Page 68 of The Demon Prince

“Indeed. You should be very frightened.”

She stared up into his eyes, so joyful and pleased, when moments ago she’d been running in fear. “Why would I ever be frightened of you?”

Gluttony bared his teeth in a snarl, knowing his fangs were on full display. “You’re right. I can’t imagine a single reason at all.”

They stared at each other for a few moments. He didn’t know what was going on in her mind, but he knew that in his, he was just happy to be here with her. That she hadn’t left. He’d successfully convinced her that he wasn’t a monster, yet again, and she wasn’t running any more.

That was enough.

It was enough to know that she looked at him and saw a man. Still. After everything she had seen and experienced.

“Well?” he finally said, interrupting the moment and releasing her hand. “Are you going to come back with me?”

“Is Envy there?”

“My brother goes where he wants,” Gluttony replied with a heavy sigh. “I asked him to leave, and I believe it was very obvious I have no interest in taking no for an answer this time. But whether or not he does leave... That is the question.”

“You cannot make him?” Katherine started back up the boardwalk, toward the castle that was a surprising distance from them.

“None of us can make any of our kind do anything. Though we are all powerful in our own way, we are all equally yoked.” He shrugged at her strange expression. “Similar power levels. He has illusions and nasty tattoos that can take any form he wishes. Although I am quicker and stronger, with claws that certainly could rend his flesh, it would be hard to reach him through the guards he keeps quite literally in his skin.”

“And if he were to attack you?”

“I would put up a fight that would destroy most, if not all, of his magical guards.”

She hummed low under her breath, the strange gait of her limp no longer hidden as she stepped across the boards. “Is that the same with the rest of your brothers?”

“In a way.” It felt rather freeing to talk about his family with someone who didn’t know them. Someone who would side with him no matter what he said. “There are two of my brothers who are significantly stronger, one in particular that none of us would wish to fight. Wrath is the dangerous one. But Pride is the brains behind everything, and he plays Wrath like a puppet. So it is... dangerous for any of us to go up against those two.”

“Theoretically, you could team up with Envy and then no one would attack either of you.” She paused, lifting a brow to see if she was right.

“Unfortunately, together we are not even as strong as one of them.” He inclined his head at her scoff. “I know it’s hard to believe, but the politics of kings are... difficult. To say the least.”

“A commoner like myself would have a hard time understanding any of it.”

“That’s not what I meant.” He finally gave in to temptation and skated his finger over her cheek. “My brothers are so beyond anything humans have experienced before. Spirits have limits, just like everything else. But we are infinitely powerful and immortal. Nothing that we know of can kill us.”

“Are you sure of that?” Her gaze searched his, and he wondered why she was suddenly so afraid.

“Many have tried to kill me. I’ve survived it so far.” But he knew there was more to this. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

She turned her attention away from him, toward the town that was far in the distance. He could just barely make out the coils of smoke that rose from their chimneys. Why was she looking there, though?

“Their necks...” she whispered before shaking her head and looking back at him. “Gluttony, I’ve been thinking about their necks. They said it was you, but I’ve seen the wounds you leave. They aren’t intentional, and that’s very apparent in how rough they are. I don’t... I think someone might be trying to impersonate you. Someone is killing these people, there’s no doubt about that.”

“How is there no doubt that it’s not a creature?”

“One of the victims could barely speak. But she continued to say something about him. A man. She kept saying something about how dark it was and how he was so strong.” Katherine shook her head. “It all lines up with you, but rather like shoving a similar puzzle piece into the same space. It lines up, but the picture is wrong.”

“And all we’re left with is a concerning picture indeed.” Yes, her words were troubling. There were very few people who would try to harm him like this.

Gluttony didn’t have a good reputation amongst the townsfolk. All anyone would really need to do was mention that they’d heard he was killing again, and that was more than enough to make people mistrustful.

Why were they killing anyone? It seemed like a lot of effort for very little reason.

He placed his hand on the small of her back and steered her back toward the castle. “You are still certain you wish to work?”

“Yes?” Katherine stared up at him, letting him guide her across the planks. “Why are you bringing that up now?”

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