Nox Inferno

Chapter 38: Goblins

“Took you two long enough!” Clementine huffed as she crossed her arms.

“Where’s your food?” Alvina cocked an eyebrow.

“I ate it already.” I couldn’t bear to take another bite of my food after watching Kai throw up. It made me feel slightly queasy, but I didn’t want to spoil the mood. So I threw it out when he wasn’t looking.

“Is that a teddy bear?” Melody cooed with her eyebrows raised.

I threw the teddy bear at her and looked away, “So what if it is.”

She snickered as she handed the bear back to me, “Did he win it for you?” Alvina piped up.

“N-no.” I stuttered, trying my hardest not to smile. I need to become better at lying.

“How sweet.” Zephyr teased as he batted his eyelashes and bumped into Kai.

“Shut up.” Even with his usual force, it didn’t seem like Kai’s Dux Command was working.

“He’s embarrassed.” Alistair laughed as he slung his arm over Melody causing Kai to turn his deadly scowl onto him.

“Let’s go shopping!” Lamina called out, redirecting the situation. I sent her a silent, ‘thank you’ which she returned with a nod, “Didn’t you say you wanted to buy a necklace?” She asked Melody.

“Oh your right!” Melody linked arms with Lamina, “I always get some sort of necklace. It’s a tradition.”

I’m pretty sure it was Sebastian who snorted, “It can’t be a tradition if you only did it twice.”

Melody glared at her brother, “That’s how tradition starts.”

“Oh burn.” Harry taunted Sebastian or was it, Sebastian taunted Harry.

“Forgive these two. They don’t have class.” Melody apologized.

I think it was Sebastian who slung his arm on Alvina causing Zephyr to growl. Sebastian grinned at the jealous Zephyr before removing his arm.

“Sorry. I didn’t know she was taken.” Sebastian apologized.

Alvina looked straight into Zephyr’s eyes as she said, “I’m not.” Then grabbed Sebastian’s arm and placed it back to where it once was. All while looking Zephyr completely in the eyes. Did something happen?

“Fine.” Zephyr said through gritted teeth before pulling Lamina into his arms. Quickly he winked at me and my mouth fell open. Did they plan that? I looked over to an emotionless Alvina who was staring at Lamina. She quickly glanced at me and nodded ever so slightly. There was no doubt about it. They did this on purpose.

I felt Kai’s eyes on me. I looked up at him to find him staring at me with those curious blue eyes. I snuggled into the teddy bear to hide the guilt that was no doubt written on my face.

Lamina cleared her throat but didn’t move away from Zephyr, “Let’s go trinket shopping.” She said as she hesitantly grabbed Zephyr’s sleeve and blushed.

Clementine grabbed Kai’s arm and trudged on ahead. Kai glanced back at me helpless and I couldn’t help but laugh at his expression. Almost making me forget that he’s was being dragged away from me. Almost.

“I guess that leaves you and me.” Harry chuckled, “I guess I have no choice but to be your escort.” He sighed dramatically.

I giggled and grabbed onto his arm, “How kind of you.”

Causing him to puff out his chest and smoothen his hair back, “I am one of a kind after all.” He said as laughter crept into his voice.

As we glanced at each other we broke out laughing again. I turned to look at Kai who was now looking at me. I smiled and gave him the thumbs up. He just rolled his eyes and turned back when Clementine tugged on his arm.

“Are you two a thing?” Harry asked.

“No.” I said quietly.

“Do you want to be?” He asked.

Yes. But I couldn’t bring myself to voice it so instead I dragged him to a booth accompanied Alistair and Melody. Inside each of the glass cases where all types of medieval jewelry. But above it all was a golden crown weaved to look like water droplets. The stones where the most unique part. Part of it was deep blue which slowly blended into a blood red. I ran my fingers over the glass casing.

“It’s called Semi’s Crown.” A voice said startling me from my trance, “Legend has it that there where Demons once upon a time that had more than one element known as Semis. But since the great divide, that power has long been forgotten. But these stones that proof that they existed. If another Semi should arise, this crown would help find them. ” I turned to the familiar blue headed boy.

