As Zane went about his business throughout the western wing of the palace, Caspian and I stayed close, but always out of sight. The daemons in possession of red garnet were wearing the lenses at all times, making it a little bit more difficult for us to sneak around. Fortunately, Shaytan’s palace furnishings were numerous and large enough to conceal us.

Zane exchanged a few words with various guards, which helped us find out more about their positions, their orders, and their overall state. Most of them weren’t all too happy with having to look for us, and some of them seemed to be quite fond of Zane, as the youngest and friendliest of the princes. He seemed to have a good relationship with the soldiers. Based on their remarks alone, Zane’s brothers were the textbook definition of entitled jerks.

“Just keep your eyes open,” Zane told two of the guards as they moved farther down the hallway and away from us. “If I were you, I’d focus more on the northern wing, particularly on the ground floor, since the outsiders will most likely come through there.”

The daemons nodded and continued their patrol, while Zane went deeper into the first floor of the western wing. We followed him, quietly, as he took us into a massive hall, and I found myself holding my breath for a couple of seconds, marveling at the stunning beauty around me. The place was huge, and hot baths and water canals were carved into the black stone floor, right in the middle.

Large steps allowed smooth access to our level, and wildflowers, layers of colorful silk, and soft satin cushions were scattered all over. Amber lights glimmered from the overhead chandeliers, giant contraptions made of pure gold and loaded with perfectly polished crystals. Dozens of daemon females sauntered around, their bodies scantily covered in red and gold silk, with gemstones adorning their long and curved horns. The majority were relatively young, but there were slightly more mature females resting around a firepit.

The one thing they all had in common was the joy they seemed to experience at the sight of Zane, who put on a broad smile and offered them a courteous and ample bow. They all hummed and giggled, some of them gathering around him and dropping kisses on both his cheeks. Zane seemed to be the apple of their eyes, but he was the center of the universe to one specific daemon female. She stood up from her clique by the firepit and put her arms out with a radiant smile.

In some ways, she reminded me of Grandma Sofia, her timeless beauty and grace amplified by her luxurious garments, not to mention her long, ink-black hair, flowing freely down her back. Her bright red eyes lit up as Zane walked over and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. I realized then that her incandescent expression was one of pride. I had already figured out that Zane was surprisingly influential and loved in this place—but the adoration pouring out of this daemon female, in particular, was genuinely heartwarming.

It showed the daemons in a different light. For a split second, it didn’t feel as though we were surrounded by bloodthirsty fiends eager to eat our souls. They seemed capable of intense and positive emotions. It made me wonder how many of them were truly murderous, and how many were simply forced to obey their king.

“My darling,” the female daemon purred, caressing his face. “It is so nice of you to come see me.”

“It’s always a pleasure, Mother,” Zane replied gently, then briefly glanced our way, as if quietly introducing us to his mother. “How is life in the harem these days?”

“It’s the same thing every day, my darling.” She sighed. “I’m one of the fortunate ones, as your father no longer has any business with me. Me and my elderly sisters, we hang out by the fire, bathe in the hot waters, and teach the younglings how to best please the king.”

“I take it he’s taken a new wife?” Zane muttered, glancing toward a group of young females at the far left corner of the hall. The one in the middle was wide-eyed and seemed out of place, her gaze darting around, glimmers of fear making it clear that she’d yet to get accustomed to her new “home”.

“He hasn’t told you, has he?” There was a tinge of sadness in his mother’s voice. “It’s okay, Zane. We will take good care of her.”

“Just make sure she doesn’t become another Luella,” Zane breathed, shaking his head slowly. “I don’t know what I will do if she ends up the same way.”

“It’s been two years, my darling. You have to stop blaming yourself for what happened. Luella had a strong spirit, and your father was well aware of that when he brought her over. It’s on him, and only him. Some creatures are simply too wild to be tamed.”

Zane measured the new female from head to toe for about a minute, before shifting his focus back to his mother.

“She’s… what, his fourth this year?” he asked.

