Then a blur of shadow slammed into the lizard-demon, and it let out a barked whine as it was thrown against a bookshelf.
Her relief was short-lived. The demon that had come to her rescue was even more frightening.
This demon was massive, with horns and an ugly, animalistic face that was currently snarling at the one that had just attacked her. The demon was impossibly broad, with a back rippling with muscle and the look of an oversized man with blue-black skin and monstrous wings. It had horns that extended upwards from its forehead. A permanent snarl etched the man’s face, twisted with evil and hate.
Realization hit her. It was the demon from the library. The one she had glimpsed several times, lurking about the castle.
It stomped on the forked tail of the smaller lizard-demon, making it screech. With large hands, the demon brought the lizard-demon up to eye level. It hissed and snarled and swiped. The larger demon twisted its neck. A sickening crunch reverberated across the room, followed by a thud as he dropped her attacker to the floor.
The demon from the library bared his pointed canines and took a step towards her.
She screwed up her eyes, closing them tightly, not wanting to watch, just wanting it to be over.
But nothing happened. She cracked open an eye to find the demon appraising her with curious eyes.
It extended a hand towards her; his hands were as big as dinner plates and looked too large for his arms. Perhaps, it had never seen one of her kind before. Tentatively, she put her smaller, human hand in his.
Clearing her throat, she said, “Thank you. For—helping me.” She paused and asked, “What was that thing?”
No answer came, and she felt foolish for asking. Perhaps, it was stupid and did not understand what she’d said. She axed that idea as soon as she had it, though, for its eyes were not flat and dull. They were sharp and intelligent, and tracked her movements.
She jolted as she realized his eyes were pools of silver flame. The creature’s flickering eyes grew heavy-lidded with exhaustion.
He grasped her hand and tugged, and with no small amount of wonder, she realized he had been trying to pull her to her feet.
He surveyed her, as if looking for any injuries.
Seeming satisfied, he turned to leave. His skin was tarnished black, as if he had rolled around in soot and ash. Blood and grime coated his arms, but she couldn't tell if it was his or someone else’s. An arrow stuck out of his thigh, something she didn’t see earlier in her panic. She wondered how he was still standing.
She looked at his bulk and size and immediately resolved to never set foot through the portal if these were the manner of creatures she would find on the other side.
He picked up the heavy lizard-demon and slung it over his shoulder as if it weighed nothing. With a half-hearted shrug, the monster limped away, dragging its injured leg behind.
“Wait!” she called. “Who are you?”
But no answer came.
His wings were similar to Asmodeus’s wings, except for the black feathers dotting the membranes in an odd, random pattern, like a fledgling bird that had molted.A large black feather drifted from its back onto the floor.
A twin to the one she had found before.
Darkness spiraled around his thick legs, wrapping around him like a second skin. He stepped forward, and the darkness flared, as if pulling at him, licking up his legs as if trying to pull him back to the Underworld whence he came.
Elizabeth grabbed his wrist, and he turned to her curiously.
“You’re one of the demon princes, aren’t you?” she asked, glancing at his eyes.
He surveyed her, as if wondering if she was out of her mind.
He pulled away and walked off without an answer. She followed him, for some reason wanting to ensure he was alright.
“You are, aren’t you?” She glanced at his wings and horns. “Are you cursed like Asmodeus?”
They arrived at the portal room’s entrance, hidden again behind the bookshelves. The large demon looked between her and the bookshelf. Clearly deciding not to trust her, it dropped the carcass of the lizard-demon on the ground, leaving it for the servants to find.
The creature limped towards the exit, but its leg completely gave out, making him stumble.
“Here, let me help you.”
