4

Cecilia hastily casted her spell before they noticed her. On one side of the square, Kael fought a host of level ones, while on the other side the exorcists were too concerned with the fire demon that Kael had yet to destroy to have noticed - hopefully. Without fear of the dozen demons Cecilia ran onto the battlefield and grabbed Kael as he was about to destroy another one.

She whispered through her teeth, "Stop it! The exorcists will start wondering what's going on and the girl is waiting for us back at the shop. As soon as they're all dead we're going to go get it!"

"You're going to make me sit by and watch?" He hissed back.

She glared, "Do you want us to be found?"

He bit his tongue instantly and stood rigidly by to watch- Cecilia's spell over him again. It was difficult to watch them- the exorcists- struggle, but if Kael did anything the circumstances would only become stranger and the likelihood of their discovery would increase. Kael's shaking fists and grinding teeth weren't easy to shut out, but it was necessary to keep out of the battle. A last explosion and the field was cleared. Townspeople cheered from the remaining houses for their saviours.

"Let's go," Kael tugged her away, his grip tight. Cecilia dared not tell him which way to go until he calmed down. Finally he sighed heavily and stopped, "Where are we going, Cecilia?"

She flexed her fingers in his still too-tight hold, "the flower shop. One street over to the left."

He only nodded and continued to half drag her there. She let him. Only when he saw the florist sign swinging in the wind did he finally release her hand. Though she refrained from rubbing the sore wrist, she knew he had noticed his grip as his fingers twitched when he let go. She knocked on the door. He watched her numb hand fall from the door and disappear under the sleeve of her dress.

"Mrs. Maria, this is my friend Kael. May we come in to see Katie?" Cecilia said as Mrs. Maria opened the door cautiously.

Katie was asleep on the couch, "The monsters are all dead?" Kael nodded, "Thank goodness. They've been appearing every night for the last few weeks. We were all too afraid to go out after dark."

"Mrs. Maria, when did Katie's cat die?" Cecilia asked quietly.

Mrs. Maria glanced cautiously at her sleeping daughter, "About a month ago the cat stopped coming to the alley and Katie went looking for her. I'm so busy with my shop that I never went to help and I never knew, "she looked at the white cat that was asleep in Katie's arms, "I never knew she'd found another one."

"I understand. With all the deaths the demons caused you must have been making more floral arrangements than usual, my mother owned a flower shop too, and I'd often help," Cecilia said sympathetically, "it's hard to work alone to make that type of bouquet."

Cecilia felt Kael's quick sidelong glance at her. She didn't often talk about her family, not even with him. Mrs. Maria nodded and stroked her daughter's hair soothingly, more for her own sake than anything.

"She always used to help me," she said sadly, "but with her cat gone and so many townspeople too, I couldn't ask her to help me prepare flowers for graves. She's so young still. I couldn't make a child do that," she smiled sadly.

The room was quiet except for the purr of the cat and the crackling of the fire. Mrs. Maria seemed content in the silence to pat her daughter's head and wait for the two travellers to leave. But they had no such intentions with exorcists so close. Kael was watching Cecilia's face; only half of her lower lip was visible, drawn tight by her teeth.

"Mrs. Maria," Kael began in her stead, "we'd like to talk to Katie now, if we could. We'd like to leave as soon as possible."

Cecilia looked up for an answer as well. Mrs. Maria seemed to be debating between the two strangers staying and waking her daughter. Cecilia and Kael needed the choice to be the latter.

"I have a spare room if you…"

"You'll have to take Katie up to her room anyway, won't you? She'll wake up," he interjected.

Katie's mother looked disappointed, but her eyes were firm, "She won't wake up. I always carry her to bed. You'll stay in the extra room. I have a futon for one of you."

She stood, lifting Katie gently off the couch and barely managed not to stomp up the stairs. Both Kael and Cecilia sighed as they followed, thoughts wandering the town with the exorcists. With Katie in her own bed- still asleep- and the two travellers in her spare room, Mrs. Maria lightly slammed the door behind them. Cecilia took the bed without a word- Kael always refused when only one was available- and stared up at the roof for a long time.

"Kael?" he grunted, "They won't find us, will they?" her voice was small in the darkness.

"No," he said firmly, "They don't know where to look."

"They were so close behind us and I didn't even realize it…"

"You don't have to look back. You're always looking forward for the next piece and that's not a bad thing. Besides, once we found that cat you stopped checking. There wasn't any need to see anymore."

"I can't let that happen again," Cecilia said with finality though Kael wanted to dispute even though he did agree. He hated having to leave the fight for those exorcists.

"Get some rest. I'm sure Katie will be up early in the morning to see you."

He was right and Katie did get up very early in the morning despite her long night, but she did not run to Cecilia, instead she jumped on Kael in his futon on the floor.

"You did it!" She shrieked excitedly, "I knew you'd do it 'cause Sophie made you invisible with her magic, but I could still see you!"

Kael didn't say anything and Katie backed off silently. She stared at her feet until Cecilia got up and touched her shoulder. Katie grinned at her, stared at Kael, and led them downstairs to breakfast.

"Mrs. Maria, you didn't have to make us this," Cecilia said as she sat at a table overflowing with wonderful smells.

"It's the least I can do to say thank you and apologize for last night. I'm sorry for delaying you like that," she put one last plate of sausages on the table, "Please eat."

"Katie, where's your cat?" Cecilia asked as she wiped her mouth with a napkin.

Katie's lip trembled, "I-I know I p-promised you, I'd give her too you, b-but…"

Mrs. Maria scolded her, "Katie! You know it's wrong to go back on a promise. The monsters will come to get you."

It was a rather serious threat, one she didn't mean to make. It was a normal saying for a mother, but in a town that had just been plagued by demons it had an immediate effect. Mrs. Maria couldn't possibly have known how true her threat was. Katie dashed up the stairs and returned shortly after with the white cat in her arms. Cecilia stood and opened her arms to take the cat that Katie held, but Katie simply looked up at her with a small frown. Cecilia stood frozen in wonder as Katie walked up to Kael and offered the cat up to him. He looked at Cecilia and she covered a chuckle. He took the cat awkwardly and held it. It climbed up onto his shoulder and stared back down at Katie.

"You're gonna stay with him now, okay? I think he needs a friend," she told the cat sternly.

Having mistook Kael's quiet demeanour for a cold, lonely one; Katie gave him her best friend. Not only had a child given up her most precious thing to save someone else, but she also cared for the man who had saved her. Cecilia smiled at the scene.

"Katie, what's your kitty's name?" Cecilia asked.

Katie looked up at Kael with fierce eyes and mouth set firmly, "You name her."

Kael looked taken aback by her direct nature and unexpected answer, he looked to Cecilia again for help, but she was fighting a laugh again and shook her head. He sighed quietly and observed the cat that was perched on his shoulder.

"Sita," he said finally.

"But what did you call her, Katie?" Cecilia persisted again.
"Blue."

"Sita Blue," Cecilia said, "that's a pretty name," Katie beamed at her.

"You'll come back to visit one day, won't you? And bring Blue, too?" Katie begged as they headed out the door, "Promise?"

Cecilia answered honestly, "We'll try, Katie. We've got a long way to go before we end up back here again."

Katie waved from the door, not allowed to follow them to the edge of the village but saying that instead she'd start helping her mother again. The small town, cradled between the mountains and enveloped in forest, would hopefully never be discovered by demons again.