Chapter 200 Chapter 200
“My name is Valerie,” she smiled, making sure he didn’t notice what was happening behind him. Maxwell viciously attacked the low-class demons with his light, and they turned to ash one after the other. A few escaped, but he didn’t pursue them, opting to stay with her and the boy instead.
“Fucking low lives,” he grumbled to himself and walked back to her and the boy. “Did something happen to him?”
“Are you okay?” Valerie asked the boy who rubbed his eyes with his gloved hands.
“Yes,” he mumbled. “But I lost mommy and daddy,” he sniffled. “The weird ghost distracted me, and now I don’t know where they are.”
“I see,” she said with a sigh. “You know what? We’re heading back to the square, and maybe your parents are somewhere nearby looking for you.” She kept a reassuring smile on her lips and got up, taking his hand.
“Sister?”
“Yes?” she replied.
“Thanks,” he said, looking shyly at the ground. She bit her lip, finding him incredibly adorable.
“It’s fine,” she smiled. “What’s your name?”
“Flynn.”
“Alright, Flynn. We’re going to help you find your mom and dad,” she said and took his hand to lead him back to the square. Maxwell walked on the boy’s other side, his eyes drifting over the humans mingling around near the small bakery.
“Do you see your parents anywhere?” he asked. Flynn looked at him with wide eyes—he had been sneaking glances at the demon this whole time, but Maxwell hadn’t acknowledged them so far, finding the child’s behavior mildly annoying.
“Um…” Flynn mumbled and looked around, trying to spot his parents, but judging by his saddened expression, he was unsuccessful. “They’re not here.”
His shoulders slumped, and he seemed close to tears. When his lower lip began to tremble, Valerie decided that she needed to distract him a bit until they found his parents. She assumed that they were somewhere in the park, looking for their child, so it was only a matter of time until they would come here. And if that wasn’t the case, then she would have to notify the police later.
“Flynn? Do you want hot chocolate?” she asked, and instantly, his eyes brightened.
“Yes,” he said. “Can I have some?”
“Of course,” she grinned. “Do you want some too?” she then asked Maxwell, who had been watching their exchange with a hint of curiosity in his eyes. She made comforting the boy look so easy; he wasn’t crying anymore and looked comfortable in her presence, even though she was a stranger.
“Yeah,” Maxwell nodded.
“I will go and buy it for us. Will you keep an eye on him until I’m back? I won’t take long,” she said.
“Fine,” he answered, earning a smile from her as she turned to head to the bakery.
Valerie didn’t need long to buy hot chocolate for them. With some difficulty, she carried the three cups in her hands, balancing them carefully as she walked.
Her eyes searched for Maxwell and Flynn, and she noted that they weren’t where she had left them. Instead, they had sat on a bench that was sheltered from the falling snow. It stood under a small roof that was attached to the bakery.
Flynn seemingly couldn’t decide whether he wanted to keep tugging on Maxwell’s braids or if he preferred the chain, playing with both in turns. The demon, on the other hand, was torn between yelling at him and keeping quiet because a crying child was even more annoying than this. Whatever this was.
Valerie stayed glued to the spot for another moment and watched the scene with a grin on her lips. They were adorable without even trying at all. She could tell that Maxwell was careful with him, making sure he didn’t run away, and he did it in his own interesting way. Capturing Flynn’s attention with a glowing orb of light, he held him on his lap.
When she walked up to them, and they spotted her, Flynn jumped off Maxwell’s lap and ran towards her, hugging her leg.
“Sister, he’s… he’s…” the boy stuttered excitedly.
“Yes?” she smiled and brought him back to Maxwell.
“HE’S A FAIRY.” Flynn finally shouted, making Maxwell choke on air. She had never in her life seen him so flabbergasted, and it took all her willpower not to end up rolling on the floor in laughter. His jaw dropped, and his eyes widened comically. It took him exactly four seconds to get over it, his expression warping and showing deep offense. He scowled.
Valerie giggled and came to stand in front of him with the boy, intending to use the opportunity to have a little fun. “It’s our secret now, okay?” she whispered to Flynn. “Mr. Fairy can’t be recognized by anyone, you know? He hid his cute sparkly fairy wings today, but you saw through his disguise!”
“Oh, then it’s a secret!” Flynn repeated. “I’m sorry, Mr. Fairy. I didn’t want to break your disguise.”
Maxwell looked like he wanted to strangle him, biting down on his tongue so hard that she actually felt a dull ache.
“May I ask why you… uh… think he’s a fairy?” Valerie said, amusedly.
“He has white hair, and he wears this weird necklace thing on his face… Fairies wear weird stuff, too. And also, he can use sparkly magic,” Flynn rambled, counting with his fingers as he listed everything he had noticed.
Valerie awed quietly and smiled. “Cute,” she breathed before she raised her voice. “Maybe Mr. Fairy could show you some more magic.” She gave Maxwell a pointed glance, to which he rolled his eyes.
“Maybe he doesn’t want to,” was his snarky reply.
The boy’s eyes welled up with tears when the demon glowered at him, and Valerie set down the cups on the bench, quickly enveloping him in a hug. “Hey, don’t cry now.”
“But he’s an evil fairy. He’s going to jinx us, and I’m scared,” he sniffled, rubbing his eyes.
“He’s not going to jinx us, I promise,” she cooed, trying to undo the damage that Maxwell had caused while sneakily sending death glares in his direction.
“How would you know?” he whined, grabbing her jacket and tugging at it with his small hands. Valerie suddenly had an idea and grinned, knowing how she would cheer him up again.