Chapter 32 Fiza’s Story #2
Elizabeth had never considered this. Creatures born of darkness, that’s what they were. Fiza’s eyes were a warm, pleasant brown. It was easy to forget she had not grown up in this realm at all.
“Do you miss home?”
“Do you mean where I’m really from?”
“Yes, the town or place you grew up?”
“The village I grew up in stands no more. But if you mean all of the Underworld, and the icy domain, yes, I miss it sometimes.” Fiza took another bite of the lemon square, cringing. “Alas, I don’t think these are for me.”
Elizabeth leaned in. “What do you mean the village you grew up in isn’t there anymore?”
“I was born in a small village in the caves by the sea.”
She paused, curious. “What happened to it?”
“The city was half destroyed in one of our wars.”
“What war?”
Quietly, Fiza asked, “Do you know about the demon princes to whom we owe our allegiance?”
“Yes, well, sort of, I know that Caspian is one.”
“Caspian is a lesser prince, but still one of the six. Asmodeus is a demon prince as well, and Lucifer is the demon king. He is the highest ranking among us, as he was the first.” Seeing her confusion, Fiza clarified, “Lucifer, and the six demon princes, rule over the seven circles of Hell.”
“But wait—sorry—how can Asmodeus be a prince?” Elizabeth interrupted. “His eyes are not silver like Mammond’s, and also, he’s in Caspian’s house. Doesn’t that mean he answers to him?”
“Asmodeus was stripped of considerable power when he was cursed to look like a demon forever. The witch who did it somehow shackled his powers too. He can barely touch his magic. Her curse effectively stripped his spirit of the title.
“Now, he’s barely stronger than a measly low.
A cripple, in our eyes. Another high-level demon has been elevated to replace him, to watch over his circle of hell for the time being.
But once Asmodeus figures out how to remove the curse, he will be reinstated as one of our rulers.
So, he is technically still a prince in title, even if his eyes are no longer silver, and we no longer formally recognize him. ”
“I see.” Elizabeth shifted in her seat, listening with rapt attention.
Fiza hesitated. “While we are on the subject, I should tell you that households are very important to us. Demons, as you can imagine, are not the most honourable lot, but we take our oaths very seriously. We are very loyal to our households,” Fiza said, seriously.
“I know, compared to your laws and rules and social customs, our world must seem very strange, but it’s really very simple.
A master has a duty to protect the members of his household, and a demon will always act in the best interest of their household. ”
“Ah, so a demon can be trusted to act in their own interest or in the interests of their master,” Elizabeth mused.
“Exactly.” Fiza nodded. “We are under Caspian’s rule here and under his protection.
We need to serve him before we serve you,” she said with some emphasis.
“For instance, while it has been a pleasure to serve you, Lady, I would remain loyal to you above all else—but I could not go against the direct wishes of my master if he ordered me to betray your confidence.”
“Of course.” Elizabeth shrugged, having expected as much. Fiza’s loyalty and honesty touched her. Most wouldn’t have taken the time to warn her.
“In any case.” Fiza looked around as if she did not want to be overheard. “A long time ago, Lucifer waged war against Leviathan’s territory, and my home was destroyed in the conflict.”
“No survivors?”
Fiza shook her head, her eyes downcast. “Few. My village was caught in the crossfire, and most perished.”
“I am sorry,” Elizabeth said, feeling a surge of compassion for the demon.
“It was long ago,” Fiza said, giving a non-committal head jerk. “I have a good life here. Caspian took me on as a maid, for which I will always be grateful. He has been a kinder master than most. For this, I owe him.”
“Do you have anyone from your home you are still close with?” Elizabeth asked gently.
“Maud, I am close with, but she comes from a different village. Most of my oldest friends, I have not seen since I came to this realm.”
Elizabeth felt a wave of compassion for Fiza and was amazed to realize she had well and truly become friends with a demon.
The two of them parted ways, and Elizabeth returned to the stack of letters waiting for her on her writing desk. There was a letter from her mother, likely pleading her to return home; her weekly letter from Charlotte; and a third letter addressed to her in handwriting that she didn’t recognize.
Curiously, she turned it over, feeling a round, flat object inside. The envelope had a black seal with the stamp of a raven. There was no house she knew with that sigil.
It was definitely addressed to her. The fact that a stranger whom she had never met figured out Caspian’s address in Veridas unnerved her.
She slit the envelope open and peered inside to find a coin, a note, and a smaller, sealed envelope.
Overcome with curiosity, she pulled out the coin. It was the same as the others she had seen in the library and portal room.
The note was short, instructing her to speak to a woman named Risna in Veridas and present the letter and coin if she wanted to learn how to use magic.
Elizabeth felt the blood drain from her face. Who could have known she had met Risna?
Biting her lip, she reread the letter. A note urging her to learn magic?
There was only one being she could think of who could have sent this letter. She smiled. The angel had thought of everything, it seemed. He even knew she was too frightened to ask for help and had resolved to muddle through the mystery of her magic on her own.
She eyed the coin, feeling a sense of trepidation. Not for the first time, she wondered what these coins were worth.
***
Mammond and Asmodeus were seated at the table tonight, sipping their goblets.
She couldn’t help but notice that Caspian didn’t say a word to her the whole meal.
As she finished her plate, he turned to her. “You look lovely tonight.”
“Thank you,” she said.
“Would you like to go for a walk in the garden this evening?” Caspian inquired.
“Certainly,” she said, irritated that he would ask in front of the other men at the table. Surely, the other demons saw this for what it was. A proposition.
“I’ll come fetch you soon, then.” His eyes slid up and down her frame, and Mammond gave Caspian a knowing look.
Summoned like a dog to its master.
Silently fuming, Elizabeth retired to the sitting room and was only reading for twenty minutes when Caspian came to call. He offered her his arm, and she rose from the sofa.
He guided her down the halls and towards the castle doors that led to the grounds. They took a turn about the garden, and he pulled her into an intimate nook. He put his arms around her and hugged her tightly, whispering into her hair, “Did you enjoy last night?”
She looked over his shoulder and turned her face away from his. She frowned, a pained expression coming across her face.
She was angry with him for leaving in the middle of the night, and making her feel like a fool. For all but declaring he was bedding her in front of everyone, with no regard for her privacy.
But his arms felt so good around her, and the feeling of his warm breath on her ear sent tingles down her spine, so she said, “I did.”
She shouldn’t want him, but her body craved his in a way she couldn’t put into words. She closed her eyes and loathed herself for wanting him.
He leaned down, and his lips were soft, gentle on hers. They kissed slowly and sweetly, and she slowly melted into his arms.
When they broke apart, he nuzzled her neck, his beard scratching her lightly. “I have been thinking about this all day.”
“Oh? Thinking about what?” she asked.
“Thinking about these lips.” His voice fell to a whisper. “The way you close your eyes when you’re about to come.”
Her breath caught.
“The way your body looks in dresses. The way it looks out of them. And I’ve been thinking about this.” He gripped her behind. “All damn day, I’ve been thinking about this.”
She arched into him, fisting her hand in his tunic.
He kissed and nibbled on her earlobe.
It was forbidden, and it would never end well.
But her body ached for his, and so, she gave in.