Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

G lancing around, Ashe took note of the guards in the courtyard. Seven guards, all placed across the cardinal directions and the middle. All armed.

She knew they all had more than the visible sword, but had to hope not all were heavily armed.

This was the first time she’d found herself working alongside so many others and outside. Their task was tedious, but it meant the guards would likely grow bored and pay less attention as time went by. There were just only so many hours in the day they could watch creatures move gray stone bricks from one end to the other as they rebuild the ground’s foundation after Belial angered a thunder demon, destroying the ground.

Determined to find a way out of this infernal situation, Ashe worked in silence, ignoring the pull on her muscles and the way her body screamed to bend her knees and relax. She kept her head down and her voice low, hoping to blend in. If she looked like she had thoughts in her head, they’d send her to Belial.

Again.

The light grew dimmer, the only indication that day slipped closer to night, and Ashe knew her time to escape would soon run out. Each guard appeared to stare straight ahead, but she had to start somewhere.

Looking to her left, she whispered toward a strange purple male with eye stalks and four arms.

“P-please, I-I need to know,” she stuttered, her hands trembling as she clutched the next stone, “have you heard any way to escape?”

His voice was gruff and unfeeling. “You? Sweetheart, you’d need more than the Gates of Hell to free yourself from Belial. He likes to play with humans. You break easier.” He laughed, and a guard stomped against the ground to hush them.

Ashe’s heart sank, but she fought to keep a cool expression on her face. Instead, she thanked the demon, her lips pressed into a tight line, and moved on to the next stall. “Excuse me, I was wondering if you knew?—”

Turning to her right, Ashe knew there was no way the frail older man with snow white hair and thin frame could know or else he’d have gone.

You have to try. Maybe he just needs someone to help him. Maybe he does know.

“Have you ever seen a way to escape?”

Ashe’s heart raced as she waited for the man to face her. She could feel the guards’ eyes on her, but she pushed down the fear and focused on the frail man next to her.

He slowly turned to face her, his wrinkled face revealing years of hardship and pain. But there was something in his eyes that gave Ashe hope.

“Have you ever seen a way to escape?” she repeated when he didn’t answer, not daring to raise her voice any louder than a whisper.

The man’s face showed surprise, then a hint of amusement. “Escape? From here?” he chuckled. “My dear, there is no escaping from this place.”

Ashe’s heart sank again, but she refused to give up hope. “But have you ever even heard of someone escaping?” she pressed.

The man’s face grew serious as he studied Ashe for a moment. Then he spoke in a low voice, barely audible over the sound of moving stone. “There are rumors,” he said, “whispers amongst the demons and creatures here.”

Ashe leaned in closer, eager for any shred of information that could help her escape this hellish place.

“The only way out is through Belial himself,” the man continued. “They say if you can escape from here, the road back home just opens up!” He cackled as if amused by the idea.

Ashe’s mind raced with this new information. Just get past the gates? Truly? It seemed impossible, but she refused to dismiss it as mere rumor.

“How do I even get close to them?” she asked.

The old man shook his head. “I cannot tell you that,” he said sadly. “But know this, few have ever attempted such a feat and none have succeeded.”

Ashe thanked the old man and carefully moved past him, daring to take a new spot in line so she might ask the next slave. Her mind was spinning with thoughts and plans now that she had new information to work with.

The small golden creature had no answers and could not even confirm the old man’s tale.

It went on like this for hours, hope dwindling with each rejection until she found herself in a darkened alleyway, hidden from prying eyes. Tears threatened to slip down her cheeks, but she wiped them away, refusing to give in to the darkness creeping under her skin. She would find a way out of this nightmare, she swore it. Ashe dabbed at her eyes with the tattered hem of her slave’s garb when a hand clamped around her wrist, yanking her into the shadows.

“So, pet, what have you tried to do here?” a cold, cruel voice purred in her ear as claws bit into her forearm.

Ashe’s world shattered as Belial’s voice was all she could hear.

“I-I. . . I. . . ”

“You dared to think a contract made with me was breakable!” Belial’s grip tightened, his claws digging into her skin. “You’ve disappointed me, Ashe. And you know what happens when you disappoint me, don’t you?”

He laughed, the chilling sound sent bile rising in her throat.

