Lecture

"How are you doing?"

Rowen took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She was doing well, all things considered, but bad in a way because she was stuck having to follow rules in order to survive. If she just went off searching for Mr. Cormick, her neighbor, or Dein then odds were good that Detective Austin would lock her away before she could get far.

"I'm surviving. I'm starving, though."

"They have food here. I know it's not the greatest, but it's edible."

Rowen opened her eyes and turned to look at him, and for a moment the mask fell away. It left her looking like a scared kid. Before long it was covered in a mask of sarcasm and indifference.

"It's edible for you, but I can't eat it. Thought I was going to be sick when I caught the scent of all the plants and overcooked meat."

"Hmm, I take it that means your body had taken on the qualities of a demon. They were not made to eat human food."

"You're pretty familiar with demons. Is that part of the job as a detective?"

Austin laughed, "Yes, but my knowledge comes from my family. I come from a family of Summoners. We can trace our line all the way to Ver'rae. I'm a licensed Summoner but haven't worked with a demon since I was going to Gailuri. Doesn't endear me with the family, ignoring my bloodline."

~Interesting. That would explain a lot, it would also explain his appearance. There were two, maybe three, families that claimed Ver'rae's bloodline. It does seem a waste, coming from such a strong bloodline and not utilizing everything that comes with it.~

Rowen sat up as she listened to Gabriel speak. She had lived in a neighborhood that only had a few of the fairy bloodline. They were common enough. The other bloodlines were usually families with money and were only seen in high-end places.

"So, does that make you an orc bloodline?"

"I thought that was clear enough looking at me."

Detective Austin motioned to himself. His black hair, paired with medium blue eyes and skin the shade of deep cocoa spoke to how close his line was to his orc ancestor. Rowen had learned about bloodlines at school, but she was not familiar enough with them to identify them off the streets.

"The most I've come across is diluted fairy bloodlines. It seemed a little rude to just ask you if you're an orc."

"It's best to not do that when it comes to orc bloodlines. Dragon and Elf bloodlines love the attention, even those whose lines have been diluted to the point of looking human. Fairy's don't care, but they're also the most visible even when seriously diluted.

"Orc bloodlines are proud of their heritage, but we don't have time for the frivolities that the other bloodlines involve themselves in."

"It must be interesting being part of a god's bloodline. I'll admit that the image I had in my head of her is the opposite of how you are. You're too calm to be descended from a war god."

"Patience is important in war, Rowen. The moment you let your emotions take over is when you start to lose. My ancestor was a calm and patient warrior who could cleave a man in half when it was needed."

~Indeed. Ver'rae was methodical in her planning and could outwait all of her enemies. She also tended to hold grudges for centuries. That's why it's important to never cross an orc, the quickest way to get your throat slit when you least expect it.~

Rowen laughed. She found it funny that she was being berated by the detective in front of her and the demon inside her over a god.

"I admit defeat. I've got both of you correcting me."

"Maybe it has some taste after all."

"You say that until I mention that it was laughing while I was giving Officer Hill shit."

Detective Austin's face took on a serious tone when she mentioned Hill.

"About that, it's important that you not torment people like that, especially the ones assigned to protect you."

"Yeah, yeah and I shouldn't take my boredom out on others. Officer Mullins already gave me a version of that lecture.

"I can't kill people, I can't speak my mind around people because it fucks with them. What can I do? Because my first urge is to just burn everything."

"That's understandable after everything that's happened. Think about it, though, has Officer Hill ever done anything to you? Why, then, does he deserve to be treated like you did?

"I know that we can't stop you from being you, but I can try and make you understand that most people don't deserve to be treated badly."

Rowen tilted her head as she sat there listening to Austin. She understood what he was saying, she had lived that life before and it had given her nothing, it had left her with nothing but a demon sharing her soul.

"There is a lot of anger in me that needs an outlet whether or not I want it. If I'm being honest, I really don't want to hold it back. You can't tell me that there was no one else at home in my neighborhood when my parents were killed. All that screaming and someone should have been called.

"How long did it take for someone to call about the warehouse? There was enough time in between me crying for help and them screaming as I killed them. No one called for help until the bad guys were dying.

"The only one I had to rely on was a demon."

Austin could feel the pain hidden in her anger. He had felt that once upon a time, it had been what turned him away from being a Summoner. It was something that only time stood a chance of healing.

"This world isn't perfect. Those without power fear stepping up to help others because they are afraid of the consequences.

"We're different, we have power. We also have the choice to be like the cultists who killed your parents, or to be the ones who step forward and help those who need it."

Rowen snorted, "I'm not a hero."

"No, you're a fifteen-year-old who is sharing her soul with a demon. Your body is changing in a way that has less to do with puberty and more about becoming a demon.

"All of that means it'll have a greater impact when you choose to help others."

~None of it sounds good. What's the point of doing good when no one else cares?~

Rowen was still listening to Detective Austin's speech, but most of her attention was now on Gabriel.

~That is for you to decide. You will need to decide what your reputation will be and what kind of work you will be doing after school. Some positions will require you to be more restrained, others not so much.~

Rowen had not considered that side of things. She had always planned on finding a fun job, like working at a cafe making coffee. That had been before, now she had powers and would be going to the top magic academy. She had options that she did not before.