The Legend of Black Eyes 154 The Butcher of Sosalk – Part 6

The demons in the jewel started cackling. The one in front of me snarled in a poor imitation of a smirk, showing me its sharp teeth that didn't seem to belong in a bull's head.

"We could catch a hefty price for you," it said. "The demon king has promised a quite generous reward for any Stalwart we can bring in. Do you know what your head's worth boy?"

 "Nothing," I said. "I don't know why you're associating me with that lunatic."

I was about to tell them my fake name then realized something. He knew about me because I mentioned the Church. He knew about me because Sisha was there. He must have told his kin everything before he died. They might also have known through one channel or the other. I didn't know how demons operated. That was my first mistake…

The demon joined the others in their jeers and mocking laughter.

"Who do you take us for, human boy?" the demon said. "We deal in information. We know who you are. Your name is Myles Stalwart, son of Lyanna and Thibault Stalwart. You were convicted for murder and sentenced to death, only to be saved by your father's friends. You were offered a second chance, and what did you do with it?"

The demons laughed.

"He pissed on it, fucked the Church's girl," one of them said.

"Not only did you do that," the chitinous demon said, "but you also led your men to slaughter. You knew the Church was after you. Your charming demoiselle told you about it. She told you everything, didn't she?"

"Enough!" I said. My heart was racing. I couldn't hear another word that ugly shell had to say. "Why am I not dead?" I asked. "Why didn't you take me to your demon king then, huh?"

"Now you are pushing it," the demon said, snarling. His big, compound eyes converged into mine.

"I'm not pushing anything, demon," I said. "I still have your friends. Something tells me your loyalty lies with them, not with some king who desperately tries to keep his position. Something tells me you want to use me for your own ends, but you can't. You're also afraid of my grandfather, aren't you?"

I could hear the demon breathing fast now. Upstairs, I heard the shuffling of feet and hushed, frenzied whispers.

"It seems you have some more business to attend to," the demon said. "Let us resume this conversation after you are finished."

"Let us not," I said. "Let us hear the information you promised. Let us get this deal done. Let us part ways here. I don't wish to see your face ever again."

"I am afraid that will not be possible," the demon said.

"Then I'm afraid I'll have to give this back," I pointed at the jewel in my pocket. "The fact that you hadn't attacked me the moment I let you out tells me something."

The demon's breathing was getting shorter. I was treading in murky waters now. From the corner of my eye, I saw two shadows sneak past us upstairs. I was sure it was the mayor and his friend, Gunter.

"Pray tell," the demon said. "What does my inaction tell you?"

"It tells me we agreed on non-lethal force between the two parties. It tells me you needed me more than I needed you. It tells me demons cannot break an agreement, unless they're summoned by force."

"You are not as stupid as I thought," the demon said. "But you're wrong about one part."

"We agreed not to attack each other as long as we are involved in this freeing-you-from-captivity business," I said. "Everything changed since you know who I am now. I understand that. This means that you cannot kill me as long as I haven't finished the job I promised. Must I remind you that we didn't agree on a time limit? I can keep this jewel forever, and your friends inside it too."

"The time limit had set itself," the demon said. "As long as you give us the people responsible for our imprisonment, we let you walk away and give you one piece of information you require."

The demon smiled, and I shuddered. I knew he was thinking about bending the rules.

"I am free now," it said. "What happens if I kill those people before you get to them, I wonder?"

"Our agreement would be void," I said. "And your friends remain imprisoned."

"But he won't die," one of the demons said.

"And how long do you think we'll stay here?" another asked.

"We're not frail mortal beings like you."

"We can handle a human lifetime."

"It goes by like a flash."

Multiple voices spoke inside my head. It started throbbing, causing me to wince and rub my temple. I opened my eye to see the chitinous demon staring at me.

"I can easily offer you to the demon king after I kill them," it said. I refuse to call "it" a "he" even though its kin had done so. To me, these things had no gender, nor did they adhere to any logic I was familiar with.

"You get a move on then," I said, meeting its compound eyes with a fearless gaze. "Or are you just all talk?"

"Don't test me, human," it snarled at me.

"I'm not," I said, as casually as I could. "I'm only stating the obvious here. You could've killed them ten minutes ago. They're getting away now, and you don't seem disturbed by that fact. You're either stalling for time, or you can't actually kill them. Which one is it?"

"Let's make a deal," it said. "You release my friends. We never come after you."

"I have a counteroffer," I said. Perhaps I'd grown bold. Perhaps I'd grown stupid, didn't learn from my previous mistake, but I had to risk it. "You help me expose these people, and I give them to you. You let me go, and never hunt for me, or talk about me to anyone of your kin. I'm talking to all of you, not just this one standing before me."

"You are pushing the limits of my patience," the chitinous demon said.

"I am merely negotiating," I said. "I'm not asking for much. Is your freedom not worth a small sacrifice?"

"Why do you wish to expose them?" the demon asked.

"That's none of your concern," I said. "You'll be out of here in an hour. We'll never see each other ever again. Doesn't that sound enticing?"

"What about Jenkins?" the goat headed demon asked. I could never mistake its voice for someone, or something, else's.

"He's not out of the woods yet," I said. "I'll hunt him down, and he's yours after that."

Silence ensued. It seemed they all thought about the new terms I proposed. As far as I was concerned, they were in a tight spot, quite literally. Jenkins had imprisoned more than one demon, and helped the mayor and his friends summon and imprison others.

I also couldn't forgive Jenkins for what he'd done. I couldn't forgive myself either. I was too naïve, too stupid to believe a man like Jenkins could change for the sake of his family. Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.

"You have a deal," the chitinous demon said.

"I want to hear them all say it," I said. "How many of you are in there anyway?"

"Would you like the answer to this question, or to know about Stalwart's family?" the demon asked. I clenched my fists. These bastards knew how to negotiate, even when backed into a corner.

"How many of you?"

"Ten, including me," the demon said.

My heart jumped to my throat.

"Are you sure you can beat Jenkins?" I asked. "If he imprisoned most of you in there, he must have something to hold against you."

"Jenkins is a coward," the chitinous demon said. "As well as the others who are about to escape by the back door now."

"We'll get them," I assured him. I knew he was trying to pressure me into forgetting some details, slip up again and give them an opportunity to kill me. "Will you be able to kill Jenkins?"

"You dealt with him before," the demon said. "Do you think it's hard to kill him?"

"He didn't have his guard up back then," I said. "He's on the run now. He won't let himself get caught once more."

"But he wants what you're holding," the demon said. "He wouldn't attack you."

"You want me to kill him? That would break the agreement we have."

"That would also kill all my remaining friends inside," the demon said. "No, I'm asking you to trap him, capture him. His wife will surely fight back. She's a fierce one."

"That's not part of our deal," I said.

"Capturing and delivering Jenkins is," the demon said. "We don't care how you do it, but if you kill him, you'll deal with me."

That was a clear threat. I wondered if demons could die. I remembered how badly Sisha was injured and remembered it could be done. But Sisha was fighting wyverns. I'm just a one-eyed guy with a magic sword.

"They're about to get away," the demon said. "They'll call for help as soon as they leave."

"Alright!" I took a deep breath. "Lure them here," I said. "I'll get them out the main door, and let you have a go at them. But you can't kill them or consume them until I get enough people to see it."

"Suit yourself," the demon said. "Just remember your promise."

I nodded, and the demon disappeared in a nimbus.

Chapter end