Chapter 66

**Merianna**


All the while I was jogging down the castle’s hallways I hoped I would spot Fog just around the next corner. I didn’t want to run into Junnie again. I hated that I noticed her forced expressions and changes in her behaviour. I had started to think that she was a somewhat amazing person, and even started getting accustomed to her over-the-top affection. I wondered why though, why would she be saying things she didn’t mean.

While so deep in thought, I rounded a corner and thumped into something hard and warm. I almost lost my balance before warm hands steadied me.

“Merianna dear. Where are you off to in such a hurry?” Fog asked in surprise.

“Oh, Merianna!” Jasnine uttered in surprise from behind him.

“Hi! I didn’t expect to run into you like this.” I said while rubbing my nose. Then I noticed that it looked like they were heading somewhere with a purpose. “Where are you guys off to?”

“We’re on our way to Noch’s smithy, why? Did you need me for something, little one?” Fog asked with a raised eyebrow. He clearly knew that I was practically bursting to tell him something.

“Yes, I want to tell you something, but,” I said as I hooked my arm in with Fog’s, “if you two are off to see Noch then I might just as well come along with both of you. Two birds with one stone!”

Jasnine and Fog both gave me questioning looks, but said nothing more as I tagged along with them to Noch’s smithy. I was starting to wonder how many times was going to walk to his smithy within this one day.

After we reached Noch’s smithy, Jasnine stepped forward and knocked loudly. “Noch I’m back!” She yelled.

“It ain't locked, just come in!” We heard Noch yell from the depths.

At that, Jasnine opened the door and waltzed in without another word. I followed in closely behind her and Fog and spotted Noch just as he was securing a chain around my small scythe.

“Is it finished?!” I asked excitedly.

Noch turned around in surprise and glowered at me. “What the Devil are you doing here, Demon Spawn? Didn’t I shoo you away not too long ago?” 

“I do what I want.” I quipped back, just to rile him a little. I saw him roll his eyes in irritation and stopped him just before he could toss me out again. “I actually have something very important to share with you.”

Noch raised his eyebrow skeptically as I closed and locked the door. He also noticed it when I enveloped the space in a sound blocking barrier. “What have you gotten yourself into this time?”

“Well, to be honest I’m not sure, and I’d love to get all your opinions on it.” I recounted the walk I took on the pathway and the conversation I had with Junnie. I made sure to also tell them about the small things I picked up during the exchange. Noch, Fog and Jasnine all listened intently and their expressions went from mere interest to glowering the more I shared.

After I was done, Noch heaved a tired sigh and leaned back into his working table. “And here I thought things could be straightforward for a change.”

“This certainly is troubling. Especially since Merianna’s instinct in these sorts of things has never been wrong before.” Fog added in as he also seemed to fall deep into thought.

“To be honest, I don’t find it too surprising. It makes perfect sense.” Jasnine sighed.

“What do you guys mean?” I asked. 

“You are too young to know this but Junnie and Dermon used to be intimately connected with each other back when they were in the council. Many things happened back then but, I will completely understand if Dermon found a way to take advantage of that. Junnie I thought would have more self-control but, if she is the spy that is leaking our information to the enemy because of past relations, then we can’t sit still about it.” Jasnine explained.

“Wow, I had never thought that Junnie could at any point have had a serious relationship with someone. Especially with the personality she has!” I half muttered to myself.

“We will still require hard proof of our speculation.” Fog added. “Councilor Ferina would be hard to convince otherwise. She considers Junnie one of her closest advisors after all.”

“If what we think is true, then we can just find out when we go to wipe Dermon off the face of this realm.” Noch announced sternly.

“How so?” Fog asked.

Noch gave a leering grin his way. “There is a reason why I have called you here, my dear old friend. And seeing as that Junnie is seeming more desperate to get on Demon Spawn’s good side to gain information from us, it must mean that something is happening on Dermon’s side as well. Us mere witches aren’t able to get too close to a Warlock’s hideout without getting noticed within a minute. But your kin, on the other hand…” Noch leered as he batted his eyes at Fog.

“Please stop that. I think I might lose my lunch.” I deadpanned in disgust.

Fog sighed. “You want me to contact the Fae and have them be our spies and gain information for us, right?”

At the mention of the Fae, I whirled around to Fog. “The Fae, really?!” I asked excitedly.

