Playing with Fire [COMPLETED]

37 ~ sharing a meal

When I come to, I am in a cabin, laying on a couch on my side. My wings are tucked under the blanket that the rest of me is under, and as I lay there, I see the woman across from me. She reads a book, her gaze locked on the book. She isn't human, either. I see two horns jutting out from her head, like a ram, but the horns themselves are silver-purple. Her ears are long, slender, and pointed like the legends of fae. Her skin is a shade of honey-brown, and her eyes are solid blue, no pupils or whites visible. Her legs which are curled under her body are that of a goat, the fur is a deep mahogany color. She wears a blue shirt and a gray sweater over it, with a short, blue-green skirt.

The room itself is big, with candles placed all over that illuminate the room. There's a hearth to my right, with roaring flames in its center. To the left is the kitchen, which is connected to the living room we are in now. My gaze goes up to the high, vaulted ceiling complete with rafters. I look over to the kitchen, and smell the scent of some kind of stew cooking.

After a moment, the woman looks up, and her blue eyes meet my purple ones. She smiles, and I see tiny, sharp-looking fangs in her mouth. When she speaks, her tone is calming, and her deep, rhythmic voice is so sweet and relaxing to hear.

"I feared I'd lost you," she says softly. "You are like me, yes?"

"Like .... like you?" I ask.

She nods enthusiastically. "Yes, a demon."

"Oh, uh, yeah," I say.

"Oh! But where are my manners? I am called Lyric. I am of the forest, I was searching for ingredients for things when I found you."

"I'm Elorha," I say.  "It's nice to meet you. Thanks for uh, saving me."

Lyric waves a hand. "Oh, don't mention it. I am sure that if the roles were reversed, you would have done the same. You seem like a good person, Elorha."

I then remember what happened. How All-Maker shoved me and Ruin through that portal they created. How he was injured when he was thrown through it. I sit up, and my head swims, and I nearly throw up. Lyric sits up too, and she studies my face.

"Are you alright? I can make you something to drink. I was already making a rabbit stew," she says. "Oh! Or do you not eat meat?"

"It's fine," I say.  "I eat meat, but uh ... I don't want to impose on you...."

"Oh, nonsense! You are not imposing. But ... you do seem troubled. If I can help ease your mind, then please, let me know."

I smile at her. "I'm actually wondering if I was with someone when you found me. He'd have been injured."

Her eyes widen. "No, you were alone."

I sigh. Of course it won't be that easy. I lift my eyes to meet hers again. She is a kind soul. I can just tell that by looking at her. Lyric stands up and trots over to the stove, attending her rabbit stew. I pull the blanket off me as gently as possible and then I walk over to her.

Lyric doesn't look at me, but she speaks. "I am sorry, but you were alone. If you'd like, after we eat, we can go back there and look for him."

"But he might need help now," I say.

"My friend, you need to eat," Lyric insists. "You do not want to get sick or weakened. Trust me, out here, food is life."

I am about to argue, but I see the look on her face. Deadset determination. She is not going to let me argue with her. So, she scoops some of her stew into a bowl, and hands it to me, warning me to be careful, as it's hot. I carefully walk over and sit down at the table in the dining room, which is connected to the kitchen. She joins me after a moment.

Lyric and I eat for a while in silence, before she at last speaks once more.

"So, who is this friend of yours?"

"Um, that's a bit .... complicated," I admit.

She tilts her head.  "It is complicated? How so?"

"Well, he might be .... more than a friend."

"Oh! I see. He is your mate," she says.

"What? No. I mean, maybe. We have this kind of ... bond. And it makes it so we can feel each other's emotions and pain and stuff."

"That must be stressful," she mutters. Lyric scoops another couple scoops of food into her bowl, then looks at me. "I do not know much of demonic love, but I do know that when my mothers were alive, they were so close, it was .... beautiful. And they were so happy." She sighs. "I miss them so much."

"I'm an orphan, too," I murmur.

"It is a hard thing, indeed," she says softly, nodding.

"So uh, I have a question. What.... Court are we in now?"

"Oh, this is a place between Courts," Lyric answers. "We are between Ruin's and Rogue's."

"Um, is Rogue's in the north?"

"Indeed, it is," she says.  "Why do you ask?"

"Because the demon I am connected to is Ruin."

Her eyes widen. "You are her."

"What?"

She nods and stands up. She bows before me, and then presses her hands over her heart.  "I never thought.... I never imagined I'd meet a Mortal-Heart."

"Um, what?"

Lyric nods. "Your kind are sacred. You have so much untapped power, just waiting to be free. Oh, my friend, Elorha, if you wish to find your lover alive, we must go now."

I stand up. "I agree. But what do you know? About him, I mean? And me?"

"I will tell you on the way. But first, we must get you into warmer clothes. Who knows how long we will be out in the cold?"