"I told you not to let me catch you alone."
Ember barely had time to react before Xeylan's hand wrapped around her wrist, yanking her into the shadows.
She gasped, struggling against his grip, but he was too fast…too strong. He pinned her against a stone pillar, caging her in with his arms.
"You're really something, you know that?" His breath was warm against her ear, voice mocking, laced with amusement. "First my brother, now my father. And here I thought you were just a helpless little thing."
"Let me go, Xeylan." Ember's voice was sharp, but he could hear the tremor beneath it.
His smirk deepened. "Or what?"
Her eyes flashed with warning. "Or I'll make you regret it."
Xeylan chuckled, slow and deliberate. "Feisty. But let's be honest…what exactly are you going to do to me?" His fingers traced down her arm, slow and taunting.
She slapped his hand away. "I don't have time for this."
"Ah, of course," he sneered. "You must be eager to get back to my father, hmm? Has he promised you a throne yet? Or are you still working on seducing him like you did with Kaelith?"
Ember's stomach twisted with fury.
"You're disgusting."
"And you're predictable." He leaned in, eyes narrowing as he studied her. "You pretend to be this fragile, innocent thing, but deep down? You know exactly what you're doing, don't you?"
Her fists clenched. "I said let me go."
"Make me."
She didn't hesitate.
Her knee shot up, aiming straight for his ribs.
But Xeylan was faster.
He caught her leg mid-air, twisting her off balance and forcing her back against the cold stone.
"Nice try," he whispered.
Ember gritted her teeth. She hated this. Hated him.
Then…
"Xeylan."
A deep, dangerous voice cut through the night.
Both of them froze.
The Demon King.
Xeylan straightened immediately, his smirk vanishing.
Ember took the chance to step away, her heart hammering.
The Demon King's gaze was cold, unreadable as he studied the scene before him.
"I believe my son has forgotten his place," he said, voice smooth, yet deadly.
Xeylan held his ground, but Ember didn't miss the flicker of tension in his jaw.
"My King," he said smoothly, bowing slightly. "We were just talking."
"Is that so?"
The King's gaze flickered to Ember, his expression softening just slightly. "Are you hurt?"
She shook her head. "No."
Xeylan laughed under his breath. "You're already treating her like a Queen."
The King's expression darkened. "You overstep, Xeylan."
"Do I?" Xeylan tilted his head, mocking amusement dancing in his eyes. "Funny. You never cared about women before."
A pause.
Then the King smiled. Slow. Cold. Lethal.
"You are my son," he said, stepping forward, "but that does not mean you are untouchable."
A beat of silence.
Ember could feel the weight of the tension crackling in the air.
Xeylan met his father's gaze without flinching, but Ember saw it…the flicker of unease in his stance.
Then, he laughed.
"Noted."
With a final smirk in Ember's direction, he turned and disappeared into the crowd.
Ember exhaled shakily.
The King watched his son vanish before turning back to her.
"Come," he said. "The festival has begun."
Ember hesitated.
Something was wrong.
Something had shifted.
And for the first time since coming here…
She wasn't sure who to trust anymore.
"You hesitated."
Ember froze.
The Demon King's voice was calm, but there was something underneath it…something sharp, something watchful.
She swallowed, eyes flickering to the festival beyond. Laughter and music filled the air, a stark contrast to the tension coiling between them.
"I…" she hesitated again, voice uncertain. "I just…"
"You don't trust me." His words weren't a question.
Ember's fingers tightened into fists.
"It's not that," she said carefully. "It's just… your son hates me. One of them wants me dead, the other…." She stopped herself, shaking her head. "I don't know what I'm doing here anymore."
The King studied her silently, his golden eyes unreadable. Then, he reached out suddenly, gripping her chin between his fingers.
"Look at me."
Ember's breath hitched.
His touch was gentle, but the command in his voice was firm.
"I am not my sons," he said. "And they are not me."
Her heart pounded.
"You are under my protection, Ember. No one touches what is mine."
Something about the way he said it….low, possessive, final…sent a shiver down her spine.
Before she could respond, a horn sounded from the distance.
The festival.
The Demon King's expression shifted….the moment between them vanishing as quickly as it had come.
"Walk with me," he said.
And so, she did.
The festival was in full bloom…a mesmerizing blend of firelight, music, and chaos.
Demons and humans alike filled the grand courtyard, their laughter and chatter creating a strange kind of harmony.
Kaelith stood at the entrance, face unreadable as he watched Ember approach with his father.
Their eyes met.
Something cold passed between them.
Then, before anything could be said….
"Ah, so this is the human girl we've heard so much about."
The voice was deep, smooth, carrying a weight of authority.
Ember turned….
And froze.
Two figures stood before them.
A man and a woman.
Both were tall, impossibly elegant, draped in rich black and crimson silks, their long silver-white hair gleaming under the lanterns, and their golden eyes glowing like fire.
Royal.
She had never seen them before.
Kaelith's expression darkened.
"You're late," he muttered.
The woman laughed softly. "Oh, little brother, we do love a grand entrance."
The man ignored him, his sharp gaze fixed on Ember instead.
"And you…" His voice was deceptively smooth, but there was something beneath it, something dangerous. "The human girl caught between my father and my brothers."
Ember tensed.
"You must be proud," he murmured, stepping closer.
Her heart hammered.
"Enough, Veyron," the Demon King said. His tone was calm, but there was an edge to it. A warning.
The man…Veyron…tilted his head but didn't look away from Ember.
"Relax, Father. I'm simply… curious."
The woman…Selene…sighed dramatically. "You men are so predictable. All this fuss over one girl? Truly, I expected better."
Ember clenched her fists.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said flatly.
Selene's smirk widened. "Oh, darling, you know exactly what I'm talking about."
A flicker of tension passed through the crowd.
Veyron took another step closer, his golden eyes flicking to the shattered necklace at Ember's throat.
"Ah," he murmured. "Xeylan's work, no doubt."
Ember's breath hitched.
Kaelith's jaw tightened.
"I wonder," Veyron continued, voice thoughtful. "Was he jealous of our father? Or you?"
Kaelith snapped.
"That's enough, Veyron."
But Veyron only smiled.
Selene hummed. "It's a good question, though. What exactly are you to our dear Ember, Kaelith? A lover? A fool? Or just another pawn in her game?"
Ember saw red.
"You don't know anything about me," she snapped.
Selene's eyes gleamed. "Don't I?"
She leaned in, voice dropping to a mocking whisper.
"You're just a little human in a nest of vipers, Ember. And if you don't start picking sides soon…"
She trailed off, the threat unspoken…but clear.
Ember's fingers curled into fists.
She didn't get the chance to respond.
Because in that moment…
A piercing scream split through the festival.