Authors: Alexandra Rowland
Lucien knew they should have been gone already. Something made him stop, made him watch the door with dread. Liquid crept under the door and soaked into the carpet; the sharp tang of gasoline bit at Lucien's senses, and all at once, the something that had made him stay was released, and he was dragging Lalael away from the door, both of them shaking, but... They backed away together, the cat at their feet.
An instant passed, and the soaked carpet burst into flame. They fled; Lucien scooped Antichrist into his arms, manifesting his wings with a snap of displaced air once he reached the balcony, and leaped into the dark void of night, Lalael inches behind him.
They landed on a hill overlooking the bay. The clouds still overcast the sky, but near the horizon, a sliver of moon limned a streak of silver down the waters of the harbor, and beyond that, the sea.
Lucien sat on the grass with his wings wrapped around him and looked out over it. There was a long silence. “You know,” Lucien said suddenly, pointing to the flickering patch of light and ignoring how his hand was trembling, “sailors used to call that the moon's road.”
“
Fascinating,” Lalael said, inspecting their valuables in the dim light as best he could. “What are we going to do now?”
“
They used to say to make a wish whenever the ship sailed over it.”
“
We've got a handful of gold, which, by the way, will be useless. We should have been asking for clean water as payment.”
“
Humans –” Lucien cleared his throat and tried again. “Humans really like wishing, have you noticed that?”
“
The way I see it, we have two choices. We can try to survive as best we can on our own, or we can beg shelter from someone with resources to spare. Who knows how long we'll have to go with the first one.”
“
I like wishing too,” Lucien continued. He wasn't about to let his voice waver. “I wish our things weren't on fire.”
“
On the other hand, we'd have to pretend to be human. Also, don't know how long we'd have to keep that up.”
“
I don't know why I like wishing. It's sort of silly, isn't it? Our things are still on fire.”
“
No,” Lalael said vehemently. “It isn't silly! They wanted to kill us, didn't you see? I told you, Lucien.”
“
Hm? Were you saying something?”
Lalael bristled. “I was saying that pretending to be human isn't silly if it will get us – oh, I don't know – not killed?”
“
Oh. Why would we do that? I was talking about wishes.”
“
Lucien, focus! How are we going to survive?”
“
I want to make a wish,” Lucien declared suddenly, standing with an awkward flail of wings. “I'll be back in a minute.”
“
Where are you going?” demanded the angel.
“
I'm going to fly over the moon's road. Maybe then our things won't be
on fire
.” He was surprised at how deeply the idea unsettled him.
“
It won't work. It moves. You'll be over the horizon.”
“
But that moves too.”
“
And you'll fly forever before you can make your wish.”
Lucien shrugged. “I'll go down to the Pier and see if I can scrounge up a fishing net, then. We'll catch a lot of fish and then sell them for a place where things are not
on fire.
”
“
But you said the sea was poisoned.”
“
Only near the coast. I'll fly past it. Want to come?”
“
No. 'Don't fly in the dark,' they used to tell us.”
“
Proverbs,” Lucien said, shaking his head. “The humans say 'Look before you leap', but sometimes you have to leap and look at the same time. Like just now. When there's
fire
. I'll be back.”
He was gone in a wingbeat, and Lalael watched the shadow fly towards the moon and over the black sea. Antichrist twined around Lalael's ankles and meowed.
“
Yes, of course he'll bring you fish.” Lalael shifted, stretched his legs out, and lifted the cat into his lap.
Purr, rub.
“
I know,” Lalael sighed, leaning back on his elbows in the grass. “Eventually, maybe, but it won't be fine for a long while.”
Antichrist walked up his chest and stared into his eyes.
“
Lies,” replied Lalael. “You don't know what you're saying.”
The cat waited patiently, but Lalael didn't know what it wanted. When he didn't figure it out, the cat bit his hand.
“
Ow!
Danama
!” He didn't care about swearing the Earth way anymore. Lalael pushed the cat off and glared. Antichrist sneezed at him and stalked away into the dark. “Oh yeah?” Lalael hissed after him. “Well, same to you, devilspawn!”
***
Lalael awoke when Lucien dropped to the ground with a thud.
“
Told you it was impossible,” he said to the panting heap of limbs and wings.
“
Wasn't. Just like in supermarkets when you walk over the reflections of the lights on the floor. But it took longer. A lot longer.”
Lalael looked at him blearily. “I haven't the faintest idea of what you're talking about,” he said.
“
I brought a net of fish.”
“
One of them is for your damn cat.”
Lucien nodded.
“
And the rest are for bartering our shelter.”
“
I already did.”
“
Already did what?”
“
Bought our safety. The people in the harbor have been sailing out past the red tide, they have fish and rainwater aplenty. They told me they've had trouble with people catching weird diseases – you know, fevers, thrashing, seizures...”
“
Possessions.”
“
Bingo. I told them I know how to cure it, and they offered me a boat to live on. I told you they'd form tribes. Sailors against the food-stealing landlubbers, you know.” Lalael opened his eyes and stared at Lucien. “Don't you like boats?”
“
We have to go in disguise. No wings, at all. Not even at night when we think everyone's asleep.”
“
Right. And no bright firelight or moonlight. We'll just keep our skin and hair covered and turn our faces away. We can do it.”
“
For how long?”
“
As long as we need to,” Lucien shrugged. “Now come along, Lael, they're expecting us.”
Lalael groaned and sat up. “What time is it?”
