Chapter 124 - One-Hundred-Thirteen (1/2)
The elder elf seemed displeased with this back and forth conversation, but I could not care less about his opinion, already at the edge of my seat and ready to make my point known by force if needed.
”Alright, alright, we will talk about that brother of yours but wait a little! Calm down first and hear me out alright?” Helraya suddenly says, making us all look at her with displeasure in your eyes as we question why in the world would she see fit to interrupt us right now.
”I-I think we should not go after him right now.” She starts blabbering out before we can interrupt, and I'm about to slash out at her when she raises her arms and speaks even quicker: ”If the Demon King is there when we invade he will take your brother far away, he has some very annoying skills that are capable of such things and he knows that you can't act harshly while he has your brother with him.”
If smoke could raise from my ears I think I would be steaming right now, but for the sake of my brother I take a deep breath, even if against my will, and say:
”…Explain.” I barely manage to speak between growls, hoping that this little plan of hers is worth the patience I'm having with all of them right now.
”The Demon King is interested in you, right? He even sent you an invitation, what I think we should do is to bait him out of there while another team goes and rescue your brother!”
”So you want me to sit and wait even knowing where he may be only so that I have a cup of tea with Cain?!” I ask, my mind turning blank with rage.
”Wait, Thil, what she says makes sense.” Says Leonel from behind me, reaching out for my arm and bringing me closer to him, turning me around while giving me a slight squish and rubbing his toe on my skin, trying to calm me down and bring my attention towards him.
”It does make sense.” He says lower so only the two of us could hear our little talk. ”We cannot afford to lose him again, and for what you have told me he really seems to have some strange skills, is possible that he can run away with your brother, then who knows how long it will take us to find him again. Let's do this with caution, alright?” I clench my teeth, looking away, too stubborn to give up but aware that we should choose the best option to save my brother.
If we lose him again I cannot even think how long it will take us to find him again…
Leonel, aware of my behavior, takes my silence for compliance and turns to talk with the others, and for a few moments I avoid the subject, focusing my mind in calming down, focusing on slowing down, but since my heart had speed up my breathing staying still like such only makes me want to run out more, the adrenaline rushing inside, so instead I start to focus on him, Ereinion Calien, known to me as Leonel; and, strangely enough, the effect is almost immediate while I hear Leo's calm heartbeat, taste his fresh familiar odor up close, feeling his warmth palm against my skin, and look as his serious face while he handles the others.
I end up holding the hand that was on my arm, cupping his palm on mine, finding comfort it that small act, embracing the warmth of his body and taking one last deep breath before looking back at the others, trying to listen in the conversation that did not wait for me.
”Well, I'm pretty confident about the information I have gathered from them, but I cannot guarantee it for sure, so be aware that there are little things that even I would want to know all right? So.” She claps her hands, making me frown and try to understand where this conversation has migrated to. ”Those three in charge of the devil kingdom are the Demon Lord Demon King Cain, the First Demon Prince, Seth, and Dearil as the Second Demon Prince.”
”Aren't Demon King and Demon Lord the same?” Leonel asks.
”Oh no, they are quite similar but very different. Demon Lord is the title given to the strongest demon of each kin, and more than one demon can have that. Demon King, however, is literally a king, the governor, and as such there is only one.”
”Oh, I see…”