(Picture of the witch above)

            She walked lightly. Behind me. And it was nerve-wrecking.

            I felt her hand, cold and slimy, sliding into my shoulder, and in that intimate moment, I allowed myself to shiver before I took the hand and quickly threw her away. The impact was worse than what I imagined. I had meant to flick her off and scared her a little, but the woman was thrown away at least ten meters with a broken picture and cracked walls.

            She hissed and I growled. The snake-like tongue swept off her entire face in a disgusting manner. I realized she was not a Demon, but half of us. On the contrary of me who was a half-bred, half-human, she was the same, but with a touch of magic. Her species was called 'warlock', a special clan who practiced dark arts of ancient magic. They might be dangerous to other clans but not us. Their magic held no power against Demons.

            “How dare you disrespect me?!” She drew a breath and bared her teeth in a defensive posture. I straightened my back and coldly stared at her. She looked at me with the same intensity and hatred.

            “I dislike being touched,” I merely stated and took a step forward. She held still and waited for me to continue, “Try it again and I won't hold back this time; guest or not.”

            When women fought, things turned nasty. Like now. Both of us wouldn't hold back in fear of damaging our pride. When I knew that none of us would back down, I raised my eyebrow at her and relaxed my posture. My Lord was waiting. He didn't like to be kept doing so.

            Without a word I led her down another staircase, and another one, until we were at the very end of this house's basement. The room was right at the corner, and I could see dust and ashes piling outside of the damaged door. The warlock lady behind me sighed wearily and asked, her tone still cold and unfriendly, but I could detect a small amount of pity somewhere,

            “He killed my pet, didn't he?”

            My pet. My servant. All the name callings were making it far worse than it should have been.

            I didn't reply and walked faster towards the door. My Lord was already waiting with his hands folded in front of his chest. He was leaning against the door frame, his dark eyes searching mine as we locked gazes. I brushed past him, still frowning because of what happened earlier, and perhaps, the Lord had noticed the tension as well.

            “Irene,” My Lord called out first.

            “Uncle, Father has told me you are in a Faery's body now, and I must say that I am surprised,” The lady in black greeted back.

             She must have been a daughter of a Greater Demon.

            … Like I could careless. .

            “And who is she? She looks awfully familiar,” Irene craned out her chin. I rolled my eyes in front of her like I didn't give a damn. But then I saw it. The way she slyly grabbed the Lord's arms and ran it up and down in an attempt to seduce him. Frankly, the Demon clan didn't care much about , but seeing a niece flirting with her uncle in front of me was unnerving.

            “She...” Before he could finish his sentence, I pulled him back and hooked his arms into mine. With a sickeningly sweet smile, I replied to Irene with a tone sweeter than the saccharine. I thought I needed no more sugar for the rest of my life, “She is here. Why don't you ask me?”

            What could I say? I was a territorial person. Nobody touched what was mine.

            Except that my Lord wasn't completely mine.

            “I must've overlooked you because you're so tiny,” She motioned me with a one-inch finger measurement. I scoffed. “Sorry. My bad.” She didn't look apologetic at all, but I refused to show her that I was indeed, very, very annoyed. I refused to give her the pleasure of knowing that she caused this. She crouched down and tried to look intimidating, but she must have known when she looked into me, that I was used to handling es and she was no different. “Who are you, Midget?”

            her and midget. I wasn't so tiny to be considered a midget.

            “I don't give my name out to just anyone, so back off, ,” I gave her shoulder a push, and before this catfight continued, my Lord stepped between us. He might have been confused, but the smile on his face showed that he was very amused. Maybe he liked this more than he should have.

            “Uncle, she disrespected me!”

            “This is my house,” He chuckled. “I will decide who gets killed and who lives. If I even see one scratch on her body, Irene,” he was still talking in that joking manner, only now that his eyes held a glint of seriousness and it scared Irene, “You will regret it.”

            He turned to me and for a good few seconds, examined my face as if I was a subject to an experiment. “And you, my Dear, stop throwing tantrum and behaving like a child. She is one of my many nieces, Irene, the daughter of Ashmodeus.”

            I looked over at Irene. Of course. How could I not know? A flirt like her must have been the daughter of Demon of Lust's. To think that I ever felt the need to slap this woman awake was ridiculous. I was ridiculous.

            Ashmodeus. The Demon of Lust. To human, he was as attractive as Aphrodite would be. He took on one's ideal appearance and made it his own. But lust wasn't just about physical pleasure. Lust could be many things... Bad, or worse. Lust was stronger than Sloth, for example, hence Ashmodeus ranked higher in the hierarchy. Ashmodeus, Ashmodai, he lived by many names. As for now, his Brothers called him Jino.

            “I apologize. Do continue,” I stifled a small smile.

