Demon Empress

Chapter 7 - Dear Husband

Iara really was feeling quite torn on what to do with this meddler.

In one, she wanted badly to keep this delicious, beautiful nugget of demonic power for herself, as she had done with Qaen — but she had no desire to enter the political sphere of Hell. She had done a perfectly fine job of ignoring the Court and noble society so far, and she planned to do continue doing so.

And unfortunately, she could see the depth of his power. This Luc was from an old House of the First Ring, a direct descendant of a long-standing and noble bloodline, someone who was an inner member of the Hell Court—

Someone who had a right to vie for the Bone Crown.

In Iara’s mundane and simple life, Luc did not belong.

But the unexpectedly hurt and offended look on his beautiful face made her sigh.

“Meddler?” Luc repeated, huffing. “I was trying to save you! How was I to know you would have such useful skills and actually win? I’m still distrustful of this slave, too! After years of torment, you don’t think he will threaten you in your rest without a collar?”

Iara rolled her eyes. “You made assumptions and you acted on them. You meddled. You are still acting on assumptions. You are meddling. Also, I’ve been meaning to ask: you keep calling me your wife, on what basis?”

A small corner of her heart found it amusing when she felt Qaen’s confusion next to them, but she steeled it, determined to not let a First Ring noble’s political agenda ruin her free and modest hours.

Luc frowned. “You’d be lying if you said you weren’t having fun.”

Iara shrugged. “I did enjoy it.”

He scowled. “But?”

She sighed. “But you also meddled.”

For a long, stretched minute, there was silence.

Finally, a crooked smile curled her lips. “We’ll meet another time. I am not so angry at you to swear to never see you again, but for now, I have somewhere to urgently be, and you are not welcome to follow. With that said, this is temporary goodbye.”

Surprise coloured Luc’s words. “Where are you going?”

Iara smirked. “Anywhere but here. Remember, I’ve angered the Gatekeeper. He and Rona have most likely already sent killers my way. I need to take my trophy human and escape.”

Luc finally sounded hesitant, tentative. “How do you know you will meet me again? You know nothing about me.”

Luracin felt that the look she gave him at that moment was truly strange. After a long pause, she slowly said: “You were born to a destiny of meeting me one day. That day is not today.” She grinned. “I’m off, dear Husband. See you.”

She turned and started walking away, appearing to be in no particular rush whatsoever. It was a simple and lonely greeting, but Luracin believed her.

Qaen hesitated, but not for long; nodding slightly to him in silent greeting, he followed after Iara, his curious and questioning gaze lingering on Luracin even as he left.

Iara didn’t look back. She strode away gracefully without a single glance thrown back, nor a single faltering step, but Luracin also believed: she had felt his hungry stare on her departing figure until she was no longer visible.