Colorless

29 - Silver Stain

Just east of the forest was a city along the same river as the one Bel had grown up near. It wasn't as large nor as crowded, but it was big enough for them to hide. They could be found at a residential house on a forgettable street lit by two dim white lanterns. Any normal person would have passed by without a second thought.

He glanced over his shoulder to make sure he wasn't followed. To his disappointment, he hadn't been. No one and nothing would stop him now.

Bel took his time tying the reins to the posts outside. He carefully adjusted each bag over his shoulders and straightened each strap. He dragged his feet to the front door and knocked ever so gently against the wood. Still, no one intercepted, no one stopped him, and no one saved him. He'd known they wouldn't, but was reluctant to let go of that last shred of hope.

Two knocks answered him.

"I don't know the damn password," Bel said. "You were the dicks who sent for me."

"Name?" The voice was muffled by the heavy door, reinforced with iron.

"Go fuck yourself."

The silence that followed didn't last long. Someone with bright orange eyes opened a coin-sized slot in the door to peer out. "Ah, Bel. I'm glad you came to your senses. Did you bring me anything?"

"Weapons."

"That's it?"

"You didn't give me a lot of time, cocksucker."

The voice tutted. "It will have to do for now." The door opened for him.

Bel threw the bags in at the man with the orange eyes.

He kicked them to the side, laughing at Bel as he did. "For now, I said. That's not enough to repay your debts."

"I don't owe any debts."

The man – who Bel knew only as Genar – had invisible horns growing out of his head, and a forked tail, and he spit poison, and breathed lies, and he had leathery bat wings, and ate babies, and slept in a pit of flames. "How is your daughter doing?" And he threatened sweet little innocent girls.

"What can I do for you, you piece of shit?"

Behind his smooth grin hid pointed little fangs, dripping with vitriol and rot. "We'll talk about that later. Why don't you come inside? Don't want the neighbors getting too nosey."

"I'd rather stay out here."

"You know you don't really have a choice."

Bel went over all his options again. He could fight and die, try to run and lose his daughter, or walk through the doorway and join them in sin.

The deceptive floral curtains hid the true purpose of the house from passersby. Aside from a place for horrible people to meet and discuss horrible things, it served as a place of worship. Although there was nothing particularly abnormal about the room to an outsider, any pagan would recognize the odd symbols emblazoned on books or carved into pottery, and they'd notice the circular space left free of furniture in the middle of the largest room to be used for praying and ceremonies. The other room on the main floor housed a large table surrounded by chairs and covered with maps and other papers and reports essential to their plans – which remained vague to Bel.

The house, ominous though Bel found it, was bright and cheery in décor. A vase of imported peonies even sat on the table. Bel had never hated a flower before, but he despised those pink abominations the second he saw Genar stroke their petals with his cloven hoof. "What do you think?" he asked.