"I have plans for Sasha's soul, when I find it," Darkyn replied. "I have plans for you, too, empath."

Andre let the quiet threat slide over him. He had more important issues today. Whatever came tomorrow, he'd handle when it did. If anything, he was grateful that both demons seemed to be responding to his attempts to calm them down.

It gave him a chance to redirect their restless energy towards the people following them.

"Can either of you use your demon senses here?" he asked.

"Not fully," Darkyn replied.

"Mostly no," Rhyn echoed.

"Then I suggest you get ready to fight." He stopped walking and closed his eyes, using his empath radar to pick up the emotions of everything around him. "There are five at least."

"Where?" Rhyn drew his sword in response. "I can't smell them."

"That way. About twenty meters." Andre pointed. "I'll wait here."

The two turned to face the direction he indicated.

"First one there gets the Toughest Demon Award," Rhyn said and pushed the smaller Dark One out of his way.

"No half-breed can take what belongs to me," Darkyn snapped.

Never should've mentioned the Toughest Demon Award. Andre thought ruefully. He'd forgotten another trait of demons: they were territorial predators. Hopefully, they stayed focused on competing rather than defeating one another.

The demons melted into the forest, leaving behind a few waving bushes.

Andre waited until certain they were gone before facing the direction they'd been headed. "I know you're there," he said quietly into the forest.

Nothing but the natural sounds of the forest filled the air. Whatever stalked them didn't seem … solid. It was more like an echo of a person, a reflection perhaps, conveying parts of someone without the depth he was accustomed to feeling from someone else's presence.

"Whoever you are, I will not hurt you." He tilted his head to listen and focus his senses. Whatever it was, it was slippery, rendering it hard for him to track consistently. "My name is Andre. If you can hear me, give me some kind of sign."

The presence fled, but not before he caught a strange flash of blue-green light.

"That's a sign, too," he murmured, blue eyes taking in his surroundings.

Unable to explain the odd encounter, he oriented himself and began walking towards the palace. Time was running out. He was able to track the demons down if the forest decided not to lead them to him when they were done.

The ghostlike presence returned, fled, and came back once more to stalk him, each time accompanied by a spark of turquoise light. He didn't address it this time, instead cueing in his gift to study it.




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