• The Demon's Curse •

15: In Which Lily Catches a Star

Michael had no objection to the idea of speed. That way he would be able to find Lettie and take her to the shower just as he promised. Now he didn't have to disappoint Howl, keep Lily occupied, and have a wonderful night with Lettie. He couldn't be happier.
After the first ten minutes of standing in the bone-chilling air, the enthusiasm faded.
"Wouldn't it faster if it we're just you Lily?" the boy asked with a nervous glance.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, Both of us can't run ten an' a half miles a second, the star would surely be faster. Besides, Lettie will probably be wonderin' where I am."
Lily offered a tight smile. It was his stupid spell after all. "That's fine. I'll catch it myself and meet you back at the castle later."
His olive skin seemed to glow with warmth when she finally granted him freedom. He was young and there was nothing wrong with wanting a little fun. Lily watched him run off, back inside the castle, probably turning the dial red down to Market chipping. She took this as her chance to make her wish.
Hours went by before she got sleepy. Her teeth stopped chattering after the first hour but she was still terribly cold. Until a bright flash zipped by in the sky. She only stared, seeing it in such a dark sky looked surreal. by the time she had appreciated it's beauty the star was gone. Drat. She had missed her chance. That was until she noticed the sky lighting up above her in a cascading shower of light. Some were just a flicker before they blinked out but one caught her eye. It wasn't far so she ran for it.
She chased the burning ball of gas with the world zipping quickly behind her. She reached for the star, barely grazing it's warmth on her fingertips. In the midst of it's capture, it screamed. The sudden shriek startled Lily and nearly made her trip over herself. But she pressed on.
"What are you doing!" it cried.
The star itself was faceless, but had a shrill voice much like static.
"Trying to make a wish!" She yelled as best as she could mange with the wind blowing past her.
"You musn't! You must let me die! I am finished with my life! Let me die!" it plead, much louder than before. As if the sudden burst of a cry helped the poor thing, gain momentum, it found a pond of murky water.
The burning ball of gas was snuffed out with small bubbles rising to the surface. It's shape decayed away, almost like it was never there at all. It broke Lily's heart to see a brilliant star want nothing more that to die. It's voice reminded Lily of the spirits Howl summoned the day he threw his tantrum. She shivered at the thought; and the bitter cold.
Another star was falling her way and she speed off to meet it. It hardly had time to change course before Lily nearly collided with it. She reached it with her hand and enclosed the creature within. Her eyes shut tightly as the rays nearly blinded her. The heat in her hand, felt very pleasant and she could feel a smile spread on her lips.
She opened her gray eyes to find a glowing star in between her cage like fingers. She watched it and held it like a child would with it's blanket. It was warm and unlike anything she had ever held before in her life. Something in a fairy tale.
"A lovely face you have." it said in a surprisingly deep tone. It sounded much like Calcifer.
She felt a blush heat her freezing cheeks, "Thank you. Are you going to grant me a wish?"
The star was silent, "Only if you let me go."
She quirked a brow, "Then you'll just fly away."
The star let out a cackle, "Clever girl. My purpose is to die. I'd like to get on with it."
"Not so fast." She ushered, holding the light closer to her face. "Why is it you want to die?"
"If we don't, witches and wizards alike want to eat us."
She scoffed, shaking the star slightly. "No games. Just tell me the truth."
"What reason would I have to lie?"
The tone of the star was even and steady. She envied it completely, even in the face of it's impending doom. It also had a very valid point. Why would it need to lie?
" Why do they want to eat you?"
This time the star seemed to scoff. "You caught me and now have no idea how a star works? Ha! That's how demons are made."
Suddenly Lily's mouth went dry.
"I would have guessed you knew that considering the mark you carry."
Lily couldn't find her voice. Her hands were shaking furiously despite the star's grunts of discontent. Her insides knotted and she suddenly felt sick. There was no way she could outsmart a demon unless she had one of her own.
"What do I call you?" she asked, peering that the light.
"You can't possibly pronounce it, but," The star sighed heavily. "You may refer to me as Ifrit."
Lily nodded, now seeing that the faceless creature did infact have a face. It was small and had no nose or mouth but burning white eyes.
"I'm taking you back to the castle and I want you to explain everything to me-"
"I don't think so!" The star shouted. "You can't just capture a demon! There will be hellish Consequences to pay!"
"Well I'm holding you in my hand right now and nothing's happened yet!" she shouted back at the tiny ball.
The star grew very quiet. His cunning has slipped him and he was in shambles.
Lily figured this out and couldn't feel anything but triumphant.
"I'll tell you what," She began. "You demons make deals don't you?"
"We can't make a deal! You have one already!"
Lily caught the star by it's white lie. "The demon that did this to me is already in a bargain. So you can have more than one-"
"Fine fine! But what will you offer me in return." the star interupted.
She found herself having Deja' Vu'. "What is it you want?"
"There is something otherworldly about you. A very strong magic binds you here." It hummed to itself in seldom thought. "I've decided I want to go back with you. I want to be freed in the plain you originate from."
"Are you going to mark me as well?" Lily asked, flinching at the thought.
The ghostly eyes of the star flickered into something devious that looked a lot like Calcifer.
"Yes but that's the price to pay. I promise it will be small."
She agreed to the deal and slightly loosened her grip. "But what about me? What about my part of the deal?"
"Ah yes. You'll have to be very specific with that. You can't repeat any deals you have on going." it clarified.
Lily swallowed nervously, "I want to use you by means of freeing myself of Calcifer's bargain." As she said the words, a burning flared intensely through her arm and into her chest. Her heart was behaving badly when she remembered that she would be killed if she tried to out the deal.
"Deal."
The pain was excruciating and she had completely dropped the star. It was then her entire body felt like fire. Her skin crawled and her blood boiled from the flames like she was in Hell itself. She couldn't scream due to the convulsions, she had completely forgotten to breathe. Within seconds the fiery pain cooled and a new burn fetched a price behind her ear. It wasn't like Calcifer's fire at all. It was cold and indirect. So chilling that it burned.

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