Lilith

Prudielle pried open the window, peering out to gauge the height. Hell, Zarathys had to be meticulous about everything. One wrong move and she'd break a bone. Not that it would matter much. She shrugged, half-turning away.

Then a hand yanked her hair, slamming her back to the window.

Her eyes widened, instincts kicking in. She spun, twisting in a way that defied logic. In one fluid motion, she grabbed her attacker's hand, attempting to turn it against her. But the strike was anticipated.

Another hand closed around her throat, molten eyes burning with rage.

"You dare break into the King's chambers?" The voice was deep for a female's, laced with disdain.

Prudielle's fingers dug into the wrist holding her, unyielding. Her defiance sparked something in her attacker—a fight she hadn't expected.

Lilith had spent most of her time in Nimrodel with her distant cousin, unaware of the turmoil unfolding in Drakonaria. She didn't even know a human lived among them. And now, as she watched Prudielle struggle, her disdain grew. Veins bulging, lips trembling for air, fighting to escape.

"Lilith," Zarathys' voice thundered from the entrance. The demoness' gaze flickered, giving Prudielle the opening to wrench her wrist free.

An unnerving crack echoed as she twisted, followed by a sharp thud. Prudielle's kick landed squarely in Lilith's stomach, loosening the grip on her throat. With swift precision, Prudielle drew hidden daggers from her sleeve, obsidian eyes cold and deadly.

Lilith's glare seethed as she stumbled back, but before Prudielle could advance, she disappeared, only to stumble straight into the watching King.

Zarathys' molten eyes gleamed, his grip locking around her wrist with inhuman speed.

"Stop it." His voice was low, a warning wrapped in steel.

"Zara!" Lilith's shock turned to disbelief as her eyes widened. The human hadn't vanished! She stood before her, wrist in the Zarathys' unyielding grip. Unharmed.

A rush of confusion flooded Lilith's thoughts, her lips trembling. What was going on?

"Brat, snap out of it." His tone toward the human made Lilith's chest tighten. This—this wasn't something a demon should ever utter.

"She doesn't burn," Lilith whispered, unable to tear her eyes away. Her heart cracked as the impossible truth settled in. Was she overthinking it?

Zarathys' control over his power returned, and Lilith thought maybe this was better. She stepped forward, but his command stopped her in her tracks.

"Don't move."

His focus shifted back to Prudielle, who struggled against him. Her movements, though skilled, had no impact on him. Yet, he couldn't help but admire her tenacity.

Zarathys hoisted Prudielle from the floor, slinging her over his shoulder as she fought with futile strikes. No one expected it, but she did the unthinkable.

Her dagger sank deep into his shoulder blade, freezing him in place.

Lilith's eyes widened in disbelief. A guttural growl slipped from her lips as fury surged through her. The King, invulnerable to her, seemed immune to everything, but not to this human. Not to her.

"Lilith!" Zarathys' voice was a sharp command, but she was already moving.

With a flick of her sleeve, it billowed in the air. Needles, crackling with electric energy, shot toward Prudielle at impossible speed.

But Zarathys twirled, his motion flawless. He pulled Prudielle in closer, protecting her as the needles found their mark on his back.

Prudielle's gaze met his, fierce and unyielding. Until her eyes flicked to the dagger lodged in his shoulder.

There was no sign of pain from Zarathys.

"Zara!" Lilith's voice cracked with helplessness.

"Stupid," he muttered, his voice cutting through the air. Neither woman knew who he was addressing. "A knife to the shoulder? Seriously?"

Lilith's silence spoke volumes.

Zarathys tore his gaze from Prudielle, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Lilith through the pain in his shoulder. "What makes you think you could share a chamber with me? Is this some kind of mockery?"

"Mockery?" Lilith started, but he silenced her with a flick of his hand.

"Save it." His words were daggers, striking her heart with ruthless precision.

Prudielle tried to step away, but the King's grip tightened like an unbreakable chain.

"How... is she able to stand before you... untouched?" The hurt in Lilith's voice was palpable, but Zarathys didn't flinch. His attention shifted to Prudielle once more.

"You brought her here?" Lilith's voice cracked, fists hidden in her sleeves, a storm building within her.

Why was he protecting her? The human, who was immune to his powers? It didn't make sense. Zarathys had never once shown her attention, and yet this woman walked through the realm of demons untouched. How?

"Lilith," Zarathys' voice broke through the silence. His fingers tightened around Prudielle's wrist, pulling her toward the demoness. Lilith's eyes, once filled with silent fury, now masked her bitterness with a calm expression.

"This," Zarathys said with a hint of mockery in his voice, "is the daughter of Lord Michaelson. The only one immune to your beloved monarch."

Lilith's gaze didn't falter, but the words dug into her. It wasn't just about the immunity. It was about the King's strange attachment to the human. If it wasn't for his overpowering presence—something that consumed even the strongest demons—Lilith would have been standing in that spot, not this human.

"What does that tell you?" Zarathys's question was sharp, slicing through the tension in the air.

Prudielle's eyes rolled, her voice laced with frustration. "You enjoy holding my hand. You enjoy invading my personal space. Don't forget I was almost killed by your woman, all because you stupidly brought me to this castle."

"The nerve you've got." Lilith snorted, a bitter chuckle escaping her lips. Her attention no longer lingered on Zarathys. Instead, her gaze was locked on Prudielle, seething with a resolve to rid herself of the human.

She had all the answers she needed. This human was a ticking time bomb. If she fell into the wrong hands, it could mean the end of Zarathys... and everything they had worked for.

Better to remove her now before she grew too powerful.

'A human born of demons doesn't make you one of us. You'll never belong among our kind.'