Belial leaned in close, his putrid breath making her gag. “I never wanted you to succeed.” He sneered, “I wanted you to fail, so I could have this. . . moment.”

Belial yanked Ashe further into the shadows, and the darkness enveloped them like a suffocating shroud.

Ashe thrashed and tried to scream, but it was to no avail as Belial clamped his hand over her mouth.

It was only when they stopped moving that the punishment began.

Heart pounding in her chest, Ashe focused on going limp, on giving the demon nothing that would egg him on.

His hot breath on her skin contrasted with the coldness of his claws as they dug deeper into her arm.

Without warning, he released Ashe from his hold, sending her stumbling backward. Her foot connected with something, and her arms went up over her head as she crashed into the stone beneath her.

Belial’s hand shot out and grabbed her by the throat. He lifted her up effortlessly, choking the life out of her.

“You will learn your place, pet,” he growled, tightening his grip. “No one escapes me.”

Ashe clawed at Belial’s hand desperately, trying to loosen his hold on her neck. But it was no use. She could see black at the edges of her vision, the only warning that she would lose consciousness if he continued.

No, you can’t lose consciousness. She didn’t know what he did to those who fainted when he taught them a lesson, but she worried it would be one she never woke from.

Ashe gave a kick and writhed, squirming under his grip, but it only seemed to amuse him. Each kick landed with a hollow thud on his chest like a weak mouse trying to shake off the talons of a hawk. His other hand grabbed her by the hair, yanking her head back so roughly that fireworks exploded behind her eyes. She tasted blood in her mouth as he pulled her closer still, his nails digging into her cheek as he whispered in her ear.

“You will learn your place.”

His hot breath sent shivers down her spine. His clawed fingers dug deeper into her neck still.

She screamed again, but this time it was lost under the rush of wind as he lifted her off the ground with ease. Her struggles only seemed to make him more excited, his grip tightening around her throat until she could hardly breathe.

With a primal roar, Belial slammed her against a nearby wall with such force that stars danced before her eyes. The impact sent shockwaves through every bone in her body as pain erupted from places she didn’t even know could hurt this much. She slid down the wall in a heap, gasping for air that wouldn’t come. Her lungs burned as if filled with fire, and each ragged breath felt like an eternity. Tears stung at the corners of her eyes as she braced herself for another blow—another punishment for daring to defy him.

He lifted one arm high above his head before bringing it down hard across her back, snapping bones and sending jolts of searing pain throughout her body. The scent of blood filled the air as he started tearing into her with his claws again, leaving deep gashes that ripped through her clothes and exposed tender flesh beneath them. Each strike sent fresh waves of agony coursing through every nerve ending in her body, making it impossible for Ashe not to cry out despite the threat of further punishment.

Now she begged for unconsciousness to take her.

Bracing for another strike, Ashe tried to see through the streams of blood and blurred vision. Instead of striking again, he stepped back slowly, walking away and leaving her to die.

As she lay there, gasping for air, blood pooling beneath her. She tried to stand, but her legs wouldn’t cooperate. In the distance, she thought she saw something. A blur of light, a figure with silver wings?

Ashe blinked, and the figure moved, now kneeling in front of her. Ashe flinched as the creature reached out a hand, but the touch was anything but painful. The agony and fire tearing through her body began to subside, replaced with a soothing warmth that seeped into her very bones.

It was hard to say how many minutes passed as gentle warmth overtook the rage of pain. Ashe couldn’t focus on anything as terror started to grip her in the wake of no pain. The creature could have healed her so Belial could do it all over again.

The angelic-looking creature met Ashe’s gaze, her eyes a comforting shade of sapphire. “Shh, child, I am here to help you.” Her voice was like honey, rich and calming. “My name is Lily, and I’ve come to aid you.”

Ashe stared at her, disbelief etched on her bloodied face. “A-Are. . . are you. . . an angel?” she breathed out, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lily smiled, a soft, nurturing curve of her lips. “In a way, I suppose you could say that. I’ve been sent to guide you, Ashe. You do not belong here as a slave to demons.”

Ashe closed her eyes, the pain fading away with every soothing word Lily spoke. It was too good to be true. She must be dreaming. . . or worse, she was already dead.

