Kapitel 20: Chapter Ten - The Place Where We Stand (Part 2)
Shadows descended over Bennu's face. "His name was Ureth and he was my lover." An unsteady breath escaped her as memories unfolded. "He wasn't always abusive. Years ago, when I worked at a tavern bar, I was attacked, and he saved my life. After that incident, he would walk me home every night. Time flew and we became lovers but" — her eyes closed sickly, wishing to banish the bittersweet days — "it was foolish of me to believe that our affections could last."
She sounded so sad that Akila couldn't help asking, "Why do you say that?"
"Demons are powerful and near immortal," Bennu explained. "In the long years of our existence, we are doomed to never be able to fall in love. It's our nature to be seduced by violence and immorality. Before I knew it, Ureth started slipping through my fingers. He befriended men of questionable backgrounds and acquired a gambling habit. Unfortunately, he was also a demon of greed. One day, after suffering a terrible loss, he returned home and raised his fist at me for the first time."
Anger brewed in the pit of Akila's stomach, but she remained silent.
"He apologized and swore it wouldn't happen again but, you already know it was a lie." Bennu's brittle smile wrapped like a fist around her heart. "The abuse escalated into extortion and finally into death threats. No one here knows that I have a son. Ureth would constantly threaten to kill Rannith if I refuse to surrender my meagre earnings."
"That bastard!" Akila swore aloud, distaste an acrid film on her tongue. "If he wasn't already dead, I would be tempted to kill him myself."
Bennu was horrified to feel the sting of touched tears, choking on a crooked smile. "That's a foolish idea. With your small fists, Ureth wouldn't have felt a thing. You would have ended up getting hurt."
"It would have been worth it." Akila lifted her shoulder in a careless shrug. "But it doesn't matter now because Balan stopped him in time."
A quiet huff. "We were lucky Lord Balan was even there."
"Do you mourn Ureth's death?"
Bennu palmed her beating heart. "Part of me misses the happy memories we've shared but, I'm mostly relieved that I no longer have to look over my shoulder or live in fear."
"Then it's for the best," Akila enunciated with great care. "But the one you should be thanking is Zagan. I may have protected you, but he saved us both. It pains me to admit that Ureth would have crushed me to death."
"Then I am grateful to both you and His Majesty," Bennu declared from the bottom of her heart. "Now Rannith and I can live in peace."
Curiosity was a steady flame in Akila's heart. "May I ask, where is your son?"
"He resides with his grandmother in the fourth region."
Dismay gripped her. Zagan's warning about the decrepit place echoed in her mind. "The fourth region! But I heard it's nothing more than a wasteland."
"That's true," Bennu agreed without argument. "But it's also the safest place for my son. After it was abandoned, only a handful of the sick or elderly were left. Empty as it is, the fourth region bears a non-existent crime rate."
Akila was starting to see the demoness in a new light, one that offered her a glimpse into the prickly maid's behaviour and the reason for her animosity. Betrayed by a male she cared for, and desperately trying to make ends meet, Bennu only had herself to rely upon. "I have an idea if you're willing to hear me out."
The demoness finally lifted her gaze. "What do you have in mind?"
"How do you feel about Rannith and his grandmother coming to live here in the castle — with you?"
Stunned by her suggestion, Bennu gaped like a fish out of water, "You're jesting!"
"I don't take lives for granted." Akila's gaze narrowed in offense. "Agree to my offer, and I'll make it happen." She held up a palm to cut off Bennu's protest. "Please don't feel indebted to me. I'm doing this because it's my belief that a child should never be separated from his or her family."
"You're serious!" Bennu laughed in wonderment. "B-but that means more demons living here. As the only human around, aren't you...afraid?
Was she? she wondered. Zagan had a reason for keeping her alive, so he would not allow anyone or anything to harm her — for now. "No, I'm not afraid and just to clarify myself, I neither hate nor fear demons. The only one I'm wary of is Zagan." She adopted a pensive expression that lent her an air of wisdom. "What you are matters not to me. Demons feel pain and happiness same as I do. You also celebrate life and death. The only differences between us are our physical appearances and how you need blood to survive."
