Page 28 of Once Upon a Demon's Heart
What did I use to do for fun? I close my eyes and think. Beautiful dresses and ball dances flicker into my memory. A sad smile stretches across my lips. That’s right, when I was a young godling, I dreamed of becoming a dressmaker. A silly dream, especially for an orphan who was already being submitted to the knight faction for an apprenticeship. But once upon a time, a demon told me I could be whatever I wanted when I grew up.
I wanted dances, princes, lovely dresses with wine and royalty. Things that I only read about in the house mother’s fairytale books. Growing up taught me that I didn’t know anything about reality. Because all I have are scars, a betrothal to a villain, and curses.
A frown tugs at my lips as I watch the embers smolder like my past self.
That hopeful girl is dead. I buried her to survive this war. Now I only have grief, penance, and guilt.
Someone sits on a log adjacent to me and brings me out of my thoughts. I assume it’s Tessa at first, but when I look up, I’m met with the softest brown eyes I’ve ever seen. A demon with fawn hair and pale skin. He has small goat-like horns and one of the kindest smiles. He’s handsome and dressed like Tessa with armor and leathers, so I’m guessing he is probably one of Kalel’s top knights. Although, that doesn’t quite seem right, he looks familiar. His mussed hair and charming smile throw me off, or perhaps it’s my weary mind.
“You look like you’ve had an absolutely abhorrent day,” he says, cracking a wide grin and quirking a brow like it’s funny. I’m so tired that maybe it is funny, but I can’t seem to tell anymore.
My eyes shift to him as I sarcastically say, “What gave it away? My ratted hair or my dying complexion?”
He stifles a laugh. “Actually, it was the long frown.” He reaches out and gently taps my lips. I flinch at his playful demeanor toward me. After the day I’ve had, it’s honestly welcome.
I grunt and let my eyes fall back to the bowl over the fire. The contents are steaming now, so it’s probably warm enough. I use my sleeves to grab the edges of the bowl and quickly move it to the flat rock in my lap that I plan on using as a makeshift table.
“You also look like you really don’t want to eat that.” He throws in. I grin at him.I like this demon.
“No one is holding a knife to your throat and making you keep me company.”
“Ah, but you’re wrong. I’ve been meaning to check in with you. My name is Nikolai. I believe I quickly healed you this morning, although I was in a hurry and didn’t really get to exchange formalities with you. I’m the healer’s apprentice, so naturally they assigned me to practice on you,” he says cheerfully. I can’t tell if the latter is meant to be an insult or not, but he seems genuine enough, so I keep the loose grin.
Oh, now I remember him. He was wearing the apprentice’s cloak earlier. A matching taupe color to his mentor, Mav.
“A healer? That must be a difficult practice to learn.” I take a reluctant sip of the soup and force it down. It tastes amazing, salty and thick with vegetables, beef, and broth, but I have little appetite for it.
Nikolai nods, smiling like he’s reminiscing on his early training days. “It’s taken me twenty years just to become an apprentice. Difficult is an understatement.” He chuckles, thesound is light and inviting. I find myself smiling easily with him and relaxing my shoulders. I hadn’t even realized how tense they were.
“Twenty years? How old are you? You look so young,” I tease. I know demons can live as long as demigods, some probably longer. There may even be a few that are immortal like the gods.
“I’m ninety-two. My bloodline stops aging at the age of twenty-five, so we all look young. My parentsandgrandparents could be my siblings,” he says with amusement. “How about you, Alira? I’m fascinated with the demigods. I’ve always wanted to pick their brains about their ways of life and all the gritty details, but as I’m sure you know, most are willing to cut off their tongues rather than speak with a demon.” His soft features grim as he says the latter.
I wonder what they do with the stolen demigods. None have returned home. Does Kalel consume them until they breathe their last breaths? Part of me doesn’t want to know. But it will be inevitable, I fear.
“I’m not surprised. We’re raised to know better than to open up to demons.” The hope in Nikolai’s eyes falters. “But I’m betrothed to a demon now, so I’m not sure those rules apply to me anymore.” I wink and Nikolai lights up again. “I’m thirty-eight, demigods typically stop aging around thirty. We can live a few centuries, but with the war there aren’t many older half-gods left.”
His eyes grow wide. “Wow, you’re only thirty-eight? You’re just five years younger than the commander. He’s barely even begun the long life ahead of him.”
I lean forward with interest and take another sip of the savory soup. “Really? How long does a Devourer live? We actually don’t know much about the demons either,” I admit sheepishly.
Nikolai’s eyes sparkle with eagerness. “This is amazing. I’ve wanted to learn about you for so long, and to find out you know so little about us as well is truly astounding.”
“Astounding? I don’t know if I would go that far.”
He eagerly nods. “We always thought the demigods were superior beings to us. I mean, Neptune almighty, youarehalf gods. It never dawned on me, or anyone I think, that you were just as in the dark as we are.”
I take another small sip before setting the bowl down, my stomach isn’t pleased that I consumed even a tiny amount of it.
“Devourers are the few breeds of demon that are immortal. As I’m sure you’re aware, they can eat normal food, but they require the blood of demigods to survive. Well, there’s a reason it has to be deity blood.” He shuffles his feet uncomfortably, glancing toward Kalel’s tent to make sure he’s not coming out. “They siphon life from those they feed on. Demigods are the only creatures that cannot be depleted due to the gods’ blood in your veins.”
Kalel is immortal.For some reason that makes my heart ache, yet I do not understand why.
“Well, we aren’t immortal. At least, not anymore. Our lifespans are around three hundred years if our parents are strong deities. Very few of us reach immortality. It can only be bestowed on us if we prove ourselves to Jupiter as being worthy, but the gods have forsaken us and have left us to slowly disappear.”
His expression grims. “That’s awfully bleak.”
I lift a shoulder and drop it before grabbing the bowl and offer the remaining contents to Nikolai since he’s been gawking at it. “Care to finish it?”
