Demonic Love

Chapter 1

Azia's POV

Raven has barely eaten a morsel since we returned to the castle and the healers told her what I had suspected. She may never be able to be a blacksmith again. The news shattered my beautiful mate. She stares at her hands, wrapped in gauze, emotionlessly. The beautiful light in my life, was broken, and I had no idea of how to help her.

"Please Raven." I begged softly, holding the fork out to her. She opened her mouth, but I knew that as she chewed she didn't taste it. "I will never be able to hold our kids." She said softly, her voice hoarse. It's the first thing she had said to me in weeks. "I will never get to properly pet Tessa. I will never get to properly touch you. I will never be able to feed myself. I will never be able to dress myself." She moved her eyes from her hands to my face. "I don't get to be a blacksmith anymore." She began to cry her heart out, the shock of the news finally passing. I pulled her into my lap and held her. She wailed out her pain and sorrow.

There was nothing I could say, so I held her, crying silent tears of my own. You never know how much something so simple can mean until you no longer have it. Hands were something we clearly took for granted. Without them we couldn't do what we wanted, or do simple things it takes to survive. Even with one hand she would've been able to be a blacksmith, but he ruined them both. Our healers were looking into possible cures seeking help and advise from all over the world but so far they've found nothing that could help their queen.

She cried till she fell asleep so I laid her down. I placed a soft kiss to her forehead. Tessa got on the bed, curling up beside her, releasing a soft whine. She hated that Raven was hurting and I did too. There was knock on the door. I opened the door and saw Xan. "The camps along the coast are finished setting up. If he wants in-land he'll have to go through them first." He informed me. I nodded and stepped out of the room so she could sleep peacefully. "How is our counter attack coming?" I asked him. "It will be making landfall by sundown." We began walking, to go see the reports we've received.

As we were walking I noticed Clarice, Raven's sister, staring out of the window at the garden. She had chosen to leave the human lands and her abusive husband. Her parents had stayed as well, but they accepted a home away from the castle. Not once have they asked about Raven, but Clarice asks several times a day. She has also sat with her sister for hours, neither of them saying anything. I didn't stop to talk to her, instead I kept moving as Xan updated me on the progress we were making.

Word had spread fast about what Dimo did to Raven, many were volunteering for the war. Unif offered to make weapons and shields for free, declaring seeing them be put down once and for all as enough payment. He hasn't gone to see Raven, but he asks about her. Cinteri sends her flowers, Jurian tries to get her to smile, Yinsy talks to her about latest gossip, and our nieces drew her pictures. Jansin and Tiya have been busy with their newborn son but they do ask about her. Many of the servants ask too, but the answer is always the same. No change. Today she showed her sadness and heartache over the loss of her hands, which was a change compared to the silence she had been giving us all.

My wings were almost healed so soon I would join the front line. I hated the idea of leaving my mate in the state she was in but I needed to do this for the both of us. I didn't plan on killing Dimo. Oh no, I planned on making him beg for a death that will never come.

One of the Healers came rushing up. "Your Highness, we may have found someone who could possibly help the queen. Or rather they came to us. They're waiting in the throne room." They said breathlessly. Xan and I quickly went to the throne room where a woman who looked almost human stood. What told me she was demon was the horns on her head. "How could you possibly help my mate?" I asked her. "I've been doing an experimental healing that mixes with a time reversal spell. Instead of time changing for everyone, I focus the spell on an object or a person. I've had great success with it so far and when I heard how severe her injuries were I thought I could come see if I could help. It does have it's draw backs though." She explained to me. "What kind of draw backs?" I asked her with a slight growl.

"Since I have to move the time back, whatever healing her hands have gone through will be reversed. As the time passes backwards for her hands, she will experience the pain of her hands being injured again, until they revert back to how they were before they were injured." She told me and I nodded. "Can what you do be reversed by a time forward spell?" I asked her. "To a certain extent. Since I'm changing the course if, what I do isn't reversed within a certain amount of time it can't be undone without moving time itself backwards to stop me from coming and doing it."

"Spells like that take a large amount of magic and concentration. How long will it take?" I asked her. "I can only heal one hand at a time, and it will take me a few days after each one to regain the strength and magic after each one." She answered. "What is your price?" I asked next. She shook her head, "This is free of charge. I never charge for my services."

I nodded, "Let me first talk to her and make sure she fully understands before we go through with this." She nodded, "I understand." "Until then you are free to stay here. I will have a room prepared. What is your name?" I hadn't realized till now I hadn't even learned her name. I was so focused on the possibility of having my mate's hands healed. "It's Dina." She answered. I nodded, "Thank you Dina."

I quickly left the throne room to go back to the room I was sharing with my mate. It wasn't the room we'll live in, in the tower but when my wings are healed, we'll move up there. She laid tossing and turning in the blankets. I gently woke her up and she opened her eyes. I gave her a smile, "I have some good news." Her eyes told me she doubted that. "I just spoke with someone who said they could possibly fix your hands." The light instantly returned to her beautiful emerald eyes. "Really?" She asked me hesitantly. I nodded and began to explain to her what Dina told me. "I will be with you the entire step of the way." I told her, brushing a strand of hair from her face. Tears came to her eyes as she hugged me. It was the first contact she had shown me since we mated.

I melted into her arms, wanting to feel more of her. She pulled away, "If it doesn't work just know that I love you so much for trying." I kissed her cheek, "It will I promise." Gods I hoped so.