Page 73 of Spookily Yours

“I’ll protect you, I promise.”

“I know.” Her voice didn’t falter. “I’mreallypissed at you, but I know you will.” Her hand slid up my chest. “Now, let’s go get my sister.”

I nodded.

“Hold on tight,” I instructed her, curling my arm around her wrist to hold her tight to me.

And we stepped through the darkness.

* * *

“This is… nothing like what I expected.” Willow’s eyes trailed over the outside of the palace, catching on all the ornate details. The polished stone shone, even with the moon high in the sky.

“What did you expect?”

“Hm. Darker. More black and red.” She looked up at the sky. “An endless darkness. Blood. I don’t know. Stuff like that.”

“Ah.” I couldn’t exactly fault her for that.

I’d grown up here, so the gray palace walls didn’t phase me, but I could see how they might have differed from what she expected.

The palace itself rivaled any in the human world, that much I knew. It was lavish—unrivaled in its magnificence.

“What do I call him?”

“Him?”

“Your brother.”

“Ah. Well, Zain would preferYour MajestyorYour Highness,I’m sure. But you can just call him his given name. That’s what I do.” I flashed her a grin. “You’re not his citizen. He can’t touch you.”

“I’ve never met royalty before,” she said, tugging down her dress.

I couldn’t help but laugh when I realized we were still wearing our Halloween costumes. She really looked like a witch in her garb. Thankfully, we didn’t stand out very much in them around here. The demon realm fashions hadn’t changed too much over the last few centuries.

“What?” she asked, tilting her head at my chuckle.

“You realizeI’ma prince as well, right?”

“Oh.” Willow flushed. “Well…” She looked at me out of the corner of her eye. “You’re different.”

“Why?” I paused, tugging on her arm to bring her face to face with me. “What if I wanted you to call meYour Majesty?”

“Damien,” she groaned, her cheeks growing even pinker. “That’s not who you are to me. You’re just…”

“Just what?”

My Damien.

I kissed her cheek before I guided her in through the palace doors, nodding to the guards standing at attention.I like that even better, little witch.

I thought you might,came her response.

The throne room’s just ahead.I could feel her trembling, so I tightened my grip on her hand to reassure her.I’ve got you.

She tried to force her face into a smile, but even that couldn’t mask the worry I felt pulsing through her body.I know.

Zain sat on his throne. Cool, calm—too calm.

---