Page 14 of Grabbed By the Guard

His gaze darts over to me. His nostrils flare, and he nods in return. “Of course, my lord.”

“Very well. Vorn? If you would.”

Vorn. The same green-eyed demon that found me after Glaine snarled, I panicked, and then I ran off, looking for a way out of here. He purposely avoids Glaine’s glare as he gestures for me to follow him.

My feet are filthy. I’m covered in ash from my calves down, and my dress is sticking to my sweat-slicked skin. My curls are a droopy mess. It seems like a lifetime ago that I fueled up on caffeine, but those three espressos are kicking my ass right now. I’m annoyed and worried and, damn it, a little bit scared—and I cover that up by jutting out my chin and sticking my nose in the air while my mind runs a mile a minute, searching for a way out of this mess.

Or, at the very least, a bathroom.

No such luck.

What are they going to do to me? Well, how about putting me in a pair of golden chains, then leading me underground to a damp, chilly dungeon?

Because that’s where I am. At least four flights below the throne room where I left Duke Haures, Glaine, and the other demons, I’m led by a pair of green-eyed guards who flank me the entire way to the cell. I don’t know what kind of danger they think I’m. I’m half their size and wearing chains… but they’re not taking any chances. They march me in silence before leaving me behind in a dank, chilly cell about the size of my bathroom at home.

I don’t look around. Beyond a basin that might be a sink and a cot, there’s not much else here. I’m hoping like hell that the sink isn’t a demon version of a toilet because… yeah, that’s not gonna be fun. Instead, I sink down on the cot, the beginning of the realization that this is actually happening sinking in.

I don’t panic. What will that do? I’m a problem-solver.

This is just a much bigger problem than I’m used to.

Maybe I need sleep. If I’m lucky, this will turn out to be a stress-induced nightmare. With all the adrenaline that’s been pumping through me since I realized I was abducted by a demon, I’ve burned off the last of those espressos. If I can’t pee, eat, or wash this gunk off my legs, I might as well sleep and look at this problem with a fresh eyes tomorrow.

No, it’s not hiding from my problem. It’s recharging to figure them out tomorrow.

And I’m halfway to convincing myself I actually believe that bullshit when I hear heavy steps plodding down the stairs again.

I perk up.

Was it a mistake?

Did they realize I’m not supposed to be here?

Are they coming to take me home?

I rise up from the cot, then exhale roughly when I see a shadowy purple-eyed guard—and Glaine.

It has to be him. The scowl that was on his face as I was led out of the throne room is still there, and he’s the only other demon I’ve seen in his solid form other than Duke Haures. Who knows? Maybe he’s the weird-looking one, not the duke…

No. The guy sat on the throne like he was daring someone to say something about his appearance. Glaine must be what the other demon’s look like, not him.

I blink. What the… why am I worried about this? Especially when the purple-eyed demon uses a key to open the cell, then marches in with Glaine.

I glare at him. “What are you doing here?”

He shakes his head, long hair swaying. At the purple-eyed demon’s nod, Glaine lifts his hands in front of him. The other demon does that conjuring thing again, but instead of throwing chains at him, he closes his fists and jerks his hand.

Both Glaine and I follow the motion, both of our bodies move with his. When he’s done, I’m still wearing one half of the chain. Glaine as the other manacled to his wrist.

We’re connected by the same length.

Once he’s done his job, the other demon leaves, slamming the cell door closed behind him.

I immediately turn my ire on Glaine.

I don’t feel bad that he’s down here with me. This is his fault, and I’m being more punished by being locked in a small cell with the demon who stole me.

So, again, I demand, “What are you doing here?”

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