Chapter 3: Petty Squabbles

"And so, you understand my position," the whiny, pathetic pile of uselessness standing before me said in his nasal voice,

while his rounded paunch quivered in time with his words. "I can no more give up my present apartments to Pyeristericor,"

he glanced sideways at the thin, tall and scowling demon who shared the audience space at the foot of the throne dais,

"than I could cut off my own arm."

"Perhaps I could help you in such an endeavor," Pyeristericor said, lips sneering at me as much as at the demon beside

him.

Round belly spun with outrage on his red face, cheeks purpling in his anger. "How dare you!"

My lungs ached to sigh, my entire being craving the outlet of frustration and irritation, but I'd managed to endure the

last several hours without showing any further signs of weakness and intended to keep it that way.

"Tilomyrins," I said to the still-quivering demon. "You claim you took possession of the apartments several months ago."

If it were up to me I would never consider such trivial complaints. But Dad's insistence on demonocracy had led me here,

to this moment, deciding which of these sad and sorry demons would keep possession of a stupid set of quarters no one

cared about, including them. Considering they were both Fourth Plane and had quarters here on the Seat, a random set of

apartments in the city could only be a petty attempt to wrestle some kind of concessions from each other. This wasn't the

kind of garbage I believed Ruler's role was intended for. So why did I tolerate it?

One sideways glace at my grandfather's grim and serious expression sealed my fate for the remainder of this session. As

long as he treated these trivial proceedings as though they required our full attention, I had to do so as well. Thanks

to Henemordonin and his constant prodding, I was already on shaky ground with the family when it came to trust and

respect. It didn't help matters one bit I now knew exactly how Syd must have felt when we were younger and she was

struggling with her position as coven heir.

Thinking of her typically put me in a sour mood these days, but not today. Instead, when I thought of Syd, I almost

smiled as I asked myself what she would do in this situation. For the first time since I took Ruler's seat, I allowed my

sister's influence to rise and shine inside me.

You're a Hayle, her voice repeated and I realized only then it had been doing so in the background the entire time,

drowned out by my fear and frustration. I believe in you.

Impulse, as powerful as Syd herself, seized control. Without thinking, channeling her on some deep level, I felt myself

open my mouth and heard myself speak while Syd's voice rang in my head.

"Since you both claim ownership of the property," I said, "but neither can come to terms with who is, in fact, in legal

possession, there is only one determination I can come to in this case." I almost giggled as mild hysteria at what I was

about to do formed a spinning vortex in the back of my throat, a happy replacement to my need to throw up. The

complainants both stared up at me with curiosity, though fearless. The demon in me wished I could lash out, knew Syd

would have in a heartbeat. But I wasn't Syd, and had a position to protect and uphold. That didn't stop me from going on,

however. "Without proper proof of ownership by either of you, I claim possession of the contended property and commit it

to the holdings of the First Plane until such a time one of you can present me with evidence of your own claim."

Gasping raced its familiar trail around the room, whispering following the intakes of breath. Henemordonin looked up at

me from his throne-a fact I knew irked him immensely-eyebrows pulled together. My nerves jumped, stomach clenching as the

vortex of excitement collapsed. Had I done the right thing? He was going to yell at me again, I knew it. And though a

little yelling wasn't such a bad thing from time to time, the fact I endured his abuse every single day wore on me so

badly I could hardly stand to think of the little meeting he had planned for us after court was over.

All of a sudden such petty matters didn't seem so small or insignificant. I would tolerate hours more if it meant he

wouldn't yell at me for a while.

But as my worries about my choice of decision bubbled and curdled, I caught a few nods, some smiles behind hands and felt

the general approval of the gathered family of nobility. Even the two demons in question simply grumbled a moment, before

allowing themselves to be guided away.

Consult with me next time, Henemordonin sent.

Like hell she will, Ahbi shot back. Nicely done, Ruler. I know she shared her words with him, because his cheeks

reddened. I wish it made me feel better, but it didn't. The expectation of his yelling grew into an almost fever pitch of

anxiety so powerful the tips of my fingers numbed from my grip on the cold stone of my throne.

You just need to stand up to him, Ahbi sent.

I've tried that in the past, I sent back. Fear quivered through my mental voice and I was unable to stop it. We tried

yelling back for a long time. Then ignoring him. We even tried having him locked out of my office, remember? Nothing

works. He just tracks me down and yells at me even louder. I shuddered, the physical reaction to expectation crippling. I

hate this, Ahbi.

