Chapter 2

Two happy neighs greeted him as he entered the area indicated by the guard at the entrance to the stable. The space was small, but it was open, at least. Niris thought he would try to negotiate for a space more suitable for the size of the two large animals. Sitting down on the wooden fence, he scratched his friend's forehead, who shook his head in pleasure. Meica also came begging for attention and the angel began to stroke her with his other hand, a smile on his lips. Of all the creatures in the intergalaxy, pegasus were by far the ones he liked the most.

He thought back to his strange encounter in the forest. Angels had a natural distrust of demons, even if there was no direct hatred for them. Niris had this innate natural distrust, but there was a part of him that urged him not to condemn all demons for acts that only some of them committed. This was also what his father had taught him from a young age, despite his predisposition to kidnapping because of his gift.

But if A-ran intrigued him because of his behavior, he had not felt any hostility coming from him. On the contrary, he found him quite curious about him! And yet it was this curiosity that raised suspicions in him that he could not silence with a simple wave of his hand.

Meica's whinny, protesting against his hand being clamped on her muzzle, brought him back to reality.

"Haha, sorry Meica, but that's it for tonight," he replied with a laugh. "I have to go back to my room and rest. I start my investigation tomorrow and I don't have much time!"

Azure nudged his elbow with his muzzle. The boy smiled at him.

"Don't worry, I'll be careful. And Inja is accompanying me, she's the best protection I could ever dream of! I'll be as discreet as possible and tie this up quickly so we can get home before the week of festivities."

He winked confidently at his four-armed companion who turned his ears to the side, still worried about the angel's mission. Niris scratched his muzzle one last time and then jumped to the ground. After a final goodbye, he slipped away into the night like a black cat blending into the darkness and returned to his room. When he opened the door, he was surprised to see a rolling cart with a steaming dinner on it.

"Eh? I never asked to be served dinner in my room?"

He approached the trolley and noticed a sheet of paper folded in half, lying between the two bells that covered the hot dishes. He grabbed it and opened it. Delicate writing ran across the paper, drawing these few words.

"To save you the trouble of traveling to the main hall, I have asked my friend at the palace to have a meal delivered to your room. You will find dishes only suitable for angels. I hope it will be to your taste. A-ran."

Niris looked at the paper with rounded eyes. He lifted one of the bells and a delicious aroma tingled his nostrils. He felt his stomach growl and swallowed. These dishes were of exceptional quality. He who was used to the finest food could tell by the smell of it.

Still stunned by the situation, he removed his traveling coat, washed his hands, and grabbed a fork. Stabbing it into the tender flesh of the vegetables, he brought it to the level of his nose and moistened it. There was no poison or drug in the smell. He opened his mouth and gently placed the food on his tongue. Slowly closing his mouth, he had to fight the temptation to indulge in the pleasure of tasting and concentrate on detecting any harmful toxin. After a few seconds, he took another bite, savoring with delight the dish that had been prepared especially for him. He had not detected anything unusual in the food.

"I'll have to thank A-ran tomorrow," he thought. He hoped to run into him again in this immense palace filled with guests from the four corners of the intergalaxy. It was his only option since he had no idea how to contact him. The only thing he knew about this demon was that he had a room in the tower at the corner of the wing in which he was staying and that he was the owner of this garden.

He thought as he stuffed half the dish into small bites, not letting a single crumb escape his fork. A-ran had permitted him to return to the garden. Perhaps if he went back tomorrow he would see him again. He decided to give it a try. He finished his meal greedily and prepared to sleep. It had been a long day and the night was already well underway. Sinking into the blankets, he appreciated the delicacy of the fabric. He had expected cotton blankets, too rough for his delicate skin, but they were made of silk.

Curling up in the bedding, he slipped quickly into the world of dreams, accompanied by the softness of the sheets on his skin.

