Page 22 of Demon's Dark Love

“Beyond these walls. Away from the castle, the demons, all of it.”

“Haven’t you been there?”

“Being dragged through as a prisoner doesn’t give you a good view.”

I sigh, leaning back. “Honestly? I’ve never really thought about what it’s like. This place has been my whole world.”

“But now?” She tilts her head, a smile playing on her lips. “Now that you’re different?”

I chuckle, shaking my head. “Different, huh? I suppose I am. Thanks to you.”

“You make it sound like a bad thing.”

“It’s not,” I admit, squeezing her hand. “But it’s a lot to wrap my head around. Freedom, real freedom, it’s… strange.”

“Imagine it,” she says, closing her eyes. “A small house, maybe near a forest. No more orders, no more fear. Just...living.”

“Living,” I repeat, the word foreign on my tongue. “Sounds almost too good to be true.”

“Maybe it is,” she concedes, opening her eyes. “But we can still dream, can’t we?”

“Dreams,” I muse, the concept both alien and alluring. “Alright, let’s dream.”

She laughs softly, the sound echoing in the narrow space. “We could have a garden. Not just roses, but all kinds of flowers. Vegetables, too. Fresh food, not the stuff they serve here.”

“I don’t know about the vegetables.”

Lily laughs. “Some humans are like that too, so it’s not a requirement.”

“A garden,” I say, picturing it. “And a real bed. Not some cold, damp cell.”

“Definitely a real bed,” she agrees, a hint of mischief in her smile. “With thick blankets and soft pillows.”

“And a fireplace,” I add, getting into the spirit. “To keep us warm during the winter.”

Her eyes light up. “And books. So many books. We could read for hours, without anyone interrupting.”

“Books,” I echo, nodding. “I’d like that. And no one to tell us what to do, no more being watched all the time.”

She leans in, her voice barely above a whisper. “We’d be free, Enoch. Truly free.”

I swallow, the weight of the word settling in my chest. “Free,” I say, tasting it. “Yeah, I like the sound of that.”

She rests her head against my shoulder, and for a moment, we’re both lost in the dream. The oppressive walls of the castle seem to fade, replaced by the promise of a life we’ve only just begun to imagine.

“We’ll get there,” I promise, my voice firm. “We’ll find a way.”

We stay like that for a while, letting the dream wash over us. The world outside these walls waits, and for the first time, it feels within reach.

9

LILY

The castle walls seem to close in around us, the weight of our shared secret pressing down. Enoch's hand brushes mine, a simple gesture that sends a jolt through my body. The corridor is deserted, save for the distant murmurs of other servants.

"You're trembling," he says, eyes locking onto mine.

"I'm not afraid," I whisper, though the words sound more like a challenge than a reassurance.

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