Chapter 27 (1/2)

“The dragons are back, milord.”

Zollstock raised his head and stood up. He was doing paper work in one of the storage rooms. For the past month, he had to avoid Mina for the sake of the castle’s integrity. He smiled and clapped the sentry on the shoulder. “Take me to them,” he said.

Tafel and Vur sat on Prika’s head. Vur wore black leather pants with Lust sheathed on his belt. Tafel had brown leather pants and boots along with a white woolen sweater that Lindyss knit for her. A third pair of horns sprout from her temples. They grew towards the back of her head, but curved downwards once they passed her ears.

They held each other’s hands as Zollstock and Mina came towards the gate from opposite directions.

“Tafel,” Mina said, “I’m so glad you’re okay.” She was wearing a white dress with purple embroidery decorating the edges.

“Come here and give your mother a hug,” Mina said and opened her arms.

Tafel shook her head and hugged Vur’s arm. “I don’t want to go home,” Tafel said. Mina’s face cramped. Zollstock started to sweat. Is the curse still not gone? he thought.

“Don’t say that, dear,” Zollstock said with a smile, “your mother missed you very much. Come and give us a hug. Then you can tell us about everything that happened.”

“You won’t listen to me,” Tafel said and she hugged Vur tighter, “you never do. It’s always Tafel do this, or Tafel do that. I never get to do what I want to do.” Tears leaked from her eyes and she started to cry.

Mina glared at Zollstock and her horns pulsed with a faint red color. Zollstock gulped and his face paled.

“Tafel. Come here. Right now,” Zollstock said and pointed towards the ground in front of him.

Tafel shook her head and buried her face into Vur’s shoulder. Her body shook as she sobbed. Vur looked towards Sera.

“She doesn’t have to go, right mom?” Vur asked. He ran his fingers through Tafel’s hair and combed it.

Smoke rose out of Sera’s nostrils as she sighed. “She has to,” Sera said, “we can’t keep the princess of a nation.”

Grimmy grinned. “You know, she won’t be the princess of a nation if the nation’s gone right?” he said with his teeth showing.

Mina and Zollstock paled and their stomachs sank.

“Grimmy!” Leila said and tugged his wing, “don’t even joke about things like that in front of them.”

Grimmy laughed and looked at the two rulers. “I’m only playing around,” he said while swishing his tail, “you have such a nice looking city, it’d be a shame if something were to happen to it.” He yawned and showed off his teeth before smiling.

“Is that really necessary?” Vernon asked Grimmy.

“Of course. I’m just reminding them of their place in the food chain lest they get any stupid ideas,” Grimmy said and turned to the demons, “uniting with the humans and building a garrison on the borders of our forest? If it weren’t for the patriarch’s orders…”

He smiled. “Just give me a reason to go to war.”

Zollstock and Mina fell to their knees and lowered their heads. “We would never think to do something that audacious. The garrison is only there to protect our lands from the undead,” Zollstock said, “thank you for taking care of our daughter for the past month.”

Grimmy stared at the two for a moment then snorted and turned away.

Prika lowered her head until Vur and Tafel were level with the city wall. Vur and Tafel didn’t move.

“Go on,” Prika said and tilted her head towards the wall. Vur hugged Tafel and turned towards Sera.

She nodded once.