Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 81261 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81261 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“Are you going to smite me?” I ask cautiously.
There’s no hesitation. “No. I’m not.”
With a wave of his hand, a bed appears, complete with a pillow and a blanket. In the corner is a privacy screen, and I see a toilet peeking out. “There,” he says with a smug smile. “That’s better.”
“If you can just wave your magic wand and make things appear, why do you need to import flour from the First Dimension?”
The corner of Amell’s mouth quirks upward. “Thank you would have been the more appropriate response.”
“I’m just saying… you have major magic sparking from your fingertips. Why the big deal about me breaking a pot of flour today?”
“Do you think the king of the Underworld has time to bring flour to our dimension for the masses?” he asks.
“You’re not a multi-tasker?” I toss back.
Amell chuckles and shakes his head. “It’s not a matter of me not being able to do it, but rather giving that job to others so that they contribute to our society.”
And well, that actually makes sense to me so I leave it alone. I glance around. “And the other cells?” I inquire.
“What about them?”
“They should have the same benefits.”
Amell scoffs. “Why should they?”
“Because they’re human like me,” I snap.
“Not like you,” he murmurs, surveying my dress before his eyes lock with mine. “Those were all of Kymaris’s collection and of no concern to me. But… perhaps you’d like to barter for their comforts?”
My eyes narrow on him. “Barter? Like what?”
Amell shrugs. “Haven’t got the details figured out, but you serve me personally, and I’ll upgrade your friends’ cells.”
“Serve you? In what ways?” I ask suspiciously.
“In any way I want,” he replies, a devilish grin tipping one side of his mouth.
“I’m not having sex with you.”
“Won’t you?” he counters confidently.
I cross my arms over my chest, refusing to have this discussion.
Amell’s hand goes to the iron door, and he opens it for me to come out. “I promise you I won’t touch you unless you ask me to.”
“I won’t ask,” I say adamantly.
“I think you protest too much.”
“I want your word.”
“I’m evil. Why would you trust it?” he asks.
“Because you stopped Jago from hurting me, so I actually think you’ve got some decency.”
Reaching out, Amell takes a lock of my hair and studies it. “You shouldn’t get complacent with me, Nyssa. I’m a fallen angel, a traitor to God, and a Dark Fae monster that rules the Underworld.”
I swallow hard and wonder if I’m about to make a monumental mistake. “I’ll take the chance. I’ll serve you, and you make the living conditions here better.”
“I accept,” he says, far too quickly.
I truly just made a deal with the devil.
CHAPTER 9
Amell
We return to my suite, and Calix is outside the door waiting, throwing a wide-eyed glance at Nyssa walking behind me.
“I delivered your message to Thalia,” Calix says with a low, deferential bow. “She said to tell you she’s disappointed but that she will endeavor to visit you when she can.”
I nod as I open the door, motioning for Nyssa to precede me, and Calix follows.
“Let Rhynda know that Nyssa won’t be returning to the kitchens but rather will be serving me personally.”
As expected, Calix looks somewhat offended, since he’s my go-to person when I need something. I throw him a bone and lean closer as Nyssa walks deeper into the suite. “Relax… she’ll be doing her servicing in this suite.”
Understanding dawns on Calix’s face, and he grins slyly. I don’t disabuse him of any notion that it mostly just means keeping things clean and picked up. If he wants to think I’m fucking her, so be it. It will spread throughout the Underworld and will help protect her.
But just to be sure, I say, “I announced it to the nobles at the council meeting, but I want it to be known that no one touches this human, or they will suffer my wrath.”
“Understood, Your Most Glorious Majesty,” Calix says with another low bow and backs out the door, which I close behind him.
I turn to find Nyssa out on the balcony that overlooks Otaxis. From this view, she looks like a fallen angel herself with that white dress and her long hair flowing down her back, but she is far from angelic.
Joining her outside, I stand next to her at the railing. She doesn’t ask, but I explain what she’s seeing, pointing toward the city center. “Otaxis is the biggest city in the Underworld. It used to be called the Caverns because that’s really what this area is… physically, anyway. Just a huge, cavernous settlement that built up as our population grew.”
“But I don’t see caverns,” she says, eyes sweeping the entire city of whitewashed buildings and glowing streets.
“I changed the landscape a little when I became king. The night sky is an illusion. A way to make it a bit nicer down here.”