Never let them hurt you.

There was always something about Dantalaois. We met in a bar in Prague, and I just knew that he was trouble. No man dresses like that without being a mischief maker, but from my lonely corner of the bar, I wasn’t anything but amused. I knew right away that he wasn’t human. We non-human species can usually spot each other pretty quickly, and I wanted to see what would become of this demonic manwhore that was leaning across the bar counter to whisper into a woman’s ear. Her laughter was sickening, like the texture of vegetable oil, bland and slimy. It was with that oozing background noise that the vision flickered across my eyes: Dantalaois, in a back alley, being raped by the woman and her posse of grotesque men. Something told me to change the future, and so I did.

I didn’t know then, that I would be gaining a best friend.

After I saved him that night, we travelled together. He found out that I was a thief, and he made a wonderful partner in crime. He has a charming tongue, and could sweet-talk a tiger out of its stripes. He is all flash, and I am all danger. But even off the job, Danta is the perfect friend. He can always cheer me when I’m down, and he is always good for a hug when I need one. Yes, Danta is a wonderful friend. He’s a good lover, too. Not that we would consider ourselves to be lovers collectively, but there are times when I can’t help but label him that way. I’d never hold him back- after all, I don’t believe in clipping people’s wings, but while he’s mine I enjoy him, and when he isn’t I can still smile and savour his friendship.

That’s why I’m doing this. If my mother or the Harpy Council knew that I have given him the amulet, they would slaughter him for defiling our most ancient artifact. Even the mates of the council are not allowed to touch it. But I won’t let them hurt Dantalaois. I won’t ever let anyone touch him. Even if it means killing my own mother, in the least honourable way that I can find. After all, as Dantalaois says, that’s why I have wings. At least, that’s what I will keep telling myself forever, once I’ve killed my mother in cold blood.

Because I will never say it out loud, never admit it to anyone. But I love Dantalaois.