Lachlei by M. H. Bonham

did,” he said grimly. “It woke me too. Tell me what you saw.”
    “A creature bending over me — wanting to suck out my life.”
    Areyn, Rhyn’athel thought darkly. Or a demon.
    “It’s the same creature that killed Fialan, isn’t it?” Lachlei asked.
    Rhyn’athel stared. “What do you know about the creature that killed Fialan?” he asked sharply.
    “It was a demon, wasn’t it?” she asked.
    Rhyn’athel gazed at her dumbfounded. How did Lachlei recognize Areyn Sehduk or his demon mount? Rhyn’athel began to wonder if perhaps he had underestimated the Eleion , and especially, the Lochvaur . “A type of demon, yes,” said Rhyn’athel at last.
    Lachlei met his gaze. “What are you, Rhyn?” she asked.
    “What do you mean?”
    “You’re more powerful than any first-blood I’ve ever seen. You’ve appeared with Fialan’s death. You’ve bested Tamar — our strongest warrior. And you have a Sword of Power. You’re not an ordinary warrior or just a Chi’lan for that matter…”
    Rhyn’athel frowned and turned away. Was it that obvious? He looked in askance for Ni’yah, but his brother wasn’t there. Rhyn’athel guessed that the wolf-god was at North Marches, having sensed Areyn’s work.
    “No, I’m not,” he said at last. “I’m a demon slayer of sorts.”
    “A demon slayer? Like Lochvaur?” Lachlei stared at him dumbfounded.
    Rhyn’athel nodded. It was a partial truth. “Fialan’s death brought me here.”
    Lachlei shook her head. “I thought a demon killed Fialan. I could sense the foul magic on the corpses.” She buried her face in her hands and began to weep softly.
    Rhyn’athel hesitated and then gently put his arms around her. Again, he felt the pleasant shock of her touch; again, he was reminded why he had been so eager to take a mortal form. She did not resist. “I can’t rest until the demon is gone from this world,” he said.
    Lachlei looked up, her eyes bright with tears. “You will avenge Fialan’s death?”
    “Fialan was blood kin, albeit distantly,” Rhyn said. “I have slain demons before.”
    Lachlei paused. “How can this be? The duty falls on me, since I was his consort.”
    “But you don’t have …” Rhyn paused.
    “What?”
    “Nothing,” Rhyn replied.
    “You were going to say that I don’t have the power to kill a demon,” Lachlei said.
    Rhyn’athel stared at her again. Were his defenses down? Could she read his mind? A quick check told him they were in place. “Yes,” he admitted. “You don’t. Fialan didn’t.”
    “Teach me.”
    Rhyn paused. “You want me to teach you how to fight a demon?”
    “We will have to go to North Marches,” she said. “We must avenge their murders and take back our lands.”
    Rhyn’athel nodded, considering her thoughtfully. Could he possibly teach the Eleion to kill demons? His son, Lochvaur, had fought demons fifteen hundred years before — but Lochvaur had been a godling, not just a first-blood. Still, the prospect intrigued Rhyn’athel. “Yes, we do.”
    “I have a score to settle with this demon,” she said.
    So do I, Rhyn’athel thought.
    *****
     
    Dawn came cold and blood-red over North Marches. Ravens and other scavengers slunk around the bodies of the slain. The acrid smell of smoke wafted through the battlefield. All that was left of North Marches was a smoldering ruin. The Silren had torched the village, setting many occupied buildings alight and shooting those who dared try to escape the merciless flames.
    Areyn stood among the bodies, reveling in the death while the Silren searched for survivors. There would be none — Areyn had made certain of it. Thousands of Lochvaur had perished in a few short hours, either at the hand of the Silren or through Areyn Sehduk, himself.
    Areyn’s demon mount was nowhere to be found. Areyn suspected the demon was looking for more dying souls. It had been a good feeding, and the demon was seeking the remnants of the slaughter. It would return once it