For the first time that night, the younger brother smiled, quick and sharp in a way that felt dangerous for completely different reasons than my demon, and judging from the expression Nina made beside me, she noticed it too, which felt like the beginning of an entirely separate disaster.
Meanwhile the rulers already were exhausted by both of them.
“Both humans remain inside palace grounds,” the central ruler decided finally. “Until further notice.”
Nina interrupted him. “See now THAT definitely sounds like kidnapping.”
“It is technically protective custody,” Anderson corrected tiredly.
“That is kidnapping with branding.”
The council members began standing from their seats after that while demons across the chamber started whispering among themselves again. The meeting was ending. Thank God. Because another five minutes in this room and I probably would’ve accidentally insulted Hell’s government directly.
My demon finally turned to me after staying quiet through most of the ruling. His expression softened slightly the second his eyes landed on me.
Then he spoke quietly enough that only I really heard it.
“Are you alright?”
The question hit harder than it should have after everything. Because despite politics and bonds and betrayal and terrifying rulers, he still sounded like the same person who used to ask if I’d eaten dinner while making coffee in my apartment kitchen.
That made this infinitely harder.
Chapter 22
Eva POV
For a second neither of us moved.
The throne room around us had already started emptying, council members disappearing through towering black doors while silver fire flickered against the marble floors in long distorted shadows. But my attention stayed fixed entirely on him.
On the way his expression had softened the moment he asked if I was alright.
Like despite the council and the bond and the political disaster currently attached to my existence, part of him was still stuck back in my apartment asking whether I’d remembered to eat something besides instant noodles. And I hated how much that affected me.
Before I could answer, Nina pointed dramatically toward one of the rulers still lingering near the throne platform. “That old man has been staring at us for like ten minutes.”
The ruler looked deeply offended. “I am observing.”
“That is literally just aristocratic spying.”
The younger brother leaned lazily against one of the massive pillars nearby. “In fairness, the palace has not had entertainment in several centuries.”
“Wow,” Nina muttered. “Your civilization sounds beyond repressed.”
“That is because it is.”
Anderson was beyond exhausted already. “Can everyone please stop insulting Hell’s government directly in front of Hell’s government.”
“No,” Nina answered.
I snickered.
My demon’s hand brushed lightly against my lower back then, guiding me quietly toward the massive palace doors as the last council members disappeared from the chamber. The touch lasted barely a second before he pulled away again deliberately.
Like he kept remembering he wasn’t sure what he was allowed to touch anymore. That tiny hesitation hurt more than I wanted it to.
The palace hallways outside the throne room stretched endlessly beneath silver chandeliers and towering black windows overlooking the city below. Demons moved quickly through the corridors, but every single one slowed when they noticed us passing.
