Sold (complete)

30

"I don't know. Probably the whole council. Maybe even Eric's kingdom."

"Mariah's dad?"

"Yes."

I didn't believe Mariah was involved. She couldn't be. She was my friend. At least, I thought she was. I wouldn't put it past Rachel though. She seemed like the type to sabotage a king to gain power.

"Well, you finally met the real Liam. What are your thoughts?"

I shrugged. "He's nice."

"He is. You shouldn't write him off so quickly."

"Well, I don't really have a choice. I have to give him a chance."

"Only if you want to. He would never force you into anything."

"Maybe not. Still, I'm going to keep my distance. At least until I can get over him."

"You want to get over him?"

"Desperately."

"Why?"

"Because I realized that I never loved him. It was the first time I had ever felt something for a guy and that demon fed off of it."

"Interesting."

"I wanted to thank you though. I would be dead if it wasn't for you."

"I would do it again, you know."

I half smiled at him. "I know."

"Good. As long as we're clear that I'm the hero in this situation," he joked.

I laughed. "Of course."

"I'm going to try to get some sleep before we arrive."

I nodded in acceptance and watched his retreating figure. I felt guilty for believing Pierce was working against me. I should have trusted him more. Instead, I judged him just as quickly as I had judged Liam. I didn't want to keep judging people that way. It wasn't right and I knew it wasn't right, but how was I supposed to trust anyone I met? Every single time I trusted someone in the last year it had turned out poorly for me.

Except Pierce. He was the only one to not have an agenda. At least, he didn't have an agenda that I knew of.

"Anna," a man called my attention. He was dressed in a black three piece suit tailored to fit his tall, lean frame perfectly. His onyx hair was slicked back, giving an ample view of his well defined face. His skin was sun kissed, but his eyes were such an ice blue that they almost looked all white.

"Do I know you?" I asked.

"Oh, I would hope so."

"Um, I'm sorry, but I don't think we've met."

"My name is Azrael. Well, my preferred name is Azrael."

I raised my eyebrows in suspicion. I knew that name from somewhere, but I couldn't place it.

"When did we meet?"

"About a year ago."

I was more confused than before. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know me very well, Anna. After all, you did want to marry me."

Oh my God.

There was no way. It couldn't be him. It couldn't be the demon that possessed Liam.

"Y-you?" I managed to sputter out. "But . . . But how?"

"I am not limited to the king's body," he said flatly.