Way Down We Go

Chapter 9

Asa stepped carefully into the shop, the bottle clutched in his hand. If it was a sight that caused confusion, no one dared to say.

In the early evening, the shop was fairly busy, and Myron would not risk so many customers being scared away by Asa's presence. He spotted the familiar angled jawline, messy black hair, and immediately stepped away from the counter to pull Asa into the back.

"You have it?" The old sorcerer asked eagerly. Asa held up the bottle. Myron simply stared at it. It had a grey top, with bright gold glittery polka dots decorating the outside of the clear plastic.

Asa just shrugged.

"It was what she had."

"She?" Another voice came from behind him, and he turned around to see Sora entering the back room, looking pleasantly intrigued.

Asa rounded on Myron.

"He's been doing research here," Myron shrugged.

"Don't look at me like that, Asa," Sora laughed. "If you can't talk to me, who can you talk to?"

"Sora might be able to help," Myron considered the two demons, "He's been doing research on mana and the effects of absorption on different species,"

"Why on earth would you be researching that?" Asa asked.

"Curiosity," Sora grinned. "Come on, Asa, you tell me your secrets, I'll tell you mine. We haven't talked in far too long. If golden glitter can't loosen your tongue, I don't know what will." Sora had the goofy look on his face Asa knew all too well, the one that said he'd be getting his way whether Asa liked it or not. He'd used it on Asa's parents when they were children and he wanted to avoid work or get extra dessert. He'd used it on their trainers when he wanted to advance the lesson and Asa wasn't sure the class was ready to move forward. It was the smile of wicked, boyish pleasure, and he hated it, but it reminded him that Sora was supposed to be his friend.

"Alright," he sighed, and let Sora clap him on the back and lead him to an armchair in Myron's back room.

"I need to attend to customers. You two catch up." Myron carefully set the bottle down and walked back out to his shop while Sora leaned against the desk and stared fixedly at Asa.

"Spill, Rowley," Sora said. Asa tried not to react to the name.

"You spill, Atchley." Sora grinned widely at Asa's words.

"I will, but you first. The fact that I've been spending time here isn't new, I've been using Myron's expertise to help my research for months, which you would know if you bothered to spend time in your own realm."

"You know why I don't." Asa didn't need to remind Sora, he was one of the few people that knew.

"I do. I think it's ridiculous, but I do."

Asa snorted. "You wouldn't be saying that if it was your family."

"If I could walk into a store and have it clear out if I wanted because of a combination of my power and lineage? Oh, yes, I would. Regardless of what the bastards did."

"And that, my friend, is why I prefer humans. I like knowing they fear me because of what I am, and what I am alone."

"Is that how you secured this?" Sora held up the bottle and swirled the contents slightly. Thanks to a bit of mana the blood had not yet coagulated, but he had limited time remaining.

"Not exactly."

"So, how? Who's is it?" Sora set down the bottle and leaned forward towards Asa's chair.