As the Demon Demands ✔️

Chapter Thirty-Two

Evangeline hadn't expected the sky to turn so gray and ominous, thunder and lightning cracking through the sky. Rain had yet to fall, and she kept nervously looking up. The guards had assured her that the thunderstorm was likely caused by the mages to prevent the demons from just flying off. As strong as they were, they weren't invulnerable to lightning.

"We're almost there, Your Majesty."

Evangeline snapped out of her thoughts and nodded, too tired to do much else. She wasn't sure how long they had been running for, but her legs ached and her feet stung. The only reason why she was able to hold herself up was the fear that they could be caught. It was only her and these two human soldiers, sticking to shadows and far from the fighting. Sometimes other soldiers or mages would join them to get them through more condensed areas, but it would always just be back to the original two guards once they passed each area.

Lamia had more support than she had ever realized. Her soldiers wore so many different family crests, mostly from the traditionalist families that she had been warned about. Her husband still had more people on his side, but she still feared that he could lose. After all, when he had staged his coup years ago, he had a small army too, even smaller than this one. If she managed to kill Marak, it would all be over...

But she couldn't think that way. She knew Marak. And she knew what he was capable of. This... He wouldn't lose. He was too strong to be defeated like this.

"Come," one of the guards said, climbing down a small slope. "Just a bit further..."

He held out his hand for her to take. She reached out, only for the three of them to freeze when they heard a fierce shriek echo above them. A shadow soon blocked the sun before the ground shook in front of them. The guards immediately pulled her behind them, holding out their swords as a tall figure stood before them.

A frightened gasp escaped her throat. There stood Lamia, claws covered in blood with her expression twisted in rage. Her usually composed and haughty aura was gone, replaced with unbridled hatred directed right at her. Her dress was torn around the hem, her usually elegantly braided hair whipped around her hair like a madwoman. Her eyes shimmered with intent to kill, locked on Evangeline.

"Your Majesty, stay behind us," the guard ordered, holding out his arm to keep her protected. "On my word, run."

"What-?!

"Get the hell out of my way," Lamia snarled, baring her sharp teeth. Gods, she sounded possessed, completely unhinged. Evangeline could already feel her legs inching backwards towards the forest, eager to get as far away as possible. "I will have my vengeance!"

"RUN!"

Lamia charged forward just as the two guards threw up their swords. Evangeline took off, sprinting as fast as she could away from them. It was in the opposite direction of where they had been heading, but she couldn't think of that now. She had to find help, any sort of help, that could either take on Lamia or get her back to the base camp. There was no way she could fight Lamia herself. She was just a human. A weak, pathetic human who had no magical powers, no combat training, nothing. If Lamia caught her, she was as good as dead.

A sharp pain shot up her foot, causing her to cry out. She nearly fell, but she managed to grab onto a tree and kept herself upright. She couldn't fall down, especially not her stomach. She didn't want to harm the baby... She had to get out of here safely, for both of them.

Leaning against the tree for support, she grabbed her ankle and looked at her foot. She must have stepped on a sharp rock or a stick. Blood ran down her foot, and she could see blood on the ground where she had been stepping. No doubt a demon would catch the scent of it soon, and she wouldn't be able to know if it was Marak's or Lamia's people until it was too late. And with her injured foot, she wouldn't be able to run now.