The Angels Have Fallen

Chapter 8- Myrah

Greetings dear readers. I took a while to get back into my book because its senior year. But im back and ready to continue my writing. I hope you guys will enjoy it:)
Twig aka. Kota

Oh and pronunciation for Minyl:(Min-el)
Casadia: (Cuh-say-Dee-uh)
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Myrah

"How long will the trip to Minyl be?" Siris looks at me. I grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the way of a demon running down the street. Once the person ran past, I let go of him.
    "Minyl is the highest point here in hell. It's also where one of our most famous cities is. Since we're on the outskirts of the kingdom...I reckon it'll take about two weeks."
    Siris stared at me in disbelief.
    "Two weeks?? I have to get home bythen..can't we just fly?"
    "No. Flying will get you in trouble. Us demons don't fly, remember? Those who can are discriminated against."
    He stood silent for a bit.
    "But...we can grab horses with the money you earned."
    Siris smiled.
    "And you were scolding me."
    "It was dangerous."
    "But it worked."
    "Hey," I put my hands in my pockets. "Isn't it a rule in heaven that you can't swindle?"
    "First," he started,"I didn't swindle. The man really liked what you made. Second, my world isn't that different from yours. Just a little cleaner...and not as hot."
    I raised in eyebrow in curiosity. I am aware that the angels aren't the righteous beings they claim to be, but I didn't expect Siris to admit their flaws so quickly. To think I thought he was arrogant.
    "You don't believe me?"
    "I do."
    "Then why that look?"
    "Im just thinking..."
    Siris turns around and walks backwards in boredom. I roll my eyes.
    "You're too confident for your own good."
    "You're confident. Im just trying to act normal like you."
    "Hmm. Fair enough." My nose ached again and I frowned. I found myself wishing I had some type of healing power rather than that of illusions.
    "So, do you have combat experience?" I glance at him.
    "I've been trying to practice with a sword actually."
    "Are you any good?"
    He sighs and turns back around.
    "Not really."
    "How have you survived until now- you don't even know how to use your own power."
    "I farmed. My parents thought I was too weak to fight as a kid...I mean I didn't know of my power until now. I guess I haven't been in this much distress in a while."
    "You might be right." I glance over him. His hands were a bit rough and his skin was sun tanned. His trading skills were good too. His story added up.
    "If you lie to me again, I'll fire you." I narrow my eyes, grab my knife from my waist, and point it at him. "Im serious"
    He shrugs it off.
    "I hired you."
    "Same difference."
                                                ...

