Page 14 of Demon's Claim

I narrow my eyes, my voice cold. “You’re trespassing. State your purpose before I send you back to the shadows.”

It chuckles, a low, sinister sound. “Oh, I have no desire to hide in the shadows. I’m here for her—the human with the spark of power. Surrender her, and I may spare you.”

The audacity of the demand fuels my anger, the protectiveness I’ve tried to deny rising to the surface. “She’s under my protection,” I say, voice laced with menace. “You won’t lay a hand on her.”

The creature laughs, the sound grating and mocking. “Protect her? A mortal? You truly are lost, Lucian. She’s nothing more than a spark, a brief flicker of light. And you would risk everything for that?”

My jaw tightens, fury igniting within me. “That spark is mine to protect. And if you threaten her, you’ll face the consequences.”

The creature snarls, and in an instant, it lunges, its massive form bearing down on me. I raise my weapon, channeling my magic through it, unleashing a surge of dark energy that slams into the creature, forcing it back. But it’s relentless, recovering quickly, its eyes gleaming with hatred.

The battle is fierce, each blow a clash of shadows and magic, a contest of strength and will. The creature is powerful, more than I anticipated, and every strike sends a shockwave through the ground, reverberating with the force of ancient magic. But I refuse to yield.

I tap into the dark energy of the Underworld, letting it flow through me, filling me with a strength as relentless as the shadows. Each strike grows stronger, fueled by a protectiveness I can no longer deny. She’s become more than just a responsibility—she’s a spark in this endless darkness, a fragile light that I won’t let be extinguished.

Finally, with a surge of power, I deliver a blow that sends the creature sprawling back, wounded and snarling. It glares at me, hatred burning in its eyes, but it knows it’s been defeated. With a hiss, it fades into the shadows, retreating, but not before casting one last look of contempt in my direction.

“This is not the end, Lucian,” it growls, its voice fading into the darkness. “The Underworld will come for her, and not even you can protect her forever.”

I watch as it vanishes, my breath heavy, my pulse racing. The threat lingers in the air, a promise of more battles to come. This was only a taste of what’s waiting, a warning of the forces that will be drawn to her, to us.

As I regain my breath, I feel the sting of injuries—a reminder that even I am not invincible. This was no ordinary foe, andit won’t be the last. The pact has made her a target, and by extension, it’s made me one as well.

I curse under my breath, feeling the weight of responsibility settle heavily over me. Elara is more than a passing nuisance; she’s a force that’s drawing the attention of powers even I cannot control. And if I’m to protect her, to protect my realm, I’ll have to be ready for whatever comes next.

As I turn back toward the keep, I catch a glimpse of her in one of the windows, watching with a mixture of fear and something else, something defiant. She doesn’t understand the dangers she’s facing, the threats lurking just beyond the shadows. But she will. Soon enough, she’ll realize that this world does not forgive weakness, and neither do I.

I steel myself, vowing to prepare her, to harden her until she’s strong enough to face whatever comes her way. I may be bound to her by a pact, but this is no mere alliance. If she survives, it will be because I’ve forced her to become more than she ever thought possible.

The Underworld will test her, will try to break her. But I won’t let it. Not yet.

As I step back into the shadows, I can’t shake the feeling that this is only the beginning, that the bond between us is more powerful, more dangerous, than I ever imagined. And for the first time in centuries, I feel a spark of something that’s both thrilling and terrifying—a sense of purpose beyond myself.

Whatever this is, whatever it means, I’ll face it. I’ll face it for her.

13

ELARA

The sound of footsteps pulls me from my thoughts, and I turn to see Lucian entering the keep. He’s covered in dark smudges, his face hardened, and there’s a faint limp in his step. But it’s his eyes that catch my attention—cold and focused, as though he’s just returned from a battlefield.

I swallow, the weight of what I’ve seen pressing down on me. I’d watched him face that creature, deflecting blow after blow with a ferocity that left me breathless. I knew he was powerful, but witnessing it firsthand is something else entirely. He’s risking so much—more than I’d realized—to keep me safe.

“Lucian,” I call out, my voice steadier than I feel. He glances at me, his expression unreadable, but he doesn’t say anything. I steel myself, stepping forward. “Teach me. I want to learn how to defend myself.”

He raises an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “You think a few lessons will make you invincible?”

I grit my teeth, refusing to back down. “I’m not asking to be invincible. I’m asking to survive. I don’t want to be a liability, and I don’t want to rely on you every time something comes for me.”

He regards me with a mixture of frustration and something almost like approval. “You’re stubborn, I’ll give you that. But training in the Underworld is not like training in the human world. Here, weakness is death.”

“Then push me,” I reply, my voice firm. “I’d rather be broken by you than torn apart by something else.”

For a moment, he’s silent, as if considering my words. Then he nods, his expression hardening. “Very well. But understand this—there will be no mercy. If you want to survive, you’ll have to confront every weakness, every fear. Anything less, and you’ll be consumed.”

I nod, a mixture of fear and determination bubbling within me. “I understand.”

He leads me to a secluded part of the keep, a dimly lit chamber filled with strange, shifting shadows that seem to move with a life of their own. The atmosphere is suffocating, heavy with an energy that makes my skin prickle. Lucian stands before me, his gaze sharp, unyielding.

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