Hazel groaned as sunlight streamed through the window, bathing the room in warm gold. She rubbed her eyes, then froze.
The once-bare stone room was completely transformed. Luxurious fabrics draped the walls in deep crimson and midnight blue. Crystal lamps glittered from every corner. Fresh flowers filled silver vases, their sweet scent mixing with the faint trace of damp cedar that still clung to the air. Everything sparkled like it had been prepared just for her. She felt a strange tug in her chest.
Growing up as a princess in name only, she had spent most of her life in military camps with the men. Rough tents, hard ground, the smell of sweat and steel. Even her old room back at the palace had never looked this expensive. This felt… wrong. Too soft. Too much like a cage wrapped in silk.
She dragged herself out of bed and padded to the bathroom. Steam rose from the tub already drawn and waiting. She lowered herself into the hot water with a deep groan. The heat melted the knots in her muscles, soothed the bruises that still lingered from the fight. It felt too good to be real. For a moment she just floated there, eyes closed, letting the water lap against her skin. But the peace didn't last. Memories crashed in — the explosion, Simon's blood, the demon's laugh, Damon's voice in her head offering a deal she still hadn't accepted. Her men were dead. Simon might be alive, but the others… gone. Because of her. Because she had been too weak, too trusting of the king who had thrown her into the death games as a child and now sent her to die as an adult.
She clenched her jaw. Demons. Humans. They're all the same. The king would pay. She would make sure of it. But right now she was trapped in the devil's heir's castle, and she still didn't know what he really wanted from her.
A soft knock sounded, then the door opened.
A red-haired girl stepped in — beautiful, pale as moonlight, with striking green eyes that immediately found Hazel in the tub. She lit up like she had been waiting her whole life for this moment.
The girl bounced closer, crouching beside the tub and splashing a little water playfully onto Hazel's shoulder. Hazel's eyes snapped open, irritated, only to meet those big, bright emerald eyes inches from her face.
"Oh, you've woken up," the girl said sweetly, giggling. "Brother will be mad if you get sick staying in the water too long."
Hazel's eyes widened. That demon had a sister? They looked nothing alike. Felt nothing alike. Eva's energy was bright and bouncy, but something underneath it felt… off. Like a blade hidden under silk.
She stood, wrapping a towel around herself.
"I'm Eva. Damon's one and only lovely sister." The girl bounced on her toes. "And you're Hazel."
"I know," Hazel answered dryly, still trying to read the girl.
"Hurry and get dressed. Breakfast is about to be served." Eva's smile turned mischievous. "I'll be downstairs. I'm glad to meet you, Hazel. Something tells me things are going to be very interesting around here."
For a split second, Eva's emerald eyes flashed with something darker, something unnerving. Then she was bouncing out the door again, leaving Hazel staring after her.
Hazel dressed quickly in the simple blue gown she found waiting in the wardrobe. It fit like it had been sewn for her body alone, hugging her curves and falling perfectly against her toned muscles. She made her way downstairs, stomach rumbling loudly at the sight of the lavish spread on the table — roasted meats, fresh bread, fruits glistening with sugar, bowls of steaming soup.
Damon smirked at the sound. He tapped the chair beside him without looking up.
Hazel sat. Eva giggled across the table, clearly enjoying her brother's little power move.
Damon carved into a whole roasted chicken on his plate and slid the best pieces onto hers. "You need meat."
Hazel's eyes sparkled. She loved meat. How the hell did he know that? Her legs curled under the chair as heat rushed to her face again. Eva's mischievous grin across the table only made it worse. She attacked the food anyway. The flavors exploded across her tongue — rich, perfectly seasoned, everything she had been missing for weeks.
A soft moan slipped out before she could stop it. Eva stared, bewildered and amused.
The silence stretched. Damon watched her eat, violet eyes dark and unreadable. Every time she glanced up, he was already looking. The air between them felt thick, charged with everything they hadn't said yet. He had saved her. He had claimed her. And now he was feeding her like she already belonged here. Like she already belonged to him.
She hated how much she didn't hate it.
The door opened.
Another man stepped in — beautiful in a different way. Brown hair, pale skin, sharp features. He looked nothing like Damon, yet the resemblance in danger was unmistakable. Hazel forced herself not to stare. Her mental health couldn't handle two of them in one room.
"What is it, Raphael?" Damon asked, clearly displeased.
Raphael leaned in and whispered something in his ear. Damon's aura flared instantly — cold, violent, and barely contained. The temperature in the room dropped.
He stood. "Eva, show Hazel around."
Damon walked out without another word. His presence lingered like frost in the air, unsettling her more than she wanted to admit. Raphael gave Eva and Hazel a short nod before following his master.
"Don't worry," Eva giggled, watching Hazel's eyes track Damon's back. "Damon will be fine.
"That's not it," Hazel snapped, cheeks burning with irritation. She wasn't worried. She was… something else. Confused. Angry. Drawn in ways she didn't want to name.
She finished the last bite and wiped her mouth with a napkin. The food had been perfect, but the tension in her chest hadn't eased at all.
Eva stood too. "Ready for the tour?"
Hazel nodded. The castle waited, full of secrets she needed to uncover. And somewhere in these walls, the devil's heir was already planning his next move.