Bound To The Demon King

la'

of the city but stopped halfway. Leila stood at the floor-to-ceiling window of her new bedroom. Wrapped in a silk robe she hadn't chosen. On the upper floor of Skyreach Tower, the tallest building in the north district was as unn

was silent. Al

ting. She touched the side of her neck where the scar from her latest hospital visit still throbbed

s a man entered quietly, dressed in a dark suit with a p

Aldric Tyrion. Mr. Knight has arranged for me to ove

. "You're..

ed on your condition." He had administered something strong enough to dull the edges of her agony, and left a tray of pills she didn't recognize o

him press the cold stethoscope to her back, m

he room, or the silence, or the weight of Damon's words still h

ange feeling o

inside

om out

ci

hers, their mirrored windows reflecting nothing but sky and steel.

gut whispered: some

grand bed too soft for her bones, staring at the untouched breakfast tray on

rtled her. She didn't answer

ark suit. Col

be seeing a lot of me." Her voice was clipped and

I have to call you someth

"Wife with a sense o

ck envelope. On the fr

t's

's circle. Play your role. Wear the dress

ed. "What

oken your contract. And I imagine M

ehind her like th

ngers clenched the sheets. S

rried a

– The Wo

d been there since dawn, unmoving. His coat was dark, military-grade. His fac

t huntin

s wat

e

ispered, the name tasti

mid-air. A digital profile flickered. Age. Medical history. O

an fr

d to be in Knight's

in his comms: "Is

"But she's... changing someth

der

o interfere

ered on her. And something in his expressi

on'

s. The city's veins ran through this room-feeds from traffic cams, street dro

lution to a public problem. But she wasn't

oughts like a smudge h

go?" he asked w

ll wear the dress. She'll play t

t need to b

onal," Maren added quiet

n't make mistakes. And I do

e looked tense. Unsettled. Her hand hovered near t

othere

d to feel anything

down window vision. Shie

," a voic

rent screen

at

unfamili

was watc

ver was foolish enough to peer into his world would soon

la'

Leila tried to push down the crawling feeling under her skin. Dresses, jew

urgundy gown, its weight

fered another version of her:

ection, just for a

her

r away-but unmista

rned s

e was

mirrore

ves... or so

– The Stra

tchtower leaned c

ed-so sudden, so sharp-

sitive," h

no

enti

made her i

dang

coat pocket. On it: a name etched

ith his thumb. A whis

ike her