"They will probably shoot her on sight." Huffed Marie from up ahead.

  I wasn't sure if I was meant to hear it or not: My hearing was better than a humans, but she also wasn't really shouting it. Mind you, she wasn't bothering to lower her voice by very much either. I figured that she was just bitter enough to mean for me to over hear it. I could respect that.

  "They didn't have much of an issue with me at the last village." I said, deciding to disillusion her if she really did think I was deaf to her snide remarks.

  "Not every town is the same." She said to me, glaring over her shoulder. The lack of surprise confirmed that she knew full well I could here her.

  "I never saw any demons there." Tilly piped up. The little red head was in far better spirits after a nights sleep and a belly full of leftover rabbit stew. She was currently riding piggy back on Edric. The prince didn't seem to mind too much, which was good as the child was eyeing Pride pretty hard at first, and I wasn't so sure of the hellhound's temperament.

  "That is not unexpected." Stated Edric, hands on the little girls knees so she did not fall off her perch on his shoulders. "Demons, though largely vilified and enslaved, are a rather rare race when all is said and done. Outside major metropolitan areas, or extremely eccentric lord's mansions, you are not likely to see many if any at all."

  "I am constantly impressed by your random tidbits of demon knowledge." I sighed, shaking my head.

  "I am here to serve, my Lady." He said in a droll voice but I could see the humor in his eyes.

  I rolled my eyes. "Either way, we are going to risk it. Its not like they will shoot us full of arrows with Tilly on Edric's back, now will they?"

  At that announcement, Marie spun on her heel and hissed at me. "You would hold a child hostage?!"

  "Ah, yeah." I said. Was this girl slow in the head? "I won't be hurting her. I'm not a monster, you know. Just a Demon."

  "I would say you are both."

  I really did not see the issue. It wasn't like I was going to hold a gun to the kid's head or some such. Nor was I even threatening to do harm to her. I would just me monopolizing on the fact that they were less likely to fill me with holes so long and the cute little munchkin was seated exactly where she was right now. A little under handed? Sure. But inherently evil? I would hardly think so.

  "Forget it Marie." Said Ryan, tugging on the girl's arm to get her moving forward. HE looked back at me, not seeming very impressed either. But his eyes were more assessing than anything. "It's not like we could stop her either way. And-" HE added with a rather dramatic sigh. "I really do think she has no ill intentions. It's not like attacking Kardem will get her anything, you know?"

  "What the heck are you saying Ryan? She could get what ever she wants by attacking; she's a demon. And what do you mean we couldn't stop them? The lord has his own army-"

  "Don't be stupid Marie." Ryan said, not sounding angry, so much as resigned. "She is a summons. Even a dud can be better than half a dozen common soldiers once they have a little training in them, and she isn't a dud anymore, now is she. Who knows how strong she is. If everything the Stella empire says is to be believed, then even weak demons can be a challenge. Even id Nyx is weak- which I rather doubt at this point- I grantee that the dog isn't."

  "Hellhound." I corrected with narrowed eyes, noting that Pride was also displeased with the moniker. He wasn't called Pride for nothing. Though, given how much he had been drive out of his comfort zone- dealing with humans and the like- he might need to be renamed 'Patients'. "And, you are probably right."

  "Indeed. one paltry, backwater, human village, in a nation that can't even be sure of its own boarders, would hardly pose a challenge for one such as my self." Pride stated mater-of-factly.

  Now it was my turn to sigh, this time in exasperation. It was a toss up on whether or not it would be my poor attitude, or Pride's pride that would get us shot first. "Please keep in mind listening ears." I chided him, indicating the child in the group.

  "As you say." Said the hellhound, in the same tone that he had just vaguely threatened an entire village.

  "Bringing them to Kardem is going to get us shot." Mumbled an agitated Marie.

  Luckily it was not too far of a trek, all things considered; and we arrived at the walled in town of Kardem before lunch.

  The wall itself was not impressive in construction, being made of stripped logs roped snuggly to one-another and surrounded with spikes shoved into the packed earth. I had somehow thought it would have a stone wall and a mote for some reason, but I supposed that this made more sense.

  What was impressive, was the wall height. These trees had to of been seven stories tall and hundreds of years old when they were felled for this wall. And that honestly made me a little sad. Mainly because there was clearly no longer any such behemoths still standing in this forest, meaning all of the ancient trees had been harvested for the project.

