“Drop the ring,” she hisses in a shaky voice.
I almost laugh. Whoever she is, I can smell she’s a human. Judging by her tone, a terrified one. It would be so easy to compel her to drop her weapon, but I’m curious to see where this goes.
I let the ring clatter to the ground.
“Now tell me,” she breathes, steadying her voice. Long red hair flashes in the corner of my vision. “Where the fuck is my little sister?”
38
DAHLIA
“Why is there only one? I told you to bring me both of the brats!” a woman’s vicious growl jerks me from my sleep.
Groaning, I open my eyes. Grass seeps through my fingers, lit up by the early morning sun. A nightgown clings to my skin. Long shadows stretch over the grass. From trees, maybe?
“You only gave me one soul, my darling, so I brought you the angel I thought would be the most fun,” a low voice chuckles.
“My soul for them both. That was the deal, demon!”
I turn my head towards the sound. My vision is blurry, but I can just about make out two figures standing amongst the trees.
I rub my eyes, squinting. We’re in a forest. But I’ve been here before. It’s the clearing near Lord Elheart’s palace. The woman is familiar, too. Her luscious golden hair is the colour of sunrays.
But the man…
My vision sharpens. It’s the same tall demon who was lusting after Blossom last night.
I claw into the dirt.
“Your exact words were ‘I want Tamryn and Lord Tauren’s whore’,” Navir explains, smirking. “‘Bring them to me and you can have my soul’.”
“Yes.Them,” Urma hisses. “Plural.”
“‘Them’ can be singular.” He grins. “Wouldn’t you agree, Dahlia?”
Snarling, I push myself up. “Where am I? What did you do to me?” I jab my finger at Navir.
“I did nothing other than use the pathetic scrap of power Lady Urma’s soul gave me to bring you here,” he explains. “Though you’d think it’d already been eaten. Tasteless little husk of a thing. Like eating coal.” He chuckles.
“You’re a foul man.” Urma turns angry red.
“Demon,” he corrects her. “And you shouldn’t frown so much. It’ll give you more wrinkles.”
Urma looks ready to explode, and I take that as my opportunity to escape.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” she spits as I take a step towards the trees. “Lord Elheart and his guards are moments away, and you wouldn’t survive five minutes in these woods,” she sneers. “Your demon lord can’t save you now,Your Highness.”
Right now, wolves sound a lot more tempting than staying here. But before I can run, horses burst through the greenery.
“Lady Urma,” a desperate voice calls. My stomach sinks at the sight of Lord Elheart leading a squad of mounted guards. We’re surrounded within seconds. Armoured guards on huge horses block every exit. “You said you’d found Tamryn! Where is she? Is she here?” Elheart stammers.
“My lord.” Urma dips her head meekly. “I’m afraid there’s been some confusion. You see, I had paid for both your daughter and Princess Dahlia to be delivered to this forest at sunrise. However, it seems that the creature I hired failed to deliver both girls to me, and so I?—”
“You hired a demon.” He pales, while Navir just bows mockingly. “You foolish child. Tell me you did not give this creature your soul?”
“I live to please you, sire.” She puffs out her chest. “My soul means nothing compared to the happiness of my?—”
“You stupid, ignorant girl!” His shout is loud enough to send the birds fleeing their nests. “A lost soul is what started all this! Did you learn nothing from my mistakes? A lost soul cost me my family. How could you ever think it would put it back together again?”
