“Or what?” Bat Wings spits.
“Yeah, what are you going to do about it?” his buddy sneers.
My body tenses. I hadn’t actually thought that far. At home, all it would take is me approaching a gaggle of misbehavingnoble children for them to run for the hills. “Umm… well I suppose I could?—”
“Wait. She’s a human!” Bat Wings blurts.
“A human?” His friend’s eyes double in size.
“I am indeed.” For a moment, I wonder if demon children are told stories of humans hiding under their beds and eating their souls. “You should beveryafraid of me.” I curl my fingers into claws and pull a face.
Their fear turns to confusion until Bat Wings tugs on his buddy’s arm. “We should go. Lord Tauren won’t want us messing with hiswhore.”
My hands drop. “What did you just call me?”
“She’s the captive bride?” his friend gasps. “But… but shouldn’t she be locked up?”
“She doesn’t need to be. He’s collared her. Look.” He jabs his finger at the choker around my neck, grinning. “She won’t go anywhere he doesn’t want her to be. Like a pet,” he chuckles.
I scowl at him.
“Bye bye, human,” he sneers, dragging his friend down the hallway. “Be a good pet and maybe your master will give you a treat later.”
That’s it. I’m raising my fists when a soft voice touches my side. “Just ignore them. Tibalt’s been a nightmare since his father was exiled.”
I glance over my shoulder to see the short demon, Claren, still hugging his chest against the wall.
I’d forgotten he was even there.
“Are you alright?” I ask. He looks about seventeen, with wavy black hair and pale skin. His features are sharp, and there’s something I recognise about them, but he dips his head before I can get a good look.
“I’m fine.” He stares at the floor. “Don’t worry about those two. The banquet hall’s just opened so they’ll be busy stuffingtheir faces for the next hour or so. You’ve got time to return to the tower.”
“I’m not worried about me.” I clench my fists. “They shouldn’t be allowed to be cruel like that. Someone ought to put them in their place.”
Claren chuckles. “It’s not their fault. Tibalt is struggling with his father’s punishment and Gill couldn’t pour wine into a glass if the instructions were written on the base of the bottle. It wouldn’t be fair to fight back.”
“It’s not exactly fair to let them bully you.”
He shrugs shyly. “I can take it.”
“Doesn’t mean you should.” I glare at the archway the two demons disappeared through. This whole exchange has left a bad taste in my mouth, and I don’t know whether to chase after them and give my fists the fight they’re now craving or find an alcove to hide in and cry.
My new friend speaks before I can decide. “Did Tauren really put a collar on you?”
I turn back to find him studying the choker around my neck.
“No idea.” I run my fingers over it. “Whatever this is, it won’t let me leave the castle, and I can’t take it off either.”
Claren tilts his head. “He doesn’t want you to run away, I suppose. It makes sense considering why you’re here.” He chews his lip, thinking. “I can loosen the collar a bit for you, if you’d like? You won’t be able to go far, but you’ll be able to leave the castle.”
“You can do that?” I want to hug his skinny shoulders. “Please! I’ll take any help you can give me.”
He gives me a small smile before turning his attention to the collar. Pursing his lips, his brow creases in concentration. A few moments pass until, like a weight lifting from my chest, the choker loosens a little before fitting smoothly against my neck.
“It’s done.” He steps back.
“Oh, thank you, thank you… Claren, was it?” I don’t know the first thing about demon magic, but clearly the boy did something. My body feels light enough to dance down the hallway.
