Page 89 of The Prince of Demons

I was glad the demons felt joyful. Someone should be able to see hope in my idiocy, amusement in my audacity. “Why wouldn’t they be loyal to their prince? Has he done anything wrong?”

Hadheever faced the consequences of his own mistakes the morning after?

Gaksi swiped the light on, illuminating the room. “No. He spends all his time catering to them, then absorbing the wrath of humanity for their mistakes.”

Last night Reaper feared his kingdom would think of him as dishonorably as his father did. An unexpected burst of rage slammed into me. How dare his father make him think so little of himself? When he worked so tirelessly for his kingdom?

Another wave of nausea hit, and I vomited.

Could immortals feel sickness?

“Dr. Ansi said that all demons came here to harass and sicken humanity.”

Luna Deokhye, exhibit A.

“Harass,” Gaksi scorned. “Do you feel harassed by me?”

“Yes.”

My hair collapsed back around my face, sticking to my emissions. “Hey!”

I eased away, careful not to pick up any of the vomit on the side of the toilet, and reclined onto the tile floor.

“Now, that’s harassment,” Gaksi chortled. “Unlike Aether’s perceptions, not all demons were formed in the Beyond before coming here. Many were created in this universe and hold no ill will to humans. They’re just lost and wandering.”

My mind went back to the ghosts. They didn’t even seem like they knew how to attack. They just… floated. But why would school teach us that all unhoused demons were inherently evil?

Why kill all of them if some were harmless?

I supposed if they were never alive, it wasn’t really killing.

Recognition suddenly hit me. “Is that why you like him? Was someone about to kill you? Or were you lost?”

“No,” he answered. “I was very much present.”

My necklace flickered out.

* * *

The smellof the campus zoo enveloped me like a lover, excrement and syrupy light magic swirling. I loved it here.

I spent at least one day a week feeding, cleaning, or studying the mythical and regular creatures that lived here for school. Just last week, I finished my report on the mechanics of flying versus grounded pigs. Sometimes, I even engaged in unplanned side quests, indulging a pegasus for a ride. For enough carrots, I could coax one to soar high above the tree line, granting me a captivating view of the entire zoo and its inhabitants.

Today, Joseph danced at me, performing just past the guest entrance. Jonah, the sullen brother, only stared at me from beyond the gate. When my brothers said they wanted to visit, I could think of no better place.

Mythical and regular animals roamed their exhibits, eyeing students and visitors as they walked by. I stopped to feed a sheep-growing vegetable plant before I reached my siblings, letting the excited animals nibble gratefully. The true magic of this place was that when visitors, like family members, left the premises, they’d only remember the sheep and vegetables separately. Conversations were edited so that they would make sense from any university, and the truth remained seamlessly hidden.

When I reached them, Joseph locked me in a hug, and Jonah patted me gently on the back.

“Sister!” Joseph yelled, unable to contain his enthusiasm.

“Luna,” Jonah greeted, bored.

“Brothers of unnatural height,” I teased. Even though they were in high school, they towered over me, which was a horrible trait for little brothers to possess.

“You’ve been gone a long time,” Joseph accused. He was Jonah’s slightly younger twin, albeit polar opposite attitude. “Has anything tried to kill you yet?”

“Good to see you too, Joseph.”

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