Split of the Worlds (18+)

Chapter 2.4

N'Arahn stared blankly into the hall and felt his unease grow. The fight with the battleangel had been short but enjoyable. Her toughness had surprised him somewhat, as well as her willingness to fight with little honor. But that was only spice in this new pleasure. His angel was no fool, after all.

N'Arahn caught himself stroking the spot where Veidja had rammed the bone into his side. The wound had been deep and had bled profusely. But as it had been treated quickly, there would be no scar this time.

It was a different case for the angel. When she bit him, his control had vanished from one moment to the next. The first blow to her head was a sensible reflex, as she had immediately let go of his hand. She had probably not consciously noticed the subsequent blows, as she had not reacted in any way. Only the nascent fear of killing her prematurely had helped him to let go of her.

She had been in her chamber for a while now, recovering. An unfamiliar feeling gnawed at the demonlord. He wanted to know how Veidja was doing; he was curious. Almost a little worried? She hadn't looked well at all when Darr had carried her out of the arena.

Cautiously, he stretched his senses towards her chamber. Not for the first time since the fight; he checked again and again to see if her condition had changed. It would really be a waste if she were to succumb to her injuries now. But no, he could see her glow, she was still alive. Weak, of course, but unmistakably with a burning will. She had woken up.

A tugging that had persisted in N'Arahn's stomach since the fight dissipated. His skin tingled and he slumped slightly in his chair. Frowning, the demonlord let his gaze wander around the hall. If it hadn't been completely incongruous, he would have said that it was relief that had just flooded through him.

Well, he absolutely had to do something, because the restlessness had stayed with him. And he was clearly drawn to the angel. What was wrong with taking a closer look at his work? After all, he had to assess how soon his new toy would be ready for use again. And give it a little help if necessary. That made sense.

When he rose to leave the hall, Darr wanted to follow him. N'Arahn held him back with a gesture. "Not this time. Stay here. And send Cek out to oversee the cleanup of the arena."

Without making sure that his instructions were being followed, he strode through the hall, past massive tables and benches. The high ceiling arched darkly above him. The shadows in the corners defied the many light sources, appearing even deeper in some places due to the overlapping circles of light from the torches, lanterns and lava arches. Since N'Arahn was barefoot, he moved almost silently. The pitter-patter and the sounds of his servants were also very quiet, but even these muffled noises tugged at his nerves.

With a burst of energy, he opened the double doors made of ironwood and gave in to his restlessness by increasing his pace. The fortress was vast and laid out like a labyrinth. But when N'Arahn was in a hurry, the stone followed his lead; down here he was the master of everything, living or dead.

It wasn't long before the demonlord stood at the door to Veidja's chamber. He hesitated briefly. Then, more forcefully than was necessary, he opened the door and stepped into the small room. He knew the angel was awake, but he had not expected what he saw. Veidja had moved into a semi-upright position and wrapped her pierced left hand around her right forearm. At that moment, she straightened the broken bone with a harsh gasp. Sweat was all over her body, the wounds on her hand and shoulder had reopened, N'Arahn could smell the fresh blood. Its aroma mingled with the angel's own scent and a hint of fear to create an almost befuddling fragrance. The demon greedily drew in the air and involuntarily tightened his hands into fists.

He took a step towards the bed and the angel. Veidja looked up at him with an expression that was as strained as it was suspicious.

"If you're so into pain, I'll take that into consideration in the future." N'Arahn grinned wickedly at the angel. Inwardly, however, he had to pay respect to Veidja again. She was in a hopeless situation, but she was clearly making preparations to be able to fight again. Tough thing.