The Golden Entanglement

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

I didn’t just waste four hours charm wrapping every wand in the shop, only to have them blown out the window. But what else was I going to do?

I couldn’t leave the demon’s sight.

I didn’t know where my wand fell in the mess of shattered glass and broken shelves.

All I knew was that I couldn’t stay there. Not while the wands were flying away. Not when a wyvern had just busted through our little family-owned business.

I had to do something.

“Hm, maybe I messed up the introductions. Let me try again,” the demon said, shifting a little card in his hand.

“Hello Norheldian, my name is Tailor—a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard your call and have answered as requested. Here from, Bustling Bost Delivery Services, as the best demon delivery service there is—here for any services you may need, we deliver all, from revenge to any love letter, we’ll provide any service for a fair trade.” This time, he pulled a brown bowler hat from the settling golden dust surrounding him.

[It happened just moments ago.

There was a blast, or maybe more of a bang, that came from the shop downstairs.

Granny asked me to put the charms back up before the storm got here. But the storm’s already started, and a pesky pixy tried attacking me. I stunned the pixy, but my wand fell in the phoenix’s ash, and both were knocked down in the chaos.

Then something shook the entire building, blasted the window behind me, and a smoke screen flew up from nowhere.

Now I’m left facing a demon and a dragon.

Great. Just great.]

“Can you shut up for a second?” I replied, rummaging through ashes scattered on the floor.

“Sorry, no can do. I’m here to help. So, can we make a deal?”

I groaned, “You see a wand? Short handle, black with a root striped down the tip.”

He gave a glance around. “You don’t need a wand to make a deal.”

Which was so very unhelpful. I knew he could see the wyvern tearing through the aisles.

“Do you see with your demon eyes my wand?” I asked, louder, locking onto his golden vertical eyes.

He exhaled, as if I were the one being a nuisance. “Two steps in front of you, under the bowl.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, digging my fingers into the ash.

Magic is cold and itches through your body, building up right before it’s released. It’s a sensation I could never get used to.

And the shorter the spell, the quicker it is to release.

For a stun spell that’ll work for a wyvern, it takes a handful of seconds.

To let the magic out is a simple flick of the wand. It’s short and fast, a small bolt of emerald light shooting from my wand to the wyvern.

The dragon’s legs stiffen, the wings twitch, and it falls, locking under my spell.

The sound of it crashing into a shelf shortly drowns the storm outside. More boxes fall onto it.

I cast another spell, wrap my magic around it like a vine, and cast it out through the hole it created. I then work on repairing the window, which takes more time than I’d like.

“Beautiful work. Now, are you ready to make a deal?” I hear from the demon.

The entire time in dealing with the cleanup, he hadn’t said a word. He also hadn’t moved.

I twisted around, facing him once again, “Look, I didn’t summon you. You can just go home.”

He tilted his head, squinting at me, “I responded to the request, surely you did summon me.”

I crossed my arms, looking at the mess around me. “How exactly are you summoned?”

He straightened, tucking the card into his chest pocket. “Pixie blood and phoenix ash.”

“I was attacked and defended myself. He must have grazed the table, knocking the ash down. It wasn’t a ritual.” I said, pointing at the pixie.

He swayed in place, connecting my words together. “Hm, then it was fate that brought us together.”

I smiled because the thought of a demon believing in fate was something funny.

“No, it was an unfortunate accident. Now, can you leave, please?” I drop my arms, ready to have this altercation dealt with.

“I cannot.” He said, pursing his lips.

I leaned forward, growing impatient and tired of it all. When I stood back up, his head was still tilted, and he stared at me as if I’d asked him to do something impossible.

Instead of replying, I moved my way through the rubble, calling for my family as I approached the stairs.

I heard a noise, a short, softened sound as my hand hit against the air. It stopped me from proceeding. There was a thick, cold surface blocking me from the next step. It was invisible. Almost as if it weren’t there at all, or maybe something I imagined, and yet, no matter how much I shoved, pulled, or pushed it, it never budged.

“Honey, are you coming up here?” Mom asked from the top of the stairs. Her blond hair framed her face like an angel. Her eyes, crystal blue, even in the dimmed light of the stairway. Mom was beautiful, and I was lucky enough to get a bit of her genes. Although I didn’t get her blue eyes, I did manage to get her blond hair, if not only a little darker.

“She cannot.” The demon said.

Mom whispered to Dad, a short, bulky man with dark features. Black hair and two deep sets of brown eyes. I did, in fact, get those deep brown eyes.

I walked back to the counter where the spilled ash was.

Mom, Granny, and Dad followed after.

Dad had the biggest eyes as he shuffled past the wreckage. I mean, to be fair, it was a wreck.

