The Demon King

05.

"Emma is already inside. She's the cook." Evangeline informs. I nod, letting out a short breath, my air turning visible in the frigid air.

Evangeline looks over at me and chuckles her hands at her side, the freezing air not even bothering her.

"Alright, don't look him in the eyes. Barely talk, don't look at any one. If they touch you...Emma and I have your back." Touch me? Who's they? I question but I walk with her towards the large doors of the cold palace.

The doors are open as we stand in front of them, two men behind the large doors. I expected to be inside the palace already but I was wrong.

It was more of a corridor than anything.

It was an open area, arches lead into the castle. Flowers dead and froze, along with the grass. An old fountain still running. "Don't get lost. He likes to chase." My blood ran cold, I looked around, the arches circled around, but stopped at the gate doors and expanded to the castle.

I nodded, Evangeline gave me a smile and took my arm.

We walked into the arch directly in front of us. "You'll follow me around today until you can learn the gist of the palace." I look at her and quickly nod my head.

I put my hands behind my back and lock my fingers together.

"Okay, so basically I do fifteen rooms in the west wing. And ten in the east. The rest of the rooms, Ida does." Ida? "Who's Ida?" Evangeline smiles. "Someone the King favors. Why? Are you jealous?" I couldn't say I wasn't. "I don't know." I whisper, genuinely confused. Evangeline smirks, "You'll see her around. She's hard to miss."

"Oh."

As we clean I couldn't help but to think about my siblings. I felt panic rise in my chest but I held it down, my hands shaking as I folded towels.

I try to think of a happy memory, "Sissy! Sissy!" Flo jumps in my arms. Her big blue eyes glistening. "Hurry! Hide! Hide!" She says giggling. "Bubbies are gonna get us!" I squealed as a snow ball hit the back of my head.

I gasped, looking over my shoulder to the the boys and Tobias. "Get em!" I grab little Flo's hand and we race across the white fluff. Finding a place of shelter. "Okay! We gotta be quick, let's make some snowballs." Flo squealed making me grin and laugh.

"Attack!" I yelled, Flo and me threw the many snowballs we made at the boys.

Tobias grabbed me, tackling me gently to the snow floor.

He laughed, his warm breath fanning my face as we laughed together. Our breaths uneven, our heads looked up to see the kids still playing racing around.

"I love you."

It wasn't a good memory, it was bitter sweet. My heart clenched as I remembered him. My Tobias. "Opal?" I looked up, Evangeline giving me a sad look.

I felt the tickle of a tear slide down my face, I hadn't even noticed. Evangeline pulled me in a hug, "I guess we aren't so different." I wrap my arms around her cold body. "Hey, don't tell anyone I did this. Okay? I'm trying to keep this badass rep." I laughed, nodding my head as I pulled away, wiping my eyes.

"I know it's hard. But soon you forget."

But I didn't want to forget.

Flo, Lance, Landon, the baby. Flo, my baby girl only eight years old. Lance and Landon fifteen. The baby three years old. I tighten my ponytail, my stops haltering as I see a group of naked woman come out of different rooms.

Giggling and smirking, my face flushes and I look down. Some are human and some are of another nature.

They push past me roughly, some scoffing and laughing as they do.

"Don't mind those sluts." Evangeline says, rolling her eyes. "W-why are they n-naked?" Evangeline laughs. "I'm not saying." She says turning serious suddenly. I look up at her curiously. "Why?" She shakes her head, pushing me in one of the rooms the girls came out of.

"Because." She answered and I dropped it with a pout.

I pressed my hand to my face as I picked the nasty undergarments up from the ground with my glove clad hands. Evangeline made the same face. "D-fucking-sgusting." I squealed stomping my feet down lightly, as I threw it in the dirty cart we lugged around. "Ew ew eww." Evangeline laughed and shuddered.

"Nasty ass bitches!"

"Lunch, finally." Evangeline said, groaning. She turned to me, "Go to the kitchen, Emma will make you something." I nodded. "Where are you going?" I ask and she smiles. "Too eat." She shows me her fangs playfully, sending me a wink.

Kaleb comes down and I watch with a smile as Evangeline happily skips over to him. They meet in a kiss.

I turn around and walk to the kitchen, Emma greeting me with a smile. "Opal! How is it going?" She asks as she puts a plate in front of me already. A bowl of soup and chicken tenders. I grin up at her, giggling.

"It's going well, thank you Emma." She chuckles, "Go ahead and eat, I'll be at the table." I nod and walk to the table with the silver tray Emma set the food in with.

I wait for Emma but start eating after she takes awhile. The soup was delicious, with rice carrots, celery, cilantro and good spice that were in the broth.

Emma comes bag with a cup in her hand, drinking the liquid in it.

"Oh, sweetie were you waiting? I'm sorry i had to hunt." She tells me as she sits next to me. "It's okay, I don't mind." I tell her. "Is Evangeline like you?" She shakes her head. "No, we have a...nursery. Were they can feed on them." I nod, thinking the worst.

"It's been forever since I cooked simple human food like that." Emma says as I help wash the dishes.

"The Kings mistresses expect everything extravagant."