Chapter 307: Fire Shows, Lost Cousins, and the Pleasure House That Raised Questions
Chapter 307: Fire Shows, Lost Cousins, and the Pleasure House That Raised Questions
Elyn’s POV
I doubted that Retheris and Thalira could help the way they were supposed to help without causing chaos.
They had good intentions — I could see that in their determined expressions, in the way they had stepped forward to offer their assistance. But good intentions did not always translate into good actions. And given their track record — the flooded stall, the summoned coalbasters, the argument over a dress that had somehow escalated into a full-scale water battle — yes, I had my concerns.
But I didn’t say anything.
We needed to find the others, and if Retheris and Thalira wanted to help, I wasn’t going to stop them. I would just keep a close eye on them.
The bracelet vibrated again, the light pulsing softly, pointing in a new direction. I hoped it was Aziren it was leading us to. I hoped the light would guide us to him, safe and unharmed, and that we could finally start gathering everyone together.
"It’s time to find someone else," I said.
Zayrion looked up at me, his eyes still red-rimmed from earlier.
"Is it Aziren?" he asked.
"We’ll know soon," I said.
We began walking, following the direction of the light. The streets grew busier as we moved, the crowds thickening, the noise growing louder. The gaming district had been lively, but this area was something else entirely.
We ended up in a street where various shows were being performed.
A fire demon with painted eyes was doing a trick — he breathed out flames, shaping them into forms that danced in the air. The crowd gasped as the fire twisted and curled, and then I realised what I was seeing.
The flames had taken the shape of me.
Not the disguised version — the real me. Red hair, blue eyes, the gown I had worn to the introductory ball. The fire demon had somehow created a perfect likeness of me, and the flames flickered and danced like they were alive.
The crowd clapped and cheered.
I stared at the fire demon, my mouth slightly open.
That... that was quite impressive. He got all my features correctly, and I would have liked to see more, but I didn’t have time.
We moved past the fire show, past a group of demons dancing to the beat of drums, past a corner where a snake demon was contorting his body into impossible shapes.
Demons shouted over each other, tricks were being performed in the air and, well... every place imaginable. There was also the occasional cry of someone who had been pickpocketed. It was a lot.
I walked quickly, the children following close behind, and I kept my eyes fixed on the light, but then it disappeared and I heard a sniffle.
Followed by a small voice asking a demon if they had seen his cousin.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
I knew that voice.
Zayrion heard it too. He rushed forward, his tails lifted, his glasses nearly falling off his face.
"Aziren!" he called.
Aziren turned.
And when he saw Zayrion, his face crumpled. Tears poured down his cheeks, his flames flickered low, and he started running toward us.
He crashed into Zayrion, wrapping his small arms around him, his body shaking with sobs.
"I thought I lost you," Aziren said, his voice muffled against Zayrion’s shoulder. "I didn’t mean to go far. I thought I saw my daddy, and I wanted to call out to him, but then I ended up here, and I didn’t know how to go back."
Zayrion hugged him tightly.
"It’s okay," he said. "You’re okay now."
Retheris and Thalira surrounded them, their expressions soft.
"Don’t cry," Retheris said. "It’s okay now."
Thalira reached out and wiped Aziren’s tears, though she hissed slightly as she did.
"Ow," she muttered. "That’s hot."
But she didn’t pull away.
I smiled at the sight of them — the four children huddled together, their relief palpable, their bond clear. Despite the chaos and the arguments and the flooded stalls, they cared about each other.
I crouched down.
Aziren released Zayrion and came to me, his eyes still wet, his flames low.
"You’re okay now," I said softly.
He nodded.
Then he looked around, his amber eyes scanning the area.
"Where are Velira, Brixton, and Azerion?" he asked.
I sighed.
"We’re going to find out soon," I said.
And as if waiting for my words, the bracelet vibrated.
I stood up, and the light pulsed, pointing in a new direction.
"Come on," I said. "Let’s go."
I picked up Aziren, settling him on my hip, and we began walking again. The children walked in front of me, their voices low as they talked among themselves.
We followed the light through the crowded streets, past more shows and stalls and demons of every shape and size. The light grew brighter as we walked, and I felt a sense of relief — maybe we were finally going to find the others.
We stopped in front of a stall.
It was a large structure, elaborately decorated with silk drapes and glowing lanterns. Demons were lined up outside, their expressions eager, their bodies pressing forward like they were waiting for something important.
Zayrion adjusted his glasses.
"This is a pleasure house," he said. "Owned by the succubi."
I stared at the building, but before I could say anything, a female demon ran out of the building, her body shaking with sobs. She was immediately surrounded by other demons, who asked her what had happened.
"I didn’t qualify," she wailed. "They said I was too ugly."
I looked at her.
She had a head that looked like a grasshopper’s — large, multifaceted eyes, antennae that twitched with distress. Her body was thin and delicate, her arms and legs like twigs, her hands so tiny they looked like they could barely hold anything.
She really wasn’t going to be in the top three most beautiful females in the demon realm.
But that wasn’t the issue.
My senses tingled.
I looked at the pleasure house, at the line of demons waiting outside, at the grasshopper-headed demon still crying.
I didn’t know why, but I felt like whatever was going on in there, some of the children were involved.