Outlaw Magic by King DB

Author:King, DB
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Published: 2021-12-07T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

“No. Absolutely not.”

Alec and Trystara sat around a great wooden table in a room filled with people. All around them were the sounds of drinking, shouting, and the playing of games. This was the Friendly Calf Inn, the tavern where Alfhild had arranged for Alec and his group to rest after their long journey to Job’s Bet.

Trystara hated it.

“Trys, you’ve got to come down there with me tomorrow,” Alec asked, hating the pleading sound in his voice. He’d come so far toward an equitable relationship with his familiar, yet this business with the Alterers threatened to throw a wrench into the whole thing. Why wouldn’t the demoness see reason?

“It’s not happening. I’m not speaking to some jumped up animal handler, and I’m not letting anyone put me in one of those... those zoos!” There was real malice in Trystara’s voice now—the kind that didn’t simply go away with a kind word or two. “I thought we were past this, master, I really did!”

Alec sighed. It might have been easier to convince Trystara if he had some backup, but the rest of his group had dispersed almost as soon as they’d reached the tavern. Maimonides had headed back down to the lower levels to assist Viya with some experiments—he’d told Alec with a twinkle in his eyes that the two of them were having dinner as well—and Alison had left not soon after on some errand for the Inscribers or other. Something about getting a message to her parents’ city before they arrived if at all possible.

And Eleira had gone upstairs almost immediately. He supposed he couldn’t blame his beloved—she’d been pretty exhausted. Unlike him, she hadn’t spent the last two days recuperating from her injuries. Instead, she’d been at his side day and night, worrying herself nearly sick. Combine that with the trip to see Alfhild and the tour of Viya’s Alteration facilities, and Eleira was in some serious need of rest and relaxation.

Which left Alec alone with his familiar, drinking in the common room of the Friendly Calf.

“Do you want to tell me why it is you’re against all this, or will I have to get it out of you weeks from now?” Alec didn’t mean to sound so frustrated, but well—he was frustrated. That was the problem. Trystara’s actions made no sense.

“I told you,” the demoness said, sticking out her tongue. “I’ll evolve when I feel like it. And not a moment before. They’re not sticking metal plates all over me before I figure out whether or not I even want to change into another form!”

“Trys... you know I love you,” Alec sighed, trying another tack. “Eleira loves you, too —she apologized to you about a hundred times before she went upstairs. I can tell you she feels awful—”

“It’s not about that,” Trystara said, holding up a hand to forestall Alec. “It’s about what I want, Alec. I’m the ruler of my own body, not those tinkerers downstairs. Not that gnome, either, no matter how nice his intentions are.

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