• The Demon's Curse •

16: In Which there is a New Demon

        When Lily woke again, she was back at the Castle, in a room she did not recognize. All around her were knick-knacks and what looked like dream catchers. The walls were littered with selves and cramped with potions of assorted colors. In the middle of the messy room hung strategically placed strands of broken glass. Each shard a different color. Above her was one single window, round instead of square and very small. The small rays of sunlight caught the shards, sending glimpses of different hues among the room. It was peaceful and she hardly remembered this being part of the castle.
        Beside her laid a small cat, curled up at her hip. She didn't know where it came from or how it got there but it turned to her once she moved. It was on it's small feet when she moved. She liked the lean stray very much, she had one like it once when she was a child. Though for a stray it had awfully beautiful white fur. It had steely orange eyes, and stared at her intently. She then heard a small voice inside of her head that wasn't her own.
"Don't stir just yet. I don't want the wizard to know You have made a deal with a Demon. He doesn't like demons very much."
        She sent a sideways glance to Howl resting with his head against the structure of his elbow. He was snoring softly, indicating he was asleep. She looked back at the feline, who had a paw on her leg.
"Ifrit?" she pushed with her mind.
        The white cat gave a quick nod, "Yes. I couldn't think of a less suspicious form so I searched your memories and came up with this." Lily didn't remember the her cat having orange eyes but she left that to the demon.
"What should I tell him if he asks?"
"Tell him you rescued me last night and now I won't leave you alone. What happened to your wit woman?!" Ifrit screamed into her head. She flinched making the bed creak.
        The black haired Wizard looked up again with his pale eyes. He was quick to hunch over Lily and visually checking for sickness.
"You young lady are in very big trouble." He pointed a finger at her. "Michael said that you both went out to catch a falling star."
"Well we thought the spell called for-"
He sighed heavily, cutting her off. "Lily that wasn't meant for you and Michael. That was an old letter I received some years ago. Regardless, I never want you to misuse the boots again. You could have gotten yourself killed."
        "But what if catching one could undo my curse?" she instantly bit her lip.
Howl pinched the bridge of his nose, withlist dragging his hand down his face. His hand stopped mid-drag, to stare at her through narrowed eyes. Howl seemed dangerous in that moment. 
        "You didn't manage to catch one, did you?"
"N-No! Of course not. They were much to fast for me." She lied. Much to the Demon's relief. She found it surprising that she could lie so easily to the Wizard; even under such drastic means to scare her.
"Good. Catching a falling star is one the the saddest things you can do. They have one purpose and that's to remain pure. Remember that."
        She nodded, happy that he calmed himself.
He glanced at the cat slightly and reached out to pet it. It hissed loudly, bristling its white fur. It jumped out of the wizard's reach and curled up under Lily's arm with it's ears pulled back. Howl wasn't surprised in the least. The tiny furball hissed every time he tried to snatch it up. It even eyed him everywhere he went. 
        "He hasn't left your side, since Michael found you but for some reason he won't let anyone else touch him. I thought it was a phantom for sure until I had seen him coddle you just now."
Lily felt her throat constrict and forced herself to smile, "I found him in the marshes. He was dangling from a branch."
        Howl kinked a dark brow, "And not a patch of mud on the thing?"
Lily slowly lifted her arm watching the cat's ears perk up. She pet his head and waited for the soft purring. "This is your world, not mine. I don't understand how things work."
        Howl wasn't buying it but he let it pass regardless. She would slip eventually. 
"It seems that I have found another book for you to mend. And I have made supper."
Lily smiled and pretended to cringe, "What did you make?"
"Soup." He snapped. "Perfect for a nosy girl like you."
        Lily looked around the room and stopped the Wizard at the foothold. "Howl? Is this your room?"
"That it is, and I had better not see you snooping around in here over that pesky curse of yours." He wagged a finger at her. "Damned thing is ever so troublesome."
        She followed him out with the white demon in tow. She hardly hid her smile when Michael came up to hug her. "I was so worried that Howl had turned you into mush."
"Why would he think that?" She asked, already knowing the answer.
        Howl, turned with three bowls balancing on his arms. "Because I told him I would."
The three sat down and enjoyed the soup that was made. It filled them with a warm feeling in their stomachs as the rain pelted down in Kingsbury. By now Calcifer would be complaining about the rain and the annoying pitter-patter of the droplets on the window. 
        Much to everyone's surprise Calcifer said nothing. He hardly rolled his face over on his log. All the while the new guest of the castle stared at the fire intently, hardly touching it's milk saucer.
"What's wrong with Calcifer?" Lily asked.
Howl shrugged, "Been like that since you both left yesterday. He didn't even complain when I said I'd be cooking."
        Ifrit didn't move a muscle. He continued to stare until Lily went to bed near the hearth on her cot.

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