The sun was already high in the sky when Niris left his room, still closely followed by Inja. He had given himself a good night's sleep and had only decided to go to the common dining room mid-morning. Feeling refreshed from a good night's sleep, he moved briskly down the corridor when he collided with someone with his back to him coming from an adjacent corridor.

Quickly regaining his balance, he caught the person who had inadvertently bumped into him to avoid him a bad fall.

"Are you all right?"

Holding him by the shoulders, Niris got a better look at the person who had crashed into him. It was a Selanpis. His light green skin and star-shaped ears twice the size of the angel's were a clear indication. The poor boy pulled himself together and apologized to Niris, confused.

"I'm sorry... I didn't see you coming! My boxerus is very unruly this morning and I'm having trouble controlling him... I apologize!"

A small animal with a pudgy body and big round eyes waddled at his master's feet, tongue hanging out and ears quivering. The adorable face seemed to radiate a vitality that called for play. Niris smiled and reassured the poor Selanpis with his hands that he was fine.

"Don't worry, you didn't hurt me! I'm fine, and I'm glad to see that you are too."

The Selanpis, who was shorter than the angel, bowed in thanks and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Are you heading to the common room for breakfast?" he then asked.

"Yes, I'm starving and this room is so far from my suite!

"Oooh... you're at the very end of the palace," the Selanpis commented and gave him a sorry look. "It's quite a walk to the central buildings...".

He didn't dare to continue, realizing that he was only sinking, at the risk of hurting his savior. But to his surprise, Niris laughed.

"You don't say! At least it gives me my daily exercise! I'll come back to Meripia fitter than I left."

The Selanpis laughed at the angel's casual remark. They walked together towards the common room, chatting along the way.

"You are Lord Jangta of Meripaea?"

"Himself!" replied Niris with a smile.

"Pleased to meet you, Lord Jangta! I am Ascarm of Selanpus, the first royal prince of the Selanpian kingdom. I'm representing my father's interests at this ceremony as a formality since I have no stake in this lavish ceremony. As I suppose you do?"

"You guess right," the angel replied cheerfully.

He was in a very perfect mood this morning.

"It's rare to see an angel at the ceremonies in Yerpena," Ascarm commented.

"Ah... my father has a trade relationship with the emperor that is rather necessary for him, I must say. He could hardly do without inviting us or he'd be in a bad situation," explained the Jangta impostor.

"Oh, I see. Indeed, trade relationships are very important to the emperor, but I can't imagine him putting his pride aside to invite an angel to his son's enthronement ceremony. So trade relationships have the power to bend any power!"

Niris smiled. The remark of his fellow corridor transhumant friend was most true.

"That's certainly why I'm at the far end of the wing furthest from the center of the palace," Niris confirmed. "To spare the emperor's pride."

"Oh... you know it's better this way! You won't be disturbed by the noise of the festivities and the drunken guests who can't find their way out."

The Selanpis seemed embarrassed to have brought up such a subject, but Niris' reassuring smile told him that he could speak without fear. He relaxed, reassured by the ease with which he could talk to the angel.

"I'm not in a better position," he continued. "My suite may be a few corridors closer than yours, but my status in this ceremony is not that different from yours."

"At least we'll be safe because no one will be interested in us," Niris added with a knowing wink.

Talking like this until they reached the dining room, the two young men quickly became friends. The similarity of their situation naturally brought them together, and they soon found themselves exchanging biometric contacts to communicate during their stay.

Finally arriving at their destination, they had a quick breakfast. The two princes seemed equally uninterested in the pomp and circumstance with which the guests were received. Quickly taking some food from a plate, they ate away from the balcony overlooking the surrounding garden, leaving the sumptuous hall to the prestigious guests already all dressed up and ready to seduce the central element of this masquerade: Prince Seiran.

Niris and Ascarm, far from all these preoccupations, quickly fled from this pool of sharks ready to tear each other apart to devour the delicious food placed under their noses and that only one of them would be allowed to taste.

