“Orpheus,” she warned, wishing he could see her lips thinned in disapproval.
He released his snout and looked down to her.
“If he transforms and attacks someone, there will be chaos. He is a Mavka, they already perceive us as a threat.”
She noticed the odd lurking red eye here and there, and realised the Demons already looking at them warily. She swallowed a thick lump that formed in her throat.
“It’s okay.”
She reached out while holding the side of the cloak to hide her hands and patted the Mavka’s arm since he looked overwhelmed with all the noise and touches from others.
His head spun to her suddenly, before he looked down to her patting his arm. His tense shoulders loosened, and he let out a long breath. Then he looked around, his head darting quickly one way and then the other, before his eyes slowly faded back to their usual green.
“I am sorry,” he apologised. “This is much for me. I am unfamiliar with so many and worry of being harmed.”
She had to bite back her laugh.
“Don’t worry, I understand,” she said quietly. “I feel the same way. It’s a lot.”
“I am not alone in this feeling?” He touched his hand over his chest.
She shook her head, and his eyes flashed yellow for a moment.
“Thank you. I will try to focus on remaining calm so I do not bring harm to you.”
Orpheus walked them down a narrow street that was less cluttered to bring them to a particular shop. It was as if he knew the layout of the village by memory. A large bell chimed as they walked inside, both Duskwalkers needed to duck under the doorframe as not to knock their horns and antlers.
“Orpheus!” A gruff masculine voice exclaimed before a tall Demon with patches of brown skin within his black void flesh ran from behind a counter. “You have returned.”
Orpheus and Reia were the first to enter, and she saw the tall Demon’s red eyes widen when the other Duskwalker walked in behind them.
“And you have brought another Mavka?” His eyes turned to her. “And a smaller one?”
Reia clutched at Orpheus’ shirt. A Demon is talking… talking like a human, like a proper shopkeeper.
“Greetings, Snush,” he answered calmly, his arm tightening around Reia at the Demon’s observational gaze. “I have come to procure clothing for the Mavka.”
Snush, with little curling horns that sprouted from just above his temples and went sideways, let out a mousy laugh. He was wearing a perfectly tailored white suit shirt, black vest, pants, and dress boots. His black and white pinstriped jacket was even a coat tail.
“Well, he does look rather underdressed. Look at him! He’s only wearing pants.”
The Mavka’s eyes flashed a reddish-pink in embarrassment as he reached up to touch at his bare chest.
Snush rushed around the counter to go into the back of the shop. There were clothes hanging on racks, but even she could tell they were too small to fit onto the height of a seven-foot Duskwalker.
“You are lucky I always make clothing for something of your kind since you come back infrequently and are too impatient to wait for me to tailor you something.” He came out holding folded bundles of black clothes, a whole stack of them. “There is also the odd Demon that is almost as tall as you.”
Reia remained quiet and frozen at Orpheus’ side, only moving when he did to step out of the way so Snush could approach the Mavka freely.
He flinched and scuttled back a step when Snush raised a shirt to his body to check that it would fit. He nodded, not seeming to mind his apprehension.
“He is a little more gangly than you, but they should fit just fine for now.” He pointed to his pants. “Are they the only ones you have?” When he nodded, relaxing slowly, Snush shook his head. “Stolen from a human no doubt? It’s even tied together by rope! Let me quickly stitch another button onto some pants so they don’t fall and then you should be fine. Do you need a cloak?”
The Mavka looked to Orpheus for guidance. He nodded in return.
“Yes. Cloak is good.”
Snush waved his hands down so that he would lower his head and inspected his antlers.
“I will have to alter one of those too since you won’t be able to slip your antlers through the holes like his horns.” He turned to Orpheus. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll be done.”
When he was gone, Reia reached inside her mask to cup her cheeks in disbelief.
“Oh my gosh,” she gasped. “I can’t believe this.”
“I was very surprised when I first came here too,” Orpheus said down to her, patting her back lightly as if he was trying to comfort or reassure her. “This place wasn’t as advanced as it is now. It has grown over the centuries, but I have experienced what you both are feeling.”