by Amber Cook
He leaned forward, offering her a dazzling grin. Even though she could barely see it, she knew he would have that cheeky look. "In the flesh."
"How did you find me?"
"It wasn't easy... This thing they have here," He said, gesturing around the building. "Is quite the little fortress. It's almost impossible for a demon to find."
"Almost?"
"Mm... I followed your scent as far as I could. Once I got to a certain spot, it completely disappeared. Wonder why that happened... But you see, when I walked into town, there was this child."
Adira's eyes widened. Was he talking about the same child that had found Zen when they had first arrived?
"All I had to do was have a nice little chat to figure out where you were."
"What did you do to him?"
Ravana's eyes narrowed at her sudden change of tone. "Why does it matter?"
She did not look up at him this time, slanting her eyes as her lip pulled. She had an idea of what he had done.
"Ah, don't give me that face. I just talked to him. He's not dead or anything. He just may wish he was...But why does it matter? He's a human, after all. One less human would do this disgusting world some good."
He wasn't wrong. Adira had always felt the same way, but that human was a child. She at least had a conscience to make her feel guilty about killing children. They were unlike their older counterparts, void of the hostility they all had.
"Do you have any idea on how to get out of here? You can't break down the bars."
"Who said anything about that?" He mused, lifting his finger to show the key that dangled from it. Ravana pushed the key into the lock, turning it until it made a soft whine. Adira shakily pushed herself onto her feet, swaying at first as she steadied herself. The cell door creaked open, and Adira stepped through, careful not to brush her skin against any of the bars. When she stepped through, Ravana wasted no time, wrapping his arms around her body.
She grimaced at his touch. Power coursed from his body, smothering her in his arms. Adira could feel him relax beneath her body, exhaling a breath that he had been holding onto. It felt the same as that one night when Ravana had been the one to force her to decide to live. Adira, without thinking, softly nuzzled her face against his cheek. Her eyes felt as if they were tingling, but she knew she would not cry. She had long ago lost her ability to shed tears.
"For a moment, I didn't think I'd be able to find you." His words came out husky as if Ravana was fighting emotions. The weight of his words felt as if they would smother her. She had never expected such desperation to come from his lips.
"What now?"
"We get out of here. The Demonic Realm is in divides. Everyone knows about Drystan's disappearance, as well as the Fifth Pillar's Orb being stolen. As well, that bitch of a mother of yours made certain they all knew you were gone."
"What?" She asked, pulling back in his embrace. "Drima did that?"
"Mhm...I think she's trying to make her claim."
"Her claim? All she has is being a whore that happened to sleep with the right demon."
"Yes, yes, I know. Her claim does not reach yours." He whispered, the hoarseness to his voice returning as he reached forward, brushing away a few loose strands of hair from her face. "I do not doubt that you could take the throne."
Adira's eyes widened. Those were words that were never allowed to be spoken to her, at least in the Demonic Realm. If someone heard that, if that got back to Kace, they would have their souls devoured. Her eyes lowered, a hot flush filling her cheeks. She had never been told that before, not with such confidence and desire in their voice.
"You don't mean that."
His finger lifted her chin, causing Adira to be unable to escape from the weight of his gaze. "You deserve to be on that throne."
"W-what you are saying could have you killed."
"And who is here to say anything?"
Adira tried to look away again but was unable to. Ravana's hand trailed down her arm, taking her hand into his own.
"Let's go."
"Where?"
"Back home."
A smile almost filled her lips, but she froze. Home? Where was home? Her home was in the Demonic Pillar; home was by the First Pillar's Orb. But 'home' was by Kace, by the one person who threatened her existence. She could still remember his face when she attacked Drima, his only prized possession. She could remember his intent to kill. If she returned there, she would not be greeted with open arms. She would be greeted with countless assassination attempts. She would be reminded who she was.
Adira stopped, planting her feet in the ground. Ravana turned towards her, confused, but Adira did not allow him to pull her forward. She shook her head, the flush in her cheeks disappearing. They were void of the warmth that had made her feel light only moments before. "You know what will happen when I return home."
Adira shook her head again, grimacing as she spoke. "I will not return to him. I will not allow him to feel that satisfaction of destroying me. When I return, it won't be like the other times, not after everything I've done. He will destroy me. He will kill me."
