Ryvan stayed in the shadows of the hallway that led to Ishtar's room, following her silently as she stormed down toward her room. He didn't flinch as she flung one of the solid oak tables onto its side, but he did stay back as she stepped into her room. He listened as she flipped over her bed and then straightened things back up. As she quieted down, he waited a few minutes and then tapped on her door. "Ishtar! Why aren't you out with the others?" he called out in a questioning voice.
"Go away!" Ishtar yelled in response. "I'm meditating!"
He sighed, frowning slightly as he heard something that he assumed was one of her many books hitting the opposite side of the door. Instead of leaving as she had ordered, he stayed where he was and listened. He smiled a little as he heard her finishing up her meditation more than two hours later, putting his forehead against the door. He sensed her approaching the door and vanished before she could sense who he was.
"Having fun?" Thorn asked, raising one eyebrow as Ryvan appeared inside his office. "Playing with Ishtar is worse than playing with fire," he warned his best warrior.
Ryvan scoffed. "Who says I'm playing with her?" he retorted. He grabbed one of the fireplace pokers and stoked the fire that was burning. Sighing, he kept his back to his boss. "What do you know about her? I mean, really know about her?" he asked in a quieter voice.
"I know she's got your balls in her iron grip," Thorn responded in a taunting voice.
"Bite me," Ryvan said, turning with a growl toward his boss and flipping him off.
"Watch your tone," Thorn answered with a warning growl of his own. He folded his hands together on top of his desk. "You're allowing her to get too far under your skin."
"And you're not allowing her to get far enough under yours," Ryvan pointed out. "Who is she, Thorn?"
Thorn sighed. "She's Hera's daughter." He very rarely talked anything over with those who worked for him, but Ryvan was one of the few exceptions. The demon had always been someone Thorn had been able to rely on.
"Hera's?" Ryvan repeated. "The Greek bitch, Hera?" He shook his head. "That explains so much." He thought for a few moments, a few things about his fellow Hellchaser suddenly clicking into place. He looked into Thorn's eyes. "Zeus is not her father."
"No," Thorn stated, fire burning deep within his eyes. "He is not." He leaned forward so that he and his best friend were eye to eye. "No one knows who her true father is, and it is going to stay that way. Am I clear?"
"Crystal, Sir," Ryvan responded. He knew exactly what to say to keep his head in place on his own shoulders. He turned around without another word and left the office. He stopped just outside of Ishtar's bedroom for several moments but didn't knock or make any other indication that he was there. After a little while, he stepped away from her door and headed for his own.
Ryvan's room was sparsely decorated. A single full-size bed rested against the far wall, and a three drawer wooden dresser rested against the wall to the left of the door. One single wooden night stand stood next to the bed, and a small wooden desk rested against the wall to the right of the door. A woven rug covered the center of the stone floor.
He kicked off his shoes and stashed them under the edge of the bed as he stripped down to his underwear and pulled back the covers. He slid onto the bed and curled onto his side as he slowly fell asleep, dreaming of Ishtar as he had every night since she had arrived.
The dream was always the same, and it was very simple. In it, he confronted Ishtar and told her he knew exactly who she was. He always grabbed her and pulled her into his arms to keep her from trying to tear him apart, holding her tight until she finally relaxed and whispering in her ear that he would never allow anyone to hurt her. The two of them slowly became friends, and then lovers, as they continued to work together for her father.
Ryvan woke up with a smile on his face, stretching his arms over his head before slowly sitting up. He heard Thorn in his head, calling him into his office and sighed. Using his powers to get dressed, he walked down the hall and into the office. "You called, boss?"
"Yeah," Thorn answered. He handed Ryvan a folder containing a picture and a name with a last known location. "I need you to track down this demon and subdue him. Kill him if you must, but I'd rather he be caught alive and brought back here for me to have some fun with." He glanced toward the open door. "Take Ishtar with you for backup."
Ryvan looked at the information and then burned it in his hand with his powers. Without another word, he left the office and walked down the stone passageway to Ishtar's room. He hesitated outside the closed door, using his powers to listen to what was going on inside. He could tell that Ishtar was sleeping and knew that it was probably the most restful sleep she had gotten in a long time. Coming to a fast decision, he manifested a paper and ink pen and wrote her a note.
'Ishtar,
Thorn has sent me out on a mission. He instructed me to take you with me, but I know how rarely you get to sleep. Sleep well for me. I will see you when I return.
Ryvan'
Ryvan taped the note to Ishtar's door and then disappeared, re-appearing moments later in a darkened alley. He tilted his head to one side as he closed his eyes and used his powers to seek out the one he had come to find.