  I wasn't exactly a tree hugger. At least, I didn't think the trees should be saved if using them could save human lives. Or what ever race lived here I suppose. But I didn't think the wall needed to be this absurdly high. And if there was a need for the height, then I was more than a little concerned at what, exactly, they were attempting to keep out.

  We were greeted at the rather formidable gate- okay, no, it was actually very lackluster compared to the sheer size of the wall itself. Just an average sized, double doored gate, about big enough for a large wagon to pass through. I probably shouldn't have expected Jurassic Park- they were housing people not dinosaurs- but I kind of did, truth be told.

  Anyway, we were greeted by no less than four armed guards at this gate, each equipped with a shield, a spear, and a sword at their hips. Did they hear we were coming? Did Pride and I really give off such menacing vibes? Or was the relative calm of Verst just not reflected here in Kardem.

  It reminded me that this nation was deemed 'The Waring States', and that may very well be for good reason.

  Luckily, though them men looked less than pleased to see two demons and a slave accompanying their new heroes, they all did seemed very relieved to see little Tilly. Who was still seated on Edric's shoulders, I might add. The man had more stamina than I gave him credit for.

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  She waved at on of the guards when she realized that she knew them. The guard gave the girl a gentle smile before eyeing the rest of us warily, all while listening to Marie and Ryan explain the situation.

  "Wait here." Stated on of the men. I really couldn't tell them apart, other than they were of varying heights, and that the shortest one was also the scrawniest. They could very well have been women.

  The guard hurried back to the gate, opened a smaller, individual door using a large metal key, and disappeared. I could only assume he was rushing off to learn whether or not to burn the demons.

  "It should only take a few moments... I think." Said Ryan with an awkward smile as he approached us. I guess he didn't really know much about his new employers just yet.

  "Is Aunty Ritz coming?" Tilly asked excitedly, her red hair a vibrant contrast to Edric's dark locks.

  Ryan smiled up at the little girl. "Yes, they went to go get your family."

  Tilly clapped her hands happily, bouncing on Edric so that he had to grab the girls knees to stop her from toppling over backwards.

  It turned out that a 'few minutes' was more like twenty minutes. But I wasn't really surprised. They likely ran to go tell some superior about us, who then also had to go up the chain, likely ending with poor Tilly's family only being informed just before the gates opened once again.

  Sure enough, the gate had just barely opened, when a short and pretty red haired woman slipped passed the startled guards and ran towards us. "Matilda!" She shouted, tears in her eyes, the second she caught sight of the child.

  As for Tilly, she had finally descended Edric and had been spending the last ten minutes for these dull twenty, playing with my tail like a cat would a piece of string. Every time she tried to get her pale little hands around the end, I would flick it just out of her reach, at which point she would laugh and try all over again.

  But, the second she heard the red haired woman she got to her feet so fast that Pride had to catch her between the shoulder blades with his nose before she toppled over. "Aunty Ritz!" She laughed gleefully, as the woman slid to her knees in the hard packed dirt of the road to scoop her into a hug at my feet. I winced in sympathy; no doubt she would have skinned her knees with that move.

  "I am so sorry Tilly!" She wept, clinging the her niece close to her rather ample breasts. "You must have been so scared."

  "Oooff!" Squawked the child as several armed men hurried toward us, the man in the lead glaring at the woman for ducking ahead. "Aunty Ritz! You're squishing me."

  Snuffling, the woman pulled back, and, despite the puffy red face and evident bags under her eyes announcing she had not slept, I could see the family resemblance between the two. "Sorry. Are you hurt?"

  Tilly smiled at her aunt and shook her head. "No, I'm alright. Edric found me, and we ate soup, and I didn't have to walk at all. I rode piggy-back!" She said in typical childish rush of over excited word vomit.

  "I- I see..." Stammered the girl's aunt.

  "Ritza, you really shouldn't have run off like that..." Sighed the glaring man once the group of men reached us. "Ryan, Marie, I am glad you made it back with Tilly in one piece."

  He was of average height and dressed in similar garb as the other guardsmen, but he had himself a fancy cape. Must mean he is important. HE had brown hair that was greying, and hooded hazel eyes with a stern but gentle look about him that the initial glare had hidden.

  "Nyx had half the job already done by the time we showed up Sir." Said Ryan. "This is Pride, and over here is Nyx's... slave, Edric. W ran into them last night while we were searching for Tilly."

