by Jenny McKane
Sunny silently swore to herself. She’d never trusted Selah, at all, really, but this was surprising. They weren’t even in the castle yet and she was already threatening to kill Sunny.
“What are you doing?” Sunny asked, feeling a little braver. “Don’t you want your throne? Don’t you want your consort? You need me to get those.”
“I don't need you for anything,” Selah said.
Sunny noticed madness moving through her eyes, and the realization that the shadow realm was known for its chaos and insanity settled over her. Perhaps this was Selah in her natural form? Reckless, violent, and spoiled. Sunny also picked up on a small bit of jealousy coming from the princess.
“Then kill me,” Sunny said. It was a complete bluff, but Sunny was out of options. She needed Selah to recognize the fact that, at least for the moment, Sunny was necessary to the mission.
A fog seemed to lift from Selah’s face, and she let out a long breath as she lowered the sword. The crazy was still there, Sunny noticed, but it seemed like Selah had gotten control of it just a little bit.
“Don't forget who I am,” Selah said between clenched teeth.
It seemed very important to the demon princess that Sunny remember the hierarchy that existed. Selah began to stomp off as she brushed past Sunny's shoulders. She knew the way, obviously, and Sunny had no choice but to follow.
They walked for nearly half an hour. The landscape around her was harsh and brutal. There wasn't much foliage to shield them from the overbearing suns above them. Both of them, actually. She had never seen two suns in the sky before and she tried her best not to look like a gawking tourist. It had a harsh sort of beauty to it, and Sunny would likely remember this for the rest of her life. However long that may be.
The sand was a burnt orange, almost a coral color. Sunny had imagined that the landscape surrounding the shadow realm would have been dark with deep purples, the color grey, and black. This was a desert, not what she expected for a shadow realm. But it was also daylight, and who knew what the place would look like when both suns went down. Shuddering, Sunny realized she probably did not want to see what it looked like at night.
The only thing that the landscape was missing was a caravan of camels. It was very middle eastern, and almost biblical, in its beauty. Whatever Sunny had been expecting, this was not it.
“Any sign of your dream demon?” Selah asked over her shoulder as they continued their walk.
“No,” Sunny replied.
She wasn't in the mood for chatter at the moment, after Selah’s little show earlier. In all honesty, Sunny really wanted to shove her shoe in the middle of the princess's back and send her sprawling on her face. Sunny also had a bit of a survival instinct and knew that it would not be a smart idea to assault the realm’s princess.
“What is your story?” Sunny asked. Realizing that they were walking into the keep after a prolonged absence on Selah's part. “What are you telling your father? Where have you been?”
Selah did not answer immediately and kept walking.
“He thinks I was scouting the human realm for souls,” she said. She did not elaborate, and Sunny did not pry further. She wasn't sure she wanted to know, actually.
A tightness in her chest warned Sunny that there was more going on with Azrael and Selah than probably anybody knew. And as far as Camael fit in? She could only guess. Sunny had a feeling that as the days went by, the plot would thicken, and the stakes would raise higher and higher. What had begun as a simple retrieval mission could quite literally blow up in her face into a save-the-world type of mission if Sunny was not careful.
She only had to keep her head down, get Gideon free and across the portal, and her job was done. It was the angels’ job to stop whatever nefarious plans the demons had working.
They were approaching what appeared to be some sort of village--much less modern and populated than the first demon city that Sunny had been dragged through last year. There were buildings, all the same beige coloring, with rounded roofs and doorways. Eventually, they came to a cobblestone street and it took Sunny a few steps to adjust to the unevenness of the new path.
“Remember everything I taught you,” Selah said. “You never walk in front of me or any other member of the royal family. You do not address a member of the royal family unless you're spoken to first. Do nothing to draw attention to yourself, and do not wander in the keep. Especially the bottom floor.”
None of it was new to Sunny, so she just nodded and kept walking.
“Should you have some sort of escort now?” It seemed strange to Sunny that the princess of the realm should be arriving on foot with no fanfare or guards.
“I'm one of the lesser-known members of the royal family,” Selah replied. “The average resident in the shadow realm might not immediately recognize me. It's something that I find useful for times like this. We’ll stop and readjust just outside the keep, and we'll make our entrance the proper way when it's time.”
Selah continued. “Gabriel insisted that you not accompany me as a servant, and despite the fact that you have a fake noble pedigree, do not forget that these demons will eat you alive if they realize what you truly are,” she said. “Stay in the shadows and stay unnoticed, and you might just return to the human realm in one piece. Don't do anything stupid or noble, and you just might survive.”
At least Selah seemed to be regaining control of herself. Sunny wondered what the effect of the realm had on the demons who are natives to it. What was waiting for Sunny inside the walls, she wondered to herself. A giant orgy? Chaos and violence?
Those would be cliché and expected.
Sunny had a feeling that the chaos and violence that she was about to witness would be more subdued and more calculated--much more terrifying and harder to deal with.
