Page 32 of Craved By the Shadow Demon

I look back up at Mellara, seeing how far off-track we’ve gotten. I can sense the darkness of souls gathering within the walls, thriving because I haven’t dealt with them.

And I struggle to understand why I care, why I now wish to snuff them all out, when I only need a few to satisfy my hunger.

“Are you so insistent on tagging along? I could do my work much better if you waited here.”

The response from her is intense.

“Absolutely not. If I can’t watch you do this, how can I trust you?”

I shake my head. “Okay.”

My mind strategizes. My work is normally so easy at night. Adding Annette to the formula creates so many hurdles for me.

For a time, we try to plan our approach. It would be simple if she could merely make herself disappear like I do, hiding in the shadows, but her magic apparently comes with risks and costs, and she’s not well-practiced in the art of illusions.

Constantly, I present an idea and she invalidates it, explaining her limitations. We can’t disable the guards with distractions because they have more powerful magic. Hiding her is still out of the question.

“I can change my form, though, if that might help?”

I cock my mouth to the side, so used to not finding a solution.

“No.” I shake my head. “That won’t help.”

“Yeah,” she says. “I can’t do it very long, anyway.”

That’s when I start to think about the implications.

“Wait!”

She startles, jumping back a few inches.

“Can you become one of the city guards?”

She hesitates. “Well, I haven’t really tried changing my gender,” she says, clicking her teeth. “But I suppose it’s possible.”

“Then we have a plan.”

I hear the sounds of equu approaching, and I grip her tightly, pushing her into the guard tower with me as a patrol passes by.

“How well do you know the guards in town?” I ask in a hushed whisper.

We re-emerge from out of the guard tower, disguised as two off-shift guards, then freely approach the Mellara wall. I’m impressed by her disguise, but she tells me it’s exhausting to maintain.

“Nelt? Joffri?”

The guards at the front gate acknowledge us, a stiff wind nearly extinguishing the sconces.

“You’re not supposed to be here today,” the elder guard says. “Have you checked the schedule lately?”

I quickly look over, realizing that Annette can’t disguise her voice and is nearly doubled over in pain.

I’m going to have to speak for her, remembering everything she told me.

“Actually, change of plans,” I say. “The elders said we need all the help we can get, so we’re here to help for a couple hours.”

“That doesn’t seem right…”

“Oh, just let them through,” the younger guard, Denela, says.