Black Heart The demon's Child

Chapter 5: A Name Revealed

In the cave, the soft crackle of the fire lulled Aria across from him, her eyes entranced by the flames that danced before them.

The snowstorm raged on outside, caging them indoors in that small space. It had been their protection, their haven against the wild. Black Heart lay quietly beside her, bundled in furs, his dark eyes reflecting in the firelight, still and silent as ever.

For days, they had followed this weirdo, of whom Aria still knew nothing, other than he had come when she needed him most and had offered his help.

He had taught her to find her own food, to move quietly through the forest, and now he was teaching her self-defense. And yet, despite all of that, there still remained thick silence between them-the one unspoken question since the day they had met.

Tonight, the silence was too much to bear.

Aria cleared her throat and the silence was broken. "You never told me your name," she said softly, only barely louder than her crackling fire.

The man sat cross-legged across from her, one eyebrow rising as a faint smile tugged the corner of his lips. "My name?" he echoed, amusement flickering in his dark eyes.

"Yes," Aria persisted. "I don't even know who you are, or why you're helping us."

He chuckled low and rough, as if he hadn't laughed in a long time. He leaned back against the wall of the cave and stretched his legs out. "Names aren't always so important, Aria," he said, his tone teasing.

But Aria would not take the bait. She folded her arms into a "don't even think about it" pose and stared him straight down. "I have to know. Who are you?"

The man's smile faltered for a moment, and he looked over to Black Heart, who watched the exchange with his typical silent unnerving.

A moment passed before the man blew a small sigh and ran a hand through his dark hair. "Very well," he said straightening his back a bit. "You've earned that much I suppose."

He paused, studying her for a good long time, weighing, it seemed, whether to reveal something very personal. Then, at last, he spoke.

"I'm Darken," he said, his voice quiet-almost casual. "Servant of the seventh demon. I'm guessing you've heard of him; he is rather infamous in some circles."

Aria's heart was racing, the name sending a shiver down her spine. She knew of the seventh demon, an abomination of unimaginable power and mercilessness: his stories turgid with blood and ruin; a deafening cacophony that formed demonic hymns.

He ruled over a wide expanse of shadowy realms-a feared ruler of all.

But that wasn't what had made her blood freeze.

Darken leaned forward slightly, a knowing light gleaming in his eyes. "Of course," he went on, "the fifth demon-he's your husband."

Aria's eyes fluttered, her head spinning whitely. Her hands clenched upon the hem of her cloak as she shook her head.

"Not... husband," she amended low and trembling. "We were never married."

Darken chuckled again, the deep rumble starting a vibration in the air.

"Ah, yes, demons don't trouble themselves with such petty human politeness, do they?" He smiled, but it was nothing reassuring.

"Still, he did leave you with a going-away present of sorts, didn't he?" His eyes turned to Black Heart, the boy's flames dancing weakly in the faint light.

Aria swallowed hard, past weight bearing down upon her. It had been years since she'd spoken of Black Heart's father, not since the night he had left her.

She had tried to forget him, to bury the memories of their brief, dangerous time together. But now, held hostage by this man-this servant of the seventh demon-the past was closing in on her.

Darken's eyes softened, if just a little. Hunching forward, he tore off a strip of meat from the small animal they had roasted earlier and handed it to Black Heart.

The boy, with his characteristic unearthly silence, merely opened his mouth for the food and swallowed, not making much as a peep.

"You'll want to protect him," Darken said, his voice turning serious. "His father is a strange man... and a dangerous one, at that. He has enemies-too many to count. They will come for him, one day. And when they do, you'll need to be ready."

Aria saw her son, his tiny form so still and quiet, full of such dreadful potential.

The black flames in his hair were barely visible now, but she knew that they could grow stronger. She had glimpses of it-flashes of power that frightened her more than anything else.

"I'll protect him," she said, silently firming her resolve.

Darken's eyes haunted hers as though he could see the fear buried deep inside. He nodded, slow.

"That's the right answer." His voice was low, consideration laced within it. "Still, it won't be easy. His father's enemies will stop at nothing. And there are those who'd kill him before he ever comes into his full power."

A shiver of dread crept inside her stomach. She had known it from down there, ever since she first saw the black flames dancing in her newborn son's hair. He was no ordinary boy, and his father. his father had left them to face this wicked world.

Darken rose, fluid as silk in his movements. He stretched, turning toward the entrance of the cave, where the whine of the storm outside still was heard.

"We need to get him new clothes," he said as he turned back. "Clothes which will hide those flames. They'll draw too much attention otherwise."

Aria frowned, her eyes dropping to Black Heart. His flames were faint now, barely visible, but Darken was right: They couldn't risk it, not with so many dangers lurking beyond the cave's safety.

"Where will we find clothes like that?" she asked, her voice soft, almost hesitant.

Darken's lips curled into a sly smile. "I know of a place," he said, full of secrets in his tone.

"But we would have to travel far and it is not going to be easy. There are things in those woods-creatures that serve the seventh demon and others who serve no one but themselves.

Aria's heart sank once more. More danger.

Always more danger. She had hardly kept herself alive this long, and now they were going to venture into even more treacherous territory.

Darken seemed to sense her hesitation. He took another step closer, his dark eyes meeting hers then with that intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.

"We have to work today, Aria," he said, firm.

"For his sake." He nodded at Black Heart, who, like an extra presence in the room, watched them both with those silent, seeing eyes.

Aria swallowed hard, feeling the weight of words settle over her. She had no choice. For her son, she could only press on, no matter how unforgiving that path was going to prove.

She nodded slowly, her eyes shelving as she glanced over at her son. He was so small, so fragile... with a power in him that scared her to death.

She muttered under her breath, far more to herself than to Darken, "I will do whatever it takes.".

The smile came again to the man's face, but it was keener this time, even dangerous. "Good," said he, his voice low and full of promise.

"Because this is only the beginning."