Chapter Fifteen
Sooner than Sunny wanted, they were at Azrael’s keep. This time, unlike when she visited it through Plaxo’s vision, it was teeming with people. Or demons, rather. There were guards everywhere, all wearing the same crimson and black uniforms.
“Team colors?” Sunny asked.
Selah did not respond. She did not even look at Sunny, and Sunny wondered why. It didn't take long for her to realize that they had an audience approaching. A small entourage of guards came from the right with their weapons drawn. They had faces on them to stop a train--assuming Hell had things like trains. Did they? Sunny didn’t even know.
“Holy crap,” she breathed. She wasn't exactly sure what sort of welcome they were expecting, but she had not envisioned being surrounded with swords and blades. “How bad did you piss your father off when you left?”
Again, Selah did not answer.
“If you wish to keep your head attached to your body, you will quickly lower your weapons,” Selah announced.
Her voice boomed and held an air of condescension. Selah was back into her role as the royal princess of the shadow realm. A royal pain in Sunny's ass.
The guard at the front lowered his weapon immediately and bowed his head.
“Our apologies, your highness,” the demon said.
The rest of the guards followed suit and turned around. From that point, Sunny and Selah followed them in through the large gates that had been lowered.
Walking into the castle, Sunny's eyes immediately went to the monstrosity at the center of the foyer. Just like in the vision, the tree was as large, jagged, and dark as it had been the first time she laid eyes on it. It swayed despite there being no wind inside the castle. It just moved on its own, each branch independent of the others. It was downright terrifying, if Sunny was being honest. But she pushed the thought from her mind as another small group of people approached them.
“It is good to see you home, princess,” a voice said from beside Sunny.
She had not seen the owner approach. He was older, if she could guess that. Demon ages were so difficult to gauge. His skin was gunmetal gray, and he had no hair whatsoever on his body. He was fully clothed in the scarl
et and black uniforms the guards had been wearing. He had no hair on his head, no eyebrows, no beard. His ears were sharp and pointed, as well as his teeth, which were elongated fangs that protruded from his mouth when he smiled. Sunny wanted to recoil but did not. She knew she couldn't.
“Alder,” Selah said by way of greeting. “My friend and I are tired from our long journey. Can you please see that my rooms are prepared for myself and our visitor?”
The demon named Alder gave Selah a low bow and backed away from her.
“He is the castle’s majordomo,” Selah said under her breath. She obviously did not want any of the gathering demons to hear her. “Stay on his good side and stay away from him as much as you can. He serves as my father's eyes and ears.”
Duly noted. The next demon to approach was female and also older, if the gray braids looped around her head as a crown were any indication.
“Your highness,” the older demon croaked.
Her skin was crimson, which was a stark contrast against the steel color of her hair. Unlike Alder, this demon had eyebrows which helped Sunny get over the initial shock of the bright red skin.
“It is good to see you again. How may I help you?”
“My companion, Layla, will need a wardrobe immediately,” Selah said. “Send one of the chambermaids to town to buy a few weeks worth of clothing for her.”
Selah gave a flick of her wrist and instantly the woman was gone.
“Nesta,” Selah explained. “She was once my nurse, and now she is in charge of my rooms.”
Alder. Nesta. Sunny was already memorizing names and faces, and observing Selah’s imperious behavior. She would definitely have to tone it down, but learning how to behave and speak like a noble was important here. There was a hierarchy, and despite being an outsider, Sunny would have to play her role as someone at the top of the food chain in this realm.
Not that Selah wouldn’t gladly take her down a peg or two whenever she saw fit. Sunny was counting on at least a few more outbursts from the demon princess in the near future. The energy of the place was unlike anything she had ever experienced. It was living up to the rumors about unstable magic and a thirst for violence. Not that anybody had taken a swing at one another, but there seem to be an air ripe with the possibility of a brawl erupting at any second.
Eli had told Sunny once that demon society was often carnivorous.
“Not that they necessarily eat each other,” he had explained. “But they will destroy one another to gain favor or to improve their standing in the hierarchy. The hierarchy means everything.”
Looking around, she saw that it was true. There were at least 50 demons of all sizes, colors, and species milling about the giant tree and each one of them eyed one another with suspicion and disdain. One can never get too comfortable in the demon realm, it seemed. Perhaps that was why so many demons spent so much time in the human realm. Not that humans weren’t without their thirst for power and backbiting abilities, Sunny thought. Angels too, for that matter.
“There's nothing left to do but to circulate until our rooms are ready,” Selah said over her shoulder.
Sunny got into position behind her and took a deep, fortifying breath. Something told her this was not going to be an enjoyable experience.
“Remember what I told you,” she said. “Make as little an impression as possible.”
Sunny gave her a slight nod and lowered her eyes to the ground. Selah moved forward and she followed. They rounded the tree as a few demons saw fit to approach Selah and bow before her. They exchanged pleasantries, or as pleasant as conversation between demons could be, and Selah kept moving forward.
A demon woman with giant coils of black braids wrapped around her head and an elaborate up-do approached Selah and slightly inclined her head. It was less of a formal greeting than every other demon previously had given the princess. Sunny also noted the disdain approaching the woman's eyes. This was not a happy reunion, whoever this demon was.
