Page 36 of Unleashing Chaos

I scoff. “I didn’t take you for someone who makes judgments based on stereotypes. Not all demons have horns and tails. But I’ll explain—my family and I are High Demons. We don’t have them. A couple of my brothers’ eternal partners do, though. What else can I do to prove it to you? Do you want me to use my powers right here?”

He leans against the counter and crosses his arms and ankles. “Sure. I’d love to see what you can do, demon princess.”

It’s written all over his face; he thinks I’ve lost my mind. He’s waiting for a subpar illusion that he’ll analyze in order to put me in my place. And then he’ll send me packing. I either scare the hell out of him with something amazing and risk him asking me to leave, or I give him what he’s expecting, and he gives me the boot because he’s scared I’m going to chop him into little pieces while he sleeps.

I place my hands on my hips. “Just so you know, the Circle I’m set to rule isn’t exactly the coolest or most badass. I’m basically the princess of the laziest demons and energies in Infernis. So it isn’t like I can start fires with my hands or blow things up. But I can do this.”

I stand straight and turn toward the living room. Raising my hands, I will the 72-inch flatscreen television to come to me, slowly, so he can see exactly what’s happening. The wires snap out of the back, left like discarded strings sprawled over the entertainment center. And since my power hasn’t failed me once, the TV floats toward us at the desired speed, only coming to a stop at the island, where I set it down behind where Jace had just been leaning so smugly, waiting for me to prove myself.

“Proof enough for you?” I ask, resting my hands back on my hips and lifting my shoulders in a shrug.

He doesn’t answer me but asks a question of his own in pure awe. “You can levitate shit?”

“It’s more about moving things in my line of sight. You know, not having to lift a finger and all.”

“Do it again. But this time can you hook all the wires back up?”

I snort. Not even my powers can take his focus away from a tidy house. I send the television back and the wires move like vines until each is in their designated place. “Do you want to watch me vacuum, dust, and fold again?”

“No, I’m weirded out enough for one day.” He steps closer to me. “What about the story about you needing to find a husband? Is that true or do you have a sinister reason for being here?”

I stay rooted to the spot, letting him make all the moves. I don’t want to scare him any more than I already have. “That’s absolutely true. No sinister reasons whatsoever. It’s a long story. Are you sure you want to hear it?”

He doesn’t take his eyes off me as he says, “Absolutely.”

“Okay. So like I said, I am set to rule my own Circle in Infernis—Sloth, obviously. Things have become more hectic over the millennia, and my dad, Chaos, can no longer rule alone. One of his stipulations for us taking over our own Circle is that we have an eternal partner. They don’t have to be romantic or a particular gender. It just takes two to rule—a buddy system if you will.”

“Even for your brothers?”

“Yes. They all have an eternal partner. Most of them are spouses, but a couple of them are platonic. They all found their match in a fellow demon. Some have been together for centuries, some only for a decade—my brother Fier is so proud that it took him a long time to find someone he was willing to share power with. You’ve met one of my brothers and his partner. Mandis, the one who came here with me the first time, he’s the epitome of gluttony. He overdoes everything—food, drink, love, all of it. He and Glen, his partner, are disgustingly in love. And Lux . . . can you imagine being the prince of Lust and having to commit to one person for the rest of eternity? He and Bernadette are still practically newlyweds. So it’s not like I’m that far behind, but now they’re waiting on me.”

“And you don’t think you could find a demon like they did?”

I shake my head. “All six of my brothers, and my parents, they’re all so chaotic. All the demons are, even me. But I need something different. I don’t think I can rule effectively with another demon because I need someone who complements me. Not someone who’s the same. I can’t imagine being with someone like me forever. And when a member of the royal family says forever, we mean it. When you choose an eternal partner, that’s it. It’s for all time. And I don’t want to choose an eternal partner who’s platonic or just someone who’s a viable leader. I want to marry for love. I want someone who, like me, wants more of a balance in life. So my dad thought I might be able to find someone in the human realm since I wasn’t having any luck with the demons. He sent me here and gave me ninety days. If I don’t succeed, he’s picking a demon for me. And I’ll be stuck with them.”

Jace cocks a brow. “You have ninety days to find someone to be your forever? Most humans can’t handle a lifetime after dating for five years.”

“Yeah, well, that’s not how it works for me as the future queen of Sloth. I don’t get to follow human rules. Honestly, I don’t think my father thought this through. But regardless, that’s what I have to work with, and now I’m almost down to sixty days. Any day now one of my brothers—or who knows, Chaos himself—will pop up to check in and make sure I’m making progress. Because if they think I’m just screwing around, they’ll pull the plug and it’s an arranged marriage for me,” I say, running my hand through my hair and gripping it at the roots, feeling the walls start to close in on me.

I’ve tried not to let the stress of this situation get to me, but now, sharing it with someone else, it’s become more real. And I’m terrified.

“How would that work between a demon and a human? Aren’t you immortal, or at least live a thousand times longer than us?”

Jace’s entire attitude has changed. He’s propped his elbows on the counter, and just the way he listens tells me he’s enthralled. I can’t help but smile when I answer.

“We’re immortal. And if I choose a human, he’ll have to become immortal as well.”

“How is that possible? Are we talking like, how a vampire turns a human, or elixirs? Do you cast a spell on him?”

“One big revelation at a time. I’m scared your brain will combust and your heart will stall out if I give you all life’s secrets.”

He looks off into space, pulling at his bottom lip. I wonder if he is trying to figure out the answer himself. No doubt he’s diving deep into fantasies about radioactive spiders and superhuman aliens. I’m just becoming familiar with his creative brain, but I know it’s marveling at all the possibilities.

He turns his attention to me and says the most unexpected thing. “You know I’m giving you my day for chores now that I know you just have to twirl your finger around to get things done.”

I laugh, and it feels good. Part of me was scared that I’d lost all the ground I’d gained with him. “That’s a fair trade after I freaked you out, and probably took a decade off your life.”

“It’s worth it. I like knowing humans aren’t alone.”

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