Page 75 of Hell’s Weapon

“Yeah.” Tacita eyes each of us, like she doesn’t understand.

“Can we do that?” Seffy asks. “I know they’re helping us by teaching us but they never seem that friendly.”

“Well, I asked and she complied.” Tacita shrugs like it’s normal that we just get favours granted.

I nod. I’d not considered getting to know the guards much, they seemed more like our jailers than anything else. And most of them are a bit intimidating, even to me.

“They’re just people,” Tacita tacks on.

“They’re not though, are they? People, that is.” Seffy finally sits, perching on the foot of the bed I’m on. “They’re demons, or whatever.”

“Yeah, but so will we all be, if we survive this thing,” Tacita says.

“Guess I’d not really thought about that bit,” Seffy replies.

“What would you want to be?” Tacita asks her. Milo goes back to scribbling on the wall.

“I don’t think I want to be a shifter, it must be so weird to have another body,” Seffy says, shuddering.

“I’d love it,” I counter. “Imagine being something with wings that could fly, it’d be freaking awesome.”

“Yeah, flying is definitely a perk,” Tacita says, nodding like she already knows. She catches herself and quickly adds, “I mean, I imagine it to be. Wouldn’t it be great to soar in the skies?”

“No thank you. I want my feet permanently on the ground,” Seffy says.

“What about you Milo?” I ask, bringing him back into the conversation. He seems most uncomfortable when there’s more than two people but I don’t want him left out. And I know no one in this room will judge him for needing to write something if he can’t sign it.

He does sign though, “I don’t know.”

“You haven’t thought about it? You seem to love studying the different species.” Tacita responds.

“Yeah, wouldn’t you love to be one of demon’s with bat wings or something, you were reading that book in class today. You’d look badass with those horns.”

Milo’s cheeks flush that beautiful rosy colour that I can’t help but smile at.

“He can’t be a true demon,” Tacita says.

“Why not?” I ask, offended on my partner’s behalf.

“Haven’t you been listening to the lectures? True demons are born, not bred. It's only the shifters, witches, and dark angels that are created.”

“Oh.” Guess I should pay more attention to some things. I had been studying but guess I’d only really been paying attention to the bits that interested me.

“Well, a shifter then. I could totally see you as a cute fluffy animal.” I look at Milo.

He breaks into one of his shy smiles and shakes his head. “Just want to survive,” he signs.

“That is something I think we can all agree on,” Seffy says.

“Here’s to that,” I agree.

“Then let’s get on and solve this thing.” Tacita says and we all get to work whilst munching on the various noodle, meat and vegetable dishes the women brought for us.

Chapter 25

Tacita

Two more groups fail over the next three days. And pay with their lives.