She released a watery sigh. “This isn’t the city, Lieutenant. The local government doesn’t have that kind of money. We’re on our own.”
Des was relieved when Aspen returned with the tea and sat next to the woman, offering her a cloth napkin to dry her tears. He thought of all the vials and jars in Aurelie’s laboratory, how he’d assumed everything she worked on was for her own amusement. But Mr. Piper, even the person whoseveritakilled Des’s parents... who was to say what pushed them to invent. Was it really so terrible to want a better life? If there really was no help from the government, how were people expected to survive hardship?
Another Iron Sword poked his head in the doorway. “Demon’s been spotted just south of here. We’re going after it.”
“Come on,” Aspen said to Des, and before he knew what washappening, they were all back on their horses, heading south at a breakneck speed that allowed for no conversation.
They reached a fenced pasture and dismounted as soon as they saw what they were looking for, the horses balking at the gruesome sound of flesh being torn from bones. Theveritawas in the pasture, stooped over a sheep’s carcass, while the rest of the flock was bleating frantically, huddled in a mass as far from the demon as the fence would allow.
Des began to draw his sword but was held back by one of Thorne’s gauntleted fists. “Let it pick off a few more before you kill it.”
Des, sure he’d heard incorrectly, could only stare at the man blankly.
Aspen stepped up to the fence next to him and waited for Thorne to walk away before leaning toward him. “It’s protocol.”
“What’sprotocol?”
“To let the demons cause a little extra damage before we kill them.”
“What are you talking about?Why?”
Aspen stared out at the pasture, where the demon was now loping toward the flock, which broke apart in panic at its approach. Her short hair was ruffled by the passing breeze, her brown eyes seeming untroubled as the demon leapt on its next victim. “It’s the Crown,” she said, voice low, as though someone might overhear them. “The demons are useful, you see.”
Des took a step back.
“Don’t look so shocked, Whitlow. If demons didn’t damage property every now and again, people would be tempted to start inventing more.”
“You mean the king allows this to happen?”
She turned to face him. “Where do you think Commander Yew’s orders come from?”
A cold, sinking sensation washed over Des, and he steadied himself against the fence. “And the people?”
“What people?”
“The ones who get slaughtered by demons. Does the king allow that, too?”
She shrugged. “Maybe, every now and then. Better than the entire population of Wisteria, though.”
Des gripped the fence so hard the wood splintered.
At that, the demon raised its head and sniffed the wind, as if realizing there was human flesh nearby for the first time. Its large red eyes were like two torches glowing in the darkness.
“Well, no waiting around now. Come on,” Aspen said, reaching for her sword. “Time to put all that anger to good use.”
That night, after the demon was killed by Lieutenant Commander Thorne and everyone went to a nearby inn to celebrate with beer and war stories, Des made some excuse about feeling ill and headed upstairs.
The truth was, hedidfeel ill, and while a drink may have helped, pretending everything was fine wouldn’t. A man had lost his life simply for trying to take care of his family. A woman was trembling in her bed, wondering what it would mean for her family that her husband had died a traitor, perhaps not yet aware that she would get no government assistance because of it. And meanwhile, another farmer had lost half his flock to a demon that could have been killed far sooner.
Was no one else in the Iron Guard bothered by the fact that they risked their lives every day for something their government seemed towantto perpetuate? That the Crown found convenient because it kept its citizens in line? He knew it was no coincidence he was learning all this now that he was going to be promoted. No doubt he’d be expected to keep this information to himself, as his superiors did. Just as the king was exerting control over his subjects, Commander Yew was exerting control over the junior guards, who all believed their cause was righteous, if not downright holy.
He fell into a fitful sleep, his dreams dark and disturbing, morphing into a nightmare of the wolflike thrall chasing him down, as defenseless as the sheep in their pasture.
When it finally had him pinned on his back beneath it, Des stared up into two massive red eyes, its hot, putrid breath steaming onto his skin. Just as it was about to sink its teeth into his throat, he reached for Aurelie’s key and lashed out, as if that tiny piece of iron could somehow save him.
He woke screaming, the key clenched in his fist, his heart hammering beneath it.
Commander Yew had said he’d take care of Aurelie Blake. But what if she was just another useful tool in his arsenal? What if he knew all along that she was surrounded by demons?