A Demon's Wrath Novella: One Night with the Demon King Read Online Free

wasn’t just a pampered young lord.
    Looking at him now, Cecelia thought how
different he was years ago when they’d been back at Rosevalley
Island. The younger Brian had always been so outgoing and active.
He had love exploring and riding and practicing his smallsword
against her, sharpening his skills. If it weren’t for the
infection, he would have grown to be a fine young man, strong and
powerful. A young man who could one day take back Rosevalley
Island. But fate had dealt them a dreadful blow. Now he could do
naught of those things he loved, those things that would make him
stronger, for in doing so, it could kill him.
    “And if only I were born a boy,” Cecelia
said absentmindedly, nodding her head.
    “Aye, then you could become a soldier and
you could go to the Demon Kingdom and fetch the Pearl of Life.”
    “You must not forget I must first fight the
demon king, for the Pearl of Life belongs to him.”
    “Aye,” the youth said, nodding. “I trust you
would beat him. After all, you are very good with the smallsword. I
know your fencing is unparalleled, but those teachers and lords,
they don’t know you know how to fence, let alone lift a
smallsword.”
    “The demon king is a very powerful warrior,
Brian. How could I defeat him? I am only a woman with a woman’s
strength.”
    Brian eyed her. The innocent look in his
brown eyes nearly made Cecelia forget everything, and she wished
she were once again a child. Then she would have no worries. But
that is not to be.
    “Father was huge, but Mother was still able
to defeat him,” he said, thinking about those times long ago when
their father had surrendered to their mother when they’d been
fighting with words.
    Cecelia widened her eyes. “They are
different, Brian. The demon king is a demon. He is not a man.”
    “What is the difference?” Brian asked.
“Surely demons are like humans, too? Surely they look very much
like us?”
    Cecelia thought even though Brian was
seventeen, his life had been quite sheltered, as was she, for they
had been exiled here in this northern castle since Rosevalley had
fallen. He didn’t have friends, nor she. They went through life
without much experience of the outside world. Thus, he didn’t know
demons were creatures to fear. He didn’t know they were monsters
that killed without mercy. He didn’t know they were hideous beings
with beastlike bodies and faces resembling wolves. But she knew
because she had seen them.
    “Well, for one thing, demons are demons,”
she explained weakly.
    “Celia, I just know you’ll defeat this demon
when you meet him,” Brian said. “I will go wash up. I smell very
bad.” He kissed her on the cheek, stood, and then slowly limped out
the door.
    Alone, Cecelia turned to look out her window
into the large city below the palace. She closed her eyes and took
a deep breath. She wondered if she were to meet this demon king,
would she be able to defeat him? She doubted it. She would probably
faint on the spot just looking at him. Nay, she would never meet
him. That she was certain of.
* * * * *

Chapter II

     
    THE IDEA CAME TO HER in the middle of the
night. It was so simple, yet why had she not thought of it earlier?
Cecelia was excited. She knew she must save her mother, and all she
had to do was to fetch the Pearl of Life herself .
    As soon as the idea formed in her head, she
slumped her shoulders. The journey, as the king had told her, was
fraught with danger and unknown creatures. Then there were the
demons themselves to deal with. How was she ever going to get to
the Demon Kingdom?
    Nay, she must not think too much. She would
just have to do it no matter what. Her mother’s life was very
important. Without her, Rosevalley would not rise again.
    Cecelia drifted off to sleep with the
thought of her beautiful land coming back to life.
    She spent the next three days planning and
packing. She didn’t tell anyone, especially not her mother. She
knew the woman would forbid her from acting