We walked out of Kiah and into Casadia in two hours. He hummed along the way, earning my annoyed side eye. I pulled him away from drooling over the chocolate booth and over to an inn.
"Hello." An unamused clerk started, "Here at Grey's Inn, we have the finest-"
"Just give me a room please. One night."
The clerk nodded.
"That'll be 200 shillings."
"My stars. Is everyone trying to rip me off these days?"
"We have free food and clean water."
I mumble a 'screw you' and hand the money to the clerk. They smile at me and give me a key.
"Lotus room. It's up the stairs and down the hall to the left."
"Okay."
I sigh and look at Siris who was tracing his fingers along a carved flute on the wall.
"Siris. Come on."
Siris blinked and followed me through the crowd of noisy people and up the stairs.
"I was thinking. Since I sold the stone, I should get a cut of the money."
Glancing at him, I folded my arms and reach the top of the creaky wooden stairs. "What do you need money for?"
"The flute I was looking at earlier. It was really pretty and im sure it sounds beautiful-"
"No."
Siris sighed, "fine."
I furrowed my brows, confused that he had given up so quickly. I may have even said yes.
We reached the end of the brightly lit hallway. It smelt like lavender and citrus leaves with a bit of smoked wood mixed in. I twisted the small metal key into the lock and opened the door.
    It was a mostly open room, with a carved wooden frame for the bed, wood floors, and grey stoned walls. There was a window- well, more like a wall, that was open to the city. It let in a light breeze.
The bed sheets were a plain purple, a dye that was common in the outskirts of Hell due to the only fruit that survived the barren place, Lilly berries.
The space was clean and to the left of the room is a door that I assumed lead to the bathroom.
"You should get an apartment like this." Siris removed his cloak and wiped some sweat from his forehead.
"I wish." I sighed, locked the door and walking over to Siris, I stared at him critically.
"What?"
"Here's the deal," I stopped the illusion I put on my nose and pointed to it, "this swollen mess can't happen again."
"How did you-"
"Which means that I'm going to have to teach you to control your power."
While it was dangerous to activate his powers with so many nearby demons, it would be convenient if he could figure out how to do something useful with it. Plus, I need to know his limits if I ever need to protect myself from him.
"So, no more hiding my power?"
"We are hiding your power...later."
"Great," Siris stretches a bit, "how do I do this?"
I narrowed my eyes and circled him.
"What you did to that Juckan earlier was a neat trick. My guess is that you have some sort of telekinesis. Most telekinesis I've seen only moves objects...apparently you've only moved living things. What powers do your parents and siblings have?"
Siris thought, "My brother can enchant objects. My father can heal with the things he makes, kind of like my brother's enchanting. My mother can talk to animals."
"Well that's not helpful."
"Is me being able to move living things a good thing?"
"Sure, if you know how to use it. First, we need to learn how to activate your core. Heightened emotional states will do the trick. Think of something that makes you angry."
"Like what?"
"Anything?" I stop pacing in front of him and raise an eyebrow. "Maybe someone wronged you and your family?"
"Okay. I found something."
"Close your eyes and focus on the feeling. Try to imagine the anger gathering in your chest."
Siris nodded and I see a faint glow come from under his shirt.
"Now hold onto that. Open your eyes and try to move your cloak from the bed with your thoughts. Maybe a hand movement."
Despite his seemingly fragile look, his core was by far one of the strongest I'd ever been in the presence of. I could feel his power in the air around me, it made it hard to breath...and to be honest its scary.
He could lose control and kill me.
Siris opened his eyes and turned to the cloak. He made a face that I could only describe as that of someone struggling to take a shit.
I laughed and Siris's chest stopped glowing. He looked at me in surprise.
"What's so funny?"
"The face you made. I don't think youre going to be able to move objects anytime soon."
"Ever the optimist huh?"
'Try moving my arm." I was afraid of asking him to use his power on me, it didn't go too well for the Juckan, but this was necessary.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"What if I accidentally kill you?"
I swallowed, "my demon spirit will take its revenge."
Siris's face went pale.
"Really?"
"I was kidding. Don't overestimate yourself. Bones aren't as easy to snap as Juckan endoskeletons. Ill be fine."
He nodded and the air grew static again. He held his hand out and I felt I a tug on my arm. First gentle, then strong. I blinked as I was yanked through the air and slammed into Siris's chest.
He stops and backs up, grabbing my shoulders worriedly.
"Are you okay?"
I nodded and step away from him. The only sound in the room being the clicks of the bugs outside.
"You intentionally pulled me towards you?"
"It was just supposed to be a little- I'm so sorry."
I crossed my arms and returned to the middle of the room.
"Again. We're doing this until you only move me two feet forward."
Siris grinned.
"I can do that."
"Then let's go."
                ...
Three hours later, I was sitting on the floor with a cup of water in my hand. Siris was laying on the floor in exhaustion while I rubbed the bruise on my knee that I had gotten from hitting the bed post.
"Your control is slightly better. Practice on some bugs."
Siris sighed.
"I nearly flung you out the window."
"I'm charging extra for that."
"I don't blame you."
While it was annoying being the training dummy, it was worth it. He managed to move me exactly where I had told him to. He even made me levitate, which is how I nearly fell out the window. He couldn't keep me still in the air.
On the positive side, he was able to keep his power from being noticed by me. I had to be close to him to feel it.
"I'm hungry." Siris glanced at me and tucked a strand of hair behind his ear.
I stood up and tied my hair into a low ponytail.
"Come on then."
"Really?"
"Do you not think I'm hungry too?"
"I don't know." He stood up and grabbed his cloak, pulling it over his undershirt. "You always seem so blank. I can't read you."
I frowned a bit and looked at him.
"There's no need to." Grabbing my things, I put the metal box inside the big pouch at my hip. I walked out the door and down the stairs with Siris.
The inn took up the whole block and had fancy wooden floors and paintings on the wall. It was one of the most lavish places I'd ever been to, and I had been on quite a few missions delivering packages to crazy rich people. There were flowers decorating the windowsills, all matching the purple and blue color schemes of the building. Two large staircases led to the purple tinted foyer, and beyond the foyer, the lunch hall.
Siris looked around the lunch hall at the few people eating. It was normal for demons to eat late at night rather than in the middle of the day, so it was fairly empty.
"Can we take anything?"
"Yes. Have as much as you want. I don't want to waste money on food tomorrow."
He nodded and chose to fill his plate with roasted vegetables, potatoes, and broiled chicken.
I grabbed a good serving of beans and rice and we sat down at a wooden table near the windows of the room.
"This is pretty good." He stuffed his face with spoons of food and nearly choked on a carrot.
I cracked a small smile.
"It's decent." I mixed my rice with the beans and swallowed a bite. Running on meat sticks and crackers took its toll. The taste and warmth of the food made me tempted to stay. As if I could ever do that.
Siris may be my only chance at living a life not needing to worry about food. I'd make enough money to have a small black smith business and I wouldn't have to worry about far away jobs and no sleep. Seeing him sitting there made me feel sad. It's wrong to do this. Uncle would be so disappointed...but what choice do I have. He won't be able to go back home, and I can't take care of an extra person on top of myself.
I set my fork down and sighed.
"I have to leave at five to drop off something. In the meantime, I'd like you to stay in the room and lay low."
"Okay. Will you be gone for long?"
"Maybe an hour or two."
"Can I come with you?" He whispered, "I don't feel safe being alone, you know with the hunt for angels."
You shouldn't feel safe with me.
"Fine." I could agree that it would be less of a risk if he was by my side than by himself in a building full of demons.
"But these people are dangerous too. You can't be noticed."
"Okay, Myrah."
Finishing my food, I stood up and grabbed my plate.
"Now let's go shower and wash our clothes."
Siris stood up, took my plate and his, and put both on the dirty dish rack.
"Finally. I'm in desperate need of a shower." He walked towards the stairs and I followed behind him.
When we got to the room, I ordered him to take off his garments.
"What?! Why?"
"I need to wash the clothes. Leave your shorts and undershirt on."
He nodded and handed me the clothes to wash.
"It'll take half an hour. Drying shouldn't take more than an hour though. Try to practice with your power a bit."
Siris gave me a thumbs up and I walked into the bathroom and got the water running. I heard a few creaks from the room and then a soft strum that could only be described as what I imagined a star would sound like.
Soaking the clothes in the water, I leaned a little closer to the door and listened in. The music was beautiful.
"Sit with me my love, we'll see stars from up above." Another strum.
"Walk with me my dear, no we won't go far from here. A stroll through the park, ice cream and strawberries in our cups."
I found myself enamored with his voice. How clear and warm it was, and how it complemented the gentle plucking of the harp. Clearing my throat, I put soap in the clothes and scrubbed it.
And for the first time in months. I cried.