Wife of the Demon

“It’s too dangerous to give to a separate conscience like me.”

A quiet settled over the room.

But only for a moment.

Jarel frowned.

“Too dangerous how?”

Quinn shrugged.

“It’s not the kind of healing you’re thinking of. It can heal, yes… but it can alter things too. It can change anything biological or spiritual.”

Jarel groaned.

“So it’s basically a character editor.”

She nodded.

Sayang, apparently finding the whole situation very amusing, chuckled lightly.

“Well, it looks like you’ll be on a carnivorous diet, dear.”

Quinn finally glanced up.

And noticed Jarel staring down at the table in exactly the same way she had been moments earlier.

Downcast.

Her heart ached.

Her thoughts began to spiral.

It’s my fault.

What could she do to make it better?

She didn’t want him to be sad.

And then the thought struck her harder than anything else.

I don’t want him to be sad.

When had she started thinking like that?

Her mouth moved before she could stop it.

“I don’t want you to be sad!”

She clamped her hands over her mouth instantly.

Too late.

Jarel looked up in surprise.

“Quinn?”

Her face burned red.

She spoke through her hands, muffled but still understandable.

“I… don’t want you to be sad.”

A small smile spread across his face.

“I’m really glad you feel that way.”

Her eyes widened.

“Because it’s love?”

He chuckled.

“An aspect of it. You can care about someone without loving them. But if you love someone… you naturally don’t want them to be sad.”

He tilted his head slightly.

“Does that make sense?”

She nodded slowly, then lowered her hands.

A bright smile spread across her face.

“Love!”

Sayang, who had been watching the entire exchange with an expression that could only be described as euphoric, giggled.

“I wish I were young again… I haven’t felt like this since my days with Mahalina.”

Quinn blinked.

Slowly, she turned her head toward the old woman.

“Who?”

Sayang rested a hand against her cheek, smiling wistfully.

“Mahalina. Oh, how I loved that girl…”

Quinn stared at her.

Then, without warning, she slammed her forehead into the wooden table with a loud thud.

Jarel winced.

“Why’d you do that?”

Quinn raised her head again, eyes locked firmly on Sayang.

“Aunty… do you have any pictures of Mahalina?”

Sayang nodded as she stood.

“Of course. Let me go get one.”

She disappeared into the bedroom and closed the door behind her.

Quinn immediately turned to Jarel.

“Did you know about this?”

He shook his head. He had never heard that name before in his life.

But judging by Quinn’s reaction, he could already guess what was going on.

Moments later Sayang returned with a large photo album tucked in her arms.

She flipped through the pages until her eyes lit up.

“There we are.”

She placed the album in the center of the table and turned it toward them.

The largest photo filled an entire page. An old black-and-white wedding photograph.

Two brides stood smiling at the camera, bouquets in their hands as flower petals rained down around them.

One of them was unmistakably Sayang - far younger, but still clearly her. Surprisingly beautiful.

The other woman Jarel had never seen before.

Sayang pointed proudly at her.

“There she is. Forty-six years we spent together.”

Quinn stared.

Her mouth opened.

Closed.

Opened again.

Closed once more.

Finally she sighed.

“Aunty… you’ve known three demons in your life.”

Sayang blinked.

“Are you saying my Mahalina was a demon?”

Quinn nodded.

“The Demon of Lust.”

Sayang didn’t seem fazed in the slightest. She scratched her chin and nodded slowly.

“That would explain several things, actually.”

Jarel decided he absolutely did not want to know what things could be explained by discovering your partner was the Demon of Lust.

He sighed.

“Aunty… you married a demon?”

Sayang giggled.

“So I did. How exciting! I only wish she’d told me. We could have had such a good time.”

Once again, Jarel chose not to think about what that might imply.

“What happened to her, Aunty?”

Sayang’s expression darkened.

“She died eight years ago. Cancer got the better of her.”

The photograph, which had seemed innocent moments earlier, suddenly carried a much heavier weight.

Jarel spoke softly.

“I’m sorry.”

To his surprise, Sayang brightened again.

“No, it’s quite alright. She lived a good life, and she told me herself that she wouldn’t have spent it with anyone else.”

She smiled warmly at the photo.

“I’m sure she’s happy in… well, Hell. I used to say Heaven, but I suppose that’s wrong.”

She giggled at the thought.

Jarel couldn’t help but smile with her.

Then he frowned slightly and turned to Quinn. He was beginning to seriously question some of the design choices demons made.

“Demons can get sick?”

She nodded.

“Without healing magic our immune systems are strong, but not impenetrable. It’s a failsafe in case we go rogue. Prevents us from living forever.”

His heart suddenly pounded.

“So… you’re going to get cancer?”

Quinn blinked.

Then burst into laughter.

“No, silly. Well, maybe. But most of the time it’s just old age that gets us.”

He frowned.

“What’s the life expectancy of a… clone demon like you?”

She shrugged.

“The same as any human living in the environment we’re in. So around eighty years for me.”

He nodded slowly. That was comforting, at least.

Then he looked back at Sayang.

“Well… that explains why you’re so good with demons, Aunty.”

Sayang giggled like a schoolgirl.

“I suppose it does.”

It didn’t explain everything about the mysterious old woman. But for now, it would have to do.

Jarel sighed.

“So… what were we talking about? Quinn’s cheese problem, I think.”

Sayang nodded immediately, shifting gears with the speed of a professional actor.

“Does dearest have healing magic?”

Quinn shook her head.

“Jinxia won’t have it either.”

She sighed, her mood dropping again.

Jarel placed a warm hand on her shoulder.

“Hey. It’s okay. We can work around it.”

She nodded sadly.

Sayang hummed thoughtfully.

“At least you can still make the cookie recipe, dearie. It doesn’t use any of the ingredients my dog loved.”

Quinn’s ears perked up immediately.

“It doesn’t?”

Sayang shook her head.

Quinn’s tail began wagging - then suddenly froze.

“But… the finished product does.”

Sayang giggled.

“I would hope so.”

She stood up.

“Now, what do you say I start teaching you that recipe?”

Quinn’s red eyes sparkled and her tail began wagging wildly again.

She gasped.

“Yes!”

Sayang chuckled - then abruptly switched demeanor.

Her eyes narrowed as she turned to Jarel.

“Not you. You don’t get to know the recipe. Leave.”

He raised his hands in surrender, stood up, and headed for the door.

As he stood, he noticed something.

The quiche was gone.

Only crumbs remained.

He knew exactly who the culprit was, but decided not to comment.

Closing the door behind him, he could still hear Quinn’s excited voice inside the apartment. Sayang responded with calmer, more patient tones as the kitchen slowly transformed into a classroom.

Jarel smiled.

Then the smile faded.

What was he supposed to do now?

The answer came immediately.

He would sit on the couch, put his feet up, and binge another twenty-four episodes of some random anime that probably should never have been made.

In other words, he was going to be very lazy.

Or so he thought.