“
According to the watchman, it was four in the morning.” Lucien pointed towards the eastern sky, which was just beginning to turn gray. “And the end of his watch.”
“
Why?” Lalael yawned, slinging his bag over his shoulder.
“
So the marina doesn't get raided, I suppose. The whole harbor has bonded together for this, you know! The entire waterfront! Incredible, aren't they, the humans?” Lucien bent down to pick up Antichrist, who had appeared out of nowhere, as was his wont.
“
Astounding,” the angel grumbled. “Let's go.”
Lucien spoke as they walked through the park towards the harbor. “The watchman let me in and sent me to someone down on the dock, who took me up to their headquarters, the good ship
Amazing Grace
.” Lalael mumbled an acknowledgement. “Apparently, they have someone on call there all the time, and that's where they've been keeping the possessed people.”
“
Mm,” said Lalael with another jaw-splitting yawn.
“
So I fixed up a few of them – in private, of course, with all the hatches covered – and everyone (the nice lady on the
Amazing Grace
, and the kid who'd taken me down to the boat, and the watchman) agreed that the Captain would certainly let us stay.” Lucien smiled proudly. “Probably,” he added.
Lalael glared at him. “What do you mean probably?”
“
Well,” Lucien drew the word out into three syllables, “technically we're outsiders, so it's only natural that they'd want their leader to approve of us, but unfortunately he wasn't awake yet, and no one wanted to disturb him. So they sent me to get you, and we'll meet him after breakfast.”
“
Just lovely,” Lalael grumbled. “I hate mornings.”
“
I shouldn't worry, 'Lael. They've definitely got a serious demon problem on the waterfront. We won't lack for work.”
“
How do you know?” he asked. “Did you see any?”
“
Well,” Lucien began.
“
How many?”
“
They're running around in the shadows in... well, herds.”
“
Herds?” Lalael demanded. “Herds! I have to live in a Síela-forsaken hellhole of a harbor while imps run about like rats.”
“
Yeah,” Lucien said with a thin laugh. “Pretty much. It's
all
imps and souleaters, yes.”
“
Really?” Lalael narrowed his eyes. “
All
imps and souleaters?”
“
Oh yes.” Lucien coughed, “Mostly.”
“
There's something else there. What is it?”
“
There might be a few others. Worse ones. I didn't see them.”
“
You know they're there. What are they?”
“
Nothing serious. A few spider-frogs, perhaps.”
“
That's it?” Lalael frowned, peering at his companion. “No. That's not all. There's others.”
Lucien hesitated for a moment. “I'm pretty sure there's at least two Naga.”
“
Which are?”
“
Human-headed snake. There were some on the battlefield.”
“
Oh.
Those.
” Lalael shuddered. “They smelt like...”
“
Yes. And there might possibly be a goblin, but I can't be sure about that. No worries, though. At least not an oni.”
Lalael didn't say anything, but a distinct sensation of Ignoring You now filled the air.
“
Hey, there's humans enough along the waterfront. We have the power of numbers. At least... until the demons start breeding.” Lucien paused, then his eyes lit up. “Then the world will be overrun with them and we'll all die!”
Sometimes, Lalael thought to himself, he really wanted to strangle Lucien.
***
They arrived at the waterfront in good time for breakfast – Lucien introduced himself to the watchmen at the gate, and they were allowed inside with instructions to go down to the
Amazing Grace
, and did Lucien remember where it was?
Lucien was fairly sure he did, so they clomped down the boardwalk and clattered down a steel ramp to the docks. Lalael watched as they walked, peering around corners and into nooks – anywhere a small animal could hide. He saw nothing and snorted. Herds indeed; Lucien had just been exaggerating after all. He focused instead on the marina: the spires of the masts rising into the gray of the pre-dawn sky, the stays clanging against them and whistling in the breeze, the slap of the waves against the hulls, the creaking of the docklines and the groans of the fenders as the vessels shifted.
The
Amazing Grace
was one of those large, boxy powerboats that rich hobby-fisherman-types love so dearly. She was painted blue and green and shiny-bright white, and her name was written in delicate, elegant gold scrollwork across her stern. Lucien was obviously rather enamored of this boat – or perhaps it was boats in general, Lalael reflected as the Fallen bent and rapped politely against the hull. A muffled acknowledgement, and Lucien was hopping nimbly over the rail as if he had been doing it all his life. Lalael handed over their bags and followed, somewhat less agile: It involved more of a step and an awkward hop while clinging to anything that looked stable, but the boat swayed alarmingly under him all the same.
Lalael could have sworn it was about to tip over, and he did not like it at all, but he stumbled after Lucien, who had obviously not noticed the peril they were in. Also obvious was what an embarrassment his companion was – Lucien had just greeted the two humans that had appeared from below deck with an intensely gleeful, “Ahoy, sailors,” and a charming grin that expressed his absolute, sheer relish at the situation he was currently in. They – the humans – guffawed.
Lalael gritted his teeth. People didn't actually say
ahoy
, he was sure.
“
Hi,” said the man, “you're the guy who turned up last night?”
“
Yes, yes,” Lucien answered, then added, with a beguiling glance at the woman from under the fringe of his curls, “Avast.”
Lalael again wanted to strangle him, but he settled for staring at the floor – the deck? – in abject mortification.
The woman giggled. Lucien apparently didn't know she was giggling
at
him. “You know,” she said, “Actually, we don't say that.”
“
Oh.” Lucien's face fell.
“
That's alright, though,” said the man. “We're Eric and Ann.”