Page 92 of Chained to the Devil's Daughter

“Then I’ve accomplished something,” I laugh, absently rubbing my belly.

“That’s not going to fly here, zephyr.” Freckles highlighted her sharp cheekbones as she smiled and rolled an enchanting pair of bright violet eyes. “Your accomplishments are more than words can describe.”

I knew Elodie was not truly human. Knew that she’d come to Devil seeking something of great importance for her people and wound up trapped as a perpetual demon humper, as she so eloquently put it. Today, her springy, cloud-like hair wasthreaded with gold on the left side, accentuating her long, pointed ear.

To see her now, healthy, happy, and in all her air fae glory, my hormones kept shedding tears each time I looked her way.

“How are your feet, mama? Shall I give us a lift to the dining hall?” Elodie’s golden wings shimmered into view, glittery magic winking out of existence before dusting her iridescent blue shoulders as she examined my ankles.

I shooed her away and hooked our arms together. “Let me walk a few more steps. This baby is restless. They only calm when I’m moving. But trust me, we’ll fly home—you can’t truly appreciate the agro ring until you see it from above.”

The agro ring was Hell’s greatest improvement. Instead of sectioning out separate rings for crops, we’ve slowly been leveling the whole blasted thing. Starting with the labor rings, which were now one long halo of crops, thanks to Geysis and her ingenious uses of peace ivy. Farmers used elementally-enhanced equipment pulled by gryffions who’d been released from their painful bonds in favor of treats made of dehydrated peace ivy stalks and corn sugar.

Elodie snorted, but being a flames-dang air fae, the sound was as elegant as a frost breeze tickling the lily bed. Gosh, I couldn’t believe the clever, gorgeous woman chose to be friends with me.

Rings, I was sniffling again.

“Cursed elements, woman!” She wiped my tears with faux anger. “Clearly, I’m not as incredible as I think I am. Where’s your man? Obviously, you enjoy his company. Over, and over, and over.” She gave a conspicuous glance at my rounded belly. “What is this, number four?”

“Oh, no,” I groaned. “Not you, too. Why is everyone trying to give me more babies than I need?”

“If it’s babies you want, I’m not sure I’m your lady, but I’m willing to try.”

It was my turn to snort, a much less appealing sound. In the distance, I heard a familiar giggle. Shielding myself from the sun, brighter than ever without all the cliffs dulling its shine, I spotted them.

“Speak of my mate and he shall come.” I pointed to the red-and-black dot in the sky.

“Ew. I dare never say his name again. You should probably stop, too, if you don’t want more babies.”

I scowled at my friend, but Elodie was too busy cackling at her poor joke to notice. She had yet to meet Tayman and I was beginning to wonder if introducing them would only mean more trouble for me.

“Mommy!” Lux cried joyously. He scrambled down from his father’s shoulders and ran to me, arms outstretched, little hands barely reaching the height of his mini horns.

I had to squat awkwardly to reach him, but Ash’ren snatched him away before I could settle him around my bloated hip.

“Your mother is not supposed to lift heavy things. Don’t you see she’s busy making your brother?”

“It’s a girl this time,” I corrected.

“Your mother thinks little girls are less fierce, but your sister will whoop your butt plenty, won’t she?”

Lux paid no attention to our squabble, too busy trying to catch the magic flickering from Elodie’s wings as she teased them against his nose. She pretended to care little for kids and romance, but I knew she thought herself a broken woman with a heart too heavy to gift another. Someday, she would learn otherwise.

“You’re slacking, Ash’ren. Do you see this?” Elodie flew a foot off the ground and hovered, pointer finger extendedaggressively toward my cheek. I swiped away the evidence. “All day, she’s been looking at me and sobbing!”

Ash’ren’s previous playfulness disappeared, replaced with darkness. I don’t think he paused to consider his next move before he had me by the waist, dipped low, licking my face.

“Oooooo-kay,” Elodie mused. “I’m out. I’ll fly over the agro rings myself. See you lovebirds at dinner!”

Peeling my mate away from my tears, I let him carry me back to the dining hall. Dinner was nothing like it used to be. As queen, I adopted the human approach, granting dinnertime back to families. Today was special, though, so the great hall had no lack of bottoms in seats and laughter in the air.

“Hell’s a lie, but it sure is a good time.” Tayman shrugged at Elodie’s incredulous—and beautiful—snort. “You haven’t visited my club. All the sinful, depraved, deliciously consensual pleasures you can imagine.”

Gold swam around Elodie’s narrowed amethyst eyes. “All right. You’ve caught my interest.”

“Don’t do it! It’s a trap,” Tindra, Warlord Lavar’s daughter, warned from across the table. “He’s trying to get you knocked up.”

“Excuse me, brat? Your husband is right fucking there.” Tayman sent a saucy look toward the human seated beside her father, both looking comfortably uncomfortable. Though Tindra was a demon, the happy couple had opted to seal their vows in the traditional human fashion with marriage. Lavar’s insistence on the rebellion’s success was a lot clearer now. “You’re welcome, by the way.”

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