The air inside the fortress was thick with the scent of ancient dust and cold, damp stone. Daniela and Jasper moved with the synchronized grace of a regimented battalion, their boots echoing against the obsidian floors as they prepared to leave for another day of training.
Their path was abruptly severed by Umbay.
Upon seeing the King, both Jasper and Daniela bowed deeply, a practiced show of deference to the Demon King. "We are just leaving, Uncle-in-law," Jasper began. As he spoke, his hand lowered to the small of Daniela's back, his fingers splaying firm and heavy—a sharp, possessive marking of territory that signaled she belonged to him alone.
"Not today!" Umbay said, his voice echoing off the high vaulted ceilings. The look on his face was one of detached indifference, the expression of a ruler who didn't care for his subjects. "You will come with me. She can stay!" He announced, turning from the castle. He did not bother to look over his shoulder; he knew his nephew-in-law would follow, especially if he wanted to remain in his realm.
Jasper's jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing into slits on his uncle's back. He looked to Daniela and gave a sharp, singular nod toward the interior of the castle. "Don't die."
"So romantic," she said in an overly joyous voice. As much as she loved the feeling of getting stronger, she could use a break. Jasper was a vicious teacher; no matter how effective his methods were, she still felt like she hated him at the end of every single day because he was a bit of a monster as a teacher.
Standing at the entrance, Daniela watched the two demons exchange a few words she couldn't hear. Then, black flames erupted, swirling around their bodies like a violent whirlwind until they vanished in a flash. Daniela stared at the empty spot, fuming. Teleportation. She thought of the mountain of sand she currently had in her ass crack from their long treks and felt a wave of irritation. If they could simply teleport to the desert, she definitely had words for him.
Entering back into the castle, Daniela felt at a bit of a loss. She hadn't spent much time inside the walls beyond the first few days. The prisoners who stood idle—waiting to be toyed with, murdered, or whatever the inhabitants had waiting for them—watched her with confused stares. Normally, she wasn't back for hours. Out of habit, she nodded at them politely as she explored.
While the upper levels were open and exposed, as if there were no such thing as privacy, she discovered a single staircase leading underground. The world below was very different. There were walls and doors and secrets.
She knew she shouldn't go down, but her curiosity got the better of her. She didn't know much about demons and how they lived or what they cared about beyond feeding. Even the basics of demon politics she was completely unaware of. No one could fault her for her curiosities.
Torches flickered along the walls, bathing the dark space in a rhythmic, orange glow. Deciding to gamble, she pulled open the fourth door on the right, hoping to find a room that assuaged every question lingering in her mind for months. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open.
"Daniela!" Celestine said, her voice musical and hypnotic. In front of her, a prisoner knelt with his head touching the ground, tears streaming down his face.
Celestine's beautiful orange gown with navy spots billowed out from her, exposing her lean shoulders and angular face. She looked at complete peace.
"Forgive me, I did not mean to intrude," Daniela said, trying to back out of the room, hopeful to avoid any interaction with a royal.
"Don't be silly! Sit." The words were an order rather than a suggestion. Celestine's eyes, as black as coal, tracked Daniela's entry before the whites of her eyes slowly returned, giving her a more human look.
Daniela sat without a word. Her back was so straight it didn't dare touch the back of the couch. She simply waited for Celestine to speak, not wanting to prolong an interaction that could only be detrimental to her.
"Are you done?" a loud voice called out as a head popped into the room. Quasi's brows furrowed at the sight of Daniela, then he smiled. "I'll take him." He offered his cousin. Their powers worked in perfect tandem; they fed off very different emotions, so there was always more left for the other. For those who needed to be softened first, Celestine was his perfect dinner companion.
Celestine's breathtaking smile didn't falter. Her delicate fingers reached out and patted the prisoner's head who knelt inconsolably. "Off you go."
Daniela watched it all with unbroken observation. Jasper had told her enough times that she could not let her guard down. As the prisoner rose, Daniela recognized him. On the first day, he had led them to the rooftop, paranoid and covered in scars, looking ready for a fight. But this version of him was different. His skin was blemish-free, his wild edge gone. He looked broken and sad, like he didn't know what it meant to fight.
Once the door was closed, Daniela's eyes met Celestine's once again.
"Are you always this cautious?" Celestine asked as she chuckled softly, leaning back in her seat.
"I am a human, amongst demons. By all accounts, I should be in chains." Daniela's voice was steady as she looked at the empty space where the man's tears had not yet dried.
