Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
After telling himself that ridiculous lie, Luke slung his bag onto his shoulder and stood up on trembling legs. His breathing was ragged as he crossed the room and tiptoed down the stairs, skipping the one that creaked the worst. He clenched his teeth, pulled his door open, and screamed when he was greeted by the sight of Azroth on the other side.
Luke fell backward on the stairs, hitting his elbow on the railing and knocking his head on one of the steps. Stars exploded in front of his eyes, but after his vision cleared, he found the demon was still standing there with a weary frown on his lips.
“I even came here in my human form so I wouldn’t scare you,” Azroth stated in a disgusted voice.
“S-sorry. I wasn’t expecting you to be there. I thought the hallway would be empty.”
Azroth’s frown eased a bit. “Oh. That’s a good point. Forgive me.”
Luke blinked at him for a second, his brain still trying to comprehend that the demon had apologized to him. “Um…last night…you…you told me you’re a demon, right? I didn’t dream that.”
“Correct.”
Luke swallowed hard. “And the others…”
“Demons as well.” Azroth took a deep breath and released it. “That’s what I’ve come to discuss with you. Do you have a few minutes to chat before you leave for class?”
“I…um…” Luke stammered. He wasn’t sure his heart or brain could take another “chat” with the demon. His thoughts were shattered glass already, and he was sure he’d never be able to piece them together. Was Azroth trying to grind what remained to powder?
Sadly, the demon didn’t wait for an answer.
“Let’s talk in your room.” He took a step forward, and Luke loudly clambered to his feet. As he tried to adjust his bag on his shoulder, the strap ripped, but it didn’t tumble to the ground. Azroth’s hand shot out, and he caught it, pulling it the rest of the way from Luke.
“Hm. This ripped. I’ll mend it while we talk,” he announced, and Luke’s brain tapped out. The demon was scary and threatening, but also he was fixing Luke’s backpack. Nothing in this world would ever make sense again.
All he could do was climb the stairs with the demon trailing behind him. When he reached the attic, he stepped aside, allowing the demon to enter. Azroth’s attention was on the battered bag as a glowing black thread darted here and there across the thing. He wasn’t just mending the torn strap, but also the spot where the zipper was tearing from the bag and the hole that was steadily growing in the bag’s bottom. After less than a minute, Azroth handed the bag to Luke, and the thing looked brand-new.
“Whoa…” He exhaled. He stumbled to the bed and sat heavily on the edge of the mattress as he inspected the bag. “Th-thank you. That’s amazing.”
“It was nothing. I startled you, causing you to rip the bag. It was only fitting that I repair it.” Azroth replied. Luke looked up in time to see Azroth wave a hand at the empty spot across from the bed. A black leather high-back chair similar to what was in the library appeared in a curl of black and red smoke.
With a regal air, the demon sat in the chair and crossed his left leg over his right knee. His elbows rested on the arms of the chair, and he folded his hands in his lap. “I wish to discuss our living arrangement.”
Gulp…
“Do I need to leave today?”
“Not as long as we can come to an amicable living arrangement.”
“Oh.”
Azroth lifted a hand and motioned to Luke. “The point of renting a room to you was to relieve some boredom.”
“You were bored? I would never have guessed that demons could get bored.”
A heavy sigh escaped Azroth, and his head slumped like a wilted flower. “Try existing for eons and see how well you avoid boredom.”
“Oh, that’s a good point,” Luke murmured, talking mostly to himself.
Azroth’s face scrunched up slightly and added in a low tone, “Not to mention, we’re technically not supposed to be here.”
“Huh? Really?”
Azroth huffed and motioned a bit wildly with one hand. “It’s not our fault, but rather the fault of the people who summon demons. People want to cut corners or get revenge, so they summon a demon to do a job, saving them from getting their hands dirty.” He paused to roll his eyes, and Luke had to swallow a giggle. It was clear Azroth felt these “little jobs” were so beneath him. “Naturally, any request requires payment, and most summoners don’t read the fine print. More often than not, we take the payment after the job is done, but then there’s no one left to send us back to Hell.”
“And you can’t return on your own?”
The demon slowly arched one thin, sculpted eyebrow at Luke. “Would you?”