Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 142916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
“I’ve always felt so lucky to have you,” Silke said. “I grew up wanting to be just like you. Kind and considerate of others, and knowledgeable in as many things as possible.”
Fenja laughed softly. Happily. “Are you saying we both have a one-track mind?”
Silke laughed with her. “We both are tenacious, that’s for certain.”
“If you don’t connect with your Carpathian warrior, how do you expect to have children?”
Silke winked at her. “I’m very modern.”
“That way doesn’t give you pleasure or fun,” Fenja pointed out.
“But it’s hassle-free,” Silke said. “No poor male will have a wounded ego trying to put up with me.”
“Any man you end up with will count himself lucky to have you in his life,” Fenja said, clearly meaning it. “If he doesn’t, he doesn’t deserve you.”
“You only say that because you love me.” She waved her hand toward the window. “I hate the fact that I must deceive so many people.” She sat up straighter, once again drinking the soothing tea.
“What is it, Silke?” Fenja coaxed. “I know you’re very troubled.”
Silke shoved her hand through her thick hair, wanting to yank at it. “I can’t figure out a very huge problem. I spent all day in the forest with my hands buried in the soil. My mind was calm, and yet the solution didn’t come to me.”
“Sharing makes a burden lighter.”
Silke knew Fenja noticed her hesitation. “It isn’t that I don’t want to tell you. It’s that it involves demons, and sometimes you prefer not to know.”
“I asked you to share, sweet girl.” Fenja waited.
“It’s Raik. He’s in a bad way. He was bitten at sea by a serpent. I heard a suspicious story from Evi that seemed completely out of character. I went to visit him and knew immediately he was tainted with demon. I waited for Tora, and we were able to rid him of the demon. It wasn’t easy, and the serpent didn’t respond to the crystal sword the way demons normally do. But then I realized, after quite a battle, that a demon remained crouched in him. Tora couldn’t find it. I tried finding it while merged with her. I felt the presence of it but was still unable to pinpoint its exact location. In the end, we were both exhausted and very drained. Tora had to find a safe place to rest. We had to leave Raik in what would basically be a medically induced coma in the hopes that the safeguards and commands would keep the demon unconscious as well.”
Silke rubbed her temples. “I feel like an utter failure. Raik is a good man. I still need to give this tour to Gesina’s clients and then see to Gesina. Hopefully Tora will be able to aid me in drawing out the demon when we go back to Raik.”
“I am no demon slayer, but I have seen you time and again change direction in your battle with these creatures. You do so in a split second. Your mind works at an extremely fast rate. Trust yourself. Trust your instincts. Don’t think about Raik or anyone else. Whether you’re a failure or a success in defeating this demon this time, it is simply about gaining experience. If you are unsuccessful in drawing him out, it cannot be counted as you’re not good enough. It means you will come up with another idea and learn from the one that didn’t work.”
Fenja’s voice was low and firm when she gave Silke her advice. Silke knew it was exactly what she needed to hear.
Chapter
7
Demon.
Silke didn’t so much as blink, her body relaxed, her smile one of welcome as the small group of men and women Gesina brought to the estate greeted her. Stepping off the stone steps to the walkway below the house, she willed Fenja to stay inside rather than come out to greet the tourists as she sometimes did. Not when one of the humans wasn’t really human. To make certain, she raised her hand to her hair, sweeping it back as she looked directly into one of the many cameras hidden on the property. Hopefully, Fenja was watching and would heed the warning.
This wasn’t a case of a demon finding a host body. She recognized the strength of the demon. This was one deliberately sent out in human form at Lilith’s command to infiltrate humankind and turn them to Lilith’s purpose. The demon was male, used to having his commands obeyed, and arrogant about his strength. Few opposed his will.
The leader of the group, then. Ares Castello was a man appearing to be in his late fifties. He looked physically fit, even tough. There were three other men in the tour group and two women. He must have been in human form for years because he was extremely comfortable in the body. It was possible that was his natural form. He moved with ease, even grace, for such a large man. He was entirely confident being the leader. He exuded a charismatic charm. Even Gesina had fallen under his spell. She laughed quite a bit with him and was even flirty, something Silke had never seen her do before.