Ravana's face whitened as she spoke those words, "He needs you, Adira. He would never kill you."
"That man needs no one. All he needs is power, and I'm a threat to it. If the demons are falling apart because of me, what do you think he'll view me as? A threat. I will not return to him."
"Then what? Are you going to stay here? Here with these humans?"
Adira's fingers curled by her side. She despised these humans, but they had a mutual idea. Adira did not need to slaughter these beasts. It gained nothing in her mind, but they felt the same as her. They never once said they wanted to kill her; they had simply wanted to create a weapon like her to kill Kace. The only way Adira would be saved, spared even, was if Kace was dead. Adira knew of Ravana's feelings towards her, but she also knew how he felt about Kace. Kace was the one who had selected him, who had raised him from a life of poverty to become the Second Pillar's ruler. Without Kace, Ravana would be nothing. A loyalty and bond like that could not be easily broken.
Ravana would never be able to follow through with it. He would stop her in the end. He would beg her just to deal with the torture, with the concept of death, but she wouldn't. She wouldn't just 'deal' with it anymore. She had an opportunity to snatch her life back. If she didn't take hold of it, it could be hundreds of years until she had another chance if she simply passed it by. With the demons in divide and with Drystan's knowledge, these humans could do it, only if they had her. They could kill Kace.
"You would never understand, Ravana. All that man is to you is someone who raised you under his hand and gave you power. But, to me, he is the nightmare that haunts me every day. The only way I can escape and take the throne is by killing him. No matter what you say, you would never be able to do that, not even for me."
As she said those words, Ravana's face darkened. Her last words were like a dagger through his heart. She could see his nose scrunched in pain. "Is that what you believe?"
Adira's fingers clenched as her lip quivered. She didn't know what to believe. All she knew was that she could only believe in herself and no one else.
"Are you going to become like these humans?"
"You know I never would..."
"I'm beginning to doubt that." Ravana took a step away from her as she reached her hand towards him. He had never shied away from her touch before. Usually, he desired it. "What do you want me to say? What should I tell Kace?"
"Say that you couldn't find me."
Ravana chuckled in disbelief, shaking his head. "Do you really think it would be that easy? After all, you know the demon better than anyone." Although his words were filled with malice, his eyes did not reflect it entirely. He looked at Adira one more time. In her eyes, it seemed to last a lifetime. It was the first time in her existence that she had felt like someone had not looked at her but through her. It was as if he could see every horrible thing that made her up, but he
didn't say anything. He only offered her a pitiful smile, something that even made Adira's heartache. "I'll figure something out."
Adira tried to step towards him, but he shook his head, turning away from her. "Goodbye, Adira. I have a feeling that this will be the last time we see each other."
Adira's throat tightened. She didn't want him to leave, not when he said those words. Not when she could hear the resolve in his voice, as if he knew it would happen. And, in the corner of her mind, she knew the same. This would be the last time she saw Ravana. "Wait-"
He was gone.
She slumped to her knees, shaking her head as she pressed her palms against her forehead. She couldn't produce tears, she had never been able to, but her eyes burned. Her chest felt as if it were being torn apart, as if someone had reached their hand into her chest and clenched down on her heart. She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry and curse everything in this world.
"Someone's coming."
Fionna's voice startled her, snapping her back to reality. She had been so distracted that she had been unable to hear the approaching footsteps. Adira jumped up, spinning towards who was approaching her. She hadn't realized that the keys that had been used to free her were tucked into her clothing until it let out a jangle. Ravana must have put them there.
"W-What?"
"How did you get out?!"
Adira threw her hands out towards them, her eyes darkening as Brynx and Zen appeared. They were fumbling through their uniforms, producing blades.
She didn't want to speak. She knew the first words would come out weak, choked. She wouldn't sound strong, but more like a fragile child. But she had no choice. This was her only shot.
Brynx's hand snapped up as Adira tossed the key towards him. "Before the two of you make any rash decisions, let's talk." Her voice quivered, but she did not lower her eyes. No, she walked towards them with ease, as if she remembered who they were. These humans were meant to be squashed beneath her feet. If she were going to accomplish it, if she were going to kill Kace, then she would have to use these humans. She would have to break them and bend them until she could accomplish her dream.
THE END