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Yien

Now’s my chance.

I commanded my shadows to spread across the room, bathing it in darkness.

The cheers from the audience silenced, and all eyes followed the dark, turning to me.

“It’s already over, Yien. Go home?—”

Eros and Oros stepped out of my shadows, decked from head to toe in the traditional royal uniform.

I had only seen them wear it once or twice in my lifetime and never expected they would go through such lengths for a single royal favor… but I was grateful.

They owed me so much more for what they had done, but if they could help me get Iris back, it was a good start.

“I see what you’re doing, and I want no part of it. Your soul sphere was faulty and?—”

“Come one now,” Eros said, a smirk spreading across her face. “Let’s not kid ourselves, hm? We all saw her payment.”

Whispers broke out amongst the crowd, but I kept my eyes on Iris. Tears started falling from her eyes, and I saw how her legs were shaking with the weight it took to hold her exhausted body. It made me murderous. I ordered my shadows to go to her, wrapping them around her legs and waist for support.

It only made her tears fall harder.

“What happens between me and my customers has nothing to do with the royal family,” Madam hissed. “Now, if you’ll please excuse me?—”

“Selling and distributing precious realm materials without reporting it to the royal family is considered trafficking,” Oros said, her eyes lazily gazing over the crowd. “And everyone here can be charged for allowing this to go on and not reporting it.”

This scared quite a few. Many of them looked panicked, looking around for a way to escape unnoticed. The white-haired demon herself was close to exploding, her body shaking with anger.

“You yourself know that my business has followed the rules for decades and has never once misreported?—”

“Are you sure about that?” Eros said, cocking an eyebrow.

The demon bared her teeth at us.

“For this human?” she asked, her clawed hand gesturing toward Iris. “All of this for a human?”

“You stole from me,” I said as I used my shadows to pull Iris to me. The demon acted like she might launch herself at Iris, but with a growl from Eros, she pulled back.

“Let’s keep deals fair, hm?” Eros asked. “We like it here and don’t want to see this business go into the ground, but if you keep acting like a greedy barbarian, then we will have no choice but to treat you like one.

Madam let out a guttural scream just as Iris reached me and I wrapped my arms around her. The demon even had the gall to stomp her foot on the ground like a petulant child.

“Get out, everyone!” she screamed. “Out! Out! Out!”

I didn’t need to be told twice.

My shadows engulfed us all, bringing us back to my realm.

As soon as our feet touched the ground, I crushed Iris to me. Her arms wrapped around me, and I felt fresh tears fall against my robe.

“I thought you were going to leave me there,” she sobbed and clutched at my clothing.

“Never,” I growled. “I never intended for this to happen. I’m so sorry. I promised no one would ever hurt you, and I let this happen. I’m sorry.”

Her sobs intensified, each one feeling like a knife to the chest.

“Not to interrupt?—”