Page 33 of Fated to the Demon Lord

“No, I need it. Now draw the weapon.”

Right, for when he possessed me. The idea still made my heart sink into my stomach. I wrapped my hands around the cold hilt and pulled it from its sheath.

The tip at once dropped to the stone floor. I gripped it with both hands and slowly raised the sword, grunting with effort.

Vaelor sighed, his lips etched in a deep frown.

Taking the blade from me, he grasped it without any issue as he slid it easily into the sheath. After setting it aside, he held out the second sword. “Try this option.”

It fell through his hand and clanked on the floor. Vaelor swore.

I bent over and gripped the hilt, unsheathing it. It was heavy and unnatural in my hands, and yet it was much lighter than the other behemoth of a sword.

“You’ll take that one,” Vaelor said. “Feron, get it belted on her waist.”

Feron lumbered forward and picked up the sheath. I handed over the weapon, and Feron re-sheathed it before strapping it on.

I held still while Feron worked, a tremor running through me from the demon’s proximity. “This will slow me down for certain,” I said, trying to distract myself.

“Better to have it than not,” Vaelor replied. “Throk has commanded that the spirits gather in a few minutes. That is when the Final Proving will begin. I must attend, but so must all the spirits. The instant I leave here, your protection ends. You must leave with Feron and Erlinen and travel ahead of me. Feron will get you over the rear wall, and then all of you will make for the Rushing Stream near the Blackfang Cliffs. I’ll meet you there.”

I had no idea where any of that was located, and my mind spun a little at the thought of going out into the wilderness where there would be hundreds of demon spirits looking to kill me.

“We’ll get her to the stream, sir,” Erlinen said.

Vaelor nodded. “Once Throk releases us to start the Final Proving, most of the spirits will head into Kingdom Aeria or toward Terra Monstrum. Most demons despise Misophae, so hopefully few will venture that way.”

My brow drew together in confusion. “Is that the kind of body you want? A body that isn’t pure-blooded?” It didn’t matter to me. A demon was a demon. But I knew enough that most demons disdained Misophae because of their mixed blood.

His jaw exhibited a slight tic. “It will have to do.”

Why was he choosing to go there? Surely it wasn’t for my sake. I had poisoned him. I narrowed my eyes. “What is this really about?”

His wings spread at the challenge in my voice. “You dare question my judgement?”

There must be some ulterior motive. “You can’t be doing this to protect me—risking bonding with a body from Misophae to keep me safe?”

“Would you prefer I lead you into a place where we’d be overrun by enemies, and you’d be killed within the first few minutes?”

“I want the truth.”

Erlinen’s hand cracked across my face. “You don’t deserve truth from the master. You are lucky he is keeping you alive.”

I grasped my stinging cheek and glared at her.

Suddenly, Vaelor was there. He grabbed Erlinen’s wrist, wings spread, eyes ablaze. “It is not your place to touch her.”

Erlinen’s gaze grew wide, and she blurted, “Yes, master. Forgive me, master. I am loyal. You know I am. Feron and I, we stayed behind when all the others left. Forgive me, please.”

I looked between Erlinen and Vaelor. How the hell was I supposed to take this?

Vaelor released her and stepped back, his wings snapping closed. “Misophae may be the last choice for most demons, but some will head that way anyway because of less competition. Denara must stay hidden.” His sparking gaze met mine.

I nodded to show I understood, though nothing made sense. Not his reasoning, not his reaction to Erlinen. Had I overlooked something?

Erlinen still looked mortified but assured, “We‘ll hide her well, sir.”

He spun away from us and glanced out the window again. “It is time.”