She blinked, ignoring the hair that stood on the back of her neck. “Wise or not, there is an offer of friendship here, if you want it.”
She left her hand in the air, waiting.
He rose and took a step towards her. “You want to be my friend, do you?”
He grasped her hand in his, and before she could do anything, he wrenched her towards him until their faces were less than an inch apart.
“I do not have friends, nor do I want them.” His words were cold. “I will come for you at the end of the week. Do what you wish with your time, but do not forget the price of your stay.”
A demon servant appeared at her side, glancing between them, and Caspian released her.
The servant escorted her out of the hall. Like Iago, the demon servant had small wings protruding from its back. Another reminder that she was no longer among mortals.
It was a while before sleep found her that night. Elizabeth reassured herself every which way that she was safe, but she tossed and turned. Though she had drawn the curtains, she couldn’t help but feel like someone was watching her.
Chapter 8
The Castle of a Demon
Elizabeth stood in front of Queen Rowena wearing a ruffled gown that was laughably out of style. The queen’s eyes widened as she took in Elizabeth’s appearance, her lip curling in disdain.
Elizabeth’s face burned with embarrassment, but before she could speak, she glanced down and her heart sank. A thick iron chain shackled her ankle to a hulking demon—not an attractive man, but an ugly hunched thing with horns and claws.
Elizabeth pleaded, trying to explain herself, but the queen only scoffed, and turned to leave. Members of the court started leaving as well, as if unable to stay in her presence for a moment longer.
“Wait!” Elizabeth cried. “Come back!”
She turned to the demon and to her horror, the demon began to swell to five times its original size and its mouth opened wide, revealing rows of sharp teeth. Shadows bled out of the demon, filling the room with darkness. Then the demon inhaled, sucking tables, chairs, and even guests into its gaping maw.
“Stop it! You’re hurting them!” Elizabeth cried, but the demon did not hear—or did not care, and continued to devour everything in sight.
Her blood screamed at her to protect the people of the court who were now zooming down the demon’s throat, but there was nothing she could do. Helplessness threatened to overwhelm her as her feet started sliding on the floor.
With a surge of desperation, she flung out her arms and—to her surprise—sunlight burst forth, spilling from her body. The light flared, growing brighter.
The demon snarled, as if in pain, but her relief was short-lived. The demon countered by releasing a burst of darkness, and she stumbled and fell.
The demon inhaled again, and she was pulled closer. She summoned every scrap of strength she had, and flung out her arms, light spilling forth once more, but it was too late. Darkness consumed everything. Her light flickered, and went out.
Elizabeth jolted awake, breathing heavily, her nightgown clinging to her skin.
Her heart hammered in her chest as she took in the chamber with high arching windows and sweeping curtains, reminders that she was in Caspian’s castle. The sky was still dark outside—she must have woken up in the middle of the night.
The dream had felt so real that she blinked, still trying to convince herself that it had only been a dream. Her body trembled with the phantom sensation of light bursting forth from her outstretched arms.
She shuddered. Magic.
A burden she was only too happy to not have to bear.
The executioner’s platform flitted in her mind, and she wiped the sweat off her forehead. It was just a dream. She had nothing to fear.
Elizabeth laid her head back against the pillow and tried to go back to sleep, but sleep wouldn’t come.
After tossing and turning, she changed into a cotton dress suitable for daytime wear and a matching corset. She grabbed an unlit candle from her bedside table, and tucked a book under her arm. Trudging across her room, she quietly opened the door, and closed it with a snick.
She lit her candle from a torch nestled in a bracket in the hall. Most of the torches were extinguished now, with only a few offering light to see by in the night.
If she had any sense at all she wouldn’t be wandering around a demon’s castle in the middle of the night, but she was awake now, and didn’t want to stay in bed any longer. Plus, she reasoned, she was supposed to be living here now.
