"I—we don't believe in Fires."
Laughter arose. "Let him up," the leader said. "He must be telling the truth. Only a fley-eater would be so ignorant."
They took off some of the ropes. Alyar rubbed at various bruises and abrasions, wondering whether he and Bru would be killed or made slaves. The outlaws would surely keep the girls. He wondered whether the Demon were going to give up its property so easily.
As if in answer to the thought, it came strolling into the light, and the leader made a sign nervously. "Damn! A black cat! Is it yours?"
"A black what? It captured us in the Forest."
"It ... captured you? In the Forest? Then it's a real Demon!"
"Of course! How can you be so ignorant?"
"And you're still alive?"
"It hasn't hurt us yet, but it won't let us get away and it makes us carry it. I think we're uncursed right now. I'm not sure; I sort of lost track."
The man gulped and faced the Demon. "Please forgive us, Demon. We didn't know these people were yours."