A Demon's Wrath: Part I (Peachville High Demons) Read Online Free PDF

they
listened.
    She sang in an ancient demon language, long
abandoned in our daily lives, but still used on occasions of great
importance.
    Even though I’d studied the language in my
lessons when I was younger, I could only understand a few words of
her song, its meaning was clear. It was a song about the beauty of
love.
    When she was through the first verse, the rest of
the shadowlings joined her on the stairs, adding their voices to the
song. Music filled the chamber, echoing from every corner, a harmony
so pure and perfect it brought tears to my eyes.
    From the back of the room, a parade of priestesses
made their way down the center of the crowd, colorful flames dancing
in the air above their cupped hands.
    Behind them, the king’s council passed
through the crowd. They wore robes of gold and deep red. My father
held a position of honor at the front of the procession. When he came
into view, my mother straightened and smiled, pride radiating from
her.
    Did it not matter to her at all that her other son
was completely missing from the ceremony? When had her ambitions
grown so high?
    Or had my parents always valued their position in
the court this highly?
    I had been so blind. I was a child until today and
suddenly, I wished I never had to grow up. I would rather have spent
the rest of my life playing in the fields with my brother and Lea
than have had my eyes ripped open to these harsh truths.
    My father’s eyes sought mine across the
heads of the demons seated in the front rows. He lowered his head in
a brief nod and I nodded back, accepting my role.
    The priestesses bowed to the empty throne, then
split off into two groups, one going left and the other right. They
turned around to face the crowd, then in perfect unison, lifted their
arms. Their flames lifted high into the air above our heads, then
moved together to form a circle just above the throne. The flames
spun faster as they moved closer together, finally coming together to
form a single bright flame. Its light shone down across the golden
floor before the throne.
    I drew in a breath, knowing this was where I was
meant to stand and pledge my heart and my life to Lea.
    The song of the shadowlings ended and the throne
room fell into a reverent silence.
    A row of musicians in the balcony at the back of
the hall lifted glass horns to their lips and began the royal
processional.
    The crowd of demons knelt and bowed their head as
the king and queen appeared from their chambers.
    The king stepped to the edge of the steps and
raised his hands high into the air. At his command, everyone stood.
He smiled and lowered his head in acknowledgment and praise.
Excitement rippled through the air.
    The King of the North led his queen back toward
the throne. He kissed her hand, then left her side as they took their
positions on either side of the golden throne. They turned their gaze
toward the door to their chambers and my breath hitched in my throat.
I struggled to stand tall and confident when all I wanted to do was
turn and run like a scared little kid.
    My eyes were glued to the light in the archway.
    When Princess Lazalea appeared, my eyes widened.
From where I stood, I saw her before the rest of the crowd, and I
understood their gasps as she made her way to the light in front of
her parents.
    She looked like a being from another world. Her
gown was a deep red velvet adorned with golden rings that shimmered
when she walked. On her head, she wore a golden circlet with a single
red jewel that hung down between her eyes like a teardrop.
    When she was in place, she lowered her head, then
slowly lifted her eyes toward the archway where I stood.
    Her eyes met mine and a smile played at the
corners of her mouth.
    For a moment, I couldn’t react or respond.
The joy and adoration in her expression was one of a lover. I’d
never seen her look at me that boldly before, and I didn’t know
if it was new or if my eyes were finally seeing what had always been
there.
    That was when I