Bennu stared in awe, unable to comprehend Akila's acceptance. "In my entire life, we've only been chased and harassed by the villagers who held my family in constant suspicion. To survive, we strive to hide our nature and blend in, always careful never to let our hunger be stirred or to feed in the presence of others."
"I'm sorry that happened to you," Akila murmured. "And how did you meet Zagan?"
A flicker of hesitation. "Several years back His Majesty plotted a rebel against the human masters and slaughtered every household who owned a demon slave. I was one of them. He killed my master and set me free. I chose to stay and serve him."
"Is that how he earned his title?"
Bennu inclined her head. "Yes, and through many other feats that garnered fear and hatred, while demons revere him for his ruthlessness and courage." Her features softened. "I know you're not here of your own volition, and you must hate His Majesty for killing your father. For what it's worth, I am sorry for your lost...I cannot imagine the pain of losing a loved one."
Tears pricked Akila's eyes, and her throat tightened. "It would be a lie to say I'm willing to forgive him for what he's done. There are days when I feel as if I'm lost at sea, and despair threatens to overwhelm me, but soon I am reminded that to survive is to be strong." A watery smile gently lifted her lips. "At the same time, I'm thankful to have my eyes open to the people's suffering. If I had to choose between blissful ignorance and the cold, hard truth...I would always choose the latter."
"You're a strange human."
Her smile widened. "I'll accept that as a compliment. I'm glad that you're here, Bennu...do you mind if I call you Bennu?"
"Not at all."
"Well, it gets lonely here without a friend to talk to." Hesitance shone in her eyes. "If I may be so bold, mayhap one day you'll trust me enough to allow me to meet your son."
Bennu studied the human who radiated nothing but genuine eagerness. There was no denying the loneliness reflected in Akila's golden gaze and sympathy welled — a feeling so foreign — she had forgotten it existed. No one but her son moved her heart anymore. "I believe I've made up my mind...about your offer."
Akila sucked in a sharp breath. Waiting.
"I will accept. I want my family here with me and it eases my worry to know they will be safe within these walls."
"Excellent!" Akila thrilled with a clap of her hands. "I'll make the necessary arrangements and once it's done, you'll be the first to know."
Uncertainty strangled the wake of happiness. "Will His Majesty approve of this?"
"We might be enemies, but there's one fact I'm confident of," Akila declared without batting an eyelash. "Zagan cares for your people's welfare, and he will never abandon those in need of his help. Besides, I doubt that a child and elderly moving into this big castle will inconvenience him. There's nothing for you to worry about."
Bennu's reluctance gradually disappeared, her shoulders drawing up with renewed strength. "Thank you, Concubine Akila. Your kindness is a gift to me. I will never forget it."
Akila winced at the title. "You're most welcome." She approached the demoness, reaching out to grab her hands. "And please, call me Akila. I'm no longer a princess, but an equal to you."
"That will never happen," Bennu protested strongly. "As the emperor's concubine, you'll naturally hold a higher status, second to the empress — even more than his mistress."
Akila bit the insides of her cheek. "In human society, it's not a position to glorify about. Unlike the Chinese Imperial, we don't practice polygamy or concubinage." She drew in a steady breath, shaking off the remnants of pain. "But enough about that. As long as I know who and what I am, my spirit remains strong."
Little did they know, a silent figure stood listening by the slightly cracked door. Deciding he had heard enough, Zagan removed himself from the hallway, his thoughts heavy with each step.
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The weeks passed peacefully while Akila befriended Bennu and her son, Rannith, learning more about demons. The boy took an instant liking to her, becoming her darling shadow. They would take long walks in the morning, frolic in the cold lake and tend to her rose garden.
"Children are innocent. They are naturally attracted to the goodness within people," Rannith's grandmother, Sora mentioned when Bennu chastised her son for clinging onto the emperor's concubine.
"I don't mind," Akila laughed merrily, ruffling the child's curly mop of hair. "Rannith's a good influence, and he makes me laugh."
While their relationship flourished, Akila's relationship with Zagan was still strained. Since the sex den, he refused to seek out her companionship, ignoring her if they passed each other in the hallways. She was hurt to learn that he spent his nights with Mara.
Foolishly so.
This broken bridge seemed impossible to mend.
