Page 4 of A Heart Disguised 1

My mind reeled, recalling all the terrifying whispers I’d heard about Duke Lunaria. He was one of King Azrael’s most feared generals, a demon who had helped conquer our nation. Now, he ruled over a newly created region that encompassed five counties, including our own Aldercrest.

Meredith’s hushed tales came flooding back to me—stories she’d gleaned from her forays into town and gossip with other servants. Duke Lunaria was said to be a monstrous demon, towering over mortal men, with a heart as cold as the deepest winter. Rumors spoke of his merciless nature, how he’d slaughter entire villages without a second thought. The castle where he now resided in Lunaria was said to be a place of such terror that young women servants fled in droves, seeking work elsewhere to escape his cruel gaze.

Some even whispered that he could read minds with a mere touch, using the information to manipulate and destroy hisenemies. Others claimed that his very presence could wither crops and curdle milk. The more outlandish rumors suggested he bathed in the blood of virgins to maintain his immortality or that he could transform into a great winged beast at will.

As these thoughts raced through my mind, Rosalind, fierce as a summer storm, protested vehemently, her voice steady despite the tremor I knew she must have been feeling. “But, Father, I am fifteen, and Lily is merely fourteen! We are both too young and still in school.”

Gavin’s lip curled in scorn. “Those bastard demons care naught for our laws and customs,” he growled, his eyes aflame with the bitter gall of defeat. “Why should they start now?”

Lily, my sweet, soft-spoken Lily, crumpled beneath the weight of our new reality. Her sobs were as sharp as glass shards scattered across the marble floor. My heart cracked wide-open at the sound. I yearned to cross the room, to pull her into my arms and shield her from this waking nightmare. Yet I stood rooted, paralyzed by the icy disdain of our parents. Even as Rosalind attempted to comfort Lily, a futile gesture against the tide of despair, I remained bound by the invisible chains that held me apart from them all.

Then Lady Aldercrest, cool and unyielding, snapped at Lily’s distress. “For heaven’s sake, child, show some backbone! Do not shame this family further with your weakness.” Her words were a lash across Lily’s vulnerable spirit, eliciting a fresh torrent of tears.

I couldn’t help but wonder how could we possibly survive this nightmare. And more pressingly, which of my beloved sisters would be sacrificed to the terrifying demon lord who now held our fates in his clawed hands?

My heart, already a frantic drumbeat against my ribs, threatened to burst free as Lord Aldercrest’s gaze finally landed on me. It was a look that pierced through the facade I’d socarefully cultivated, a look that saw me for the first time in my life. My knees threatened to buckle under the weight of that unwanted attention, the air growing thin and suffocating.

The room fell silent once more, every eye turning to me with an almost comical swiftness. Even Lady Aldercrest, whose gaze was usually as warm as frostbite, regarded me with a flicker of curiosity. Henry’s sneer faltered, and Gavin’s brow creased in confusion, while Rosalind and Lily wore matching expressions of bewilderment that tugged at my heart.

“Robin,” my father said, my name a strange, foreign sound on his lips. “You will go in your sisters’ place as the duke’s… betrothed.”

For a moment, the world tilted on its axis, throwing my senses into disarray. I blinked, certain I’d misheard. Had the weight of the situation driven my father to madness? Rosalind, ever the fiery defender, was quick to voice the absurdity of his words.

“But Father, Robin is a boy—he cannot possibly be the duke’s bride!” Her protest was met with a cold, hard stare from Father.

Lord Aldercrest’s voice cut through the room like a blade of ice. “These demons spit upon our customs, our very way of life,” he growled, his words dripping with contempt. “Why, then, should we honor theirs?” His eyes swept across the room before settling on me again. “The contract stands. Robin shall be the duke’s bride, and that’s the end of it.”

The drawing room exploded into a storm of shocked exclamations and hissed whispers, but all I could hear was the thundering pulse of my own heartbeat drumming in my ears. My lips parted, though no sound emerged. I was a rabbit caught in the hawk’s deadly gaze, paralyzed and helpless.

Lord Aldercrest waved a dismissive hand in my direction. “Pack your things. The duke’s escort will be here within the week. You have much to prepare for.” His voice was a distantecho, fading in and out of my consciousness. Then his tone sharpened, “You are to disguise yourself as a young woman. Never reveal that you’re a boy. If you run, I’ll make sure you regret it.”

The threat hung in the air, heavy and ominous. I knew all too well the ruthlessness that lurked behind my father’s eyes—a man who would not hesitate to spill his own blood to protect his interests.

He continued, his voice dropping to a menacing growl. “If the duke were to discover your true identity, he would slaughter us all to set an example. Do you understand the gravity of your role in this, boy?”

I nodded mutely, my throat constricting with fear.

“You are dismissed,” he finished, turning away as if I had already ceased to exist.

Gavin smirked, cruel and mocking. “Off you go, little changeling,” he taunted with glee that made me wonder if demons were truly the most heartless creatures to walk Celesterra. “No use lingering here when you’re not needed anymore.”

Lily’s sobs grew louder, and she flung herself into my arms. Her tears soaked through the fine fabric of my shirt, a scalding reminder of the cost of my father’s ruthless pragmatism. Rosalind’s eyes blazed with defiance as she fixed our father with a glare sharp enough to cut diamond.

“You’re heartless,” she hissed, her hands balled into tight fists at her sides. “You can’t do this to Robin!”

Lady Aldercrest’s response was swift and brutal. “And would you rather take his place, Rosalind? I doubt you’d last a night with that demon as his bride. They say his appetites are… insatiable.”

Her words unleashed a torrent of memories—hushed whispers and wild tales about the Duke of Lunaria. Meredith’sstories, each more terrifying than the last, echoed in my mind. They said any woman who shared his bed was fortunate to walk again, and some never did. The more salacious gossip painted a picture of his… endowments so grotesque it would make even the most battle-hardened soldier weep.

“I’ve heard his… weapon is the size of a broadsword,” Henry muttered, his face a mix of awe and disgust. “They say he once split a man in two with it.”

Gavin snorted. “Poppycock. It’s clearly the size of a battering ram. How else could he breach so many fortresses?”

“And they say his skin burns like hellfire,” added Henry, warming to the subject. “One touch and you’re marked for life.”

“I heard he can transform into a great beast at will,” Gavin chimed in, his eyes glinting with malicious glee. “Imagine that in the bedchamber!”

Their crude jests, far from easing the tension, painted an ever more horrifying picture of what awaited me. The blood drained from my face, leaving me lightheaded and weak-kneed.

---