Chapter Nineteen: A Fool’s Crown

The celebration raged on, yet as the night wore on, people began to drift home.

But the so-called king?

He stayed. Drinking. Laughing. Basking in his stolen glory.

I walked toward him.

"Hey there, Your Majesty," I said in my sweetest voice, resisting the urge to punch this fraud in the face.

"Hello there," he replied, a fool's grin plastered across his face.

He liked the attention. The way the women clung to him, drawn to his crown, not his name.

"Would you mind getting me a tavern room? I have no place to sleep or eat."

A lie.

I had gold from my recent thefts, and my camp had enough supplies.

"Of course," he smirked. "But only if I can be there with you."

Ah. One of those.

"Of course, my liege," I purred.

He paid for the room.

We went to the tavern, then upstairs.

The lights dimmed.

He slipped into bed, motioning for me to join him.

As the final candle was blown out, I waited.

Waited for him to think I was asleep.

Waited for the moment he reached for me.

And the second he did—

I cast an ice spell, freezing his hand solid.

Before he could react, my dagger was at his throat.

"Well then, 'Your Majesty'... we're going to have a long talk."

He threatened me.

He said he'd have me executed.

He said he'd hunt down my family and kill them all.

I laughed.

I looked him dead in the eyes.

"I have no family. Not alive, at least."

"Now... how did you do it?"

"Do what?" he spat. "I am royalty!"

A fool's answer.

I tightened my grip on the ice-locked wrist, then shattered it.

His scream cut through the room—until I silenced him with a rune.

I waited.

Watched.

Let the pain sink in.

Then, when I saw fear replace arrogance, I removed the rune.

"I'll ask again. How did you fool them all?"

His breath hitched.

And then, he spoke.

"A demon deal."

I stilled.

"A demon deal?" I echoed. "Explain. Now."

His voice trembled as he told me.

A simple ritual.

A wooden box, buried at a crossroads.

Then, the words:

"Crossroads demon, I have come to bargain."

And the demon would appear.

"What did you trade?" I asked.

His voice barely whispered the answer.

"My soul."

I exhaled sharply.

"You're a fucking idiot."

"It's in ten years," he snapped. "I have time."

"Still a fucking idiot."

I let him go.

Slipped out the window, disappearing into the night.

A demon deal, huh?

I might have an idea.