Page 25 of Demonic Cage
“I…,” I start, feeling confused. “Where are we going?”
“To the Kraldem,” he replies, and I easily translate it asDemon King. Does that mean the effect of the medicine has worn off?
“What language are you speaking to me?” I ask him.
“Filizian,” the man replies indifferently, opening the door wider still. “So, you must understand me when I say that if you don’t follow me now, I’ll leave you here. And the other demons won’t be as kind as me.”
He turns away from the room. I hesitate for a moment. If I step through that door, I’ll end up in a place I don’t know. I’ll be following him into the world of Darya’s demons. What if they hurt me, sacrifice me, kill me, eat me?
The growling of the man makes my pulse jump, and I quickly jog after him. The answers I seek will not be found in books, but from these people.
The dark corridors glow red, and I rub my upper arms against the cold to warm up. The man – thedemon– strides forward with such long steps that I have to run to keep up with him.
“What’s your name?” My voice echoes off the knotty, mud-colored walls. He sighs as if my question pains him.
“Lizander.”
A strange name, but he is strange too. I didn’t remember him like this from the café. There, he had been standing beside Darya with a broad, excited smile. Something is off about him. I notice lines of weariness beneath his eye tattoos. His pulled-back, faded brown eyes glow, and his skin is healthily sun-kissed. Despite the unusual details, he still appears somewhat human. Our eyes meet.
“What?” he asks tensely.
“Nothing,” I say, looking away, but then I add, “I’m Lotte.”
“I know,” he says, quickening his pace. “There’s no demon or angel in this world who wouldn’t know who you are, Lotte Olson.”
I hate being in the spotlight, and if a whole world knows who I am, that’s definitely too much exposure. A new threat, the meaning of which I don’t yet understand.
The cave is like a labyrinth, filled with dark corridors. They all look the same, and I lose my sense of space. I should have been paying attention from the beginning to know where we’re going, but obviously, it only occurs to me now.
The corridors widen, and instinctively, I draw closer to Lizander as demons emerge from the cave craters. The walls are made of rock, marble, and columns of stone. It seems like this is an underground castle. A demon in front of me descends from the wall, and as it approaches, human skin covers its black flesh. By the time it reaches the ground, it stands before me in human form. He smiles at me, licks his lips, then turns to a female who I can only assume is a demon as well. So, are they only alike in their monster forms?
Other demons appear, but they remain black, sharpening their long claws on the ground, making deep cuts in the soil. As we pass by them, their teeth flash like vicious blades. The light source changes as the space expands, allowing sunlight to filter in. Okay, so they don’t burn in the sun. I was starting to think that’s why they live in caves.
I blink against the light. I’ve been underground for too long. Tiny spikes form on the ceiling, becoming sharper as we move forward.
“Don’t worry,” Lizander says as I anxiously clutch my head. “Only Darya can manipulate the spikes.”
“He has power over the entire cave?” I ask.
“Over a portion of it,” he replies, but he seems uncertain about it himself.
The horde of monsters thickens behind us, and all I can think of is how they might carry me like a roasted reindeer on a spit at a village celebration.
The space expands, the lights grow stronger, and as we pass through an arched entrance built of rocks, I come to a halt.
The grand hall is horrifyingly large, accommodating hundreds of demons. Guards in thick, green uniforms, and with bold tattoos, help us carve a path through the demon crowd. I’m not tall enough to see to the end of the hall, but I’m certain every demon is stretching to catch a glimpse of me. I raise my hand as one of them flies over me before settling on a protruding rock.
Sharp teeth chatter near my ear, the air is heavy with the smell of blood and decay, and I taste the filth on my tongue. Fear is not the first thing I feel – it’s shock.
I can’t move.
I hear a growl, and one demon breaks from the crowd, charging straight at me. Lizander steps in front, pulling two knives from the sheaths attached to his thighs. He twirls them in the air, keeping the nightmares at bay.
I hear a voice behind me, saying, “Mine,” and all I sense is falling face-first to the ground. The air escapes me. A long, black tongue wraps around my ankle. A zombie-like creature with red eyes gazes at me. The blood rushes back into my frozen muscles. I scream.
Everything happens so fast.
The spike comes from the sky. With a massive impact, it tears the creature’s chest apart. The demon’s slimy tongue slides off me like a loose rope.
