The Baron and his Lady

Fifty-eight: Torches to touches

Penthurst Manor

It was Friday night. Summer had given way to a wonderful weather: warm mornings and slightly chilly evening. Clouds cleared just in time for the moon to rise and had bestowed the world with its heartwarming glow.

The musicians played a slow song. Giving them a rhythm to follow—not with their ears but with their hearts. Two silhouettes mingled under the moonlight. Their bodies closer than ever, as if moving a further meant they'd lose each other.

As the song came to its end their gazes locked intently. Cerulean against amber. A Lord to its Lady. And a man to his wife. He bent down and claimed the welcoming lips offered to him.

Everyone applauded.
***

Before the dancing...
Krista's pov

"I can't believe how you two pulled it off. This place looked exactly the same! It's like she never happened." I said to Allison and Tristane. The latter was seated in a corner hiding his injured arm. We were just taking a break from repairing things back to how they were before the attack.

"Reconstruction spells are my favorite." Allison smiled, "But Tristane did way better than me."

I returned the smile and went over to Tristane, "How could I ever repay you?"

"I'll think of something and ask for a favor in the future." He winked. "And wiping their memories is the least I could do. I was totally out when you guys were left with two demons to fend off. If I wasn't injured I could've helped one bit."

"What he means to say is, he's sorry that he missed the opportunity to meet Asmodeus." Allison whispered.

"Believe me Tristane, its something I don't want to go through ever again." I said. "But you've your best and that's enough."

"I agree on that." Allison raised her glass. "Look at them, they all think we just had some power outage that's why they couldn't remember what happened in the past two hours."

I followed her gaze and knew she was right. Most of the guests ran away when Lilinnessa showed up while the others collapsed momentarily. It took awhile for Tristane to cast a spell on them and made them forget of what happened. Now, they all look happy and content at the party.

"I can never thank you guys enough." I stared at Allison. She lost so much tonight and we aren't that close yet. I owed her a lot. "I can't believe you sacrificed one of your demons to help a stranger like me."

"Hush now, Krista." She took my hand and squeezed them. "You are a friend, as friends we help each other. Besides, I know I was bound to part ways with these little buggers. The coven won't let me keep them around and had them trapped in my person at all times."

"So you're saying that you didn't trap Asmodeus in that earring yourself?"

"Nope. He was metaphysically tied to me when I caught him. People could practically see and talk to him before. But even in his human form the coven insisted that he was dangerous and should not be allowed to mingle with us." She drank the rest of drink and put her glass down. "Guinevere, our elder,  made me chose: either I set him free or she trapped him in one of her special urns and be displayed in the coven's viewing deck."

"And none of them was to her liking." Tristane murmured.

"Right. I mean, I caught that bastard on my own so why does he get his freedom or be kept in an urn for display? I deserved the credit for all I care. So, I made a third choice and trapped him where I could easily reach him." She said tapping her earrings. There were about three remaining on her right ear and one of her left.