Chapter 12: I Didn’t Know It This Entire Time

“Are you ready to give up yet?” The demon asked, lifting up the young man’s chin and twisting his head around so they could look at each other. “Remember, the question is not when you will die, but how long it will take. If you do, I’ll grant you the kindness of killing you before I finish eating you. Well, at least to the point where you are more or less unconscious. I hate eating dead things.” A brief look of revulsion crossed his handsome, blood smeared face.

It was a temping offer, but Hiryu refused.

“What is the time?” He asked, sighing. It felt as if the demon had been feasting on him for days. The only light came from the torch and brazier. It was impossible to tell if it was still night or not.

“I’ll go check,” Eigis replied cheerfully, giving him another revitalizing boost of demon magic. “Although I won’t give you any specifics until dawn.”

He sprinted out of the cell and up the stairs. In the space of a minute or two he was back.

“I must congratulate you. Outside the sky is gold, orange, pink and purple, larks and robins and sparrows are singing in the trees, the ground is wet and shinning with fresh dew and in the East the sun has just cleared the horizon. You have won our wager. It is dawn.” To Hiryu’s astonishment, he gave the demon hunter a deep bow of great respect, talons resting flat on his thighs.