My eyes flicked up to her, sure I’d heard her wrong. Still, I couldn’t argue. I’d only been here a day and he never touched me. Never beat me. Gave me a dagger and food. It didn’t match what I’d been told about demons. Neither did Iris. But I blamed the game meant to break me down.
Demons were clever, after all.
Crossing her legs, she touched my hand. It took everything in me not to retract mine. The muscles in my arm danced with the reflex to do it.
“I saw you in a dream, Maze. You’ll change everything. You’re what we’ve been waiting for, those of us who want it to be different”—Who was us?—“I know you will, and I’ll help you do it. You have no reason to trust me, but I hope with time you will.”
Blinking at her, I wasn’t sure how to respond. Had she figured me out already? Did she know why I was here? But why not kill me? Why help me? How did she see me in a dream? Was thattheir magic? I needed to tread carefully. It could be her aim to get me to trust her with information, and I shouldn’t. It’d be a mistake to trust any of them.
“I’m merely a slave.”
Her eyes beamed as they lifted. But very quickly the scent of oranges invaded the room, causing my spine to straighten in surprise. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that, little one.” She got to her feet, smirking. “Evening, my Liege.”
“Iris.” His tone was dangerously low. “Why am I not surprised to find that you did the exact opposite of what I asked?”
I turned to find the massive demon standing in the doorway, his hulking form eating up all the available space. Was he…bigger? The muscles under his shirt definitely seemed to be. His fierce blue eyes were molten beams as they dropped to where I sat. I stiffened, lifted my chin, and glared at him, daring what no one before me had.
Scales rippled across his neck and arms, his hands clawed and grasping the door frame, close to tearing it to pieces. But his fury wasn’t meant for me. It was for her. I caught the glint of sharp canines as his eyes cut over to Iris with a violent warning. I grabbed the dagger out of habit and cradled it against my chest.
When I looked back at Iris, she didn’t seem at all bothered by the vehemence aimed at her. “I don’t see why you care,my Liege. You know how I feel about the humans youkidnapfrom the sectors. It’s high time we change it, hmm? Enslavement is wrong, and you fucking know it. What Void does to them is wrong.Why is she here? Why did you let them bring another female? I never thought you’d take one for yourself, and I’m so fucking disappointed in you. But more than that, I’m angry that you haven’t done anything after all this time. You promised me—”
“Iris,” he warned, voice so low I barely heard it at all. “You know it’s not that simple.” The definition of his torso was insaneunder a thin shirt, and I was…drooling.Stupid mammal brain.“And this is not an appropriate time to discuss it.”
I hadn’t expected the venom flowing from Iris after she’d been nothing but smiles with me. Now I wasn’t so sure her intention was to get information out of me. What I did gather was Iris could do and say whatever she wanted. Onyx let her talk to him in a way no one with aspirations to live another day would.
Maybe I’d stumbled on a war waging inside faction territory. Lovers on two sides of an argument over human enslavement. What were the fucking odds? It was something I could exploit, and I tried not to let hope take hold. These beasts could scent me and hear my heart racing. I calmed myself and watched the two carefully, but nottooclosely.
“Oh, now you’re worried about what she hears? And what does it matter if she spends the night with me while you’re gone? Why must she stay locked up when every other human female to come through these grounds you’ve permitted me to protect?” Iris demanded, crossing her arms. “You promised me that after losing the ones we did to Void and to those filthy fucking dragons claiming torture is acceptable, I could protect the females. Not that it’s enough, but it’s a start. You promised me, Onyx. You know things need to change no matter how you feel about humans. This isn’t right.”
What?
I couldn’t help the glance I stole his direction. His jaw ticked, but he didn’t deny any of it. How odd. It was hardly the actions of a ruthless demon, let alone one claiming to hate humans.
“Whatever your feelings, that’s the way things are. They aren’t simple no matter how much you wished they were. And I won’t have this argument with you again. She stays in my room. Whether or not you agree, she belongs to me.”
“Oh?” Iris shot back, undeterred, her posture more intimidating than any man who ran our sector.
This female was powerful. Her glare told me so. The swell of scales and glow of her dangerous silver eyes warned whoever argued with her would be on the receiving end of nothing but agony. She’d kill themandshe’d make it hurt.
Her stare mirrored any Rebel I’d known. Iris was ready to fight for what she believed in. And from her willingness to go up against one of the leaders, I couldn’t deny it anymore. Maybe she was telling the truth. Maybe she fought to protect humans inside enemy territory. Maybe she wasn’t the only demon who did.
Maybe I could trust Iris.
Shit, I never thought I’d like a demon.
Iris took a slow glance at him, as if seeing something I couldn’t. A slow smile broke through the anger contorting her face. “Ah, now I get it. What a fucking treat.”
Her eyes danced with words left unspoken, her scales fading and her claws retracting into blunt, pink-painted nails.
“You know, there’s something those antiquated fucks feared more than anything. The thing they blamed for their downfall. Something my father never whispered to anyone but me one drunken night. And that sick bastard feared it until the day he died. It’s why he chose you over his own son. Not Void, not Blaze, butyouto lead the Sky Demons, and it had everything to do with your hatred for humans. Bet if you think hard enough, you’ll figure it out. Until then, I’ll enjoy the show.”
Something dragons feared? Something to do with his hatred? I needed to know. I couldn’t help but stare at her. I wanted the secret to destroying them, and Iris was the key to getting it.
But she didn’t elaborate.
Onyx sneered, his massive body somehow bigger than it had been before. But he didn’t take the bait. He waited, his powerful presence stifling the cozy feeling in Iris’s room. The scent of oranges grew denser as the seconds ticked on. He refused to give in, and it twisted my gut into knots.
This male wouldn’t bend the knee to anyone, not for his lover or a fellow leader. Iris was my only hope. I wouldn’t get anything from Onyx, that much was certain as they glared at each other.
