I opened my eyes to a lavish room. The velvet-green comforter sunken in with my weight and warm.

I sat up and looked around the palatial room. To my right, A divan window looked out over dim landscape inlaid with blogs of bright-glowing colors. My left displayed the doorway to another room, it’s brocade curtains tied back in near perfect bows. Above my, the ceiling was adorned with an overelaborate painting of dragons preening and frolicking in a sunny field.

Wait a second-

The door creaking open arrested my attention, the entering figure distracted by the papers in their hands. I first noticed the Dracontine wings and sharp horns, then the silk black hair with highlights of emerald that glistened in the shifting light.

He looked up and our eyes locked. He made a move towards me and I, having yet to remember what I’d just been through, jumped in an effort to fly away. I fell, immediately, writhing in the sheets from the piercing pain in my shoulders.

His hand found my wrist and my heart dropped. This is how I die, I thought, He’s going to chop off my wings and feed me to the Ugales!

I ripped away, scrambling for the other side of the bed. He caught my ankle and dragged me back over the wrinkled bedding. It was then I began wailing, not from pain, his grip wasn’t constricting.I flailed, slapping him repeatedly with my sore, but still functioning, wing and kicking.

Desperate when he held fast, I slapped him with my injured wing, wincing when I did it but his grip loosened just enough for me to wiggle away. I stood on the uneven plain of the bed and lunged for the edge. I hadn’t realized the demon had managed to grab hold of my wing until the feathers, pinched between his fingers, gave.

I yelped, a short bolt of pain shooting down my spine, leaving behind a dull stinging sensation, with each plucked feather.

I pulled at his grip still, so help me, I would not die here, so he jammed his clawed thumb into what had once been run through with a harpoon. A strange-pained noise tore its way out before I had the chance to bite it back, nearly passing out from the dizzying icy-hot agony.

He pulled me down, wrenching an arm behind my back and jamming a knee into my spine. His other hand came down on the nape of my neck to hinder my quickly wearing struggles.

Finally, I gave up and lay there panting, trembling.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” He patronizingly murmured in my ear. “Fighting me will only bring you more pain.”

I went limp the best I could manage and he released me after assuring himself that I would obey. “Forgive me, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

I glared. Still rubbing my wrists.

“I’m sure you know who I am, yes?”

“You’re Avarice. The Ignais who’s been shooting down my people for their feathers.”

He smirked. “You give me too much credit, it’s Addanc who’s after your kind. You’d faint if you saw his dwellings.”

There is a brief awkward silence.

“I understand you are an Asralinian Courtier?”

“Why do you care, demon?”

“Hey!” He snapped. “I just look like a demon, that doesn’t mean I am one, Blue eyes.”

“My name is Zaccheaus.” I barked back.

He blinked, eyebrows raised.

“If it is too long, then you may call me Zaki.”

“Well then, Zaki, you are quite lucky. Anyone else and you’d have been stripped of your being entirely.”

I drew my knees to my chest, this nightmare could only get worse. “You’re not the one who chased me.”

“Ah yes, that was my little brother.”

“Little brother?” That thing was nearly twice his size, how was it younger?

Avarice continued, utterly ignoring my comment. “He gave you to my servants at the volery where they patched you up. It is only now that I am truly seeing you for myself.”

I hate the way he’s looking at me now, it’s not menacing but still unnerving.

“What happened afterwards?” I began slowly.

“You woke up once, remember? I must say, you’re quite the fighter, we had to sedate you or else you’d have gouged out someone’s eye.”

Hot anger vaporized my fear. “You drugged me.”

Avarice narrowed his eyes in annoyance. “Is complaining all that you can do?”

“Oh please, you’d be complaining too if you had some barbarian manhandling you after they Shot You Out Of The Sky!”

“Fair enough, I suppose.” He chuckled. “At least I treat my guests well, not a soul under my roof goes hungry nor unclothed.”

“Yes but I prefer my clothes.”

“It’s a shame we had to throw them out.” Avarice shrugged. “These were the smallest I could find. Get used to it.”

“You cannot hold me here forever. I will find a way to escape.”

