Page 22

Yien

“F ake?” I echoed as Madam stood at the center of my property.

Her smug smile ticked me off. Anger was boiling underneath my skin, just begging me to tear her limb from limb.

“We consumed it,” she said with a shrug. “What you said was a soul sphere turned out to be a dud. And burned the insides of one of my favorite little pets.”

My shadows swirled around me, inching closer and closer to her.

The only reason I didn’t attack her was because I needed Iris back. Anything that I did here would only make it harder for Iris. If I couldn’t prove what I had given her had been a true soul sphere, then Iris would?—

“It was a demon ruler. A fire demon at that,” I insisted. “It’s the same as eating human souls—it isn’t guaranteed you get powers. On top of that, demon souls are almost nonexistent, so in order to take advantage of their powers, you would have to make sure someone compatible?—”

“But you see,” she interrupted, twirling her hair around her fingers. “That wouldn’t happen with any other soul sphere. Any other one would almost guarantee getting powers, but yours? We got nothing, and you still claim it’s genuine?”

“It is!” I growled.

I cursed my stupidity. I knew that might happen to the soul sphere if they weren’t careful, but I expected them to have more common sense. To actually test it instead of just randomly ingesting it the first chance they got.

Demon souls were testy. Without the proper care, they would do exactly what she described. A once-in-a-lifetime chance had been ruined because they hadn’t done their due diligence.

“Just because you didn’t think to find someone who was compatible with it doesn’t mean it was a dud. And you just stealing what I rightfully purchased is going against your own rules! Aren’t you ashamed?”

She threw her head back and let out a laugh.

“Maybe if you had added some type of disclaimer, this wouldn’t have happened,” she said. “You think everyone on this plane knows the ins and outs of soul spheres? It’s your fault it didn’t work out, and therefore I should be able to call on your faulty payment.”

“If you don’t want to accept the truth,” I growled and took a step forward. “Then why are you here? To mock me?”

She clicked her tongue.

“To think I was doing you a favor by telling you your little pet will be put up for auction,” she said with a sigh. “I guess I should have known that someone who tried to trick me wouldn’t be grateful for a second chance.”

Ice cold fear was injected straight into my veins. It chilled all the rage and cleared the haze in my mind.

She is being put back up for auction.

“No,” I choked out. “Give me some time. I’ll make you another. I’ll make you five! Just please don’t?—”

“See, that’s the reaction I was waiting for,” she said and turned as if wanting to leave. “But instead, you lectured me. Blamed me for your fault.”

“It’s mine,” I agreed and staggered forward, my clawed hand reaching out to grab her. “Please. It’s my fault. I didn’t mean?—”

She jerked away just as my hand came into contact with her shoulder.

That wicked fucking smile was plastered back on her face.

“You’re welcome,” she said. “It’ll be twenty hours from now. Let’s hope your little pet can bring in a good price. After all, she is second-hand. Maybe I’ll even sell her at a discount to make up for it.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but before the words could be forced out, she sent me a wink and disappeared in a burst of bright light.

No. No. No.

I fell to my knees. Unable to breathe. Unable to move. My claws dug into the dirt. The demon’s words ran through my head again and again.

She’s going to be auctioned off.

She’s going to be sold.

My fault. My fault. My fault!