“They are the best at lurking in spaces unseen and unnoticed after all.” Noch said with a satisfied grin.

“Alright I’ll ask a few of them I know. I happen to have a few favors to cash in on.” Fog agreed while shaking his head.

“Can I come with you?!” I asked excitedly while looking up at him with the best pleading face I could muster.

“We have had this talk before, Merianna. I do not want you to get involved with Fae other than those who are allowed in the castle.” Fog muttered patiently.

“Oh, come now old friend, what harm could it do if you are the one speaking and she’s the one following and ogling?” Noch asked with a snide grin.

“Pleaaaaase?” I pleaded again, giving my all to my pleading performance. “I promise I’ll be good!” I added in for extra measure.

Fog looked like he was torn as Jasnine snickered at the exchange. “Alright, you win…” he sighed. “But please do not get distracted by the surroundings, and do not speak with any of the Fae you meet, no matter if you think it to be impolite. You wouldn’t want to wind up with the same issues that Noch is still plagued with.”

That caught me by surprise. Noch had dealt with the Fae? I looked at him and he only glowered at Fog. That look was enough of an answer to my silent question. Clearly, he didn’t want anything more to do with the Fae. Now I was curious…

“Don’t look at me like that Demon Spawn, there is no way that I’m telling you.” Noch said with a glower.

“What do you want the Fae to focus on?” Fog asked Noch.

Noch’s expression turned serious. “Jasnine and I had this discussion earlier, but it’s likely that Dermon is manipulating the Warlocks. Truth be told, I think Dermon himself is also being manipulated.”

“Please explain.” Fog said with a deep frown.

“Jasnine and Raska came back as you know, and reported that the Warlocks are clearly helping Dermon because they want something from him, or as we are speculating, the Demons he’s in league with. The Warlocks most likely wish to bring one of the old deities from the previous cycle into this realm. Clearly though the information they have gathered within this realm of the previous cycle is flawed and Demons themselves transcend the mortal rules of this realm that we live by.”

Fog had a dark scowl hanging on his face as he listened. Even I was frowning. This seemed to be turning into a much bigger problem than we originally could have thought.

“And as we know very well, Demons themselves tend to turn things to their own gain. I’m not too worried about the Deity that the Warlocks want to bring back. But if the Demons are involved in the process of bringing said Deity back, then what the Warlocks bring in through the help of the Demons, could be something else entirely different.” Noch finished explaining.

“Oh, for the love of-” Fog said, then cut himself off by rubbing his face vigorously. I on the other hand, understood what Noch was leading to and was horrified by the possibilities. Demons like Angels were ancient beings with knowledge far surpassing that of people in this realm. And there was always something else lurking even higher up the food chain than themselves. The realisation sent shivers running down my spine.

“Exactly. And that is why I need your help with the Fae. We need to know exactly what’s going on before we burst in there. We need to know exactly what they are doing, and how far they are with their preparations.”

“If this does turn out to be what they are up to, we’ll need to put a stop to it as soon as possible.” Fog looked out of Noch’s window and noticed that the sun had already started to set. “I’ll send a message to the Fae I have in mind and then meet them in the morning.” He looked down at me and smiled. “Make sure to get up nice and early tomorrow.”

I have Fog a dubious squint. “How early are we talking?”

Fog just smiled even wider. “Before the sun starts rising.”

Noch laughed at my aghast expression. “You still sure you want to go and meet the Fae?” he chuckled.

I scrunched my face in distaste. I was always bad at waking up in the mornings, Nelia was a morning person, I was the nightowl between the two of us. But sacrifices need to be made! I have dreamt of seeing Fae other than Fog and Dorris ever since I heard Fog’s stories. I could manage one early morning, right? I’ll probably have to ask Nelia or Dorris to help wake me. Maybe Nelia would be the better bet. Dorris might just try to whack me awake.

“I’m still going!” I said stubbornly.

“My, my, looks like she’s dead set on going Fog.” Jasnine said with her own chuckle.

He also chuckled. “Oh well, it would probably happen sooner or later. Just remember what I said Merianna, do not stray and stay close when we go. Most Fae don’t wander in the mortal realm these days, so we’ll have to go directly into the Fae realm.”

“That sounds like it’ll be amazing! I promise!” I squealed. The excitement of traveling to the Fae realm forgot and replaced the dread of waking up.