Psychopathy

Chapter 33- Breakfast

"So, the lake has been hiding you from me, has it?" the devil said, his face settled into a sneer. "I should have known. It's the only part of the realm that doesn't answer to me."

"What do ye mean?" Isabel asked breathlessly.

"I would have thought you'd have figured it out by now. The lake is its own sentient being. It's primordial. It's been here longer than I have, and it's the only thing sentient enough to not be swayed by my power," the devil explained, the irritation clear in his voice. But in his voice was also respect. He may not have liked the fact that the lake didn't answer to him; no, in fact, he despised that there was something in his realm that he didn't have power over. But he respected the lake. It was older and, in a way, more powerful than him. He would be a fool not to respect it, and Isabel knew he wasn't a fool. He was many things, but not that.

"Like Erebus in the Underworld," Isabel mused.

"Precisely. But it doesn't matter now. It's given you back to me, and I have plans for you. You thought your duties were bad before? Just you wait," he said, smiling. Isabel took a deep breath, before looking up and meeting the devil's eye. The lake was right. Now that she had had time to rest and remember the things important to her, she was stronger now. She was ready to fight back.

"No," she said, and though her voice began to waver, she continued. "I won't. I won't do your bidding any longer." The devil laughed, before summoning a piece of paper out of thin air.

"I thought you might say that. Spending time with the lake was sure to bring back your stubbornness. But don't forget, you signed a contract. And contracts down here aren't easily broken," he reminded her, and Isabel stared at the piece of paper. The paper that encompassed her captivity. If she had to follow the rules of it, would she go down the same path as before? Or could she be strong enough this time?

As it turned out, she needn't have worried. As soon as the words were spoken, Isabel felt the water behind her begin to churn. She felt the water rush back, and she covered her face, knowing what was about to happen. She wanted to crawl away from the shore, but something was holding her in place. With a start, she heard the lake speak to her inside of her head, telling her not to move and that she wouldn't be harmed.

With sudden fury, the water rushed back toward her, creating a wave that she was sure was meant to pull her back into the lake. Maybe it had changed its mind. Maybe it decided that it wasn't safe for her to reemerge. But the wave did no such thing. Instead, it leapt over her, droplets splashing her. To her surprise, though, the water didn't burn. Instead, it was cool, like falling rain. The devil wasn't so lucky.

The wave crashed into him, and he screamed as the water burned his skin. The wave rushed back into the lake, leaving Isabel soaked but still safe on the shore. She looked up at the devil and smiled when she saw his teeth gritted in pain, his body covered in burns. It was about time that he was the one getting burned. And, on the ground at his feet, the contract chaining her to him had been completely destroyed.

"Fucking hell," he hissed, rubbing at his face, even though Isabel knew from experience that doing so would only make it hurt worse. Still groaning in pain, he finally opened his eyes, looking down at the ground where the contract was little more than a pile of goo. Suddenly, he began to laugh, before looking out at the lake with hatred in his eyes. "The lake has always been a neutral party. Never bending to my will but never interfering, either. But it seems it's finally picked a side."

"A side?" she asked, shivering from the cold of the water.

"Yes. It's picked to side with you," the devil said, a smile on his face. "I think that it wants to help you escape."