“YOU,” Nina snapped, “need to stop enjoying my suffering.”
“You challenged three palace guards to fights yesterday.”
“They were rude.”
“You threatened one with a chair.”
“He deserved fear.”
Meanwhile my demon leaned slightly closer beside me while the council continued discussing schedules and traditions across the massive table.
“You’ll enjoy the dispute halls,” he murmured quietly.
“That sounds suspicious.”
“You like winning arguments.”
“That is slander.”
“You once argued with me about soup for forty minutes.”
“The soup was wrong.”
The corner of his mouth lifted briefly. It was worse when he smiled casually now.
Across the room, servants rushed toward the tall palace windows after loud cheering erupted from outside again.
One younger servant practically bounced with excitement. “The crowds returned.”
Nina groaned. “Why are they still here?”
The servant answered proudly, “The city wishes to support the royal romances.”
I dropped my forehead onto the breakfast table.
“No.”
My demon’s hand slid against the back of my neck afterward, fingers brushing lightly through my hair once. The tiny touch settled warmth straight through me before I could stop it. The older rulers simply watched quietly while my demon’s fingers brushed once through my hair before he stepped away beside the palace stairs. Just trusting me to handle this myself.
The lower districts of Hell looked nothing like the palace.
The silver towers disappeared farther into the city until dark stone streets replaced polished marble, lined with crowded markets glowing beneath crimson lanterns and silver fire.
Demons filled every corner of the streets. They argued across market stalls, laughed from crowded balconies, worked through the noise and heat, and survived however they could. But thesecond they noticed royal guards escorting me through the district, the entire street fell silent. I felt their tension. Not with hatred but with fear.
The council representative walking beside me lowered his voice quietly. “The citizens rarely interact directly with royalty.”
“That feels unhealthy.”
“It maintains order.”
I glanced toward the crowded streets again. Children peeked from behind market stalls while older demons lowered their heads automatically as we passed. everybody were tensed. And I understood exactly why the council sent me here. They expected distance, coldness and typical royal protocol behavior.
Instead, the first thing I did was stop walking entirely beside a fruit vendor struggling to lift heavy crates alone. The guards froze behind me.
The vendor visibly paled. “Your Highness…”
“Please stop calling me that,” I muttered before grabbing the second crate automatically.
