Page 10 of Once Upon a Demon's Heart
I keep my eyes to the ground as I stand beside the king and his personal guards at the bottom of the steps leading into the front doors of the castle. King Borlin notices the necklace around my neck and narrows his eyes. I flinch as he reaches for it and brushes his thumb slowly over the pendant. “A gift you’ll be keeping with you I hope?” he asks and keeps his thumb over the pendant for a second longer before moving away. I nod and press my lips together in a sad smile. How odd of the king to notice such a simple necklace as this.
We wait.
Golden brown leaves drag across the ground with the cold winter breeze. Snow will fall soon, perhaps later tonight even, which will make traveling across the wastelands more unbearable than it already will be. I stifle the miserable groan that dares to leave my lips.
King Borlin stiffens at my side. I don’t need to look up to know why, but I do anyway.
My stomach curls into itself at the sight of the army walking straight through our gates. Their armor as white as snow, tinted gold in some areas with the blood of our own. Demigods are coveted by all for our gilded blood, but to us it is just that, our life force.
The demon at the head of the army is wearing a crimson cape. Half of which is pulled over one of his shoulders and affixed to his neck guard with a medallion. The back is splayed out behind him like a wave of blood. It’s stark against everything around him. Of all the demons, he alone stands out. Even the air around him is ominous.
It’s him.
The Blood Knight.
Chills erupt over my skin, and I have to force my eyes back down to my feet.Why ishehere?
My fellow demigods must be experiencing the same dread, because other than the slight jingling of the golden chains that connect the cuff earrings on my right side, it’s deadly silent apart from the approaching army’s clanking armor. I secure my hand on the hilt of my sword. One can never be too trusting of the demons. There’s still a chance they could be after the king’s head for what he did.
No one so much as whispers. My nerves dance with anxiety up until the distinct scent of smoke and crisp alder wood wash over my senses and the loud metal clanking of armor comes to a halt. The Blood Knight dismounts from the largest black stallion I’ve ever seen. It whinnies as my eyes scour over the beast.
Gods, even the horses from Devicit are enormous.
Then the Blood Knight approaches us on foot. Every cell in my body ignites as if his presence alone is enough to be my undoing.
The demons behind him are shadowed by his size, even though every single one of them are taller than me. His ivory helmet is sharp and smoothed at every angle. The jaw latch is held together with a gilded bolt on each side and a gold metal wreath halos his head. If I were ignorant, I would think he was one of the gods himself.
My eyes lower down to the crystal sword sheathed at his side. I know its power all too well. The sword of the Blood Knight can cut through the bones of a forest spirit—a creature all metal blades are useless against. It certainly had no trouble slaying me time and time again.
I clench my hands into tight fists and try to keep my fear in check. Some say demons can smell fear like wolves do prey.
King Borlin extends his hand to the knight as a gesture of good will, but the knight only turns his head to me. The muscles in my jaw flex.Don’t look at him. He doesn’t know who you are.I reassure myself. I’m the only one who remembers the time loops.
“You.” The Blood Knight’s voice is cold, and draws a gasp from the king’s guards that he’d ignore the hand of royalty and speak with a knight such as myself instead. “I’ve watched you slaughter many of my comrades, little godling. I watched you reign ruin upon the innocent villagers of Thornhall, burn cottages and forests to the ground, take and take and take… Now you will know what it is to suffer at my hand. I swear to you it will be far worse than a vile being such as yourself can fathom.” His voice is thunderous as he lowers to my level.
My stomach falls into a pit of despair as I fight the urge to unsheathe the sword at my hip to protect myself from him. His voice alone is as frigid as ice and makes every hair on the back of my neck stand. Any hope I had of having a swift death is cast to the wayside.
This was a stupid idea, maybe I should try going for his weapon and get him to kill me. Then I can start the loop over and not endure whatever it is he’s promising.
No.I chide myself. Peace is my goal. The protection of my friends and people of my kingdom.
End the senseless war.
It takes everything in me to lower my chin and to not respond to him. That only seems to make him angrier. He’s about to reach out and grab me by the shoulder but King Borlin clears his throat.
“Duke Lornhelm, do you accept the daughter of Venus as a peace offering between our kingdoms?” the king asks with a booming voice for all to hear. Civilians have already begun to crowd the side streets and many more peer from their windows.
Wait, Duke Lornhelm?
My eyes slowly drag over the Blood Knight.He’sthe duke? My heart falters and I have to steady my knees to remain standing upright.
The knight bides his time taking in the king’s words, almost as if he’s considering turning down the accepted agreement and slaying us all here and now. But then he finally lets out a long, weary sigh as he clutches his armored hands at his sides tightly.
“Yes, King Borlin of Alzhor. I accept the offering and will send our king’s declaration of peace between kingdoms upon our safe arrival into Devicit. Any pursuers will be slaughtered, but we will allow your witness to travel with us as you requested,” he says the last part with skepticism in his tone. I don’t blame him for being careful, not after what the king did last time.
King Borlin nods and extends his hand once more.
The knight doesn’t move for a few seconds. Then he carefully lifts his helmet and sets it under his arm before extending the other to shake the king’s hand.