"It was a pleasure to have breakfast with you, Jangta," the Selanpis said once they had finished their frugal meal.

"A shared pleasure, Ascarm," replied the angel.

The two princes had decided to forget the formalities and call each other by their first names to make their discussions more comfortable.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to make a quick trip to the palace pet tracking center. Kini is not yet registered and I don't want to get in trouble for that. Demons are very strict about this kind of thing..."

"Of course! These are not matters to be neglected here, indeed..."

Niris looked at the little Boxerus, who had finally calmed down after eating his morning meal and was now sitting quietly at his master's feet.

The two new friends parted, promising to meet again for future meals. Niris watched as the smooth green-skinned young man made his way to the wing where the palace management offices were located to retrieve the necessary documents for his pet, who trotted happily behind him.

The angel was about to find Inja who was in the room reserved for bodyguards when he came across a compact group of men and women all gathered around a person who was walking serenely in their midst, apparently totally unaffected by their puerile squabble over who would manage to capture his attention, even if it was only a crumb.

Anxious not to get caught up in this hypocritical mess, Niris moved forward, skimming the walls, hoping to become invisible and go unnoticed. But as the group passed him, he hiccupped in surprise to see A-ran being the object of the group's excitement. He was about to look away when the demon's yellow eyes met his green ones involuntarily fascinated by the radiant beauty of the object of all the lust.

The demon greeted him with a nod, to which Niris answered shyly. The big smile the latter gave him made him blush to his ears. He looked away, deeply embarrassed at having been caught admiring him in this way.

Once the group had passed, the angel took a breath. He finally looked up and resumed his walk towards the guard room. As he did so, he couldn't help but think back to A-ran, whom he had seen, looking more resplendent than ever, surrounded by a crowd of courtiers as if he were the fashionable thing of the moment.

"No wonder he attracts so much attention with such beauty," thought Niris. The demon radiated a warm light that drew in all the curious as sunlight draws in butterflies. Whatever his status, it was only natural that he was so popular. This was what the angel was realizing when he felt a very unpleasant feeling coming over him.

Coming out of his thoughts, he realized that there were many reproving looks on other guests' faces as he walked through the corridors of the palace. "Is it because I'm an angel?" he asked himself, instantly closing his eyes and putting on the cold, distant air he usually wore when he had to help his father with his business. But he had a feeling that the cause of those looks was something other than the fact that he was a member of the naturally despised demon species. He had so far only elicited indifference from the other guests.

"It couldn't be because... A-ran greeted me earlier?" A shiver ran down his spine. What kind of horror movie the demon's life must be if this is what it felt like to be greeted by him in a hallway! Suddenly the angel felt pity for the demon. He also understood why he spent his free time in this remote garden. The attention he was attracting must not have been far from that which Prince Seiran could cause. "Perhaps he is a relative of the Prince?" thought A-ran.

He shook his head. It seemed unlikely that someone of such high rank would behave so familiarly and naturally with him, even away from the gaze of others. A-ran did not look like a member of high society, he did not have the natural contempt and disdain for anyone lower in rank and status that these people had. So he blamed his beauty for the euphoria he aroused in the pedantic society that Niris shunned like the plague.

Seeing Inja a little further ahead, he quickened his pace to join her.

"Inja!"

The guard turned and greeted him courteously as was customary in intergalactic etiquette.

"Did you eat well? Have you been to see Meica?"he asked, regaining his natural cheerfulness, reassured by the presence of the guard.

"Yes, I went before breakfast," she replied.

Inja was a professional at controlling her behavior and facial expressions. That was why she had been chosen for the mission. Niris was close to all his close guards who also treated him as a friend. But in this particular context, it was very important to give the appearance of respect for aristocratic formalities. And in this, Inja was perfect.

They quickly returned to their suite and sat down at the table in the prince's room. The prince wanted to make a quick review before starting their investigation. They had to be organized and meticulous. It was a matter of life and death. A single misstep, a single clue left in their path, and they would not be guaranteed a safe return to Egea.