There's only one way to end it, she sent. You have to challenge him. Or kill him. I vote for killing him.

We'd talked about this before and though it was very tempting, I couldn't bring myself to just have him assassinated.

What if we fail? He'd know it was me. Who else could it be?

Ahbi sighed in my head, her presence feeling as defeated as I did. I divorced him for a reason, she grumbled. Part of me

forgot why. But he's much worse than he's ever been, the overbearing juapunta. I almost snorted at the swear, picturing

my grandfather as a spiny slime creature with twenty eyes and a bright pink tongue, notoriously stupid enough to eat just

about anything.

It actually helped to have this conversation with her. Killing is out, I sent as the next set of demons began to speak. I

pretended to listen as I paid close attention to my grandmother. And if I challenge him... there's no guarantee I'll win.

You have all the power of Demonicon behind you, Ahbi sent.

But I don't have the support of the court. Their constant judging and watching was almost as bad as Henemordonin's

bullying. Under Dad's stupid new rules, if I challenge him and win, the court still has the right to reverse the victory.

I should have kept a closer eye on your father when he was Ruler. Ahbi sighed in my head, a sigh I myself longed to

heave. At least one of us was able to expel our frustration. I suppose this is my fault.

I almost choked, covering my shock with a cough, winning me a glare from my grandfather. For the first time in years I

wasn't focused on him when he showed his displeasure, ignoring him as Ahbi snorted at my reaction.

I can admit it when I'm wrong, she sent.

Of course you can, I sent, doing my very best to keep amusement from my tone, but knowing I failed terribly. Happens all

the time.

We shared a laugh. And this time, when it was over, I did sigh, a deep and satisfying feeling. Yes, it attracted my

grandfather's attention again. But all the tension was gone, to the point I flashed him a smile in answer to his

overbearing scowl.

Can you tell me, I sent to my grandmother, why the two of us haven't been on the same side all this time?

She fell silent. I waited with more patience than I felt, wondering if she would even answer. When she did, her mental

voice sounded muted, soft, apologetic.

I don't know, she sent. These last four years haven't been easy for either of us. It was hard not to empathize with her

and I found myself reaching out to embrace her with my power as she went on. Going from Ruler to living in your sister's

head the way I did, it's a wonder I'm still sane. I had to agree with her there. When Ameline Benoit killed Ahbi and

framed Syd for our grandmother's death, Ahbi's first act had been to geas Syd with finding and killing her murderer.

I can imagine, I sent, not a trace of sarcasm making it past my sympathy, though I know I had every reason to be

sarcastic. I'd lived with Ahbi tied to me far longer than the few days Syd had to tolerate.

I know, Ahbi sent. Being part of the Node was a life-and death-changing experience. It was Ahbi's tie to the core keeping

Demonicon together I remembered the most vividly. Coming out of my forced addiction to nectar, moving here to my home,

being part of demon society had been made all the more wonderful thanks to Ahbi's presence in the Node. But, yes, I had

to admit, she really was different then. When Ahbi left the Node to join Ameline in the fight to stop the evil sorcerers,

the Brotherhood, I missed her terribly. But the demon who returned was darker, angrier and, when Dad abdicated and made

me Ruler, the full weight of Ahbi's presence settled inside me as though I'd swallowed her whole.

It must be so hard for you, I sent, waving absently as Henemordonin stared. He finally turned back to the two

complainants and did his Second Seat duty. A flicker of understanding pierced my conversation with Ahbi as I realized

this could be a regular thing. He'd tried to saddle me with the responsibility of all these tiny complaints, and I'd

allowed it. But now I saw just how foolish and untrained that response had been even as, in my mind, I saw Syd's wry

smile.

Why today? Why was it her concern and her words stuck with me now when they never had before?

You are a Hayle.

Because I was finally willing to listen and accept my older, braver, stronger sister really wasn't judging me. I was the

only one doing that. Well, me and Ahbi. And Henemordonin and the rest of the court, not to mention all of Demonicon...

You are a HAYLE. My mother's daughter. My sister's blood. I'd let my grandfather make me forget who I really was.

My fault again, Ahbi sent, interrupting my half-amused, half-disgusted epiphany, as though out of touch, for once, with

where my thoughts were going. But you're correct. Let him deal with the mess he's made worse. If he wants the power to

rule, allow him to rule-but only those issues that don't carry weight. She laughed out loud, ringing in my head.

