Tia approached, hefting her spear.
So his plan failed… Maiya thought bitterly. The demons weren’t willing to come along. Short of incapacitating them all and hauling them out, Vir’s options were extremely limited.
“Oh, I’d like that,” the demon snarled. “Just come a little closer so I can break that thin neck of yours.”
“What are you doing?” Vir asked in exasperation. “Didn’t you hear her? She’ll let us go! Just calm down.”
“With pleasure!” Tia fired back. “But it’ll be your neck, and it’ll be on a pike!”
They inched closer. Tia crouched, ready to thrust her spear, while the four-armed demon drew his fist back.
“Enough!” Vir roared an instant before they attacked. He faced the demons earnestly. “I’m not here to kill you, alright? I’m here to save you!”
“Can you prove it?” a demon said.
Vir hesitated, glancing at Tia, then firmed his expression, standing tall.
“I can,” he said. “But first, Tia? I want you to know that I’m really sorry about this. Do you trust me, Tia?”
“Um, that’s a little out of the blue. But yeah, of course, I trust you, Apra.”
Vir took a deep breath.
“I’m a demon,” he said softly, turning to the prisoners. “You wanted me to prove it? I’m one of you. You keep saying we’re with the Pagan Order, but do you see, now? We’re not with those demon haters, and I’m not here to take you to your executions. I’m here to bring you to safety. A place where you can lead a better life.”
So that’s his angle, Maiya thought bitterly. Truthfully, Vir had few options left. His only other choice was abandoning the prisoners, and there was no way he’d ever consider that.
Tia watched with a bemused expression, assuming Vir was bluffing them.
Wow. This might actually work, Maiya thought. Well done, Vir.
The words of a demon prisoner brought everything crashing down.
“Talk is cheap. If you’re wearing a disguise, remove it.”
Tia scoffed. “Just listen to their entitlement,” she spat. “What right do they have to make demands of you?”
Maiya bit her lip. It wasn’t Tia who’d called his bluff, but the very demons Vir was trying to save. He had no choice now. He’d either have to abandon them, or…
Vir brought a hand to his eyes and removed his lens, then smeared off his makeup, revealing gray skin.
“Well?” he said tiredly. “Do you believe me now?”
His only hope now is that Tia stands aside out of respect for their friendship, Maiya thought.
The blonde stared on with shock. “This is a joke, right? Tell me this is some sick, twisted joke.”
Then, whirling, she glared at Vason and Haymi. “You knew. You knew! And you kept it from me!” she shouted, boiling over with rage.
“I know you hate demons, Tia. I know why you hate them. But did I ever tell you what happened to my father?” Vir said softly. “My father adopted me. He raised me from birth by himself, despite his meager means. He was just a hardworking lumberjack who worked himself to the bone to put food on our table. He’d never harmed a soul.”
Vir stared at Tia grimly. “Do you know what they did to him?”
The princess leveled her spear at Vir, but her hands trembled. Her expression was one of equal parts shock and confusion.
“Hiranyan knights murdered him. Right before my eyes. They killed my best friend’s parents, too.”
Maiya twitched, her fingernail digging into her palms.
“Humans did this,” Vir continued. “Knights whose oath is to protect life, not destroy it. So tell me now. Tell me that humans aren’t evil. Say it to my face. Because isn’t this exactly what happened to your own parents? But I don’t hate humans like you hate demons. Knights, maybe. But I understand that everyone’s different. That hating all demons because of the actions of a few is something only an ignorant child would do. I know you, Tia. You’re smarter than that.”
Vir swiped Tia’s spear aside, and Maiya’s heart throbbed. Tears welled up in her eyes, but they contained no pity.
“You’re one of the few friends I’ve ever had. So I’m asking you to stand aside. I don’t want to fight you, but I will help these demons. Or by Vera, I’ll die trying.”
Maiya’s chest filled with something warm. Tears flowed freely down her cheek.
Gods, I missed him!
47TODAY’S ENEMIES
“You’re not just saving these demons,” Princess Tiyana seethed. “You’re allowing humans to die because that’s exactly what’ll happen if you free them. I’m sorry, Apra. I’ll not stand aside and watch this tragedy unfold. I was powerless to prevent the deaths of my parents. Never again.”
Vir looked shocked. Maiya could practically read his mind because she felt the same.
After hearing all that—after listening to his story—that’s what you say?
What had happened to the princess was cruel, yes, and the demon radicals in Matali were practically savages. Ones that Kin’jal had helped groom and foster to ensure permanent infighting within Matali’s walls. All to hasten their already-inevitable demise.
It was a despicable strategy, and when Maiya learned of it, she’d nearly retched. Then she’d learned the other countries in the Known World were no better, spiraling her into a depression for a good while. But not all demons were that way. Wasn’t Vir living proof?
“Tia, please. Just stay out of my way. Didn’t you promise you would? Are you gonna go back on that now?” Vir said.
“I’d like to blame you for keeping secrets, but then I’d be a hypocrite,” Tia said, ignoring him. “Apra, my name is Princess Tiyana Matali. Second to the throne of Matali, and though it tears me, I shall not let you pass.”
Vir’s eyes widened in surprise.
Oh, great. So he didn’t know she was a princess, either. Just how dysfunctional is this party?
“Princess, huh? I’d figured you for a high-ranking Sawai, but I admit, I didn’t think a princess would ever run around risking her life as a mercenary.”
Tiyana leveled her spear in response and rushed forth.
Vir cursed, narrowly deflecting her blow.
The princess didn’t stop, attacking him with thrusts faster than what she ought to be capable of.
She moves like that because of her Talent, Haste. But why is Vir being pressured so hard?
Tia’s attacks were incredibly fast, yes, but Maiya felt even she could deflect them. If so, there was no way Vir would be struggling.
Unless I’ve grown stronger than him? No way. That can’t be right… can it?
True, she’d learned the Kin’jal Balarian arts, and with her magic, she might actually be stronger, though she’d always doubted it. It was Vir who’d shown her the secrets of prana manipulation. He was the one experimenting, pushing the boundaries with magic. She was merely a student, following her instructor’s advice.
For her to have grown stronger…
No! It’s not that at all! Maiya realized suddenly. His heart isn’t in this. He doesn’t want to fight her. Ach, Vir!
Vir hadn’t returned a single strike. Not because he was pressured, but because he didn’t want to harm Tia.
On the one hand, it was adorable. On the other, Maiya wished he’d poke a few holes in her, just to deflate that enormous ego.
It’s what I would do. Come on, Vir! You just delivered those seric lines! Don’t ruin it now!