Demonfire by Kate Douglas

that had gone wrong this day, Dax
realized he was slipping into sleep with a smile on his face.

Chapter Five
     
    Tuesday morning—day three
     
    Dax came awake with the
all-too-familiar pain from the demon’s curse pulsing within his tattoo. Bumper
growled softly. Then her tail began to thump the bed, and she whimpered. Dax
blinked in a vain effort to dispel the dark shadows in the small cell. It had
been brightly lit when he and Eddy lay down to sleep. Willow zipped by
overhead, and her blue sparkles left a small trail of incandescence.
    The energy barrier was gone.
The bars were open, and Alton stood in the doorway. He carried a pack over one
shoulder and the jeweled hilt of a long, shimmering sword poked out of a tooled
leather scabbard strapped to his back.
    Taron stood beside him. Eddy
struggled awake in Dax’s arms. He turned her loose, sat up, stood up, and
tugged Eddy to her feet. “What’s going on?”
    “Shhh.” Alton held a finger to
his lips. “I spoke with the Nine. I’m sorry. They have no intention of setting
you free.” He shook his head in disgust. “Fools. All of them, nothing but
fools. They want no part of any battle between demon and human. It might upset
our oh, so glorious way of life.”
    His soft bark of laughter
wasn’t the least bit humorous. “The council has decreed that you be held as
trespassers and tried on charges of threatening the sanctity of Lemurian
society. The crime, my friends, of trying to save our worthless lives, of
attempting to warn my people of the threat to all of us, is punishable by
death.”
    There was no ignoring the
contemptuous sound in his voice. “The Ruling Council of Nine is not known for
speed. I imagine they will be debating your fate for many years to come, if
they even have those years left to them. We must hurry. They sleep now, but
soon will rise. I believe you, and I believe the threat of demon invasion is
real. Gather your things. We have only a few minutes before the guards return
from a fool’s errand on which I sent them. We must go now.”
    Taron grabbed Alton’s arm with
an expression that said this was the continuation of an argument already in
motion. “My friend, you risk everything. Your future, your heritage. I can’t
let you take these risks alone. I beg you, take me with you.”
    Alton shook his head. “Taron,
you’re my oldest, my only true friend. Stay. Please, for me? Do your best to
convince them that I’ve made the right move, one that will ultimately save
their stubborn necks. You have the records showing the demons’ steady increase
on Earthen soil. Stay here. Convince them, or I can never return.”
    “What if they don’t listen?
What if…?”
    “Make them listen. You’re my
only hope if I ever want to see my home again. You and I both know these
travelers bring us a true warning. The demon invasion is not going away.” He
rested a hand on Taron’s shoulder. “Besides, my friend. I’m not traveling
alone. I have this man’s assurance that his is a courageous band of warriors.” He
glanced at the four of them. “I’m not making jest of your promises, my new
friend. I am trusting in your ability to fight bravely, or I wouldn’t be giving
up everything I’ve ever known to come with you. Hurry. I’ll get you out of
here, but I’m going with you. Once I help you escape, I’ll have sealed my fate
with my people.”
    Eddy looked up from tying her
boots. “Alton, I’d tell you not to take the risk, but I can’t do that. From
what Dax has told us, this is too important. If we don’t stop them…” She huffed
out a big breath and looked away. Then she grabbed the leash and attached it to
Bumper’s collar. Dax checked his laces, nodded to Alton, and straightened up.
Willow flitted in front of Taron and left blue sparkles shimmering in a line
across his chest as she buzzed the Lemurian. She landed on Dax’s shoulder.
    Dax turned to Eddy. The tattoo
beat a steady cadence of fire across his chest. He ignored