Raven remained silently crouched behind the large, wooden crate, her eyes following the black cat balancing precariously on the edge of a balcony. This was not just any balcony, it belonged to one of the city's most notorious Apothecarist's.

The cat momentarily turned his head in her direction and she made a swift 'get on with it' gesture. She could have sworn she heard his indignant sigh. In hindsight, it might have been wiser not to have involved the demon cat from hell. But after a certain incident a few days ago, she had not had much choice.

Grimalkin had grilled her intensely about her little dalliance with her father's apprentice, Rafe. Her explanation had clearly not satisfied him, but her history with the rogue dryad was not something that could be easily explained, unfortunately.

Rafe had gone to great lengths to reverse the amnesiac charm she had invoked on herself. She clenched her teeth, balling her fists. The audacity Rafe had to actually kiss her, rather than to trust the memory keys to do the job.

A startled cry escaped Raven's lips when Grimalkin jumped down from the crate above her, landing in front of her.

"Seriously, Grim?" She scolded, but then inhaled sharply when her eyes caught the spider-silk sachet around his neck.

"You found it," she breathed, a hand stretching for it.

Grimalkin smacked her hand with his paw.

"Aye, I did, among other peculiar oddities."

"Can I have it?"

"No."

"Why not?"

Grimalkin sat down with a resigned sigh.

"Raven, we are currently in the bowels of the worst, crime infested city. Around every corner there is a rogue, beggar or thief waiting for the chance to pounce. And you have yet to enlighten me as to why you are in need of this peculiar and very suspicious concoction."

Raven opened her mouth to respond, but then abruptly closed it when she noticed a leather satchel tied around one paw.

"What is that?"

"Hmmm?" Grimalkin looked down. "Oh, aye. Your friend had some interesting relics too."

"Relics? Grim, what did you take?"

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with," he dismissed. "We should get out of here."

The journey back home was needless to say enveloped with a stern silence, which utterly frustrated Raven. Her burning need to know what the demon had taken was at the utmost testing her patience. But, she knew better than to trifle with Grimalkin at present, since he did not bother to hide how annoyed he was with her.

They arrived just before dawn and Raven immediately crawled into bed, resigned to sort things out in the light of day.

Grimalkin curled up at her feet, tucking the satchel underneath his body. He was tired, but his mind refused to settle. His discovery had him deeply troubled. There are not many worldly things that could scare a demon, but he might just have stumbled upon one.

And the worst is, it was because of his own doing.

***

Daylight flooded the room, the warmth of the sun that had breached in between a gap through the tall buildings stroked Raven's cheek. She groaned, pulling the blanket over her head. A few seconds passed and then in one rapid movement she sprung from the bed.

Where was Grimalkin?

She frowned, the foot of her bed still had the imprint of his body where he had slept. Her frown deepened when she saw the spider-silk sachet on the bedside table. Her heart tightened in her chest.

She had thought that this morning she would have to tell her sorrowful tale about Rafe to Grimalkin. But if he had left the sachet...

Raven sank to her knees onto the floor.

Did he leave?

"Raven."

She spun around, relief washing over her. Grimalkin was standing on the balcony, with Eva squawking excitedly around his head. A little laugh broke free watching the cat swat at the raven flying around him.

"We need to talk," Grimalkin said as he maneuvered himself through the window.

"I thought you had left," Raven admitted quietly.

Grimalkin raised an inquiring brow and she gestured to the sachet.
"Ah," he nodded, sitting down in front of her.

For a moment an awkward silence floated between them.

"I am glad you didn't," Raven blurted, flinging her arms around Grimalkin's neck and pressing her face into his fur.

"Raven."

The tone in his voice made her retract, her arms falling away.
"Is something wrong?"

Grimalkin leaned forward, a paw pulling the leather satchel from underneath the bed.

"I found this yesterday and I am at a loss as to what I should do with it."

"What is it?"

He lifted the satchel with a nail and a glimmering, golden locket fell out onto the floor.

Raven tentatively reached for it and picked it up carefully.

"It contains the essence of a Djinn," Grimalkin stated.

"A Djinn? How do you know?"

For a moment, the demon hesitated, but then with a sigh, "because it is mine."

The locket slipped out of her hands.

"It still contains a wish. My wish."

"I-uh-what does that mean? You have a wish?"

"Aye," Grimalkin nodded.

"What wish?"

Again, he hesitated, his eyes searchingly studying Raven. As any demon would most likely tell you, sharing is not caring. A demon hoarded his secrets very greedily.

"Grim?"

"To become human."

Raven scoffed in disbelief. "Human? But, why would a demon want to be human?"

Grimalkin refrained from responding. He should have kept his mouth shut. His yellow eyes narrowed. He could actually hear her mind unraveling.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, picking up the locket again. "Who was she?"

"What?"

"The woman you wanted to become human for."

The way Grimalkin's shoulders sagged confirmed her revelation.
"Someone I once thought I was in love with, but-"

"She betrayed you?"

"Aye, she did. I had thought the locket had been destroyed, but trust in the demon realm is just as unreliable as in the human world."

Raven rubbed the locket gently. "Is this what your key is for?"

"Aye."

"If you had thought the locket was destroyed, why still carry the key?"

"As a reminder."

"A reminder-" Raven nodded thoughtfully, "to never give up your immortality?"

Grimalkin knocked the locket out of her hands and he moved closer, his nose almost touching hers.

His eyes locked with hers and with a deep, husky voice he whispered, "a reminder, to never again allow someone to breach my soul and claim it as theirs. To never again love so deeply that just by not being around them kills you. To never, ever be so close to someone that when apart it shreds your heart."

His words burned into her soul and an old wound flared.
"She was one of your wishes, wasn't she?"

Grimalkin snorted and turned away, jumping onto the bed. Raven's accurate conclusions were infuriating, and he regretted saying anything. But, despite everything, he knew she understood on some level. Because after all Rafe had been her wish.
"Everything has its price, even wishes." 

*******************************************************************************************
Citifiedfantasy Prompt:
Within the confines of a crime-filled city, you and your team stumble across a mythical relic of mythical abilities, capable of granting any wishes. But remember, nothing comes without a price to pay.

Word count: 1171

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