            Irene glanced at me, her eyes full of suspicion. Then she turned her attention to my Lord, and with that feline-like movement, she slid nearer, almost as if she was gliding on the floor. I didn't know whether the gesture was supposed to be graceful or seductive, but in the back of my mind, I had already gifted her with a lot of names, all of which were the nastiest curses human wouldn't know of.

            "Tell me why you are here," My Lord turned back and walked towards where he sat before. I stepped back a bit, to give them the space they needed. I was looking at nothing in particular, but I listened intently.

            "I need your help, Uncle."

            That peaked up his interest, because he looked up at her and waited, "You are a warlock, a Demon's offspring. What can't you do that I can?"

            “The Seventh Prison near the Werewolf and Faery territory,” Irene said. I had never heard of the Prison because of my absence in the Shadow world, but seeing the fear in the way she spoke, the Prison must have quite the reputation. “There is someone there. Someone important to me and my clan. I need him safe and sound.”

            “And why are you willing to pay such price for a man?” He slowly asked, as if it was a bait and she had to take it no matter what. Judging from my Lord's expression, the mission wasn't impossible, but the price paid was. Irene seemed to be weighing her answer, and worry crossed her face immediately.

            There was so much sadness in her eyes. She suddenly looked older.

            “Because he is my mate,” She replied painfully. I swallowed a gulp of saliva as if it was the most bitter thing I had ever tasted. “I couldn't ask Father because he won't understand. He doesn't understand the pain of losing someone that you love.” She skipped a beat. There was no tears, no drama. But her voice had spoken enough of her pain, “But you do, Uncle. You understand.”

            I dared myself to look at my Lord; to see what kind of reaction he had right now.

            I dared myself to walk away; to spare myself from this misery.

            I dared myself not to feel anything; because all I knew was that he was not mine. And never would be.

            I told myself not to.

            And yet I did.

            “Very well.”

            I looked away.

            “In return, I need you to hold a grand party next month. Every clans, every commoners must attend. Tell them so. I do not care what risk you will take. Every clan leaders and commoners will attend. This is the price you have to pay. Do you understand?”

            That price was too little for her request. Even Irene looked stunned. The Lord seemed to have another thing planned in his vicious little mind. Perhaps there was something he wished to accomplish through the party. No Demons liked party. We stayed far away from civilizations because we weren't, and would never be part of it.

            Irene was wide-eyed. She had slightly apart before she stuttered, “O... Of course, Uncle. I can do it.”

            And the deal was sealed.

***

            “What is the Seventh Prison? How is that prison numbered?” I pestered my Lord upon Irene's return. Now it was only the two of us, walking side by side in the vast garden he owned. Unsurprisingly, the garden was filled with black flowers, dark blue, and finally, in one abandoned corner, I saw dried roses. The leaves were dark, and I was sure it had once been red and pink roses.

            Before the Lord could answer, I rushed to the remains of red roses and touched them. The flowers were dead, withered on the floor. It was the only part of the garden unattended by the invisible maids. The spirits had tended to the mansion while he was gone. I wondered why they didn't touch the red roses and picked on the black ones instead.

            “What are you doing?”

            He was sticking to where he was, on the dark path leading to the garden's end. His eyes turned cold when I touched the rose and brought them back to life. He didn't seem to like it very much. Maybe it was a bitter memory to him. So I stopped and stood up, walking back to where he was.

            He was, or at least Baekhyun was, a head taller than me. And when he stared down, I could feel chills down my spine. But it didn't last very long. He continued walking with me trailing behind. He seemed to pick up his pace, but then he talked, and maybe he had wanted a conversation like any normal people would.

            “The Seventh Prison is known as the Water Prison. The Winter Faery used to guard it, but when they left it abandoned, another being took over,” The Lord explained, “That being is known as Balor, the King of Fomori, the God of Death. Nobody ever survive the battle with him, hence the name given. He is a frightening enemy, and he listens to no one. He is now 'guarding' that Prison. Only the most hopeless case go there, because Balor will eat them to the bones. It is just a myth for everyone else, but I have encountered him, and I know he is not just a legend, he is also a living terror.”

            “Then you cannot go, my Lord” I said with a firm tone. “You won't hurt yourself.”

            “I won't,” He halted his track, “He won't do me much harm.”

            I snickered, “This feels like a dejavu. I am coming with you.”

            He didn't reply. Maybe he was still contemplating. Or maybe I was just too naive for him. We walked back to the house before I even got to see the end of the garden. Jinki said it was beautiful, but he'd only been there once. When we walked by the rose garden, my Lord spoke in a haunting whisper, no louder than the breeze,

            “Do not touch the roses anymore. Let them there to die.”

            The roses must be the little reminder of Joo Ri. She used to care for them, for Jinki said that the garden was her favorite place and the roses were hers to tend to.

            And I knew, for sure, he was still very much in love with Joo Ri. And I would be no more than a shadowy reflection for him, as Jinki had wanted me to be. I cursed this face for looking like her. I would have no escape from this damned fate.