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

out her plan.
    Finally, it was her last night, and as
usual, she and Brian were having dinner with their mother. The food
was delicious, but Cecelia couldn’t taste anything apart from the
bitterness in her mouth. She supposed it was because of the fear,
the doubt in her own ability that she hid deep in her heart.
    “You look pale, darling,” the countess
said.
    “Oh.” Cecelia turned to look at her
mother.
    “Is something the matter?”
    “Nay.” Cecelia lowered her soft-brown
eyes.
    “Destiny, my darling, has a way of finding
us.”
    Cecelia lifted her face to look at her
mother. The woman had a fatigued paleness about her that made
Cecelia’s heart ache in her chest. “Mother, you are tired. Brian.”
She looked at her brother.
    The youth nodded, got up, and kissed
Margaret on the cheek. “Good night, Mother,” he said.
    “Good night, darling,” the countess
whispered and touched his cheek. Brian nodded and then left the
room.
    “Was the food to your liking?” Cecelia
asked, tucking the sheets around her mother.
    Margaret nodded and yawned. Then she closed
her eyes. Cecelia sat and clasped her mother’s hand in hers. She
brought it to her lips and gave it a gentle kiss. “I love you,” she
whispered with her eyes closed.
    “Please don’t do it.”
    Cecelia darted her eyes to her mother in
surprise. “You knew?”
    “I am your mother, Celia. You are so like
your father, so determined and stubborn,” the countess said
tiredly.
    “I am his daughter after all.” Cecelia
smiled.
    “I know I cannot stop you. But I’m afraid.
What if you are not here when—”
    “Hush, Mother, do not speak of such. Milan
the healer will look after you well. I promise I will be back with
the Pearl of Life as soon as I get it.”
    “When will you leave?”
    “Before the sunrise.”
    “How?”
    “As a lad. There are travelers leaving the
city. I will go with them, and then—”
    “I am worried.”
    “I will find a way, Mother. I’ve already
packed. There are gold coins.”
    “How will you protect yourself from
thefts?”
    “I have father’s smallsword and dagger.”
    “And the creatures in the forbidden forest?”
the countess prompted.
    “I pray to God for his aid.” She bowed her
head as tears flowed from her eyes.
    “My darling, you will die,” the countess
said in anguish.
    “Nay, Mother,” Cecelia said, shaking her
head. “I will not die. I will come back with the Pearl of Life… for
you.”
    “My life is not worth this dangerous
journey. I am ashamed of myself. I am your mother, yet I bring
danger to your life.”
    “Nay, Mother, it is the demons that should
be ashamed of themselves, for they were the ones that attacked our
land and killed Father,” Cecelia said bitterly.
    “You have hatred in you against the demons?”
the countess questioned.
    “Aye, I despise them.”
    “Sometimes, my darling, the ugliest demon
could have the kindest of heart. It is the one with beauty that is
ugly on the inside.”
    “You speak in riddles. I do not understand.”
Cecelia looked up to her mother, frowning.
    “You will in time.” The countess patted her
daughter’s hand. “Will you look after yourself, my darling?”
    “I will.”
    “God be with you,” the countess said,
closing her eyes.
    Cecelia knew her mother was tired. She
leaned down and kissed her forehead. “I love you.”
    Countess Rosevalley smiled with her eyes
still closed.
    Cecelia left her mother and went into her
own bedroom. She saw her brother sitting on the sofa near the
hearth, reading the history of Rosevalley Island by Lord Mark Van
Cortlandt, the wizard, died three years ago defending her father
against the demon.
    She came to sit beside him and looked over
his shoulder.
    “Halfway already?”
    “Our island is interesting. I miss our
home.”
    “I, too, miss our home,” Cecelia said,
resting her cheek against his. “I remember the rose field in
summer, the wildflowers, the vineyard, and the smells of grapes