Calm and Calamity

Chapter 18

Day: 308

Days Left: 5172

Lives Saved: 1

"Wait... your sister?" Corinna gasped. "But that would mean you're-"

"Oh, please," the fire demon cooed. "You can drop the act. I have already seen straight through it. You know who I am, and I know that my sister sent you down here to spy on me. Did she want to make sure I was behaving myself? Make sure I wasn't planning on escaping and try to steal her throne?"

Corinna stumbled back, her breath stagnant. "You're Princess Alfreda!"

The fire demon rolled its eyes. "While I do admire your persistence, you have already been caught. You can stop the act."

"I'm not acting-"

"You made a magical contract with my sister," the demon growled, smoke fuming out of its nostrils. "You made some sort of deal, a promise with her. What else could it be but to target me?"

"The contract has nothing to do with you... Your Highness." Corinna bowed her head, remembering that she was talking to royalty, though she still couldn't quite believe it.

The fire demon stepped back and lounged in the large cushioned chair. "Well, I suppose since you were able to say that then it must be true. Whatever contract you made was not related to me... but that doesn't mean you're still not here to sabotage me."

"I promise you I'm not." Corinna moved her hair to the side and showed the demon the brand on the back of her neck.

Standing back up, the demon traced the scarred word 'treason' with a talon, reading the hidden magical footnote in the brand, then sat back down again. "Sedition and lese-majesty... so you defied my sister?"

Corinna nodded.

"Sit." The demon motioned to the chair opposite it.

Obeying, Corinna sat down in it.

"What did you say your name was again?" The demon rested its elbow on the arm-rest.

"Corinna Warren, Your Highness."

"'Corinna'..." Sighing, the demon wafted its paper fan. "Such a pretty name is it not? My sister was given such a beautiful name... and I got saddled with 'Alfreda'."

"Oh, but I think Alfreda is a beautiful name too-"

The demon snapped its paper fan shut. "Do not lie to me, pet. I bet you are grateful that your parents named you after my sister instead of me."

"My niece was named after you, though she goes by 'Alfie'," said Corinna. "And my second cousin was named after your mother, Queen Henrietta. Well, his dead name was that, now he's Henry-"

Rolling its eyes, the demon sighed. "I do not understand the obsession with naming your children after royalty." It paused. "Warren, was it? Well, I certainly won't be calling you by your first name, not when my sister shares it. No, certainly not! Very well, I shall refer to you as 'Miss Warren' henceforth."

Fidgeting with her fingers, Corinna glanced down at the floor. "Are you really Princess Alfreda?"

Smirking, the demon replied, "still do not believe me? Well, I heard that you have yet to receive a mask, so I doubt you will be hardly a threat..." Raising its clawed hands, the demon touched the sides of its face, and a faint light shone. Its horns shrunk back into its head, its rock-like skin faded. Then its body grew smaller until eventually, a tall young woman sat before Corinna with deep mocha skin and ribbons of gold and silver weaved into her short, tightly coiled hair. "Still in disbelief now, Miss Warren?" asked Princess Alfreda.