Page 45 of The Demon Crown

Ivo’s expression creased with discomfort and then obvious confusion. “There was a woman, yes, but she ran. She was running toward us when we found you, and then your attackers turned to chase her off. We assumed she was with them or a deserter.”

Oh, someone please save him from the blind loyalty of the creature he’d created. One was wandering off in the desert thinking she could single-handedly find a group of people who had been impossible to find for anyone else, and the other was here with him, certain that they had done the right thing.

He couldn’t scold Ivo for doing what he was born to do, however. Greed supposed in a way this was his punishment. He’d created two creatures who were not yet ready for mortal bodies. He and his brothers were the only ones who had ever reached this state of mind and by pushing these two in mortal forms, he had created his own monsters.

“Find her,” he snarled. “That’s all that matters. I don’t care if the Horde is wandering around this kingdom. I will deal with them later. You have let the most exquisite piece of treasure that I have ever collected slip through your fingers, and I want her back. Do you understand?”

“The woman is treasure?” Ivo shook his head. “People can’t be treasure, Greed.”

“This one is.”

And he was prepared to argue that point until the two of them were blue in the face. He’d have done just that if one of his servants hadn’t knocked on the wall outside the still open doors.

She was a tiny little thing, all voluptuous curves and pretty smiles. Greed thought maybe he had hired her because of that beauty, but right now, her red hair wasn’t nearly the color of gold that he wanted. Her pretty soft curves weren’t angular enough, nor did she have muscles poured over her from head to toe. And she was far too giving with those smiles.

But he noticed Ivo’s cheeks turn bright red. The spirit turned flesh looked everywhere but the young woman who was also suspiciously not looking at Ivo.

What was going on between the two of them? He almost didn’t want to know, but he also was very curious if his guard had finally turned his attention toward the pleasures of the flesh.

He was getting distracted.

“What is it?” Greed snapped.

She bowed so low her face almost touched the floor. “Your brother is summoning you.”

He hissed out a long breath. Of course, his brother was calling. Why not make this shit day even shittier?

The last thing he wanted right now was to have to sit through Lust, telling him more about Selene. And that’s all Lust talked about these days. Selene did this. They went on a trip together and did that. Did you know Selene’s favorite food is cherries and isn’t that so difficult to find this time of year?

Groaning, he turned his gaze up to the ceiling covered in billowing green silks. “I don’t want to talk with Lust. Tell him to fuck off and that I’ll use the spell when I get a chance. I’m a busy demon king, and I don’t have the energy for his incessant chatter today.”

The servant bit her lip, obviously trying not to laugh or find humor in the situation. And she was pretty when she did that. Her cheeks rounded and her eyes sparkling with mirth. Maybe he could see what Ivo saw. Now it was easy to understand why his guard was so tongue-tied.

Then the girl had to ruin everything. She lost all the color in her face and then shook her head. “Actually it’s... It’s not Lust. I walked into your office to clean it for the day and I found him waiting for you.”

“Him?”

“I don’t recognize him.” Again, that uncomfortable expression. “He was tall, dark hair, red glowing eyes. And when he reached for me, I thought his fingers were... claws.”

Damn it.

Damn it all to the monsters below.

He made eye contact with Ivo, who had straightened at the description of the man. That could only be one of Greed’s brothers, and he didn’t want to talk with that one.

“That’s all there was?” Because Gluttony never called without someone to back him up.

The servant licked her lips and shook her head. “I thought there was another person in the room, but... I didn’t see anyone. It felt like there were eyes on me, though. From the shadows.”

Ah, shit. He was in a lot of trouble.

Sharing one last worried glance with Ivo, he stalked from the room. The stairwells were filled with servants hustling about. Most of them were headed to the kitchens, where they were likely getting their breakfast. Gilded and gleaming, the floors of his home were all exterior. There were pillars holding up a roof over their heads, but no walls in this oasis. He’d always wanted to feel like he was still outside in the jungle this place had once been.

Now, he felt as though there might be eyes hiding in every one of those massive monstera plants. Eyes that belonged to the only one of his brothers that he didn’t want to see. Ever.

If he could avoid all of them, then he would. But he’d struck up a rather comfortable relationship with Lust, almost like they were actually brothers. The others, though? He didn’t care for any of the others.

Grinding his teeth, he strode over to the small enclosed dome that was attached to a hundred stairs, all the floating stairwells connected to different rooms that were required to have roofs. All of them were glass circles, held up by magic and incredible craftsmanship of people who were long dead.

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