Chapter 56

'That's enough,' Arados could sense False was starting to drain Lus's Light energy, 'you've proven you can do it, so there's no point in hurting either of us.'

'Right,' False nodded before placing his right hand flat to his chest.

He then slowly pulled his hand away, drawing out a large mass of Light energy as he did. When the amount he was drawing stopped getting any bigger, he forced it into a mass between his two hands and sent it flying back towards Lus. As the energy hit Lus, it surrounded his whole body, wavering for a few moments as it was slowly absorbed into him.

'How did you know you could do that?' Lus shot him an almost accusing look.

'Mother and father demons have to provide food for offspring too young to hunt for themselves somehow,' False rolled his eyes. 'So all demons who can absorb power, can unabsorbed it. At least they can before they digest it fully.'

'Let me guess, that was another little titbit you picked up during your studying.'

'You are getting insightful, aren't you oh Passive One.'

'Must you two bicker?' Arados shot them both a look. 'We've got to track down the Teen still, remember?'

'Right,' Lus's face filled with a look, 'so the Hateling here can have his first proper meal.'

'Hey, that's not why I'm doing this,' False glared at him. 'I'm planning to give Jo and Crovell back what they lost.'

'Without hurting my father, right?' Arados's voice was firm.

'Right.'

'Whatever,' Lus shrugged, as he began walking away from them.

'Where do you think you're going?'

'To track down the Teen, where else?'

Clutching their daughter closely to her, she silently followed him. She still couldn't quite believe the way he was acting, but the fact he'd managed to use a small amount of power in order to bring her here told her he was being used by something or someone.

'Mummy, where are we going?' Kasey whispered for about the hundredth time.

'I don't know sweetie,' she half smiled down at her, 'Daddy hasn't told me yet.'

'Are we going to see Day Day?'

'I wish I knew, but I don't.'

'I wanna see Day Day again, it's been ages since I last seen him. Do you think Daddy knows where he's been hiding? Do you think Daddy's taking me to see him?'

'I don't know sweetie.'

'Why don't you know?'

'Because Daddy wants it to be a surprise for me too.'

'Why?'

'Because he does.'

'Will it be a nice surprised?'

'Oh god I hope so.'

'Don't you know?'

'No, I'm afraid Daddy didn't share that bit with me either.'

'Will we be there soon?'

'I don't know, but I really, really hope so.'

Kasey fell silent again. Catilin knew she'd be asking the exact same questions again in a few minutes, probably because she was scared and didn't know what else to do. If Catilin was being perfectly honest with herself Kasey wasn't the only one who was scared. She was terrified and the only thing given her the remotest amount of comfort were her daughter's repetitive questions.

'Mummy where are we going?'

'Why don't you ask me,' Duke came to an abrupt stop, forcing Catilin to do the same. 'Why does it keep having to be Mummy, Mummy, Mummy? Why can't you ask me?'

'Because she's scared of you right now,' Catilin lowered her gaze, when Kasey remained strangely silent. 'And so am I.'

'Whatever,' he began walking again, 'we'll be there soon enough.'

'We're not going any further till you tell us what all this is about,' she rooting herself to the spot.

'Don't be so childish about this Catilin,' he stopped again to glance back at her, 'I told you, I need your help with something.'

'With what?'

'You'll find out once we reach him.'

'Reach who? The one controlling you. The one who gave you that power you were so confident in using.'

'Well as you denied me my own…'

'I didn't deny you; that's not how it happened. You've never been like this about it before.'

'Well I'm being like this about it now Catilin,' he glared at her. 'Because I get the feeling none of this would be happening if you'd allowed me to have what was mine to begin with.'

'I don't understand; what is happening?'

'You'll find out soon enough,' he turned again.

'No, not soon enough, now. I want to know now.'

'Must you always insist on being so stubborn?'

'I thought that was one of the things you loved about me.'

'She's a Dorsoma,' he half turned his head away as he gritted his teeth.

'Who is,' Catilin frowned. 'The one controlling you?'

'No,' he shook his head, 'our daughter. She's a Dorsoma.'

'How do you know that?'

'Because he told me.'

'Who?'

'The Teen.'

'A Nameless? You're being controlled by a Nameless?'

'Because I have no powers of my own by which to defend myself, I'm just that weak, apparently.'

'But… that's not how it works, you… you'd be susceptible…'

'I don't want to hear it Catilin. Just come with me, I need your help in controlling our daughter for him.'

'What?'

'That's what I need you for. That's what all this is about. So you can follow me again now, we're almost there.'