7. Lily

7

LILY

“ L ily!"

I turn, my stomach tense. What now?

"I’ve lost my ruby ring in the lake," Bethana bellows through the courtyard. "I need it. You’ll retrieve it by sundown.”

A murmur of excitement ripples through the nearby demons. I swallow hard.

“You should just let her drown,” Griselda sneers. Her eyes glint with sadistic pleasure.

"I hear some humans are actually good swimmers,” Bethana sneers. “Twelve hours. Someone get her the proper clothes, Griselda, to swim or drown in. And tell the demons we may have some interesting entertainment this afternoon.”

Griselda nods and then immediately hands me off to a lesser demon.

Dread curls around my heart.

"Come with me," the servant demon who looks like a shadow says. "Those skirts will pull you down. We want you to last at least a few minutes."

I glance at the demon, unable to tell if they are being kind or cruel.

Whispers follow me as I descend after the shadow.

“What a pity to lose this one,” one demon quips. “She was so good at cleaning those high windows.”

“Can’t wait to see if she sinks or floats,” another adds.

"Is the monster still down there?” another says. “I can't remember if he's hibernating this time of year or not."

I grit my teeth, pushing aside their taunts.

Soon I’m alone in my chamber, pulling on closer fitting garments in preparation. I feel a presence behind me.

Enoch is walking through the doorway, tall, handsome, his red eyes glowing.

“Lily!” His voice drops low.

He glances at the open door behind him before pulling something from his pocket, a shimmering ring that seems to pulse with energy. Silver mesh encases it like a small, glittering sieve.

“This will help you breathe underwater,” he says quickly. “But you have to come up occasionally so you don't attract suspicion. Hide it in your pocket until you need it.”

I stare at him, disbelief mixed with gratitude. I hastily pocket it.

“I’m going to make a show of giving you these ridiculous goggles.” He brandishes an enormous bug-eyed pair. “It will seem like I'm mocking you in front of everyone but trust me, they’ll help.”

“Because I'll look so cute Bethana will change her mind about seeing me drown?” I say, looking at them and raising an eyebrow.

He smirks, mischief sparking in his crimson eyes. “You’ll be stunningly ridiculous.”

His face turns serious.

“I'm going to support you no matter what,” he says softly, letting his gaze linger on mine. "I'm not going to let you drown."

I feel my heart leap into my throat, a mixture of hope and something else.

"What about the monster?"

"Monster?" He looks confused, then smiles. "Oh, him. Don't worry. He's not awake this time of year."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

He leaves me at the courtyard and I follow a few wisps of servants and other human slaves who refuse to meet my eye as we walk out the castle gates to the lake.

Demons are already sitting in chairs next to the shore in the dim light of the overcast day. Some have binoculars. Some have small picnics with them.

I look back toward the castle and see Bethana standing on one of the highest balconies holding binoculars to her eyes.

I take a deep breath and look out over the dark water, its surface smooth as glass. I take off my shoes and walk through the black sand toward the water.

"Wait!"

Enoch strides toward me, waving the enormous goggles. All around him demons began to laugh.

As he slides the goggles over my head, his fingers brush my bare arm and warmth blooms beneath his touch. A strange iridescent mark appears where he touched me.

"There!" he bellows to the crowd, turning me so that the demons can see my ridiculous big eyes.

Raucous laughter erupts from the spectators on the shore.

Enoch turns and looks up at his mother. He holds up a hand and she waves back.

"All ready," he says, and then more softly so that I can hear says, "I won't let you drown."

He steps back and makes a sarcastic half bow, waving me into the water.

With a deep breath that steadies my resolve, but which I hope isn't my last, I wade into the unnervingly warm lake.

From the shore I can hear sarcastic cheers and calls of "Swim little fish!" or "Enjoy the bath. You need it!"

Enoch’s voice carries over the jeers as he pretends to mock me.

“Who knows? She may be naturally aquatic!” His sarcasm veils genuine concern.

I glance back at him and look down at where he touched me. I put a hand over it and suddenly I feel braver.

Soon my feet can’t touch anymore. I slip the ring on my finger before taking one last breath and let the water close over my head.

I test the ring, putting it to my lips. I can breathe in small gasps of air. It's not great, but it works.

The goggles are as Enoch promised. I can see in the dark water. Where I assumed there would be weeds and demonic horrors, there is only a wasteland.

I realize I was anticipating a healthy ecosystem, but the demons had created as much of a wasteland under the water as over it.

Well , I think, taking a sip of air from my ring, it will make finding the ring easier.

I kick up to the surface, hearing the jeers of the demons as my head appears and I tread water for a moment.

I go back under, trying to scan the gray lake floor.

The place Enoch touched me seems to shimmer and glow. I feel strangely warm when I touch it, both in my body and my spirit.

I shake it off as I bob to the surface again. I have a job to do.

After a half hour I'm getting tired, but then I notice something glimmering.It's wiggling in the dark sand, as if it's a snail trying to make its way through the dirt to more shallow water.

There's a flash of red.

It's the ring. I know in my gut that Enoch is calling it toward him. I can almost feel his voice.

I feel a surge of gratitude, surface once more and dive for it, grabbing it in my hand. As I do I feel the spot on my arm tingle like the ring is responding to it. I suddenly have more energy, feel more physical power.

I look at the ring in surprise. Am I somehow harnessing the powers of the owner of the ring? I shake my head and swim to the surface.

I walk through the water to the shore, the water dripping from my hair.

I hold the ring aloft. It glimmers in the dim light, catching the eyes of the gathered demons. For a moment, there's a hush, and then a few begrudging murmurs of respect ripple through the crowd.

“Looks like the stories about humans swimming are correct,” one of the lesser demons says, crossing his arms. "I wonder what else they can do?"

“Don't let Bethana hear you ask that,” another scoffs, but I catch the glint of admiration in his eye.

Enoch strides toward me, his expression unreadable. But when he meets my gaze there’s a spark of something before he masks it with a practiced sneer.

“Not bad for a human,” he mutters, a small smile flickering at the corner of his mouth.

He takes the ring and tosses it up into the air.

It flashes like fire and streaks toward Bethana who catches it.

Then, just like that, he turns on his heel and stalks away, leaving me feeling both elated and hollow.

Bethana stands near on the balcony, her hand out, still grasping the ring. I can't see her expression from this distance but I can feel it. She is like a storm cloud ready to unleash.

She flounces inside and I watch her retreat, the tingling of the spot on my arm reminding me of the unexpected power I just tasted.

The other demons begin to murmur and move back inside, some giving me covert nods or looking at me curiously.

As I walk up the shore, I ponder the dynamics swirling within this castle. It’s not just a den of evil, as I once thought. Sure, they thrive on fear, but there’s a hierarchy, a balance of power, and even among them, fear and respect coexist.

“Looks like you’ve impressed some of the old guard,” Griselda sneers.

I feel the power starting to leave me and I shiver in the wind.

Her lips twist into a mocking smile. “Don’t let this go to your head. They’ll turn on you faster than you can blink.”

“Is that concern, Griselda?" I ask, genuinely surprised.

"As if I'd care about a human," she says, but there's something else there.

I walk back to the castle alone, but my arm suddenly warms and I look up.

Enoch is a shadow against the castle's stone walls, but I can tell he's there. There’s something about him that pulls at me now both in my body and my mind.

He’s not just a cruel demon. He’s trapped in this world. Just like me.