The Demon’s Bride

They went back not to the same window but Ian's room, stopping at the balcony. Elise took the first step to the ground. All the time she had been quiet. Even though Elise was a curious girl who could even put a curious cat in shame, with the amount of new information that should have made her inquire him tons of questions, she didn't speak.

"Are you sad?" Ian asked while sitting on the rail of the balcony. He let his wings flying over the window, like a bird who was taking a rest while letting the beautiful wings to be blown by the wind.

Elise shook her head, "I'm not. More than sad I was surprised. Sister Blythe was not the same as I remembered before." She was kinder, a very gentle person, "Once I was bullied by the children in the same village. They would pull my hair. Most children wouldn't want to get close to me if they do, it would be them who thought that it would be fun to see me cry. This also what the adults around me did, they didn't want to be near me, because I would often say the strangest things they can't see."

"But she alone stood beside you?" questioned Ian, saving her words.

Elise put a smile, her head nodding, "Do you think she was on my side because she knew and could see what I saw?" If Demons like Ian could see ghosts, Elise thought it was normal for Angels to be able to see ghosts either.

"Yes. Demons could see ghosts and so did Angels," came Ian's quick reply. "She didn't bother to tell people about it. Does she? When she could have told people that you were not lying and that you could see ghosts. She was afraid to risk her normal facade life if people know she could see ghosts."

It was easy for people to sell out others. They can put sympathy to a person in plight, but it would take them hell to agree to be put in the same plight. "Humans, Demons, Angels, they are all alike," Ian remarked, he sounded to be more distant as he spoke,

"I thought Angels don't have any will? But Sister Blythe's father, how was he different?" asked Elise, regaining her curiosity.

Ian stepped down from the railing, letting his horns to show as it was more comfortable for him to do so, "As you've known, Demons have the will, and mind; unlike them, Angels do not. This was for the sole reason so Angels do not mingle with humans. So they would not involve or immerse themselves in human affairs or the affair of the mortal's world. This applies the same to grim reapers. Those reapers who are named are called Grim Reapers, while those without names are called reapers. Reapers don't have names. They can't even talk."

"And Sister Blythe believed that the person who had spoken with her was an angel," whispered Elise. She saw Ian walking to the bed, crossing his leg. "Without knowing that angels do not act in their own will."

"She didn't, and what she wants was the power angels had, or perhaps she wanted to go to Heaven," Ian stated, "It's not a fun place."

"Does the Demons Sister Blythe killed hate her?" asked Elise. She wondered why could Sister Blythe turn cruel? Now thinking of it, she didn't know the woman's true nature. It was possible that since the first time she met her, Sister Blythe had become that kind of a person.

"Seeing how thick the scent was, I would take it as yes. Miasma is more than a curse before death. To achieve this, the victim must have immense sadness, anger, and sorrow. I could take that before they died, they begged to Blythe to let them go." 

That only made it sadder and tragic, Elise's eyes turned down at the ground. Ian found it odd. He can't understand why Elise would feel sad on behalf of someone she doesn't know. But then again, she was born pure-hearted. Although now she had been dyed with emotions such as anger and hate, it was not enough to turn her twisted like him.

Ian didn't want to turn her into him either. Elise was already perfect to his eyes, and in the future, her changes would only make her shine brighter.

"The Death shadows that I see from the dagger and the vision," started Elise, entering his bedroom, she stood near the door of the balcony, "Does this apply in the future? Is that why you didn't kill Sister Blythe?" She looked at Ian, who had settled on his bed. 

Ian crossed his leg, propping his chin with his arm he set on his knees while sitting on the bed with her shoes had taken off. He didn't do much by sitting, but with his eyes that were expressive on his charming face, it was enough to steal any breath of people who saw him.

Elise draws the thought when she saw Ian didn't kill Sister Blythe. It was a new experience to see Ian not killing the person who had been found guilty. She had thought Ian would kill Sister Blythe, but for the first time he had stepped out without killing.

"Yes," Ian confirmed. He knew his bride was smart, and this had him proud, "Did you remembered what you saw when she was killed?"

"Black hands," replied Elise. She recalled how the woman's hand had turned like coal, black, and brittle.

"That is the attribute of a person possessed by miasma. The dagger from earlier held too much miasma that it affected the person. In the future that is not going to be far, Blythe would be killed by a human who is engulfed by the miasma." Uncrossing his leg, Ian's studying eyes watched Elise who had gone silent to brood over the talk, "Close the window." he ordered.

Elise broke from her thoughts and went to push the window, locking it.

"I didn't remember telling you to lock it?" Ian teased, his grin stretched wider, and Elise's cheeks turned pink. She usually locked the window without thinking twice.

"I wasn't thinking of anything," she said in her defense.

"I didn't say you are thinking of anything but saying that makes me very doubtful that you are not thinking anything," Ian placed his hand on the empty side of his bed, "Come here, sweetheart. We are alone now, let's talk without distance."