Hell of Earth

Chapter SIXTEEN

The table was sticky. She tried to avoid touching it as she slid in next to Proga on a long thin bench. In the gloom she couldn't really see what her finger had slipped into. Opal handed Kait the little bag of sweets Kait had gotten her to add to the pile of things they'd picked up after wandering the market and then stopping by the park earlier.

The park was higher up, attached to one of the hills that encircled the territory and so there was grass that overtook the majority of the stones. Clearly it was made to entice visitors of all kinds. They'd sat listening to a pair of goat-footed women playing string instruments. Occasionally other demons would pause after a completed song to offer a favor to them. They'd eaten some of the food Proga and Kait were able to get. Cheese, apparently, thin nutty crackers and a mash of bitter roots and candy from the shop by the seamstress. By accident the afternoon turned out to be fun. Proga had convinced them to try a little longer at avoiding direct questions. After a half dozen attempts Spark had walked up to a shopkeeper who appeared to carve stone perches and asked him if he knew anything about the princes who disappeared near here three years ago. He might have but Spark's method scared him more than triggered a memory. He ended up retreating into the shop while Proga held the fire demon from giving chase and burning the market down.

Afterwards they'd found a few demons who collaborated what the first one had said, everyone was sure it had been some kind of inside job but were unclear on the purpose. One thought it was another kingdom trying to bring wars back into existence but since no one had claimed responsibility that seemed unlikely. An older demon mentioned the idea that someone was trying to stop the transfer of guardian. But there were lots of potential guardians who would be coming from all over and no one else had heard of an uptick in kidnappings or assassinations of royals. It did happen of course. One demon who seemed enamored of Kait told them the best places to ask would be Bloom's bar or someone from the glassblower's isle which was several gate lifts away. Kait decided Bloom's was the best option to try first.

Opal had seen bars in movies and had a general idea of what might go on in one. It had been across a long fairly old bridge in a part of the territory where very few demons walked. They'd stood out the second they crossed without a single pair of wings among the group. Kait looked giddy. "I've never been to one." She admitted. "I guess it wasn't seen as very royal healer-like to visit."

"You've never had alcohol?" Spark had his chin on his hand.

"You have?"

"Sure. In the fall lots of the juice in fruit turns into it."

"Like it ferments on the trees?"

Spark shot Proga a nasty look. "You know I don't know what that word means!"

"It's what you said." Opal explained quickly. "Fruit sugar can turn to alcohol."

"Anyway-" Kait had her hand on Spark's arm but he lowered his head and pulled away. "I've had a little before. Royal tables almost always have some. We shouldn't have too much but we need to pretend like we have. That way if those mystery demons find out about us asking questions here they won't think we're prepared for them to find us."

"Are we prepared?" Proga dropped his voice. "I mean they did get us caught."

"We almost got away though. I'm sure if we weren't exhausted from traveling we could have fought them off- as for the humans you know that was... unrelated."

Spark pushed himself up from the table, eyes fixed on the ground. "I'll get us something."

"Does... does he have any favors?" Opal asked remembering him giving away the bracelets. Although she didn't really get their purpose they certainly seemed more valuable than a few drinks.