Our little family wand shop was destroyed. Only two shelves remained standing. And most of the wand boxes were spread on the floor. Where I stood was a few droplets from the pixie I flung outside with the wyvern.

On the positive side, both intruders were outside, probably enjoying the storm. And most of the inventory was still inside.

“Well,” Mom started, but paused for a moment, examining the demon in the middle of the room. “Seems like you were the one who needed our help.”

I leaned against the counter, “There was a pixie, then a wyvern, and also this.” I said, looking at him and his hat.

“But you’re okay, yeah?” Granny asked, through no teeth. She was a petite woman who looked like an older version of Mom.

“Yeah, I’m basically unscathed. However...” I stared at him, hoping to intimidate him into leaving.

“Hello! The name’s Tailor. I’m from-”

“God! No one cares! So, this happened, and now he won’t leave or let me leave.” I said, throwing my head back.

“You could’ve called one of us if you needed help. I would’ve come. Granny and Mom could’ve handled putting the protection spell back up without me.” Dad responded.

It was sweet of him to assume I did this on purpose. But no, his daughter royally screwed up.

Dealing with demons was tricky. They always want something, and they’re incredibly powerful. Immortal creatures that normally couldn’t breathe in Norheld. That’s why they usually stuck to Tartarus.

“No, Dad, I didn’t mean to call him at all. Apparently, pixie blood and phoenix ash can open a rift.”

“To be clear, I’m here on service. So, tell me what you need and I can make it happen, at a fair price, of course. Once I’ve served you with splendid service, I’ll be on my way.”

“But I didn’t-”

“But you did. I’m able to leave once an order is made and has been fulfilled.”

“You mean once you get payment, right?” I said, as a wicked smile slid from his lips.

“And what type of payment do you take?” Mom added, in that mom voice she only used when her patience was spent.

“At Bustling Bost Demon Delivery Services, we can take every form of payment. So long as it’s equal to the service provided.” He said, bowing like he was a butler addressing his master.

“Alright, so we could have you clean this mess up and pay you in cash, correct?” Mom asked, folding her arms.

To my surprise, his smile didn’t fade as if he already knew how this would go. “Why, yes.”

My mom shook her head. “Well, we haven’t got any cash. Maybe wands?”I guess she just assumed he’d shut her down. I know I did. Hold on...

My eyebrows poked up. A chill ran through me like someone shot electricity down my spine.

“It slipped my mind. I’m sorry. In the chaos, we lost some wands. They flew out when the window broke.” I confessed.

A notable shock and disappointment shadowed the room. I knew I messed up. And now, we were paying the price.

“Do you know how many?” Mom asked, her exhaustion coming out in her words.

“I don’t,” I admitted.

“Twelve. Twelve wands blew out with the wind.” The too-excited demon said.

I gripped onto the edge of the counter, trying hard to hide my inadequacies.

“We can’t afford to lose them,” Dad said to Mom, not to the room.

“Hm,” The demon whispered, and I could swear it was like he was salivating.

“Alright, but what can we do for payment? We’ll go under if we lose even a coin more.” Mom responded, cupping her face.

That’s when his demon eyes gravitated towards me. His smile was written in them, telling me something. At first I couldn’t hear, but then his voice came through, clear and loud, like he was talking. And yet, I was looking right at him, and that smile, wicked and evil, wasn’t moving.

“You could pay,” he said.

Surely twelve wands weren’t actually worth my soul, right?

It was an accident. It was a thought for me, not one to be shared; however, when his smile dropped just slightly, I knew he heard me.

“Heavens, no, but you’re young, around twenty maybe? Your time is valuable. Twelve. I’ll take twelve years of your life in exchange for each wand.”

“Twelve years! I’d be nearly forty!” I said, drawing everyone’s attention. My face grew red as I hid my mouth behind my sleeve.

“What? Are you talking to my daughter?” Mom said, matching my shouting.

The demon threw his hands up, “I meant no harm. I merely suggested twelve years of her life, one for each wand. That would be a fair trade.”

“Oh, hell, no. You’re not getting near my daughter.”

“Not unless you want to become a face engraved in our floorboard,” Dad said, sounding like he was completing Mom’s thought.

“What if you take twelve years from me instead?” Granny suggested.

“No. Mama, we’ll think of something else.” Mom said, gently to Granny.

I inhaled sharply, pulling at my frustration, because it was my fault. A better caster would’ve never let a pixie run around. They wouldn’t have lost their wand in such a critical moment. They would’ve never caused so much distress for the ones they love.

“Careful,” He whispered in my head.

