Read Online Too Many Curses by A. Lee Martinez - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: A. Lee Martinez
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guess." The shining eye flashed through a spectrum of colors. "Eaten, wasn't he? Eaten by a nurgax. Am I right?"
She nodded, and even in the consuming darkness, the demon could see.
"How did—"
"How did I know?" The voice became soft and gentle and feminine. "I know a great many things, Nessy. A great many things."
Nessy wasn't surprised the demon knew her name. It seemed a very demony thing to know.
"Then you must also know why I'm here."
The demon laughed delicately. "Oh no, my dear. When someone comes to me for my help, I only know what they need when they request it of me. Odd, yes, but those are the rules. And we must all play by the rules."
The light drew closer, shone brighter. Yet Nessy couldn't see any other details of the creature.
"You wear my tooth. Do you fear me, Nessy?"
She thought before she answered, but a lie was unnecessary. The demon surely knew the answer. "Yes."
The demon chuckled with a tinge of sweet venom. "Very wise. And I see that you are possessed of a noteworthy wisdom along with a generous helping of compassion spiced with a robust serving of pragmatism. A rare delicacy. To measure your soul is to rediscover appetites I'd forgotten, locked away in this room." She inhaled loudly and smacked her lips. "Oh what a morsel you are. That I could pop you in my jaws, tuck you in my cheek, savor you slowly for a thousand or so years." Her voice trailed away dreamily.
"Alas, you hold my tooth. And my jaws aren't what they used to be." The eye rose high in the air, then low to settle on Nessy's nose. The demon was nothing more than a tiny, shining firefly. The insect was unremarkable, save that her tail was a shimmering tongue of flame. The lick of fire was hot, but it didn't burn.
The demon's breath was warm and sweet, washing over Nessy as if from a much larger creature. The sweetness was the stench of rotting flesh.
"You don't know what a treat this is for me. For far too long I've had to put up with that ludicrous wizard. And his soul, as a connoisseur of such, I can tell you is no joy to lookupon. As ugly and contemptible as any I have ever come across. A wasted, miserable bauble, it is."
"Is?"
The firefly flitted to the top of Nessy's head. "I think we both know that he isn't dead. Not truly. Wretched and despicable as he might be, Margle is a superb wizard. I alone am testament to his power. Do you know how long I have been bound to this room, to flutter about in this purple cell?"
So The Purple Room was truly purple. Although, one would need a demon's eyes to see it in this darkness.
"No."
"Neither do I. Time and its passing are nothing to me because I have always been and will always be. But this is not a boon. Every hour in here is like a year to one such as I. Every minute a forever of itself." The firefly climbed down Nessy's neck and sat on her shoulder. "Countless eternities of solitude, of waiting for Margle to visit and make some demand, of having to listen to him prattle on and on. 'Oh, demon, I want this. Oh, demon, share your secrets. Never forget, demon, I can destroy you. Never forget, I know your true name.' As if he'd let me." She whispered in Nessy's ear. "As if I could."
The firefly's flame burst into a long, white tail. She flew through the air in fleeting patterns, leaving a trail behind her, a painting in living incandescence of Margle's long, lean, sneering face. The demon howled, sending shivers through every hair on Nessy's furry body. Margle's imagetwisted into a tortured scream before dissolving. The only light was once again the firefly's delicate tail burning a warm, gentle blue.
"Enough about me. Though I do appreciate you lending me your ear. I will have my vengeance one day, but not today. Today, we will speak about you. About what you want. About how I will help you." The fire tinted a cold crimson. "And how you will help me."
Nessy swallowed her uneasiness. She had no doubt that even transformed into an insect, the demon could kill her easily. She
She nodded, and even in the consuming darkness, the demon could see.
"How did—"
"How did I know?" The voice became soft and gentle and feminine. "I know a great many things, Nessy. A great many things."
Nessy wasn't surprised the demon knew her name. It seemed a very demony thing to know.
"Then you must also know why I'm here."
The demon laughed delicately. "Oh no, my dear. When someone comes to me for my help, I only know what they need when they request it of me. Odd, yes, but those are the rules. And we must all play by the rules."
The light drew closer, shone brighter. Yet Nessy couldn't see any other details of the creature.
"You wear my tooth. Do you fear me, Nessy?"
She thought before she answered, but a lie was unnecessary. The demon surely knew the answer. "Yes."
The demon chuckled with a tinge of sweet venom. "Very wise. And I see that you are possessed of a noteworthy wisdom along with a generous helping of compassion spiced with a robust serving of pragmatism. A rare delicacy. To measure your soul is to rediscover appetites I'd forgotten, locked away in this room." She inhaled loudly and smacked her lips. "Oh what a morsel you are. That I could pop you in my jaws, tuck you in my cheek, savor you slowly for a thousand or so years." Her voice trailed away dreamily.
"Alas, you hold my tooth. And my jaws aren't what they used to be." The eye rose high in the air, then low to settle on Nessy's nose. The demon was nothing more than a tiny, shining firefly. The insect was unremarkable, save that her tail was a shimmering tongue of flame. The lick of fire was hot, but it didn't burn.
The demon's breath was warm and sweet, washing over Nessy as if from a much larger creature. The sweetness was the stench of rotting flesh.
"You don't know what a treat this is for me. For far too long I've had to put up with that ludicrous wizard. And his soul, as a connoisseur of such, I can tell you is no joy to lookupon. As ugly and contemptible as any I have ever come across. A wasted, miserable bauble, it is."
"Is?"
The firefly flitted to the top of Nessy's head. "I think we both know that he isn't dead. Not truly. Wretched and despicable as he might be, Margle is a superb wizard. I alone am testament to his power. Do you know how long I have been bound to this room, to flutter about in this purple cell?"
So The Purple Room was truly purple. Although, one would need a demon's eyes to see it in this darkness.
"No."
"Neither do I. Time and its passing are nothing to me because I have always been and will always be. But this is not a boon. Every hour in here is like a year to one such as I. Every minute a forever of itself." The firefly climbed down Nessy's neck and sat on her shoulder. "Countless eternities of solitude, of waiting for Margle to visit and make some demand, of having to listen to him prattle on and on. 'Oh, demon, I want this. Oh, demon, share your secrets. Never forget, demon, I can destroy you. Never forget, I know your true name.' As if he'd let me." She whispered in Nessy's ear. "As if I could."
The firefly's flame burst into a long, white tail. She flew through the air in fleeting patterns, leaving a trail behind her, a painting in living incandescence of Margle's long, lean, sneering face. The demon howled, sending shivers through every hair on Nessy's furry body. Margle's imagetwisted into a tortured scream before dissolving. The only light was once again the firefly's delicate tail burning a warm, gentle blue.
"Enough about me. Though I do appreciate you lending me your ear. I will have my vengeance one day, but not today. Today, we will speak about you. About what you want. About how I will help you." The fire tinted a cold crimson. "And how you will help me."
Nessy swallowed her uneasiness. She had no doubt that even transformed into an insect, the demon could kill her easily. She
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