for the closest of rooms. As he walked into a big dining hall, he scanned his surroundings. Only a couple of travelers were in it, minding their own business in the darkest of corners. Sitting on a small table, they were discussing their route and their diversion here because of the rain.

Ignoring those two, he headed for the biggest table. He eyed the host of the manor, who was nearby, cleaning some beer glasses. As soon as he sat, the demon glanced at him, with calmness and not a single hint of hurry. His claws did not let down the glass he was cleaning; he asked formally, not making much eye contact.

“Can I serve you anything?”

Straight to the point, not much room for a chat. It did not surprise him, seeing how gloomy this place was today.

“Some beer would do.”

Uriel nodded, quick to reach for a barrel. In seconds, the man saw a glass slide to him across the table, served cold.

“Here you go.” Uriel added, looking away grimly. “This one’s on the house.”

The man laughed, grabbing the glass and eyeing the bubbly substance.

“Really trying to please your clients, are you?”

Uriel gave him a look. He answered, plainly, without using an offended or harsh tone.

“I always have. I’m not trying to prove anything to anyone.”

The man hummed in response, savoring the beer, which was of good quality.

“Yet the place is still empty.” He glared down at the pint, gasping after a long gulp. “Sad, really.”

A frown grew on Uriel’s face. More and more, he recalled something about this man, not only the familiar scent. The more he looked at him, the more he was sure he knew him. Leaning slightly to give him a better look, his violet eyes opened with recognition.

“Lane?”

Lane laughed, not as good looking as he had once been.

“How time flies… Was it my beard that made it harder to tell?”

Uriel was confused. He knew this man, but from a long time ago. It had not been the tightest of bonds either; he still remembered his bigoted remarks. Though he was not displeased to see him.

“What are you doing here?”

Lane had another attitude to him now. He was still as vocal, but not as harsh or clueless. His voice was a little raspier now, somewhat more aware of itself.

“Well… I had nothing to do. I’m a curious man. You do have a fancy home I must say; they did not lie in that.”

“Lie?”

Lane nodded. While waving a hand, he signaled Uriel to refill his glass, which he did slowly.

“Yes, lie. People love to lie. Whisper, babble, and bicker. About anything really. Your manor is quite the focus for banter. Your girl is less menacing than what I expected. Her long dress and hair don’t quite match with the horrible things I’ve heard in that town a few months ago. If she did not have horns and a tail, I would tell her to go back to pose in a portrait. Where is the girl with wretched wings and sharp tusks?”

Uriel did not know how to feel about those descriptions. He corrected with a monotone tone.

“Aurora does not have tusks. And her wings are must definitely not twisted.”

“Does not make a difference to them.” Lane leaned to give him an honest look, a much kinder man. “Look, I know that this is not the most pleasant of things to hear in the middle of the night, I’m sorry for rambling. Traveling here is tiring, but you must know that already. I didn’t think you would recognize me.”

Only Uriel and Ariel were awake right now, for their own volition. They handled well the nights, and they preferred to leave the days for the others. All that Lane said was true and the cause of their disinterest for their guests. They did not need to do much, just stay aware of what was needed. The small number of travelers that still came from time to time rarely roamed much, leaving them to handle these small tasks in turns. It was rare for someone to stop here. If they could, travelers would now go past their home, wary of the majority of devils that resided. They had become accustomed to humanity’s disregard as time passed.

He wondered why Lane was here.

“Where are you going? Do you have business in a southern town now?”

Lane shook his head, frowning.

“No, not really. I came here because I wanted to; I’m heading back to my town when I leave.” Lane still felt grateful for the help he was given years ago. It was obvious in his eyes that he regretted having judged Uriel. “I’ve come to check this place out, and maybe give you some advice. I’ve roamed a lot of towns, and believe me, you are wasting time trying. You should just go and put down the signs that indicate that this place is an inn.”

“And why should I do that?”

“Please…” Lane really did have good intentions, he did. He pointed with both arms around him, motioning to the deserted huge room. “According to what I heard, this place was full to the brim. I heard about it, people would praise it. But now… now it’s different. I hear things, horrible things, which my old silly self would like to hear. You’ve had kids. You’re not the only demon anymore. Your region is surrounded by ones inhabited by humans, and they don’t like that a population of devils grows so near. Those devil nomads are nomads for a reason. Next thing they know, demons have a town, and are able to dispute the land and kick them out of theirs.”

“We’re only three demons… We only have a manor, not a town.”

“You tell them that! They will only tell you how long demons can live, and how many could pop out of nowhere. By welcoming people here, you make them talk about you. And the more they talk about you, the less alien you feel. The more human you seem, the stranger it is to them that you can be as good as they are… and then, they stop fearing you, and begin hating you without hindrance. If travelers still dare to come here, and they are managing to get out unharmed, it means you still haven’t dared to make a move. People are talking about taking the first step, Uriel. I hope I don’t have to tell you what that means.”

Uriel did not like this conversation, at all.

“Are you implying I should just close my inn?”

Lane did not fear the intense glare Uriel was giving him. He knew the demon was good hearted, so he continued to give his two cents.

“Not close it, keep it. Keep it for you and your family. Let their ignorance of what roams here make them wary, let them fear to even talk about it.” He looked up at Uriel, giving him an honest question. “Do you really need what little money you gain with these scarce visits?”

Uriel looked at the empty room, as if he noticed the emptiness for the first time. Heart beating sadly, he watched the two other travelers stand up, pick their things and leave the room, without so much as looking at him. They headed back to their rooms, as they already had their things ready to leave next morning. No rest in the library, no curiousness for the architecture, not need for a visit at an infirmary, nor the need for a blacksmith. Their glances were short and wary… all because of two timid teens that now rarely roamed the corridors.

They really did not need the coin, they had everything needed.

Lane finished his second pint and smiled as he savored the last drops. Seeing that Uriel stood there thoughtfully, he left the table, key of his room in hand.

“Just… think about it, alright? I really don’t want you to get into trouble for idiots like me.”

With that, he left the room, walking slowly.

Uriel stayed there, wondering why he felt torn.