Page 13 of Demonic Division

“Lord Kaebl gives his word. If you tell us what we need to know, we will not force you back into the cell.”

My thumbnail finds the cuticle of my index, slicing deep into the flesh over and over as I survey each of the demon’s faces. “I found Bo, his… familiar in the forest. He was hurt, so I took him home to look after him, and that’s when the weird stuff started happening.” A memory of the rabbit’s eerie shriek echoes in my head, as loud as the moment it happened. “He started making this sound—like he was in pain or just really scared. I tried to comfort him, and then he just jumped up and bit me.”

Lir nods solemnly. “Was there anything else?”

“Just this intense burning on my stomach. But there’s nothing there. I checked.”

“Interesting,” Lir murmurs. “Cyprien, would you mind?”

Before I can react, Cyprien reaches out, gripping my arm and pulling me to his side. One arm wraps over my chest, holding me to him while the other works to shift the base of my shirt up, exposing my lower abdomen to the room. His palm brushes that space below my belly button, and with his touch, that familiar burning sensation sparks to life.

Cyprien’s muscles tense as the heat intensifies, and a gasp fills the air. “It’s there.”

“What?What’s there?” I demand, trying to wriggle from his grip. “Cansomeoneplease tell me what the hell is going on?”

He doesn’t respond, but by the look on Lir’s face, I can tell it’s nothing good.

“Demons…? I’m starting to freak out,” I whisper. “Is there something wrong with me?”

No one speaks for several more moments, but when Lir breaks the silence, it’s worse than any answer I could have imagined.

“Cyprien, help me take her down to her cell.”

My eyes go wide. “W-what? But you promised! You gave me your word?—”

“Words mean nothing in The Far Place,” Lir says, stepping to the end of the ledge. “Nothing matters here. Nothing but power.”

He launches from the top, landing effortlessly on the stone ground without so much as a whisper of sound. I manage to break from Cyprien’s hold and out of his reach.

I shake my head, stumbling away from the two horrible creatures. Cyprien takes a silent step toward me, his arms outstretched. “Calm down, Dagny. This is only temporary?—”

“Temporary?In a place that supposedly has no time?” My back hits the closed door as panic squeezes my throat, my fingers searching for an escape. “How long will I be down there? Days?Years?I can’t… please don’t make me,” I whisper, choking on my last resort. “Please… please don’t take me down there, Cyprien. Just take me home. Please, I-I want to go home.”

His mouth is set in a grim line, eyes flickering between yellow and black as he scents my fear hanging heavy in the air. “I’m sorry, little one.”

“Stay the fuck away from me.” My hand trembles as I raise it, pointing an accusatory finger at Cyprien. “Especiallyyou.You fucking tricked me.Liedto me. Pretended to care about me and my safety, all so you could—what? Lock me away and let me die slowly in a frigid cell?”

He shakes his head, his mouth parting slightly, at a loss for words. Luckily, he doesn’t have to speak because Lir materializes at his side a moment later.

He lunges forward, gripping my arm and hauling the door open in one swift motion. I try to pull away, but his grip is like iron as he yanks me, stumbling down the hallway.

At the end is a set of stairs, which Lir wastes no time in hauling me down. I nearly trip on the last step, but the demon is there, anticipating my clumsiness and catching me before I face-plant.

Lir grabs my arm, looking anywhere but me as he yanks me the last couple of feet toward my cell. I don’t have time to ask what the hell just happened as he unceremoniously shoves me inside, causing me to stumble and slam my knees against the damn stone.

Cyprien waits at the foot of the stairs, watching me as Lir slams the cell door shut. He pulls a ring of rusted keys from his coat pocket and inserts it into the lock. There’s an awful screeching of metal as the bolt shudders into place, and Lir pockets the key ring once more.

I stand on shaking legs and race forward, clutching the bars as my eyes plead with Lir’s beautiful blues. “You don’t have to do this. I promise, I’ll stay in the main castle. I won’t ask to leave or even think of it. Please, just… don’t leave me down here in the dark,” I whisper, my voice cracking heavily.

A spark of sympathy ignites Lir’s crystal gaze, but it’s gone in the next blink. He doesn’t respond; he just reaches up, running a single finger down the bars as shadows crowd his vision.

“I’ll see you later, Dagny.” He turns on his heel, makingit halfway up the stairs before I can blink. Leaving me alone. Leaving me with the dark.

I close my eyes, trying to convince myself this is just a horrible nightmare. That when I open them, I’ll be back in my bed, safe under my covers.

But when I look, the ominous walls of the dungeon seem to be closing in, the shadows whispering their hateful song. And I’m still alone.

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