Chapter 59
Down in his base, Zeth spoke to Astrys.
After giving her precise orders on how he wanted her to move, he nodded. “So, those are your orders. Go up into the forest, search the surrounding area in the way I told you to, then come down here when you’re done.”
“That is…An extremely specific method. Was there a reason you decided it was necessary to control the exact number of steps I took in each direction while searching?”
“Like I said, you get a bit more freedom if you see a human or monster, so it shouldn’t be an issue.”
“I believe it would be more effective if I were able to move as I—”
Zeth raised a hand. “No. I can’t be certain what you will do if I give you freedom of movement. Now go up there and search.”
Astrys seemed like she wanted to say something, but she was forced to turn around and head up the stairs, going up to the surface to look for anything suspicious.
Zeth refused to allow another disaster to happen from his own lack of care while giving orders to his demons. Maybe it sounded rude, but he’d much rather be rude than be responsible for the deaths of another thirty people. The first time something like that happened, it was a mistake. The second time and onward, it was unforgivable incompetence. He’d already gotten the one strike he’d ever allow himself.
Once he heard her shut the trapdoor up above, he knelt down and began drawing. He figured it’d make sense to spend another couple hours working before he went to bed to allow that unsettling feeling of being watched to fade away. It was at least gone now, having faded once he’d disappeared down in his base, but who knew what may have been lurking up in the forest. Hopefully nothing, but one could never be too sure.