Page 12 of Deranged Demons

She tilts her head to the side, observing me.“Are you?”

I stretch out my arms and peer down at my body. I’m still wearing the black dress I had on at the ball, but I appear to be unharmed, and thankfully, my dagger is still strapped to my thigh. My crown isn’t on my head, but I’m guessing Dad was smart enough to keep that at the palace.“I think so.”

“I’m fine, too,”she replies.“I woke an hour ago and took some time to scout over the city. The alphas have been transported in groups, but many of them are awake now, and some of them are trying to make their way to you. I guess they think you’re the only one who can get them out of here, and their best chance of surviving is if you’re mates.”

Lifting to my feet, I wobble as I take in the thick gray clouds now above me instead of the vaulted ceiling of the ballroom.“And where exactlyarewe?”I stumble back a step as I take in the crumbling buildings surrounding us. The ancient structures reach high, many without a roof, and their uneven walls are like broken fingers trying to reach forthe sky.

“Perstalia,” I whisper, answering my own question. “The ninth realm.” I tick off the realms in my head. There are the five allied realms, Seral, Rostof, Toralyn, Kanzepes, and Norso. Then there’s the realm of the witches, Larazeen, which we’d thought was uninhabited until recently, the human realm, Earth, and the shadow realm, Kiru, where our souls reside after death. Perstalia is the ninth realm, otherwise known as the lost realm. There are tomes in the palace library that speak of the winged creatures who used to live here and a civilization that rivalled even that of the angels.

The courtyard is empty except for Shade and me, and I turn to the stone wall on my right which is decorated with a long mural. Roughly cut pieces of colored tiles have been artfully arranged, and I walk beside the picture running my fingers lightly over the dusty depiction of a beautiful landscape with a great river and trees dotting the sides of a riverbank. White crystals are embedded between the tiles, and they sparkle in the watery sunlight as I brush away the layer of dirt.Whoa.

“What is this place?”Shade asks, perching on my shoulder.

“The beings of Perstalia were said to be made of magic,”I reply.“But while they were powerful, they were defenceless when the witches invaded. They hadn’t encountered beings from other realms, and the witches fed off the magic of the land and the creatures for decades, depleting every resource until there was nothing left. Noteven plants will grow here now. It was after Perstalia was left in ruin that the witches turned their sights on Seral. Our land isn’t as magical as Perstalia, but we’re similar because the magic of our horns was fed back into the land when we died.”I wonder then, if Perstalia would still be a thriving civilization if we’d known about their realm sooner. My heart squeezes as I reach the end of the mural, and I pause to study the ancient stone buildings around us.

“That’s so sad,”Shade comments, tucking her wings in tighter even though the air is warm.

“For the last two centuries, these ruins have become neutral ground for the allied realms,”I explain.“Any major council or negotiations that involves all of the leaders of the five realms are held here in the ancient castle. But that still doesn’t explain why Dad sent us here. There’s nothing here besides the destroyed buildings, and remnants of their lost civilization.Not to mention it’s well known that the witches poisoned this land. If we’re here for too long, we’ll lose our minds.”

“I’m sorry, but lose our minds? You didn’t want to lead with that last part,”Shade complains.

I shrug a shoulder.“I’ve never been here long enough that I’ve had to worry about it. The last time I was here was for negotiations years ago, before we met, and we only stayed for a couple of hours. We’d have to be here for quite a while to be affected.”

“Well, considering all the king said was “find your mates and survive”, I think it’s safe to say that we could be here for some time.”

I frown, knowing she’s right.“Which is why he instructed us to find the provisions left at the major landmarks around the city if we hope to keep our wits about us. He planned for it. There’s a drug you can consume that staves off the illness. He must have left some of it with the provisions. It’s all part of the challenge. We just have to make our way to the closest landmark.”

“Hold on, even if we do find this drug, there are hundreds of alphas in the city. What if there’s not enough to go around?”

I grimace.“I guess that’s where the ‘survive’ part comes in.”

She swallows.“Okay, easy peasy. So, we survive until you find your mates, and wait until dear old daddy comes to get us. Then what? Bam! Back in Seral?”

I sigh.“Knowing the king, we’re completely on our own until he comes to check in. So your guess is as good as mine.”

Taking a moment, I try to mentally visualize a map of the ancient city in my head. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve visited Perstalia. Usually, I never leave the royal castle, but the last time I was here, I was able to take to the sky and fly high enough to glimpse a main square with a huge fountain that no longer flows, and a series of bathhouses that are clumped together in the south. I think of the other alphas then. My mates might be in the city, but there’s also a whole bunch of alphas whoaren’tmy mates, and I’m willing to bet there are a few who will happily keep any provisions for themselves.

“You said you saw some of the alphas?”I ask Shade. I’m aware that the sooner I find my mates, the easier this will be, especially when I unlock my power. It's said that fated mates have a deep connection, and that if they’re close, Lady Fate will draw them together. I’m not sure how close they need to be, but Dad obviously thinks that if we’re all together in this city they’ll be able to find me. But getting our hands on provisions is a priority.

Shade preens her feathers.“Yes, some of them are closer than the others. In fact, one of them should be almost here.”

Wait, what?I’m about to question her more when a flash of green catches my eye, and an alpha from Norso comes into view, striding between two stone buildings on my left.

“Thanks for the heads up,”I grumble to Shade in disbelief.

“You’re welcome!”she chirps, not caring that I’m entirely unprepared for this encounter.“He’s handsome, isn’t he?”

I stand taller and observe the male walking toward me. Like the other alphas from Norso he has sleek features, a lean muscular body, and a green vest made of tiny seashells. His thick green hair reaches his shoulders, the strands swaying as he walks, and the moment he sees me, his lips curve into a smile.

“Ah, demon princess. I’m glad to have found you.” He speaks in the common tongue as he approaches, walking with a confidentgait.

I peer around, half expecting more alphas to be behind him, but he shakes his head. “Just us,” he says with a thick accent. “All the better for me.” His cheeky smile widens, and he stares at me like he thinks we’re already mated.

“Attractive and confident,”Shade observes.“I like him.”

“You like everyone,”I counter, then quickly block her from my mind because I’m not going to be able to have a conversation with this guy while she’s in my head.

“You look happy for someone who was just gassed and left in Perstalia,” I comment, honestly amazed that this guy looks so calm. With Dad, nothing surprises me anymore, but this has to be a shock for the alphas.

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