Mayhap it was better this way — to be detached and not be deceived by his sensual touches. The memory of their fierce coupling wrenched forth a longing so deep, it spurred her to pleasure herself but still it failed to bring satisfaction. She knew now that sex didn't translate into love or affection, but even Ywain never inspired such feelings within her — and he was her first love.
Alone today, she tended to her mother's roses beneath the shed, soothed by the simple chore of pruning and trimming. She shivered as a chilly breeze skated by, whispering the beginnings of autumn.
A warm blanket landed around her shoulders, secured firmly by a pair of weathered, tan hands. Startled, she glanced up and nearly fell over. "Zagan! What are you doing here?"
"You'll catch a cold if you stay out here any longer," came his clipped response. "The brat isn't with you today?"
She set her tools aside, rising to her full height. Zagan looked bored, and she wondered why he was here. "Rannith has gone into town with his mother." Wiping her hands on a towel, she watched him warily. "Is there something I can do for you?"
Silver eyes zeroed in on her with such intensity that she took a step back, until he blinked, and it was gone. "A dressmaker will arrive shortly to prepare your new outfits and other feminine fripperies for the ball."
She scrunched her nose, suspicion filtering her question. "What ball? And why do I need new outfits?"
"Cronoa will be hosting our first official ball under my dominion in a fortnight and it's only natural that my concubine be fitted for the occasion."
Her heart clenched with disappointment. Of course, her only advantage to him was to further his ambition. Securing the blanket, she bent to gather her tools. "Then if you'll excuse me, I need to go and freshen up."
She turned to leave but his hand caught hers, stopping her in mid-track. "Wait."
Zagan was struggling not to give in to the hunger clawing at his insides. Just touching her was a blend of ecstasy and agony and the sight of her made his heart strangely lighter in days. He could smell her unique scent beneath her soap and his eyes didn't miss a single thing, not her smooth, creamy skin or the soft, silkiness of her thick hair or the beckoning curves of her hips and waist leading up to her rounded breasts that he longed to suckle until she writhed beneath him.
"Zagan? Are you feeling alright?" Her voice dispelled his lusty imagination.
He shook his head, releasing her wrist. "I'm fine. I'll send the dressmaker to your bedchamber when she arrives."
She quashed the involuntary need to flinch at his cold, empty voice. Instead, she threw him a disgruntled look and turned on her heels, bolting into the castle.
Mine…the beast whispered in Zagan's mind.
"She's not ours," he bit out.
Need her blood…
"No, we don't! I'll hold out as long as I can."
He would prove to himself that he can live without her. If he succumbed to his thirst and desire for her, she would become his weakness. Zagan didn't want to rely on feeding solely from the little lamb. Her blood might be intoxicating but, he wasn't stupid to assume one human could cater to all his meals. He had successfully stayed out of her way for the past two months, relying on Balan for his daily report on the little lamb's whereabouts, her activities and who she spent time with. Her relationship with Bennu's son mystified him but, it also inexplicably pleased him that she cared for the boy.
She would make a good mother to her children.
Hold on. He shouldn't be thinking about Akila and children in the same sentence. He was clearly losing his mind.
When he decided to wean himself off the little lamb's blood, he returned his attentions to Mara who welcomed him back into her bed. The unbearable thirst galled him at first, but his determination won out and he learned to curb his hunger, taking enough from Mara to sustain his body. While the sex was pleasant, it wasn't the same rush or contentment he felt when his body joined with Akila's. With the human, he felt whole…and he wasn't ready to admit it.
Glancing towards the spot where she had disappeared, he turned to leave when he saw Balan watching him from the tower.
His friend knew he suffered from hunger pangs, and he couldn't comprehend Zagan's stubbornnes to deny himself. It was a form of torment, but Balan didn't know the insecurities that plagued him at every waking moment when Akila crossed his mind. If the Demon King were to fall into the hands of a human woman...what else was left of the man?
Who would he be?
For the second time in his life, Zagan understood fear.
A different kind of fear ─ one that didn't make a man shake but made his heart tremble.
Was it anxiety or longing?
He wasn't certain.
If he surrendered to the beast's demand, he would fall apart and lose himself. The fear was not the inability to pick himself back up, but the knowledge that he might not even want to.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein