Free Legon Ascension by Nicholas Taylor

whole town was but that didn’t excuse it. She thought back to the little girl. She always shared with everyone, of course. She just wanted friends. She was so trusting and forgiving. That didn’t stop Emma and the others from being horrible to her by throwing things and telling her she was going to end up a slave and that no one wanted a demon. But Sasha would still help people. Oh how Emma took advantage of that by asking Sasha to come over and help out with this or that and then telling her to leave before anyone saw her there. Even right before Sasha left she was there for her, talking about Kovos. The girls in town were the worst. Not that the boys liked Sasha more, even though she truly was a pretty girl, but more that Legon, Barnin and Kovos beat them to a pulp if they spoke out against Sasha.
    Emma tasted acid thinking about it. She would make it up to Sasha if she saw her again. She understood now. She saw her mistakes. More tears came hoping she was going to get the chance to undo this sin of hers. They had to be alive. About a week after Kovos left some people found remains on the road, all male with royal guard armor. The bodies were robbed but that didn’t mean anything. Arkin followed them and Legon and Kovos were a force to be reckoned with. Sasha was fine. They all were. These were the thoughts that finally let Emma sleep.
    * * * * *
    Edis swore softly and put his thumb in his mouth. “Idiot.”
    The door clinked shut and he saw Emma eye him. She looked like she had been crying all night; no surprise there, but she also looked concerned.
    “Morning, Emma,” he said.
    “Morning, did you cut yourself?”
    “It’s no big thing. I just wanted to see if the knife was sharp, did it on purpose.”
    She smiled wryly at him. “You cut yourself on purpose?”
    She didn’t buy it, but he wanted to make her smile, the poor thing had been though a lot. “The back needs to be mopped,” he said gruffly.
    “Yes sir,” she said, and gave him a slight curtsy.
    As soon as she was out of sight he sucked his bleeding finger again. It really did hurt. Maybe Laura would need to clean it or something. He knew it wasn’t that bad of a cut, but Laura would treat it like a major injury. She always doted on him like that, and he had to admit he liked it, even to the point of hamming it up a lot of the time. He shook the thought from his head before Emma saw him.
    “How did ya sleep? You look tired,” he yelled toward the back of the shop. She didn’t look up. “Fine, and you?”
    “Now Emma, don’t lie to me. I know you better than that. What’s got you bothered? Are you afraid of being alone in that place? You know we’d love to have you with us. Just hold on to that place for the tax collectors and…”  
    “No, it’s not the house, well, not all the time…”
    “So what is it then?”
    She’d been through quite a bit but she needed to snap out of it. She needed to breathe again.
    Laura stepped into the shop from the back door and smiled warmly at Emma. This seemed to break the girl. Tears brimmed in her eyes, and Edis felt himself instinctually move to her. Laura looked to be thinking the same thing. As they moved toward Emma she stepped back.
    “What’s wrong dear?” Laura said soothingly.
    “I don’t deserve this! You’re too kind to me and I can’t take it anymore!” Emma  
    threw down the mop and ran out the back. Edis looked at his wife.  
    “What did you say to her?” Laura asked.  
    “Nothing, I asked what was wrong.”
    “Are you going to go talk to her?”
    “I suppose she probably went to the hill overlooking the town.”
    Laura looked curious. “What makes you say that?”
    He was already taking off his apron and moving to the door. “That’s where everyone goes unless they’re my age.”
    Laura’s concern cracked for a moment. “And where do people your age go?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
    “Not up hills, that’s where.” Edis said gruffly.
    She laughed. It was