Page 1 of Chained to the Devil's Daughter

1

Searra

“Hell’s inner rings remain divided. Devil’s devotees need some strong persuasion. By blade. We must kill them.”

“Hmm, they’ll need some strong persuasion, that’s for sure, ha.” I glanced at Filaris’ no-nonsense stare and took a long gulp of bitter lavaberry wine. “Yes, yes, and death. Death and gore galore.”

It was the same problem we’d faced for months. For all our rallying and sowing seeds, the rebellion was at a stalemate. Most of my advisers believed it would remain so until I grew the balls to name myself regent. Filaris was my suitor this year, hand-picked by Devil. Or so he thought. Really, she was a plant from our neighboring kingdom, Kindra, and had quickly revealed herself to me when she discovered my desire to usurp my father. A demon woman with a dozen years on me and a better fit for any crown, she believed our ploy would take a crap-load of bloodshed.

I hoped to avoid war, though I wholeheartedly agreed that punishment was warranted. Devil, his overseers, and anyone else who would encourage the deathly labor of Hell’s mostvulnerable people deserved nothing less than a long, recurring death in the void.

Regardless, the time for being silent was gone. The prisoner was free and burning his way through Hell at this very moment. On my order, no one was to stop him. There was no hiding after taking a stance like that.

“If we don’t hear from my council contacts in a fortnight, we have to move forward.” Filaris prowled around the map on the long oval table, tapping the space between Fyre’s capital city and Hell’s unfinished tenth ring. “We prepare for resistance and take your crown.”

Lavaberry wine churning in my stomach, I nodded. I traced a braid to my shoulder and twirled the end, fingers drifting across the velvety fabric of my neckband.

“With my father’s coffers and help from your Kindra friends, we’ll keep his circle’s loyalty for as long as we keep them paid.” I brought the glass to my lips again, this time without a tremble.

“We must control the inner rings,” Filaris agreed, closing the perpetual circle this conversation had become over the last seven months.

The door crashed against the wall. I jolted back, spilling the remaining wine down my layered black gown.

“Your Highness, it’s urgent!”

Filaris sneered at the intruding guard, a teenage demon named Tartius, who stumbled through a bow like a child learning to toddle. “That’s implied.”

“What is it, Tartius?”

“He’s here! Everything’s burnt. Hell is in ruins, the outer rings destroyed! There’s black fire—”

“Who, Tartius?” I demanded, knowing his answer already.

“The Ash Render!”

My breath caught. Rumors of the Ash Render had reached the palace by the third year of life without my beloved. Thedemon who carved Devil’s rings with such terrifying ease. The demon whose magic should be impossible to wield, kept dormant by the implant thrust upon all of the laborers. The demon whose magic was defiant, burning anyway, burning as black as the void that birthed all magic.

“Get. The. Fuck.Out of my way,” a deep voice boomed from the hallway.

Glass shattered, my hand suddenly empty.

The demon of my dreams and nightmares filled the door frame, a red mass of muscle. Void-dark flames leaked from every lifeblood fissure that crisscrossed his abdomen. His abyssal gaze found me immediately.

“Firefly.”

“Leave us,” I commanded.

“Five minutes.” Filaris’ calm tone barely registered. “You have five minutes, my flame.”

The door shut behind my suitor, and Ash’ren took another step, his hand outstretched. “Firefly. . .”

His legs buckled. The black flames silhouetting his body flickered out. Muscles in his thighs visibly spasmed, and then he crashed to the floor.

“Ash!”

His name broke from my lips like a soul-crushing sob. I rushed to catch him, softening his landing with my lap. Frantically, I slammed a palm against the door. “Filly! Tell the healer. . . Crack tonic. Hurry!”

Filaris’ footsteps thundered down the hall. I shushed and rocked the crumpled demon in my arms. A stranger, by all things considered.

---