“You know how he gets when he’s anxious,” his mother replied. “A wife always soothes him; hence a harem that keeps growing makes your father happy.”

“How long has she been here?”

I took a better look at the young female daemon in question. Her hair was long and fiery red, braided with strips of black leather, and she’d been squeezed into a tight, tan leather dress, its shade lighter than her skin. Her lips were full and soft, her red eyes inquisitive, and her hands balled into fists at her sides. The mixture of fear and anger drawing shadows on her round face was all too familiar. She was the ferocious tigress captured by poachers and stuffed into a cage—albeit an enclosure covered in gold and gemstones.

Shaytan had plenty of wives, and continued to get more… It said a lot of things about him, and none were positive. He was definitely a big, strong, highly feared and respected ruler, and yet he needed the feminine softness in his life—as much of it as possible. I figured it could, at some point, be used against him.

“Just a couple of days, my darling,” his mother replied. “Of course, she isn’t happy to be here, but we are doing our best to keep her safe. All she needs to do is listen to us, and she will survive.”

“I’m surprised he hasn’t told me about her. I don’t think he told anyone… He usually revels in his wedding ceremonies and lavish dinners,” Zane scoffed.

“With everything that has been going on, and especially after what happened to Luella, I’m not surprised at all that he didn’t tell you.” She gave him a weak smile. “He is afraid of you, you know.”

“What are you talking about, Mother? He just threatened to exile and kill me if I don’t get in line and play along.”

“Exactly, my darling. He wouldn’t care about what you have to say if he were not afraid of you. He saw how Luella changed you… He will never admit it, though. Your father is a proud daemon, but believe me when I tell you he fears you more than any of his sons. Don’t let him think he has any power over you.”

Zane took a step forward, inching closer to his mother so he could whisper in her ear. “Be careful what you say, Mother. These walls have ears, and you know how much the king loves to eavesdrop on his ladies.”

She hugged him again, then nodded at Shaytan’s newest wife, gesturing for her to come closer. The young female frowned, but listened, and walked over to Zane’s mother’s side. She put an arm around the younger daemon’s shoulders.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, Ondine’s new quarters are ready.” She winked at her son. “I’ll leave you to your business, my darling. Just be careful.”

“You too,” Zane replied. “Don’t get yourselves into any trouble. The king’s fuse is short these days.”

He bid them farewell, then walked back out to the hallway. Caspian and I followed, keeping to the side, so we could jump behind any of the statues and pillars ahead if more daemons passed by.

“How many wives does your father have?” I asked.

“I don’t know.” Zane shrugged. “I lost track.”

“What do they do all day? Does he visit them every day? Do they take turns? How does this work? Do you know how many sons he has, how many brothers you have?”

“Is she always this curious, Lord Kifo?” Zane muttered.

“What, you two know each other?” I shot back. Caspian and I used the red lenses we’d snagged earlier from the guards to look at each other. He gave me a brief scowl, before looking ahead.

“I didn’t say that,” Zane replied. “I just make a habit of knowing everyone who sets foot into my kingdom.”

“Your kingdom?”

“I am a prince, after all. I may not be entitled to the crown, once the king passes away, but this is still my land; these are still my people. This is, for all intents and purposes, my kingdom.”

I tried to use my reading skills on him. Even as a sentry, I didn’t seem to have access to his emotions—that had already been made clear, repeatedly, from our previous encounters with daemons. Nevertheless, I focused a little harder, just to see if I could get a feel for what he was experiencing in that moment. Unfortunately, I didn’t get anything from him. Either he was very well guarded by nature, emotionally speaking, or there was no way at all for a sentry to tap into a daemon’s heart.

However, it didn’t take a scientist or a super sentry to figure out the basics: Zane, though a prince, didn’t have a good relationship with his father; his mother, on the other hand, meant the world to him. In fact, Zane was much more appreciated around the castle than any of his brothers. The females—the king’s wives, to be precise—adored him. On top of that, he was helping us get our friends back.

I had a feeling that we had a much stronger ally in Zane than I’d originally thought. And after all the losses and painful twists and turns, we really needed a win.