“Where are we going?” I asked between pants.
“To your room. Unless you’d rather sleep on the floor, that is. I promised to treat you as I would treat my own. It would be cruel of me not to house you appropriately.”
Questions and objections fluttered in my chest. I didn’t want to follow him, much less trust him, after what he did. My jaw still ached from where he’d held me. I couldn’t shake the memory of his breath against my neck or his fingers on my skin. Then again, I had limitedoptions. Zaleos had told me to keep my secrets close, and so far, his advice seemed sound. I swallowed my pride, fell in line, and kept my mouth shut.
The room Sitri presented me with was nothing short of luxury. He used his candle to light the wick of a lamp, which bathed the bedroom in a rich, golden glow. There was a fur rug that resembled the one in Sitri’s chancery, and a finely crafted dresser sat in the corner. A desk and chair of similar make decorated the place. On the far wall hung a row of black velvet curtains. The kind reserved for royalty.
And then there was the bed. It was huge, larger even than the king-size mattress I had in my apartment. Four detailed posts rose from each of its corners. Atop it was a collection of embroidered pillows, and a plush, quilted blanket that looked softer than any down comforter.
My body ached for that bed. I had walked countless miles and scuffled with demon royalty. If it weren’t for Sitri’s presence, I would have been asleep already. I didn’t plan to show that weakness in front of him now, though, and forced myself to wait.
“For so long as you are with us, you may stay here, darling. Please come and go as you wish.”
“You mean I’m free to leave?”
The corners of Sitri’s lips curled into a dark smile, exposing his sharpened fangs. My heart sank. Sitri took slow, deliberate steps, closing the distance between us.
“Of course you are. You are my guest, not my prisoner. However, I must warn you…”
Sitri leaned in. I held my ground, refusing to back away until our noses nearly touched.
“Other demons aren’t as nice as I am. If you were to leave my grounds, I’m unsure I could protect you. You had best keep close, or else beverycareful, darling.”
With that, the demon Prince turned on his heels, and I let out abreath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
“Sleep well, Lillia. I shall summon you for breakfast in the morning.”
Sitri gave me a graceful bow before stalking away into the shadows. He’d left me both his candle and the lamp. He didn’t need the light any more than Zaleos had. I didn’t plan on chasing him down to offer it. If he wanted to haunt the halls of his unlit mansion like a lunatic, that was his problem, not mine.
As I pulled the door closed behind him, my thumb found a key slotted into the handle. When I turned it, the door locked with a satisfying click. I felt a little safer knowing that the Prince couldn’t enter my room silently in the night. If he wanted to get in, no door would prevent that, but at least I’d have some warning while he wasted time breaking it down.
At last, I flopped down on the bed and sank into its soft dressings. This was not going well. All I’d wanted since I woke was silence, and now that it was quiet, dark thoughts threatened to creep into my mind, infest it like roaches. Each that popped up found itself squashed beneath a mental boot, swept away into that box where I kept the things I couldn’t handle. That box got ever fuller, but I had no strength to deal with it after what I’d just been through. One day, I’d have to open it and face everything inside. That day wasn’t today, and wouldn’t be anytime soon.
I rolled onto my back, staring up at the ceiling. It was going to be a long night.
