We lapsed into silence again, but I could tell Malphas was thinking deeply about something. Finally, he spoke:
“What if she’s right?”
I looked up at him, confused. “About what? Me being your thrall? Because I’m definitely not—”
“No,” he interrupted. “About Gary. About me being… less than what I should be.”
I sat up straighter, turning to face him fully. “What do you mean?”
Malphas sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “I am a demon prince, Sam. Commander of Forty Legions. I’ve existed for millennia as a being of power and destruction. And now I spend my days worrying about lawn care and organizing spice cabinets.”
“And that’s bad because…?” I prompted when he fell silent.
“It’s not who I was created to be,” he said quietly. “Perhaps Eden is right. Perhaps I should seek to remove Gary’s influence, return to my true nature.”
A chill ran through me at his words. “Is that what you want? To go back to being just a demon prince, no human influences?”
He didn’t answer immediately, which scared me more than an outright yes.
“I don’t know,” he admitted finally. “Sometimes I feel… divided. Like I’m neither fully demon nor fully human-influenced. Like I belong nowhere.”
The vulnerability in his admission broke my heart. I reached for his hand, entwining our fingers. “Maybe you don’t have to be one or the other. Maybe this new version of you—this blend—is exactly who you’re meant to be now.”
“A demon who grows roses and builds bookshelves?” he asked, a hint of bitterness in his tone.
“A being who can appreciate both destruction and creation,” I countered. “Who understands both power and gentleness. Who can command forty legions of the damned and also make a perfect soufflé.”
That drew a small smile from him. “When you put it that way, it sounds almost impressive.”
“It is impressive,” I insisted. “Malphas, you haven’t lost anything by gaining these new aspects. You’ve only become more complex, more complete.”
He studied our joined hands, his much larger one engulfing mine. “And if other demons see it as weakness? If my position is challenged because of these… changes?”
“Then you remind them why you’re Prince Malphas,” I said firmly. “Like you did with your lieutenants. But you don’t have to choose between being powerful and being… happy.”
The word hung between us, weighted with meaning. Malphas looked up, his eyes searching mine. “Is that what I am? Happy?”
I squeezed his hand. “Only you can answer that. But from where I’m sitting, you seem to enjoy both your demon business and your human hobbies. You seem to like having both aspects in your life.”
He was quiet for a long moment, considering my words. “When I first felt Gary’s influence,” he finally said, “it was like an intrusion. Foreign thoughts, foreign desires. I fought against it.”
“And now?” I prompted gently.
“Now it feels like… me. A different aspect of me, but still me.” His expression turned thoughtful. “Perhaps it’s not Gary anymore. Perhaps he was just the catalyst for something that was always possible.”
“Evolution,” I suggested, echoing what I’d told his lieutenants. “Not corruption or possession, but growth.”
Malphas nodded slowly. “Yes. Evolution.” His eyes met mine, clearer now. “And you? Are you truly content with this evolved version of me? Part demon, part… suburban dad?”
I laughed at his characterization. “I’m more than content. I love both parts, Malphas. The demon who can lift me effortlessly and the homeowner who color-codes the garage tools.”
I hadn’t meant to use the word “love,” but once it slipped out, I couldn’t take it back. And I realized I didn’t want to.
Malphas went very still, his eyes fixed on mine. “You love me?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
No going back now. “Yes,” I admitted. “Both parts of you. All of you. I love you, Malphas.”
For a terrifying moment, he didn’t respond. Then, with a gentleness that belied his immense strength, he cupped my face in his hands.
