Ring of Cren [18+]

Chapter 21

Anastasia's POV

I prepare for the first night of official monster hunting with my Crows.

To protect the Peace.

We wait for nightfall, and by then I had a slightly obnoxious idea forming in mind. The idea of my Crows and their monsters specifically being scared of me? Had me feeling slightly... overconfident... and let's just say I really wanted to test the waters. The depths of our bond in marriage.

It starts with a reflection. My reflection. For the first time, I invite Damion, Rurx, Krystoph and Axe into my walk-in robe. They've dressed themselves into their warrior's gear, out of their fancy suits.

Adorned in black armour, shields on their arms and swords strapped to their hips and back.

Krystoph and Rurx casually look through the dresses, one sword each swinging from their hips. Axe waits by the door, arms crossed, head hanging back up to look at the ceiling as he waits for me to get dressed. Axe has two daggers he plays with.

Damion has two swords strapped to his back, they're massive and thick. He stands behind me, looking me over with his sly, handsome eyes as he asks me, with his hands slipping below my robe which covers my naked skin, "Your costume for tonight, Anastatia?" Damion asks, "What will it be?" he raises a brow.

"I want wings," I whisper, "I want to fly."

Damion's hands slide up both my breasts and then he pauses, to look at my reflection and my mischievous gaze.

"Do not call them in advance," Damion warns me once.

My first mistake.

I completely ignore him.

"I'm married to the daemons, and they will come at my command – I demand the Cren return, release them," I tell Damion haughtily, "I have an idea, okay?"

Damion narrows his eyes, and then they flash red – as his horns start to sprout and grow straight and black, sharp and narrow. His needle fangs grow with his scowl, as they brush through my hair with his displeasure, "What?" he hisses.

"Give me crow wings," I demand.

I had read about it.

My father had equipped me with an arsenal of powerful princesses in fiction.

I wanted to test the extent of my knowledge and power.

I had a theory. To be one with monsters, I had a right to request favours off them.

"Careful," Damion's daemon smirks as I turn toward him, not smiling.

"Do as I say," I change my tone, "You have me for eternity, and I demand your magic."

"Magic bleeds from Bone," Damion growls deeper, "You understand the sacrifices?"

No... but I was learning?

"Why new sacrifices?" I whisper, "I thought there was magic on hand. You are Overseers of the Eye."

"The monsters we will send out to hunt you, sweetness, will be the Deliverers of Bone," Damion grins, "Or anyone alone in the night can befall to them. You can have your wings. But you'll let your Cren feed before we return to the Eye."

I look past him to the others, and I see the other daemons are back.

Rurx is glaring into the line of costumes, not giving me his eye.

Axe has stopped playing with his knives to lower them to his sides, still and focused on me.

Krystoph's phantom eyeballs bleed with the tendrils of phantom magic, white fire.