Celestine's posture was relaxed, but on the inside, she was tense. Daniela was the epitome of abundance, and Celestine needed her emotions to spike—specifically her anger, which would be a sweet and spicy treat she could capitalize on.
"I imagine it is a very unique experience. Do you like it here?"
"Wherever my husband takes me, I'm quite happy," Daniela's smile was placid and obviously fake.
"You seem far happier here than I expected. Even your marriage seems quite healed!" Celestine hoped her words would poke at a soft spot, but Daniela stayed painfully still.
"It was never broken. As I said, I love my husband." Daniela's smile was bright. In a brief moment, Celestine's civil act cracked—her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed in dissatisfaction. Daniela saw it. She was fishing. Again!
With a sharp whistle, the door opened. A female prisoner, Sarah, walked in with her head hung low and shoulders hunched, chestnut hair falling before her face.
"Bring me a collar!"
Sarah's eyes widened. She peeped at the elegant woman wearing the colors of royalty. She did not dare look her mistress in the eyes, knowing Celestine was one of the cruelest of them all. Dashing from the door, she went to the room four doors down. The room was covered in gold collars and armbands meant to hold them like dogs—less than dogs. Their lives were no more than a game of Go Fish. Rushing back, she did not dare hand the collar to Celestine, not wanting to dirty her. Kneeling, she rested the collar on the cushion next to Celestine, head bowed as she backed away, waiting to be dismissed.
"Go," Celestine said in a bored tone. She gripped the collar, turning it over in her hands so the gold caught the torchlight. "A brilliant man, human actually, made this. An ingenious invention. Can you imagine he made it for demons? So we would be at your boots."
"Genius always requires credit, no matter the endeavor," Daniela smiled.
"Yes, I agree," Celestine leaned forward, her eyes locked onto Daniela's. "Have you ever wondered how something like this works?"
"Not truly," Daniela replied unflinchingly. "I have found that power is the key to any shackle."
"You would be the first with a complete immunity. Shackles are the great oppressor," Celestine continued. She stood up, her orange gown trailing behind her like a flame as she began to pace the small room. "Ratoni doomed every species with this collar. Except demons. This collar uses a person's lifeblood to activate it and to trap them. And until their body lacks any blood, this will never come off."
"You do not bleed? I've seen otherwise! Everyone bleeds, and everything dies," Daniela said.
Celestine stopped her pacing and threw her head back, laughing—a true, deep sound that turned into a mocking cackle. She swept her arms out wide, as if embracing the very air around her. "How little you know. It's truly adorable!" She leaned down, bringing her face inches from Daniela's, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Demons are immortal. We cannot be killed!" She tapped her chest with a long, elegant finger. "In your realm, when a demon dies, we only return to our realm. We are eternal."
Daniela was startled. Her face remained poised, but internally she was reeling. She had found a major answer.
"Would you care to try one on?" Celestine offered, holding the gold band out like a gift.
Daniela's smile stretched as she slid to the edge of her couch. She felt the Onyx Crystal Jasper had given her pulsing against her skin. She scooped up her hair, exposing her neck.
"I wonder if my husband would like such adornments?"
The jab at Jasper's temper was the final straw. Celestine's composure snapped. She unlocked the collar forcefully and lunged. As she went to close it around Daniela's neck, a powerful rush of inky black smoke pressed outwards. A violent shockwave of condensed power threw Celestine back against the wall.
CRACK.
The stone fractured behind her as the collar flew from her grip. Celestine growled low and deep, pushing herself up from the debris. Her nails grew into talons, obsidian horns ripped through her head, and sharp angular teeth bared in a snarl.
But as she looked at the human, her breath hitched. For a brief, flickering second, Daniela's eyes glowed with a fierce, emerald light before returning to their normal green hue. She sat there, upright and calm, cloaked in her husband's protection.
Slowly, Celestine forced herself to breathe, her demonic features receding. She noticed how between the inky black presence, there were those shimmering greenish hues. Daniela wasn't just a human toy; she carried a spark of something ancient.
"It seems as if my power has exceeded that of a simple collar. Power! It cannot be so easily overlooked. Some shackles are not meant for those who have already reached the sun," Daniela said, rising to her feet and bowing. She couldn't help a small scoff. "This was quite informative. I thank you for your warmth, cousin-in-law."
Celestine watched her leave, her eyes burning with a new, dark focus. She wasn't simply hungry now. She was vengeful. Digging her nails into the chaise, black flames enveloped her body as her form evaporated.