"I have seen no other angel than you, your highness," began Inja. "It seems that the slaves have all been transferred to a place outside the castle for the duration of the ceremony."

Niris stared out the window, looking thoughtful.

"The angel trade is condemned by the majority of the international community after all," he commented. "I already expected them to give an impeccable account of themselves during the four weeks of ceremonies."

The task seemed unachievable at the moment. They had no leads, and the demons were on guard, knowing full well that any country of the intergalactic community would severely judge any action of the demons toward angels. The government of Yerpena was perfectly prepared to give the Orikarn Empire a flawless image of their society, which they consider to be a so-called example of progress and equality.

Progress earned by the sweat of slaves' brows and a facade of equality that in reality only benefits those who can afford it. All this was deeply repugnant to the prince.

"The palace is huge..." he thought aloud. "I doubt the demons could move all of Yerpena's slaves so easily for so long. Surely there must be some still living in the basement of the castle until the ceremony is over."

Inja seemed to think.

"It's possible, your highness, but remember what we discussed with your father: no physical research by yourself...

"We must focus on finding documents and testimonies from members of the castle, I know," he replied, annoyed.

"It's for your own good, your highness," the guard tried to appease him. "If you are ever discovered, you will not leave this palace alive and will surely cause a devastating war between Egea and Orikarn. I know you are aware of the stakes and will be careful to prevent such a disaster from occurring."

Niris sighed. The thought of it infuriated him. How was he supposed to find evidence of illegal trade in the palace if he couldn't explore for himself? Searching for documents and obtaining evidence was as difficult as inspecting the basement of a palace.

"And that demon you met yesterday... A-ran," Inja continued. "Why don't you try to get some information from him?"

"That's even riskier," sighed the prince again. "I don't have any information about him, and I don't even know which family he belongs to. He may not even live in Yerpena. He's unlikely to know anything."

The guard watched him for a moment.

"You told me that he was very interested in angels, that he had grown up with our culture, and that he seemed genuinely curious about you rather than greedy. Perhaps he will give you more information than you think if you agree to tell him about angels in return?"

"That's what worries me," Niris said. "A demon who says he appreciates angels and is genuinely curious about them when we're in the middle of the biggest angel trade center is too strange. Chances are he is ignorant of everything that goes on in this palace or he wouldn't have this view of angels. Anyone who has been educated to enslave a species for the sake of luxury and power cannot have a sincere and benevolent interest in that same species."

And then he knew about his gift of life. But he would never tell Inja that. She would be willing to execute the demon with her own hands to make sure the information never got out... So he preferred to keep the incident to himself. He would advise if it turned out that A-ran was actually on the side of the smugglers.

"It's your only lead at the moment, and it also seems to be the least dangerous of all, if you ask me," the guard insisted.

Niris thought. The least dangerous. To him, A-ran was danger incarnate. A little voice inside him told him to always be on his guard in the presence of the demon. But not for the same reasons he had mentioned to Inja. The prince felt that he was not able to control his emotions and his reactions when he was in the presence of the demon with hair as blond as wheat.

The danger was actually more from him and his weakness towards the beauty of this demon that he could not control than from the potential danger of the demon. He felt that the latter could make him say or do anything without him realizing it, and that frightened him more than anything. He had to control himself. The fact that the demon was his type should not distract him from his goal.

Nervous with all his thoughts, Niris suddenly stood up and grabbed his summer coat from the back of his chair.

"You keep questioning the guards and exploring the castle under the pretext that you get lost every time, and I'll try to find a lead to explore in the documents. We'll take stock in two or three days if we don't have a chance to talk before then. I'm going for a walk, I need to clear my head."

The guard nodded and waved as the prince left the suite, heading for the gardens. He had to get that smiling blonde head out of his mind or he would go crazy.