Page 8 of Architecti
My stomach heats, chest simmering with the kind of rage that could ignite a revolution.I swallow it down.
If I lash out, I’m the one that will end up injured.But occasionally, I can subvert the contract.
My hands plunge for his wrists.My nails dig into his flesh, deeper and deeper.
“I said, no.Or would you prefer me to remind the city just how much of a hero you are?”I snarl the words, savouring the way his skin swells; resisting, fighting, slicing.The delicious sensation of my nails sinking into his pulpy flesh throbs in my fingertips.
It is one glorious millisecond of triumph.
Then it crashes around me.The sting of tears wells in my lids, the sensation in my fingers turns hot and searing, as though I’m having my nails ripped from their beds.
I endure the agony knowing he is also suffering.How dare he take my choice away, again.
I dig harder.
Harder.
My nose heats, a blunt burn high in my cavities.Something runs down my nostril, splattering on the floor.
Blood.
Father’s eyes glimmer.“Who is the city going to believe?A bitter young demon or a devil and hero to the city?The only person getting hurt here is you.”His voice is caramel and coal.Smarmy, sleek and full of the smug knowledge that he’s won.
There are days when I hate him more than life itself.When I’d rather carve my chest open and tear my crystalline heart from between my ribs and shatter it just to be free of him.
Hell, there would be no better vengeance than falling for a mortal and losing all my demonic power to them and ruining our family’s reputation.
And then there are days like today where reality settles and I cave to him, again.
He softens, that charm and charisma brightening his expression.He draws a gentle thumb under my nose and wipes the blood away.
“My bright, beautiful daughter, you are magnificent.This might be an inconvenience, but you are so capable.I just want to see you soar.”He beams, genuine pride moulding his features into the same father I remember as a young girl.
The one who would clap and cheer every time I’d bring him a scroll with gobbledygook words written on it, proclaiming I’d made another deal.Who still, to this day, has the first one I scrawled as a toddler framed above his desk.
The room shudders, the plaques on the walls tremble so violently that one of the lower ones drops to the floor and shatters.
I release him.
His eyes dart this way and that as if he’s expecting someone to be there.
“Tremors?”I whisper.
He nods, his eyes wide.
“How bad is it?”
He rubs at his thumb, his shoulders sagging.“I am concerned.Tomorrow, Arcadius is going to announce some changes, and the fact that we’re anticipating Veil tears throughout this academic year… It is… not good.”
I press my lips together.If he’s worried, then things must be much worse than the faculty are saying.Father shakes himself off and brushes down his shirt.
“Fine, I’ll do it,” I say.
“There, was that so hard?”he says.“You’ll make a fantastic Head of House Inferos.I expect you to show your gratitude by doing the role justice.”
He bends to plant a kiss on my forehead.“I love you, Lucy, I hope you recognise that.Everything I do is for your benefit.I want you to understand that I make a lot of sacrifices for us.Even now, when you’re a fully grown demon.I do it to keep us safe and prospering.”
He leaves me in his office.
