The Heart Of The Demon

Chapter Eighteen: A Solution

When we arrived at Geayu's mansion, I was exhausted. It took almost half a day to walk back to it after how far out I had wandered.

Johnathan seemed unaffected by the distance, probably because he was young and still full of energy. He bounced from foot to foot as we waited for someone to answer the door. "You sure he won't mind? I'm excited to meet him, but I don't want to be an intrusion. I'm really grateful that you are doing this for me, but are you sure?"

I blinked for a moment, having to think back on what he had said cause this guy talked a mile a minute. "Yes, it's fine. I'm sure he'll be excited to meet a Demi like you."

Tapping his hand on his thigh, he continued going back and forth. "You sure? Really sure? What if he doesn't like me? What if this causes legal trouble what if—"

I grabbed his hand. "Johnathan. Breathe. It's fine. You'll be okay."

He stuttered for a second before clearing his throat and pasting on a smile. "Okay, I trust you."

Why did he keep saying that? I was not someone who should be trusted. Out of everyone in the world I should be trusted the least.

Seroe opened the door. "Ah, Master Falosa. Kalon returned yesterday without you, we weren't sure if you were going to come back." He looked me up and down before glancing at Johnathan. "New friend? Zendar's or yours?"

"Both," Johnathan said, extending his hand. "I'm Johnathan."

Eying him warily, Seroe did not take his hand. "Both? How can you know both? That's—unusual."

"Well you see, I met Zendar first and then Falosa the other day," Johnathan declared as he slung his arm across my shoulders. "I think they're both pretty great men."

"I see." It was clear Seroe did not see based off of the confusion swirling in his eyes. "Right. Follow me. They are having tea time in the main hall. Master Geayu will be relieved that you managed to make your way back unharmed. . ." Seroe looked at the blood on my shirt. "Well, mostly unharmed. Not dead at least."

"Do you end up injured often?" Johnathan asked as we stepped inside, not taking his arm off of me.

An odd, electric energy shot down my skin from his touch. I wasn't sure if that had to do with his power or something else. I had never felt something like that before. "It seems almost everyone wants either me or Zendar dead. Can't say I often escape without some kind of wound."

"Maybe we should stick together then, that way I can keep you in one piece," Johnathan said with a wink.

I felt warmth creep up my face and turned away, pulling out from under his arm. That was. Odd. Why was I acting so weird? It didn't make any sense.

"Maybe you like him," Zendar teased. "Everyone likes Johnathan."

"I deny what you are implying. I like woman only. I'm not into men."

"That's what everyone says until something happens and that changes."

I shook my head and walked towards the tea room behind Seroe. That wasn't possible. The last time I thought about being with a man I vomited. Then again, that was Kalon, I bet even those interested in men would vomit if they considered being with him.

Jalin stopped short outside the tea room when she saw us. "I was searching for you all over the city. Where the fuck were you? You didn't come back last night."

"Zendar took over. I didn't have a choice and then. . . I got lost." I gestured to my new friend. "But Johnathan helped me find my way back here."

"You've been stabbed, again." Jalin looked me over unamused. "You're so helpless. I'm surprised you're not dead yet."

The door to the tea room creaked open and Geayu peeked out. "You disappear for a whole day and come back injured? What am I going to do with you?"

"It's okay, Johnathan fixed me up. He has this special healing ability. I think he would make a great apprentice." I gestured for Johnathan to step forward and introduce himself.

Johnathan didn't move. He stood there, frozen as he looked between Geayu and Jalin. "I can't believe I'm meeting the Demi's that are the head of the resistance against the demons." He rushed forward and shook both of their hands. "It's such an honor to make your acquittance, a true delight!"

"I like your new friend, he seems very polite," Geayu stated as his face softened a little from the scowl he had when he stepped out of the room. "I'm Geayu, it's nice to meet you Johnathan. We have much use for someone of your talents."

"Aw, thank you. I would love to help in any way I can, as long as I can get board for myself and my two sisters." Johnathan looked down at the floor. "If that isn't too much to ask, that is."

"We have room, we can always take more in. Feel free to have them move their things in within the week." Geayu turned towards me. "Now, we have something to discuss. . . Remember that physician I told you about, Lacey? She's visiting Bristol for research. If we could find her rally, there's a possibility we could get her to help you."

"Lacey? The demon doctor?" Johnathan asked with a frown. "Why would you seek her? She's done dreadful things."

"To get rid of Zendar. He's clearly a demon general and has nefarious plans," I stated. "I want my body to be my own."

"Falosa. . . I've seen people possessed by demon generals, they don't share their souls. This is different. It's not like that." Johnathan's eyes grew serious. "You'd really try to get rid of him? It'd be like killing your brother, your twin."

"This is my body. I don't want to share it with him. It's my choice. Why do you care?"

"Cause Zendar is a living being too and deserves to live just as much as you do."

I had never thought of it that way. All I saw Zendar as was a threat, an invader that sought to ruin my life. How could I get Johnathan to understand that this was for the better? Why did I care? I had just meant the man, his opinion shouldn't have mattered to me in the slightest but it did.

"Zendar might be plotting with the demons. Letting him live could ruin everything the resistance is working for," I stated. "This is for the better for everyone."

Johnathan shook his head. "He's not like that. He plans to kill Tragore and free the demons, stopping all the fighting all together. The world would be a better place is Zendar succeeded. Why can't you see that?" He wrung his hands. "Here I was thinking you were a nice person, but I was wrong. You're selfish. You only care about what benefits you."

Damn. That hurt. I wanted to argue but he wasn't wrong.

Silence stretched between everyone as tension hung in the air.

"I want to go to the rally and get rid of Zendar. It's the right thing to do," I said quietly. "I need to stop him before something worse happens."

Johnathan retreated into himself. He said nothing further to me but I could see the hurt reflecting in his eyes. Whatever Zendar had done, he had earned his affections. There was nothing I could do to get him to see the truth. This was the right thing to do. Getting rid of Zendar permanently would end my problems. That's what I had to tell myself to fight the sinking feeling in my gut that I was doing the wrong thing.

Where do you stand?
Do you think Falosa is doing the right thing?
Or do you think Zendar deserves to live too?
Do you think he'll even be able to get rid of him?
N.G.Brier