The Demon Inheritance

THREE

Salt climbs over onto the railing with me, suffering the ivy restraints. "You speak your mind, Queen Ebony. I respect that... And you keep your kingdom safe."

"I try and keep all the kingdoms safe. All of us royalty do. Me, Jupus, Croma..." I sighed.

The white-haired demon dips his head. "I've noticed... I've only been here for a while, but I can still tell. Croma has so many natural barriers around houses and settlements, too, to keep us all safe. You couldn't ask for a better god."

I say nothing, but I still agree.

"I've heard Mun and Gan talk about kidnappings... I'm not sure if they are true. According to Carter and Caleb, Dark demons are stealing citizens."

"But that won't be a problem anymore, will it?" I say icily, glaring over at him through a burning gaze. I grit my teeth, and he glances down, regretting what he said. The rumor was true, or atleast, used to be. However, people had taken a toll from it. Mun had lost his sister to them, and several other people I hadn't had the pleasure of meeting before their taking. As usual, I am sensitive about the kingdom's well-being.

Salt flinches. "I apologize... Ebony..."

I trace my fingernail along the ivy, and in return, it curls around my finger with a thin strand of green. "I'm not sure what kind of evil takes people from their home like that. Can you imagine? You have a life set up somewhere, with friends and family and promises. Then, one day, all those promises, all that could be, all the what-if's... They're gone. Someone snatches all that opportunity right up unfairly, and they give you something much darker..." As if in reassurance, the ivy tendril squeezes my finger lightly. "What could they even do with you after taking everything? It leaves you to imagine all the evils that could be happening... The worst part is, if everything's really good at home, and everything is suddenly taken away, then what if you have no fight left? What if whatever they do doesn't matter anymore, because you're dead inside? And think of all the people you'd be leaving behind, not knowing if you're dead or alive, worrying every single moment wondering about your pain, sleep only occupied by nightmares about you... I... I don't know what kind of horrible evil does this..."

The white-haired Kalos leans over, lacing his arms around me. "I'm sorry... I don't know what else to say..." One of his pale hands begins tracing itself through the inky falls of my hair, peeking through the curtain of black. "The Dark sometimes goes to the boys' part of his world, and he tells us things... He was born when the universe and Croma were created. I'm not sure how, or why... I normally see things in shades of gray, but he is the darkest shade of black."

I lift my hand onto his and sigh. "Thank you, Salt. You aren't the best when it comes to consolation, apparently, but I appreciate the effort."

"I wouldn't want to see that beautiful face look so down." With nerve, Salt leans in to kiss me. His lips taste like fruit, suggesting he hadn't had any drinks downstairs. The skin of his mouth is soft and still, pressing as soft as flower petals against my lips, which are probably dry and rough. One of his hands finds my chin, and the kiss holds for a few seconds that feels like a dizzy eternity. For however long the kiss lasts, I see nothing, but feel a sensation of confusion and hope everywhere in my body; I could feel his kiss even in my knees. When he pulls back, he is biting his lip with and awkward smile, black eyes flickering over my face. Recovering myself and finding the world around me feeling giddy and unreal, I knit my eyebrows in confusion. "Forgive me, Ebony. I couldn't help myself. I bid you goodnight... That is, unless you'll come downstairs to dance with me?"

I give a croaking, "Yes," before he takes my hand and leads me through the door. The safety of the ivy slips away from my finger and limbs. The two of us step through the door, slip inside, and begin traveling downstairs. Everyone below is laughing, drinking, talking, kissing, or dancing. The sight of the worryless people fills me with determination. None of them are leaning against the wall, gazing off, wondering if a kill will take place in an alternate dimension somewhere else. Instead, they enjoy themselves, and it is the most splendid sight to see.