“Look,” he began sternly. “I am the only thing standing between you and my siblings. Do you understand?”

~~~

“Count Avarice summons you to his private wing, sir.”

I glanced nervously at the heavy stack of paper on my desk and nod to the wingless messenger, their bare back chilling my blood.

It was not far and I found him just outside his bedroom door, waiting.

“Asmode, I have a new assignment for you.” Avarice announces. “Forget the files, I need you to watch over our new guest, Zaki.”

I smiled, relieved that I was not being scolded. “Of course, my lord.”

“I will be back soon, Nihasa will be by to join you soon enough, let no one else in until I have returned.”

I nodded vigorously; my heart had skipped at the mention of the Housekeeper.

“And do not leave the room or I’ll strip you of your spine.”

I watched him leave and tentatively I pushed open Avarice’s sturdy oak doors. A dark haired Niceon swiped a ceramic wyvern statue off a table the moment I stepped inside.

“Oh good god, put that down before you break it.” I advanced, reaching out to take it from him. He let me but said nothing, only glowered.

Setting the statue back down, I continued. “You should drop the attitude before Avarice runs out of patience.”

“You uncultured creatures do not deserve my respect. I won’t be here for long anyways, my goddess will send for me.”

“I think she will find it quite hard to pry you from him, Count Avarice has a white knuckle grip on his treasures.”

Zaki’s face twisted, clearly he did not like the idea of what he had become. “I see. Are there other ‘treasures’ like me?”

I contemplated, digging through my unreliable memory for another Niceon who kept their wings. “No, I think you are the first. As to why, one can only guess.”

“Then guess.” There was almost a scorning to his tone but it was not directed at me.

“He probably likes your feathers, like any sane Ignais would, but he probably associates you with The Fallen.”

I watched the color drain from his face at the mention of her title; he had heard the stories.

“Avarice is not who you think he is, the stories of his cruelty are only partly true.”

“I think I’ve seen and heard enough to pass a fitting judgement.”

“No, you do not.” If I were allowed, I would have slapped Zaki. “No other Niceans are shown so much mercy and kindness. You are lucky.”

Zacchaeus was listless, perhaps he had stopped listening. Perhaps he did not even want to hear me.

“You will not care so little when you fall out of his favor and I will savor every second of your grounding.” I hissed.

That certainly got his attention but he had no time to respond, Miss Nihasa had just arrived.

“My lady will you be staying?”

“I fear I am only here to feed the Bird.”

Zaki’s head snapped towards her.

“He’s not very polite.” I commented.

“Oh,” Nihasa purred. “I’m sure the Priestess would be delighted to take him if he’s that much a nuisance.”

“I think I like my head more.”

“Ah, well I best be off, I have another room to do before nightfall.”

Zaki’s eyes widened. “It’s already evening?”

Nihasa cackled. “It sure is sweetheart, took ya 6 hours to sleep off the sedatives they gave ya.”

I raised my eyebrows. “How long?”

She elbowed me in the ribs. “Believe me now? Alright, I’ll see ya in the morning.”

Nihasa strode to the door, tugging it open. Standing there, hand hovering at the handle, was Priestess Lezabel.

“Is-“

Nihasa slammed and bolted the door. Whipping around to give me a scathing look as if I had summoned the priestess myself, just to antagonize her.

Panicked, I clapped hand over Zaki’s mouth and hauled him to the closet where I stuffed him inside.

Nihasa pulled the door back open. “I’m terribly sorry for that. No, Count Avarice is away.”

“I see.” Lezabel pushes her way in, draping herself upon a particularly plush lounge. “So how long will he be away?”

I shuffled forward with a glass of wine, filling it to the brim. “He didn’t say.”

She took the glass, daintily sipping at the crimson liquid. “I am patient.”

“I- well, my lord forbade any guests in his room this evening.”

“Hm, did he now?” Lezabel traced the brim of the glass with her finger. Her black eyes locked on me. “Avarice won’t mind if it’s me, he never has.”

I spluttered, debating who’s anger was worth the lashing talking back would cost me. “Yes my lady, he won’t mind.”

In the corner of my eye, Nihasa had positioned herself between Lezabel and the thin door that sheltered Zaki and my brittle composure from certain death.

“Why is she standing so far away?” Lezabel inquired sweetly.

“I didn’t want to crowd you milady.” Nihasa answered, careful not to raise her voice.

“Oh, why thank you my sweet but there is no need.” She beckoned. “Come closer.”

Nihasa hesitated, then shyly crept forward to stand by me, head bowed.

“Why does my presence bother you? What is it you’re hiding?”

I opened my mouth to speak when Avarice burst through the door, a lie caught in my throat at the interruption.

“Brother.” Lezabel chirped cheerfully.

“Another one?”

“I’m afraid so. Surely you can spare one more?”

“For now.” Avarice took her hand and led her to the door. “Speak to my Valet, he’ll take care of you.”

Once Lezabel was gone, Avarice turned on us. “What were you two thinking?”

Nihasa muttered something.

“What?”

“The closet sir- he’s in the closet.” She pointed.

Avarice practically threw himself across the room, knocking over a table in the process. Zaki yelped when the closet door was flung open.

Avarice faced us again, looking between Nihasa and I. “Never do that again... Good work.”