“You sure know a lot about jewelry, Lord Lir.” I said teasingly.

“I know a lot about everything.” Lord Lir grinned at me, “Do you like the crown?”

I smiled at the stones, “It’s beautiful but inconvenient. When would someone wear a crown?” I shook my head.

“I’ll take it.” Lir called out and another greenish man appeared. Lir exchanged the pouch and the green man handed him the crown.

“Is it for your fiancé?” I asked as Lir slipped the crown into his leather satchel.

“I know she’s going to love it. Thank you.” He bowed and disappeared into the crowd.

“Who was that?” Melody ran up to me.

“Lord Lir of the Artic Ocean, I think.” I scrunched my eyebrows. He said Artic Ocean, right?

“He’s hot.” She fanned herself.

I shrugged, “If you say so. He’s taken though.”

“You can’t see his beauty because you like Kai.” I gasped and covered her mouth. I looked around but no one else seemed to hear her. She pealed my fingers away from her mouth, one-by-one, “If you didn’t like Kai then you would fall for him.”

I glared at her, “That’s not true.” My eyes widened but it was too late.

“So you admit you have the hots for Kai?” She giggled.

“Stop it!” I bumped into her, “Did you buy anything?”

She opened a small brown bag, “I know I said I wanted a necklace but how could I not buy this.” She took out a golden wired masquerade mask. It was shaped like a butterfly with an amber teardrop diamond placed elegantly above the antenna of the butterfly. When it caught the light it began to give off a reddish hue.

“Woah!” I exclaimed as she stuffed it back into the brown bag.

“I’m going to wear it for tomorrow’s masquerade ball. I’m going to be a monarch butterfly. What do you think?” She toyed with the stings of the bag.

“I can’t wait to see it all together.” I exclaimed as Harry and Alistair approached.

“What are you talking about?” Alistair asked.

“Oh nothing. You might get the wrong idea.” I laughed when his smile dropped.

“Let it go already.” He groaned.

“But then where is the fun in that?” I asked as I tried to quirk my eyebrow.

Melody gaped, “I’m rubbing off on you.” She pulled me into a hug, and I rolled my eyes.

“What are you getting?” Alistair asked looking at the lack of bags in my arms.

I shrugged, “I don’t have demon currency.”

Alistair looked at me confused, “ I forget your new to this. Goblins-“ He pointed to the greenish looking man, “accept all currency. You pay the amount you think it will cost and if they like the deal they will take it. Goblins like to collect all sort of money or jewels then resell it.”

“They are like the demon version of an ATM!” I exclaimed.

“You know if you keep saying ‘demon’ in front of everything. They will know you are a newcomer and scam you out of every penny.” Harry leaned over and whispered.

I put a hand on my mouth, “Oh so they aren’t an ATM just a human businessman.” I joked.

“Now you sound like a demon.” Alistair grinned.

“Why thank you.” I fell into a dramatic bow.

“Get up! People might think I’m making you bow.” Alistair pulled me up.

I laughed, “Where did the others go?”

Melody pointed to giant purple tent, “They went to see the show.”

How did I not see that there before?

“Nimrod.” Nyra chuckled.

“Oh you are talking to me again?” I thought back to her.

“I was leaving you to enjoy your date. How was I suppose to know that your date was dragged away?” She said with a laugh.

“I didn’t say anything. So how do you know?” I thought back.

“I went through your memories.” She said off-handedly.

“You can do that?” I put my hand to my head as if that would stop her from entering my mind.

“There’s a lot I can do. You just never asked to what extent.” She shrugged her wings.

“Do I want to know?” I asked.

“Do you want to know, what?” Melody asked breaking my concentration.

I laughed, “Sorry, I was talking to my owl.”

“That’s still weird. Every time you do it, I think you are talking to yourself and I get worried.” She said.

I rubbed my neck like Kai does, “I need to work on that.”

“Are you done with your conversation with your bird?” Alistair asked. I nodded, “So let’s go check out the show.”

He grabbed Melody’s and my arm. Harry was jogging besides us, “What show is it?” I asked.

Alistair grinned and winked, “A magic show.”