Lily finished healing Ashe’s wounds, and then helped her to her feet. “Belial won’t harm you again,” she said, her voice firm. “He’ll have no way to get to you.”

Ashe’s eyes widened, but before she could ask, Lily continued. “We don’t have much time. My presence here won’t go unnoticed for long. I believe there is something you wished to ask me.”

Her mind was still shrouded in a fog of pain, the throbbing ache gradually subsiding. Despite her efforts, Ashe couldn’t summon a single coherent thought to ask the angel before her. The celestial being stood tall and radiant, its ethereal presence causing her head to swim with confusion and awe. She struggled to find the words to articulate her thoughts, but they were lost in the jumble of her mind. She could only stare in wonder at this otherworldly creature, wondering what secrets it held and if it would reveal them to her.

“I believe it has to do with why you found yourself bleeding on the ground, but I am bound from supplying answers to unasked questions.”

Ashe nodded, a light awakening in her with the gentle prompt.

“I need to know how to escape. . . to find my way back home.” She swallowed hard, her voice hoarse from pain and fear. “I don’t belong here,” she whispered, looking around at the dark, twisted world of demons that surrounded them.

“The only way out of this land is through a demon prince’s kiss, you see. His affection will unlock the path back to your human world.” Lily leaned in close, her cool breath tickling Ashe’s ear as she spoke in a hushed tone. “But it must be genuine, for the kiss of desire can be deceiving and only lead you deeper into darkness.”

Ashe shivered at the thought of being so close to such a sinful creature. Purposefully ignoring the way an image sprang into her mind of Levi’s arms wrapped around her.

The air around them seemed to thicken. Horned demons appeared, lurking in shadows while others passed by without a second glance. The sounds of their hooves echoed like thunder against the cold stone floors as they went about their business - some whispering conspiratorially about their master’s new acquisition while others merely laughed maniacally at some unseen joke. The stench of sulfur and rot filled Ashe’s nostrils, making it hard to breathe, but Lily seemed unaffected by it all. Her wings glowed softly as if this were just another day in paradise instead of an underworld filled with despair and suffering.

Ashe swallowed hard, feeling her heart race in her chest at the thought of facing such a monster. But hope bloomed.

“Time is of the essence,” Lily said, picking up her pace and moving toward the courtyard. “They cannot see you under my protection. Follow me, as my time here is limited to how long my wings continue to glow.”

As they neared a serene pond, Lily halted, her shimmering silver wings unfurling behind her. “Borrow my grace, child,” she whispered, her palm hovering over the water’s surface. The ripples stilled, revealing Ashe’s reflection.

“By the light that binds me, I grant thee the power to enthrall. Let your beauty shine forth like a beacon’s call.”

As the words left Lily’s lips, the air shimmered, and Ashe’s appearance underwent a breathtaking transformation.

Her red hair, usually tied up and hidden under a veil of cloth, now cascaded down her back like a river of rubies adorned with tiny sparkles that seemed to shimmer and shine whenever she moved. Her ice blue eyes were no longer plain and empty but glowed like the northern lights at midnight. The plain gold ring on her necklace morphed into a dazzling circle of icy diamonds, capturing every glint of light that it could find. She looked like an otherworldly goddess from ancient tales of old. Her once dull skin now shone like the sun in the human sky, adorned with twinkling stars and gossamer moonbeams.

Ashe gasped, her reflection breathtaking even to her. “I. . . I’ve never. . . seen anything so. . . so beautiful.”

Lily’s eyes twinkled with pride. “You’ve always had it in you, child. Tonight, the realm shall see the true enchantress you’ve always been.”

“I’m ready. Let’s find me a prince to kiss.” It didn’t matter that she already knew the one that she would seek out.

Lily laughed, a musical tinkling sound that belied the trials they faced. “Oh, Ashe, what a wild ride awaits you.” Extending her hand, she spun a web of glittering streams around them both. “Hold on, my dear. Things are about to change for you.”

The stunning woman Ashe gazed at through her reflection still stunned her.

Ashe felt her heart race at the thought of what this meant for her future. If she could earn the kiss of the demon prince, then she would be free to return to the human world where she belonged. She couldn’t help but feel grateful for Lily’s guidance and knew that she would do whatever it took to secure her freedom from Belial’s clutches.