Quoted By:
“What is that? Some sort of contract? You must be mad if you think I’m just going to accept whatever that is without a word. What’s the stipulation? The cost? What are any of your terms?”
“Contract? What are you talking about, young master? Are you sure you’re alright? Maybe a drink would do you good after all, to calm the nerves.”
Frustrated by the demon's game Jet turned to the bug.
“Sesseljae. What’s written on there?”
“Erm. Sir. I can’t read. But that looks like a prayer script to me. Lots of us use those when praying to the Demon Princes.”
“The Yozi…”
“Yes sir. Traditionally one burns the script and makes an offering before saying a prayer. The most common offering is blood.”
The ape nods and nudges the paper once more. Jet looked at the ominous strip of paper and swallowed painfully. He had read many a contract before. But not even the ones with the most devious of fine prints ever made him this nervous. Part of him knew he could deny it, that part screamed at him, begged and tugged at him to simply leave. But the other needed to know. If anything the demon said holds a kernel of truth, then lady Catala was right and there is something terribly wrong with him. Now that he’s being offered an answer he couldn’t resist. He took the paper from the demon's hand, rolled it up and hid it under his belt-sash.
The large blood ape nodded.
“Well I see I can’t convince you. Goodnight your majesty. And uh, please make sure to take that sesseljae far away. Thank you.”
Jet nodded and gave a bow to the apes before leaving them to their drinking. Once he made his way back up the stairs he had the insect leave his body and they parted ways. He headed back to his chamber and the bug dragons know where. But despite the wishes of the erymanthus he did not have a good night. Neither dreams nor sleep came to him. He just laid in his bed, next to his sister, with one hand always resting on the strip of paper he received. It was still not too late, he thought. He could just hand it over to Catala, or throw it out, or tear it to shreds, or a myriad other things smarter than what he was about to do.
When the sun first rose over the horizon and its rays peered through the window Kaya rose from her slumber with a moan and a stretch that made her bones crackle.
“Hmmmm. Morning. You’re up early. Slept well?”
“Actually it was like sleeping with a block of ice under my blanket.”
“That’s what you get for lying next to a dragon of air. But I don’t recall you complaining about it yesterday.”
Kaya hopped out of her bed and put her robe on.
“Something wrong? You look a bit glum.”
“Just tired is all.”
“Alright. Then let’s see if we can’t rouse you from your slumber. What do you say we go on a little hunting trip after breakfast? That should perk you right up! We can take Ena with us as well. Go on a real Threshold safari, just the three of us.”
