Belinda: Burgeoning Suspicions

Belinda looks down at her now-**** lord. "You'll thank me in the morning."

"[SL] Why did you do that?!" The slime frantically moves Bel's arms.

The undead squats down, cupping the man's cheek. "He and I seem similar... We both overwork ourselves without giving our bodies time to rest. The difference is that my body doesn't need rest, now."

"Your mind does, though." Bel looks up, seeing Demona pushing the door open. She drops down and the wagon creaks and hops off the ground. "Gromanian nerve pinch? Where'd you learn that?"

"I had someone to use it on me when I overworked myself... Can you please help me carry him into his house?" Bel points to the building she was told belongs to Dusk, just across the path from the Monsquad's own quarters.

The gargoyle squints, a cocky grin on her face as she crosses her arms. "You knew I'd help, didn't you?"

"I was hoping. I'm not exactly strong enough to lift him on my own."

Demona chuckles. "Damn right you're not." She lifts up the devil onto her shoulder. "You're gonna owe me, Bel."

Bel struggles to smile as she begins leading her stone friend. "You keep reminding me."

"Someone's got to." She pauses, spinning around as she takes in her surroundings. "This is Riverbend? It was a lot bigger the last time I was here."

"This is what Riverbend has been for years. A small town of a hundred or so people." Belinda opens the door, somewhat surprised to find a nearly naked blond human-like monster sleeping on the only bed.

"[SL] That's the Hornet Empress. I don't know why she's here, but she should be harmless." The lieutenant repeated what she was told.

"Huh. This is the legendary Hornet Empress?" Demona steps forward, investigating the hornet. "I didn't think she'd be able to pass for human... Oh, looks like Dusk decided to discipline her." The gargoyle smirks, sitting the devil down against the side of the bed.

"Thanks for the help Demona."

"No problem..." She pauses, staring at Dusk for several seconds. "I've been mulling this over for a while, but...you know he's not a regular devil, right?"

"What do you mean? What makes a devil 'regular'?"

"I mean..." She sighs, turning around as she rubs the bridge of her nose, clearly contemplating her words in a way the devil hasn't done before for Bel. "You should ask Citrinas, honestly. She may be a novice on demonology, but...she has more experience with celestials than me."

Now the undead furrows her brow. "Celestials? Are you saying he's involved with the gods?"

Demona crosses her arms. "Look at his wings, Bel. Devils don't have feathered wings like this."

"What exactly are you saying?"

"I don't know. Maybe nothing. But if it is something...I have a feeling things are changing, Bel." She sets a hand on the undead's shoulder as she walks past. "Be prepared for anything."