“So you have returned,” the approaching woman said before adding, “princess.”
The word dripped off her tongue like it tasted bitter and was poisoned. No, this was definitely not a demon happy to see Selah back in the shadow realm.
“You are amazingly observant, Barba,” Selah said with a sneer. “As ever. And, as ever, quick to put your face into my business the moment I return. Don’t you tire of following my every move? Don’t you have sons to plot for?”
“Does your father know that you've returned?” The woman ignored Selah’s insult, though her face looked tighter and angrier.
Sunny watched in fascination as the woman lightly moved the cuff of her sleeve, and while she did, one of her black talons grew in size. Was this some sort of tell when a demon was angry? Did their talons grow in response to their emotions?
As goofy as it sounded, Sunny wished she had some sort of pen and paper that she could jot down notes onto. There was so much to take in, she was afraid that she would miss some of it. Forgetting any of this vital knowledge could prove fatal.
“He should by now,” Selah said as her eyes moved around the room. Sunny knew that the demon princess was trying to portray a disinterest in the conversation. She was letting this demoness Barba know that she did not find the conversation worthy of her time.
The demoness opened her mouth to speak again, but Selah put a palm up in her face to stop her. The color drained from Barba’s face.
“I'm not in the mood right now,” Selah said, her voice practically a yawn. “Perhaps in the morning, you will have come up with something more interesting to discuss. For now, I bid you good-day.”
Sunny took an extra wide step around the woman who had just been shut down by Selah. She was certain flames are going to erupt on the demoness’ skin at the slight the princess had just given her.
“One of my father's many, many concubines,” Selah explained. “She has borne him three sons. All of them useless, and none of them allowed near my father. But that does not stop her from conspiring at every moment to gain favor for her bastards. She's lucky my father has not put her children to death by now, with all of their scheming.”
Less than twenty minutes into Azrael’s keep, and Sunny could already feel the gravitas of the mission growing heavier and heavier. There was so much at stake, so many outside factors that could influence it.
The majordomo, Alder, seem to pop up from the floor in front of Selah. Sunny jumped back in surprise, and when a few demons nearby raised their eyebrows suspicion, she pretended that she had stubbed her toe on the floor.
“New boots,” Sunny breathlessly explained to nobody in particular before kicking herself for opening her mouth at all. Stupid.
“The rooms are ready now, your highness,” Alder said.
His voice was almost reptilian, and if he had a forked tongue that slid out of his mouth as he spoke, Sunny would not have been surprised. He was terrifying.
“Good,” Selah said. She cast a glance over her shoulder at Barba. “The company tonight is tiring anyway. Does my father wish to speak to me before I retire?”
“He has not called for you,” Alder said. “But he knows of your arrival.”
There was no emotion in Selah’s response, but Sunny could not help but wonder if the princess was marginally hurt that her father did not want to see her after such a long absence.
“Very well,” was all that Selah said.
“Breakfast is at the same time in the morning,” Alder said. “Your father expects you there.”
A tight nod was Selah’s only response.
Without another word, Selah began walking quickly. She moved through the crowd, who mostly parted for her as they watched her approach. Down a hallway she went, with Sunny desperately trying to keep up. Selah had long legs, and while Sunny's were no longer because of the glamour, she still had a hard time avoiding the demons in her way. She did not want to make contact with any of them unnecessarily, as she had been warned numerous times that many demons had skin that w
ere venomous to humans. What an inglorious way to blow her cover, Sunny thought to herself. Killing herself with a little accidental skin-to-skin contact.
There was a staircase that Selah had obviously been looking for and she found it. Pushing through the door, she did not wait to see if Sunny was keeping up. Good thing for her, Sunny was. On the second floor, they pushed through the door and into the hallways, which were much quieter than the floor below. Selah had once told her that this was where the royal family stayed, along with a few VIP guests.
Sunny wondered if she could be considered a VIP guest? Never in her life had she ever been a very important anything, and if it took going to the demon realm to get a little status, she would take it.
They walked down a long hallway, carpeted with plush burgundy rugs gilded with gold and silver, until they reached a door near the end. Selah pushed it open and Sunny did her best not to gasp at the ornate and exquisite furnishings inside. To begin with, the room was at least three times larger than Sunny's entire apartment had been in Seattle, before moving into Gideon’s warehouse flat.
She was looking at a royal living room, as it were. There were couches and chairs throughout the room, most likely used for visitors or social calls. There was a desk along a back wall next to a window, and more couches.
Selah pointed towards a door on the left.
“That is your bedroom,” she said. “If I were you, I would spend most of my time there when you are not occupied. This place is dangerous for you. More than you could possibly know.”
She then motioned to a door on the right.
“These are my rooms,” she said. “And they are off limits. I will peel the skin from your bones if I ever catch you in them. And what you hear in these suites, does not get repeated. Ever. Do you understand me?”
“Perfectly,” Sunny murmured.
With that, Selah stomped off towards her bedroom and slammed the door behind her, leaving Sunny to explore her own room.