Bound To The Demon King

la'

till in her hand w

e knock. No

rp, delib

her fingers, fluttering to the

her ears. Midnight hadn't

r rooted to the floor. The last time someone knocked after dark, it was to tell her the

his k

lt...

llowed by a voice, deep and rough-e

now my

e door creaked as she opened it just a few in

a paper in his hand. His face was blank. Routine. Like this was

said, not unkindly. "Y

to her like a punch. "That can't be-

ur landlord sold the building. New ow

cked, weak even to her own ears. "

e the rules. I just post the no

aper through the gap

e walk

like

er eyes didn't even move across the words. S

until

cked it. Deadbolt, chain, sliding l

up the black card again. The

aits until

was leaking again. The mold in the corner was spreading. Sh

ow, n

or, legs folding beneath her.

ad taken e

e could

the phone fr

the n

ang

sil

h

ike velvet wrapped around a dagger. "I was

ed hard. "W

to that." A pause. "You wou

e wavered. "What do

ed. "Just a conversation. A

idnight. Skyreach

ne wen

ared at

ach T

new it-half skyscraper, half myth. The top floor? Off-limits

, an in

wn at the evi

le of blood from

ht or

ck, her fragile dreams and desires slipping through her fingers like grains of s

ook. A pencil stub. One hoodie. Her inhaler.

cross the bare apartment that had been her home for the past two years, she felt

g back, Leila steppe

y swallowed