Actually, darling girl, it's brilliant. The court will see you being generous in your actions, and yet anything important

that comes up, you take control. She continued to chuckle before falling silent. I'm a damned old fool, Meira. We could

have done this long ago.

My eyes burned with more sizzling tears, partially from the relief I felt having her speak to me this way, but mostly for

the lost time we'd allowed to pass. Lost time I'd allowed to pass, not only between Ahbi and myself, but Syd and me. And

time I could have lived as the Hayle witch I was raised to be. Yes, I was Ruler of Demonicon. But four years of abuse

beat out of me the truth-I was a witch as much as a demon. No, I sent, the sinking feeling I was correct making me a

little ill, but only out of guilt even as threads of hope burst to life. We needed to come to a place like this one in

order for such a plan to work. I couldn't help but send a little, thank you, Syd, into the ether. I am a Hayle. And I'm

done being pushed around.

If anyone asks, Ahbi sent, this was our contrivance all along. A few years of lulling him into submission and then BAM!

Take his ass down.

So that's how you always came across as so clever, I sent.

She shifted inside me, good humor filling me with calm for the first time in a very long time. Even Ruler has her

secrets, pet, she sent.

I knew then this was how being Ruler was supposed to feel. I'd craved this feeling of belonging and acceptance, of being

equal to the task. Did my grandmother's approval really mean that much to me? I was lying to myself if I thought

otherwise.

I haven't made it any easier for you, Ahbi sent as Henemordonin pronounced his decision though I didn't hear a word of

his choice. And no, having my approval shouldn't be a priority. You are Ruler, Meira. I need to remember that. She

sounded so sad and distressed I softened further.

Grandmother, I sent, using that label for the first time in years, we're both responsible for this. I think... it was so

difficult to go on, but I had to speak, at least to her, the fear I'd carried since I took Ruler's throne at fourteen. I

think Henemordonin is right and I'm too young and too untried to rule Demonicon. Syd was right about many things, but in

this instance, I worried she was wrong. I might be a Hayle, but she was the one raised for power, not me.

Ahbi snorted, batting at my power with hers. Age has nothing to do with it, she sent. You were raised by Miriam Hayle.

Her echo of what Syd said earlier made me perk. You know what being in control looks like. And yes, there have been

hiccups. That was what she called this disaster of a reign? But overall, you've done amazingly well, considering the road

blocks you've faced at every turn.

This was such an abrupt about face I could barely breathe. Excitement rose once more at the possibility things might be

turning in my favor at last. My birthday visit to Syd's was a good thing after all, a chance for Ahbi and I both to shake

loose from our preconceived notions of each other. All because of my sister and my willingness to let go of being so

darned stubborn about letting Syd in.

Any opportunity I had to continue our conversation was shattered when Henemordonin turned to me with an expectant stare

on his darkening face.

I believe he asked us a question, Ahbi said, still amused though my fear tried to make a fresh appearance. I felt her

push to the forefront. May I?

We'd fought many times over her attempts to take control of me physically in the past and I'd always been left resentful

and furious while she slunk to the corner of my mind and stewed. But this was the first time she'd ever come out and

asked.

Hope bloomed we could work together after all as I accepted, with a measure of relief, allowing her to feel part of the

reason I always fought her was out of fear I wasn't good enough.

She hugged me as she took over. I could still see out of my own eyes, but felt her right there with me, everything in

hyper contrast as the two of us shared my vision. My lips parted, feeling dry as she spoke, but the deep and

condescending tone she used was all Ahbi.

"Speak up," she said as the family tittered in response. "And stop mumbling."

Hysterical laughter formed a bouncing ball of nerves right under my ribcage, making it hard to draw a full breath as I

waited for his response.

Henemordonin's amber eyes flared with fire, his wide jaw clenching under his silver beard. I waited for the attack I knew

was coming, the yelling and the fury but, in a day of amazing firsts, I felt my anxiety lessen and fade as Ahbi faced him

down.

As we faced him down.

I saw him retreat, the anger in his eyes pulling back. He must have known Ahbi and I had come to some agreement and I

made a further connection as he spoke. He'd been manipulating our lack of cohesion, using it against us at every turn.

No longer, Ahbi sent.

No longer, I agreed.

United-at least for now, because I held no illusions about either my grandmother or myself-we both listened carefully as

he opened his mouth.

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