She’d been desperate.

  She’d been young.

  She’d been Na?ve.

  There was so much one could say about Aldrine back then. Her village was starving. They’d already dwindled in numbers and her siblings who’d done nothing to deserve the pain they felt were withering away.

  Like heroes, five individuals climbed over a hill shrouded in the light from the setting sun. She’d been too awed to beg for help but that didn’t matter they seemed to already know what issues she face, and they offered her a deal. All she had to do was act as a distraction for a Demon who was trying to steal and destroy a plain from the Celestials, so they could vanquish them and they would ensure her village didn’t starve.

  She’d agreed and never once regretted her choice. Not even as all the things the light touched adventuring parties words seemed to crumble into lies. Even as their bright heroic light tilted and warped.

  She was told she would only be a distraction for the demon. All she had to do was first drink a cup of golden liquid that burned on the way down and left her feeling for what felt like eternity but truthfully had only been and hour or two of her life on fire. Then she simply had to be dressed in very fine beautiful clothing and just stand in a room. It was all made to be so simple.

  Aldrine had been truly shocked to be bound to the demon who did not look to be a villain. The group assured her after they drove the blade through his body that he was vanquished so it would never affect her.

  That too had been a lie. It seemed no matter how long you were bound to a demon it did affect you. It left magic in you that flared and called to other things. She’d needed to leave her village so they weren’t affected by what was drawn to her. She studied magic and focused on potions and charms that she sold from a rickety old cart.

  Aldrine never regretted her choice because her village even years later was still thriving even with the assistance from the adventuring party falling away after three years. Her life was a bit complicated but she was content.

  Which was why she was so irritated to open her cart’s door to find the familiar faces of the adventuring party.

  “Aldrine.” Nevara beamed with her bright sparkly eyes. “It’s been too long.” She insisted.

  “What do you want.” Aldrine asked. Nevara blinked and her smile faltered for a second. Delveri stepped up and continued.

  “There had been a slight change.” She chuckled. Aldrine’s lips turned down.

  “Oh what is it now oh great warriors?” She asked sarcastically. The group exchanged glances like they couldn’t believe she wasn’t ecstatic to see them.

  “So when we said the Demon was vanquished.” Nevara trailed. Aldrine swore and the group gaped at her.

  “Are you going to tell me that, that bond that wasn’t supposed to matter anymore because the demon is dead, is another lie because he’s not?” She hissed out. They were silent and she swore again.

  “He was banished he was never supposed to be able to come back.” Tresson quickly offered. Aldrine scoffed of course. “We just need you to-” He started and she shut the door in their faces. They knocked again and she ignored them.

  “You agreed to help us.” One of them shouted at her.

  “I did help you, and not a word out of your mouths was true why in the world would I trust you this time?” She shouted back.

  “Aldrine, we don’t know what he might do to you if he finds you.” They called. She ducked out the front of her cart and snapped the reigns and started riding away. That was her business not theirs.

  “Aldrine!” One of them shouted and she snapped the reigns again and the horse took off in a steady trot.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Not two nights later she was closing up shop and the familiar form of the demon showed up. His eyes were filled with the anger and resentment she felt he had every right to feel. She’d never regret her choice but she could feel remorse for what her ill informed decision did to him.

  Aldrine fully bowed.

  “I am truly sorry you were harmed in my ill-informed decision making.” She told him. He was silent for a bit then she heard him sigh.

  “I know. It was very obvious that you were young and you didn’t at the very least fully grasp what they were planning on doing.” He admitted. She looked at him and nodded straightening.

  “You don’t have to worry about me making the same mistake. The adventuring party already stopped by and I refused to help them.” She told him. “What you do is not my business to judge.” Aldrine assured him. The demon was silent for a few beats.

  “That isn’t fully true. We are bound.” He reminded her. She nodded.

  “And there are many who treat bonds as simple deals or mistakes living separately and never getting in each other’s way.” She offered turning back to her cart. The air was silent and cold. Then she felt warmth radiate as he was much closer to her. He breathed into her ear. “I’m sorry but there are reasons that won’t work.” He insisted. Then a hand covered her eyes and she wavered pooling into sleep.

  When Aldrina woke, she was fully furious. The room she was in was gorgeous and functional for all of her spell work like some how he’d know her interests. But her cart was nowhere in sight.

  Aldrina shoved herself up and opened one of her pocket portals and pulled out a quick set spell book and located a transportation spell. She drew it out and started the activation process but didn’t fully go through with it. The way it flickered she knew it would work.

  Aldrina scoffed at the alarm she was checking for. She waited to see how long it would take and who would show up. The Demon Dick arrived in minutes and when he was there she whipped a fire ball at him to truly show her annoyance. He deflected it and it at away at a carpet. He looked between her and the carpet and looked impressed.

  She summoned another one and he held up his arms.

  “I’m sorry for the discourteous way of bringing you here. But I was worried about the group working for the Celestials and I there’s a good deal that I should let you know. Would you be willing to hear me out?” He asked.

  “I really don’t have a desire to.” She hissed through her teeth. He nodded and threaded his arms behind his back.

  “That is understandable.” He admitted. “You are currently in the plain of Drason, the plain I was born to and gives me their loyalty.” He informed her. She nodded. She’d never heard of Drason but she figured it was the plain he supposedly stole from the Celestials and was aiming to destroy. She glanced out the window at a land that looked bright and fully. Fucking liars. She thought. “Here you are considered a noble and I’m afraid you are very easily recognized.” He informed her. She didn’t know what that meant but she nodded. Being a noble could be complicated.

  “If it’s that much of an issue lets sever the bond.” She offered. She’d not wanted to bother with it because no matter what she did the fact that it happened would follow her but if it took away other complications.

  The Demon’s face paled as if she’d said something horrifying. She knew more about bonds then he gave her credit for.

  “There is nothing in demon law that holds a bond as unbreakable. I know I read the laws front to back in fear that my foolishness might come back to bite me one day. Also I was in fact a minor when the bond was formed so technically I don’t even need to discuss this with you to break it off. I am discussing it with you because you were tricked more then me. Though to that point I was never in fact informed of the fact that it was going to be a bond. I was just told to drink some shining golden liquid, dress pretty and stand in a room as a distraction for a demon.” She informed him.

  Aldrina had to admit she was half attempting to provoke him. His eyes did flash with rage but it wasn’t directed at her.

  “You didn’t know?” He hissed out. And she watched as another reason was added to his list. She jutted out her chin and he looked her over.

  “I didn’t. So let’s just sever it and be done with it.” He insisted. He looked at her eyes she couldn’t quite pin because they were baffling. Panick? Even a bit of guilt. He closed is eyes.

  “Is there any way to talk you into avoiding a severance?” He requested. She scoffed.

  “I told you; we can live separately. I’m not about to lose anything else to an ill-informed choice I made at sixteen. If you wish for me to repay you for what part, I had in harming you, I will find a way to do that but not by being held somewhere.” She insisted softly. He stood processing that. He sucked in a breath, swore softly then nodded.

  She started up the transportation spell.

  “Please.”

  “Please what?” She asked him turning and crossing her arms. He looked her over turned and looked through some drawers.

  “The way you can repay me.” He told her. The Demon crossed to her and placed a necklace around her neck. “Just a bit to ease my mind. If you’re in danger or you need me, you just have to put magic into this, and it will either bring me to you or bring you to me.” He told her. It didn’t seem like much of a payment, but she felt his guilt eyes would make her feel differently if she cared to ask. So, she didn’t.

  “Fine.” She agreed and finished summoning her portal and left him standing awkwardly watching her go.