“Unfortunately, even if I wanted to grab twelve years from you, I couldn’t. And you’ve all said for yourselves, you haven’t anything else of value. She keeps her soul. I only want twelve years. A small price to pay, really.” He seemed polite at first, but then it was like the air from his words leaked with corruption. Thick, sickly sweet, and sticky as if it could pull you in and swallow you whole.

And it wasn’t just the wickedness around him. It was his words and what they meant.

Granny was healthy, for her age, but twelve years is a long time. And yet, it’s beyond short. And Granny didn’t even have that long, according to him.

“Fine, why not me?” Dad said, after a moment.

“Ah, you make a hard bargain, but ah—no”

Dad’s eyes narrowed, and his shoulders dropped. “Are you saying I don’t have twelve years left?”

He tilted his head, examining both Mom and Dad. Then, his smile softened, almost as if it were natural instead of something twisted. “Not at all, you both have many years in you, assuming nothing unexpected comes.”

“Then why?” Dad asked.

“Simply put, what’s the point? This is more fun.”

“But you said you accept any payment, did you not?” Mom asked.

“I said we could accept any payment so long as it’s fair, but I never said I would.”

I arose and approached him. My heart was beating fast in my ears, and it was numbing like the tips of my toes were asleep. I stopped, getting uncomfortably close. Too close. I wanted to throw up from the sweet scent rolling off him.

“What if I helped? If I came along? Would that make a difference?”

At least that way, I would know for sure if he did something shady while ”helping” my family’s business.

His soft smile remained as he said, “Why would that make a difference?”

“You wouldn’t be the only one putting in effort. Besides, it’s not like you know how to find them.” I said, my voice noticeably shaky.

“No, we can’t trust him to protect you. We’ll find something else. It’s not worth the pain, honey.” Mom said.

He blinked, once towards Mom and then looked back at me. “Well, I do have my ways of finding them—Alright, I’ll only take three years, if that’s the case.”

“Why would you take any if she’d be with you?” Dad asked, grabbing onto Mom. His hands were trembling as he spoke.

“Hm,” the Demon tilted his head back and forth, contemplating. He closed his eyes, threw his hands up, and finally said, “Yes, on second thought, I think the company will suffice.”

I exhaled. Oh, this guy’s going to make my life a living hell.

“Let’s shake on it,” He said, holding out an ungloved hand.

“No,” Mom whispered. And it was like a reminder of how this all was my fault to begin with.

I took the demon’s hand. A golden substance flowed through his hand into mine as golden magic surrounded us. His smile grew bigger as the dust settled.

“What would be the fun if not for having a helluva fun life?”He said through my mind.

I snapped my hand away as soon as I felt the warmth from his magic fade. “Now, where’s the first one?” I asked, retrieving my wand from its holder.

“North, at the edge of town, it’s not moving. At least it’s not named yet, either. Let’s go now.”

“Wait, wait until after Roselette.”

Roselette, the storm. It’s a massive hurricane that brings all sorts of monsters. It also, isn’t a typical hurricane. It lasts for forty-one nights. Thankfully, it only comes once every five years; however, this was night one.

“If we wait that long, we risk losing the wands. What if someone names them by then?”

Mom exasperated. I was right for a change, and she knew it.

“Can’t you wait until morning? It’s calmer during the day.” Mom’s face showed all her worries, like she hadn’t slept in weeks. I nearly gave in just watching her struggle.

“It’s no problem. She’ll have me.” The demon said.

“Yeah, that’s not comforting at all.”

I held my sleeve up to block the grin on my face when I saw the notable displeasure on the demon’s lips.

“I’m an adult, Mom, I can handle it,” I said, giving her a big hug with Dad and Granny.

The sky was a navy blue when we made it outside. The wind was crisp, and there was morning frost resting along the grass and cars. Best of all, there were only small, weak monsters still lingering.

I walked a moment before realizing that the demon wasn’t with me. He was messing with something in front of the shop.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“A protection spell. Don’t need another monster breaking in.” He said. I folded my arms, “That wasn’t part of our deal.” “No, this one’s on the house,” He said with a wink.

“Also, could you stop calling me that?”

I squinted, “Calling you what?”

“In your head. Quit calling me by my race. I don’t go around calling you human. I have a name, it’s Tailor.”

Right, the mind-reading thing. Fun.

“Fine, make the protection spell an extra strong one, and I’ll call you Tailor from now on.”

He smiled, ” Deal.” We didn’t shake on this one. He did, however, turn around and write something with his golden magic and turn back around.

“And yours?” He asked.

“Mine what?

“Your name. What is it?” He said, shifting past me.

“Tatum. Tatum Wicks.”

“Ah, full name, is it? Mine is Tailor Silkvyn.”

“Well, Tailor Silkvyn, it’s a mighty unpleasant pleasure in meeting you,” I said, following after him.