Chapter 6
That hit harder than expected, mostly because several demons nearby were deeply offended by the accusation.
The ruler continued speaking like Nina hadn’t spiritually insulted their entire society. “Until the council determines whether the bond threatens the throne, the human will remain inside the palace.”
My stomach tightened as I looked toward my demon instinctively and saw the fury already settling across his expression, not loud anger but the controlled terrifying kind, while the entire throne room seemed to grow colder around us and the silver fire lining the walls flickered violently once before stabilizing again.
“She is not a prisoner,” my demon said quietly.
The ruler held his gaze calmly. “No. She is the center of a political disaster.”
“That sounds dramatic,” I muttered. Several council members reacted as though I'd just insulted their ancestors. Honestly, it was satisfying to watch their expression.
Anderson stepped forward quickly before the situation escalated into civil war apparently. “The palace is the safest location currently available.”
“That sentence did NOT comfort me,” Nina informed him.
The younger brother quietly leaned toward her. “In fairness, outside the palace someone already tried to assassinate Eva once.”
Nina froze. “You know what, suddenly the creepy castle feels fine.”
My attention returned to the rulers while my demon stood rigid beside me like he was one badly phrased sentence away from declaring war on the entire government.
“So what exactly happens now,” I asked carefully.
One council member answered. “You remain under observation until the council decides whether the bond becomes a threat.”
I blinked once. “Wow. You people made romance sound illegal.”
“Currently,” the younger brother admitted quietly, “it kind of is.”
My demon’s patience had clearly evaporated. The central ruler studied both of us silently for another long second before finally speaking again.
“The human will be given royal guest chambers.”
Nina raised her hand. “Question.” Nobody acknowledged her.
She continued anyway. “Am I also under supernatural house arrest?”
One ruler regarded her with undisguised confusion. “Why is the second human here?”
The younger brother answered instantly. “Unfortunately, that situation also became complicated.”
Nina gasped dramatically. “You looked at ME first.”
“And regrettably kept looking.”
“That was weirdly smooth. I hate that.”
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.
Or more specifically: noticed him beside me.
The whispers started almost instantly.
“That’s the human.”
“She’s smaller than I expected.”
“He marked a mortal willingly?”
“I heard she summoned him accidentally.”
“That feels more humiliating.”
I turned to my demon. “Okay wow. Your people gossip aggressively.”
“They are terrified and unconditionally invested,” he answered calmly.
“That sounds unhealthy.”
“It is.”
Behind us, Nina had already started arguing with the younger brother about palace architecture again.
“I’m just saying,” she informed him while gesturing dramatically toward the giant black walls around us, “this place looks like depression won an award.”
“It’s meant to inspire fear.”
“It inspires seasonal sadness.”
One older council member walking behind us spoke up thoughtfully. “Perhaps the palace could use more color.”
The younger brother looked horrified. “You cannot redesign the royal palace because a human insulted it.”
“I absolutely can,” the ruler replied calmly.
Anderson actually stopped walking for a second just to stare at them.
“This is becoming a problem.”
Meanwhile I remained painfully aware of my demon walking beside me and of the careful distance he kept maintaining now, not cold exactly but restrained in a way that made it obvious he was trying very hard not to take anything from me again without permission, and that realization settled heavily in my chest as we continued through the palace until we finally reached a quieter section where enormous double doors stood open beneath silver lantern light.
The younger brother pushed one door wider dramatically. “Your rooms.”
Nina walked inside first. Then stopped completely.
“…Oh this is suspicious.”
The room was less like guest chambers and more like somebody converted an entire royal wing into a luxury apartment. Dark velvet couches curved around enormous windows overlooking glowing rivers far below the palace while silver fire crackled softly inside black stone fireplaces.
And near the center of the room, sat a bowl of strawberries.
I froze instantly, and my demon noticed the reaction so fast it was becoming irritating at this point, because for one awful second neither of us said anything while the silence between us tightened painfully.
Then Nina’s eyes darted between us before she whispered excitedly, “Oh my God. Even Hell knows.”
“I hate everyone here,” I muttered.
The younger brother seemed deeply amused while dropping dramatically onto one of the velvet couches near the fireplace. “To be fair, the strawberries are subtle compared to traditional courtship gifts.”
Nina narrowed her eyes. “What are traditional courtship gifts?”
Silence stretched for a second before he answered carefully, “…weapons.”
Nina blinked twice . “You know what, fruit feels romantic.”
I was still staring at the strawberries because he remembered. Something that small. Something completely unnecessary. And the quiet thoughtfulness behind it hurt worse than half the political disaster downstairs.
My demon stayed near the doorway instead of coming farther into the room, still giving me that careful distance like he was afraid of taking too much from me again, and the restraint made me want to drag him closer and yell at him at the exact same time.
One of the older council members lingering outside the door leaned slightly toward another and whispered, “He brought her strawberries again.”
“I can HEAR you,” my demon said flatly without turning around.
Neither ruler gave any sign of embarrassed. Actually, one of them appeared actively delighted by the entire situation, which felt deeply concerning for everyone involved.
Nina pointed accusingly toward the hallway. “You people are absolutely gossip addicts.”
“We prefer informed observation,” the older ruler corrected calmly.
“That is stalking with vocabulary.”
The ruler ignored her completely while still watching me and my demon with alarming interest. “He has never done a courtship offering before.”
My stomach dropped instantly. Slowly, I turned to my demon. His expression had gone completely blank in the way that meant he was internally suffering. Interesting.
“You brought me demon strawberries twice?” I asked carefully.
“They are normal strawberries.”