  "Thank you all so much for finding her!" Said Ritz- or I suppose her name was Ritza?- getting to her feet and scooping up my hand in her own. Not being a person who was accustom to being touched, or thanked for that matter, I nearly recoiled, but managed to keep still. She shook my hand again and again, either not registering that I was a demon, or not caring. "I was about in pieces- Oh, and my sister! She never would have forgiven me." She cried in near hysterics. "She is already unwell, loosing Matilda would have broken the girl."

  "Er, sure, no problem." I said, trying to pry my fingers as gently as I could from the woman's iron grip.

  "Yes, we are grateful." Said the caped man, whom I assume must be some kind of captain or general of some sort. Not that anyone felt the need to make introductions. And they seemed to think demons were the rude ones. "Ryan, Marie, if you would step aside with me for your report?" He asked the maroon haired Ryan, a tilt of his head indicating that he wanted that report out of our ear shot.

  "Yes Sir."

  The man and the two so called 'Heroes' walked a short distance off, this time actually out of earshot. And in the short amount of time that too, Tilly had dragged her aunt off me and brought her over to Edric where awkward introductions were being made. I almost laughed when I saw how uncomfortable both seemed to be as the little girl chattered between them.

  In Ritza's eyes, Edric was a slave. And usually- legally- that meant that he was either a convicted criminal, or someone who couldn't pay back his debts. Either way, he was a slave- a lower class citizen, even compared to those who would be called 'poor' and the like, in this world. Needless to say, he was not what most aunts would hope their little niece would make friends with. Yet he had saved and watched out for Tilly, so she was trying to stay polite.

  As for Edric, he had the mind frame of two vastly different worlds. No doubt, in the last few years of his life, he may well have been beaten for daring to talk or interact in a normal matter with someone who was not a slave. Yet, while Ritza viewed him as nothing more than a common vagrant, he was actually royalty.

  It was nearly enough to make me laugh.

  "So, what's the story?" I asked Pride, the only one still within easy speaking distance to me. The other guards had kept a distance, observing all.

  The hellhound snorted. "The girl is spilling every detail she can about us." Pride stated, eyes- as well as those oh so keen ears- trained on the huddled group of three.

  I sighed, unsurprised. "Figures. It's true that I never told them anything I said was supposed to be a secret..."

  "Is there no honor among companions in your former world?" Rumbled the hellhound, annoyed.

  I chuckled. "Sure. But there are also people who are vindictive and mean spirited." I watched the quiet but rather animated conversation from a distance. "Not that I think Marie is really either of those things. She is just a scared kid who got stollen away from her home and family and told she could never return. I am sure she is dealing with it all as best she can. Even at my own expense."

  "If you say so. The boy seemed less eager to tell all, but gave in readily enough."

  "What are they talking about?"

  "Us, our intentions. Whether we are a danger to Kardem or not."

  "The usual?" I asked, with a rye chuckle.

  "Essentially. They appear to have reached a conclusion."

  I was going to ask what conclusion, but the three of them had already begun to return to us. Edric managed to extract himself from Ritza and the excitable Tilly and had returned to my side, looking a little more high strung than he had been a moment before.

  "Sorry for that. My name is Arlund, I am a military advisor to Lord Barker, and I would like to welcome you to Kardem." The boss man stated as he and the two summons stood before us.

  I felt an eyebrow raise at the man's words, given that I did not feel overly welcome, but decided against complaining. They hadn't shot us on sight, and if Marie had been believed, then that was the fate that should have awaited us here.

  "Okay." I said, arms crossed. "Now that Marie has decided to spill everything but my measurements, where do we go from here? Because I had just been hoping to spend a night or two here before going on my way. Or are you going to tell me we are not welcome now?"

  I watched Marie turn beat red, clearly thinking that she had gone far enough away this time to escape my hearing. Unlucky for her that she didn't take into account that Pride's ears were exponentially better than my own.

  Arlund frowned, but did not turn us away, as I had been expecting.

  "Actually, Lord Barker has asked to have an audience with you, so long as I deemed that you were not a significant threat to our people. And, as I am sure you can surmise, I have judged just that." He took a step pack and swung an arm out toward the opened gate to the city. "If you would be so kind as to follow me, I am sure that his Lordship will make this worth your while."

  Well, this was an unexpected turn. Not that that meant that it would be a good turn. Still, if it meant that this city girl didn't have to spend another night out in the woods than I would be down to hear this Lord Barker out. I shared a glace with Pride, and he didn't seem worried. That was good enough as far as I was concerned.

  Alright, Lord Barker, let us see what it was you wanted from little old me.