Chapter 62

Chapter 62: Chapter 62

Dulce’s attention was torn, he frowned, looking over at Kath’tan. "Are you also hurt?"

Caedos glanced at his savior, nearly at eye height with him. He walked eerily similar to his hound form on all fours, his knees slightly bent, palms on the polished floor. "No." He replied, attempting a smile.

It was a terrifying expression, it looked more like he was growling, his unnaturally sharp teeth fully bared.

"Don’t get too close, Dulce." Ruoxi said with concern. "He looks like he bites."

Caedos didn’t understand undertones and indirect jabs, tilting his head to the side. "I do bite."

Ruoxi wore a look of disapproval. "How primitive."

Kath’tan straightened out his coat, satisfied at being asked although he was visibly unharmed. He glanced down at the Hellhound, he might be strong but he was also foolish, which naturally made him inferior.

Dulce offered Caedos a hand, "Walking is quite easy."

Caedos glanced down at the offered hand and circled his savior on all fours. "I know," He said simply, making no attempt to stand up straight.

Ruoxi snorted humorously, their party kept getting stranger and stranger. "How long do you intend to stay in Alderth?" He asked curiously, "Although you should perhaps train your hound before the journey."

Dulce tried to hide how distressed he was about the matter to little effect, "I’ll discuss it with Queen Aylin over dinner. I hope we can leave as soon as morning comes."

Silence greeted his response because Ruoxi, Asael, and Kath’tan knew that the Vampire Queen wouldn’t allow that. Their response would have been to have the imposter killed off but they already knew Dulce’s response to that.

Caedos was the only one behind on most things, "Where are we going?" He asked curiously.

Dulce sat cross-legged on the ground, his troubled expression easing a bit when Caedos mimicked him, his long legs were crossed, and he hunched over slightly. He had a lot to discuss with the Hellhound, and even more that needed to be explained.

"On a long journey to a desert," He explained in simple terms.

Caedos thought it over. "Why would you want to go to a place without trees?" He asked in genuine confusion.

"There’s something important I need to get." Dulce went on, trailing off, uncertainty in his silver blue eyes. "I summoned you to stay with me forever, but you need to leave eventually, do you not?" He asked bravely, hoping it would be easier to accept if he was prepared.

The Hellhound’s ancient gaze didn’t match his simple words and mannerisms, hazel eyes holding a fountain of knowledge yet to be unlocked. He nodded, one of his ears twitching. "When I get stronger."

Dulce wore an expression of heartache, although he knew that the faster the Hellhound’s strength grew, the sooner he would have to leave. He still thought of making a request of the others to spar with him to help build his strength.

Ruoxi’s expression cooled at the sight on the Vampire’s face. "I’ll be here to keep you company, am I not enough?"

Dulce found a smile for the Incubus, "Of course you will have to leave too," He said lightly. "Eternity is a long time. You will grow bored of me."

Ruoxi pressed his lips tightly together, unable to find a response to that. A short while ago, he would have come up with a charismatic response and a smile, but now... the Vampire’s words had scratched at the blank slate of his heart.

He truly never planned to stay for an eternity, only until he grew bored and was no longer in danger.

Dulce got to his feet, trying to shake off the despondent air. If a Demon or two stayed with him for a few hundred years, that would already be far longer than any of his past companions had ever managed.

"Caedos, let me show you to your room," He offered the Hellhound, deciding to leave the matter of teaching him to walk upright for another day.

Caedos remained seated, "I’ll stay with you." He said decisively without room for argument.

Three matching sour expressions were the result of his words, but none had anything to say, this wasn’t an Incubus they could claim was untrustworthy.

"Oh," Dulce mumbled, moved to tears. If only his Hellhound could stay with him forever. "Then, I’ll go ask Miss Moira if new clothes can be made for you."

Now, Caedos rose to all fours, despite his barbaric clothing and strange pose, the Hellhound moved regally, powerful muscles flexing. "I’ll come with you."

"Walking around with a beast-man will send the entire castle into pandemonium." Asael said flatly.

Dulce wore an expression of mild horror, "They can see him?"

Caedos studied the other Demons, looking at them intently for a short while. "Not anymore." He said simply, starting for the door.

"Ridiculous," Kath’tan muttered in disbelief, you couldn’t simply put a Demon on his knees and call him a dog. It didn’t matter that the Hellhound was part infernal beast.

"We’ll return," Dulce said with a smile, heading for the door.

His pleasant words meant nothing because Asael was the first out the door, the Shadow Demon reassuring himself that he had to make sure that the Vampire was safe. Although that couldn’t be any more unnecessary with the monster attached to his side.

Kath’tan went after him, unable to make up a reason for doing so. It was finely split between wanting to be the one by Dulce’s side and disapproving of the other Demons.

Ruoxi put out a leg to trip the Fiend, going ahead of him only to be caught by his hair and wrenched backwards. He scowled as they both barged out of the double doors at the same time, fighting the urge to rip the Fiend’s unsightly hair from its roots.

Unaware of the chaos was Dulce, a hallway ahead, walking next to Caedos who was an endless well of questions.

"What is this?" He asked as they walked down the hallway.

"A statue, it is made of stone." Dulce indulged.

"What is that?"

A suit of armor. Humans wear it for protection..."

Dulce didn’t know where the witch’s rooms were so he led them down to the dungeons, to the place where Caedos had been summoned.