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Solra’s face froze. “By Madison, you mean the four-winged archdemon?” he asked and inspected Raea from top to bottom. Her wings made her look awfully similar to Madison’s appearance. Was it possible that Raea ate her…? “You knew her?”
“I’m the one asking you a question,” Raea said in a soothing voice that didn’t quite fit well with the black flames roaring around her body. “But it’s clear you know exactly who I’m referring to, so I’ll ask again.” She took a step forward. “What is your relationship with Madison?”
Solra frowned as the skin on his face started to blister. Clearly this demonic angel in front of him resented Madison. Only an idiot would provoke her especially since he couldn’t cancel out her powers. “Madison was … a mercenary of sorts?” he said and raised an eyebrow. “She offered to help me when she realized what I was trying to do, and I saw no reason to refuse any assistance.”
“Really,” Raea said, the smile on her face vanishing. “That’s not what Pyre told me.”
Solra’s eye twitched as he glanced at Pyre. The half-angel turned his head to the side and began examining a nearby rock. Pyre actually hadn’t said anything to Raea about Madison, but he wasn’t going to correct an angry archangel of wrath. He didn’t mind dying, but it had to be for the right cause. This wasn’t it. Solra exhaled and stared Raea in the eyes. “I’m not sure what Pyre told you,” he said as he straightened his back, “but I know he has a grudge against me and may be using you as a tool to punish me. The relationship between Madison and I was purely one of mutual respect and cooperation. I say cooperation, but really, Madison did whatever she wanted.”
“Who was she contracted to?” Raea asked, narrowing her eyes.
“Was?” Solra asked. He hesitated. “Don’t you mean is?”
“I mean was,” Raea said as the flames around her body expanded. Danger Noodle began rolling around in them. “She’s dead. I killed her.” Her gaze never wavered from Solra’s. His eyes revealed shock, but that was it. He didn’t seem mad or frustrated. Was Solra’s relationship with Madison really that shallow?
Solra’s heart pounded. He knew exactly how strong Madison was, and someone who was able to kill her just appeared in front of him. “I think,” Solra said slowly, “she mentioned making a contract with Meffi back in Eljiam.”
“Meffi…,” Raea said and clenched her hands. “I see.” Solra apologized to Meffi in his heart. At least Meffi wouldn’t be in any danger. What were the chances he was going to meet Raea anyway?
“Why did Madison call you Uncle Solra?” Palan asked. He would’ve said something earlier, but he wanted to see what methods Raea would use to extract information. The fact that he enjoyed watching people suffer underneath Raea’s pressure was completely irrelevant.
“It might’ve been a cultural thing along with an eccentric personality,” Solra said as a bead of sweat rolled down the back of his neck. His body felt unusually stiff underneath Raea’s glare. “She used to call me Soly Sol Sol too. She was a bit odd in the head.”
“That’s true,” Palan said and nodded. A bit odd was an understatement. She was crazy.
The flames around Raea’s body reduced in size as her brow furrowed. “Madison killed my sister in front of me and threw her head at me,” Raea said. “If I ever find out you had something to do with her, I’ll kill you and everyone you find precious.” She glared at Cory and Mathias before snorting. She said to Cory, “Bring me to your best lodgings. It needs a plush bed.”
Cory’s head bobbed up and down as Raea linked her arm around Palan’s, dragging him after the harpy. Mathias, Solra, and Pyre stared at the trio as they disappeared down the mine. Mathias licked his lips. “Very feisty,” he said and nodded.
“Do you want mini-you to be ripped off again?” Pyre asked and raised an eyebrow.
The centaur paled as blood continued to spurt out of his stumpy shoulder. “No,” he said and shook his head.
“Pyre,” Solra said, cutting off the centaur’s next words. Solra was already old, but after that encounter with Raea, his face seemed to age by another few years. His expression was heavy. “What exactly are you trying to do?”
“Relax,” Pyre said and chuckled as he pulled out his pipe. “If I wanted you to die, you would already be dead. I know you ordered people to kill me, but don’t worry, I don’t hold grudges. I’ve already told you my goal. I just want to watch the world burn. Maybe sprinkle a little explosive powder here and there to spice things up.” A plant screamed as he set it on fire.
Footsteps echoed behind the trio, causing Solra to shut his mouth. Dinah asked with a weary voice, “You called for me?”
“Heal him,” Solra said and pointed at the centaur.
The centaur’s nose wrinkled. “Too old,” he muttered and sighed as Dinah placed her hands on the centaur’s bloody stump. He let out a groan as bones shot out of the stump, followed by wriggling masses of flesh. Finally, it was topped off by a layer of unblemished skin.
“You seem to request my services a lot every time this angel shows up,” Dinah said as she examined Pyre. “Who is he?”
“I’m Pyre Khondra,” Pyre said with a smirk. “You may or may not have heard of me when you ordered my father’s death and my mother’s exile while removing all traces of my grandfather’s honor.”
Dinah’s brow furrowed. Khondra was a name she hadn’t heard in a long time—at least several decades. “Your name sounds familiar,” she said. “But I can’t recall anything.”
Pyre’s eyes flashed as the pipe in his mouth snapped with a crunching noise. A low chuckle rumbled from his chest as he spat out the broken wood. He smiled at Solra. “I’ll resume my previous duties of creating orbs,” he said. “I assume your prisoners are still kept in that area?”
Solra nodded and glanced at the old council member. Pyre wouldn’t kill her … probably. But he’d have to take measures to prevent her from killing herself. “She’s useful,” he said, deciding to remind Pyre just in case.
“Don’t worry. I know she can’t suffer if she’s dead. Come,” Pyre said and clapped his hand on Dinah’s shoulder. “I’ll help jog your memory.”
Mathias couldn’t help but shiver as Pyre dragged Dinah towards the prison. Solra sighed as he walked back down the tunnel. Letting Pyre bring that demon and archangel into his camp was a huge mistake, but what could he do about it? Raea wasn’t affected by his powers. He’d have to find a countermeasure as soon as possible.