The light erupted into the countryside as we stepped through. I stumbled, tripping on who knows what, and almost fell face first into the ground in front of me. Fortunately, one of the demon guards caught my arm at the last second, and I didn’t become intimately acquainted with the dirt below. Yet.

“Thanks,” I said, brushing off my clothes.

The guard nodded solemnly. “Portal travel is always strange, princess, no matter how often you do it.”

“Ah, I think I’m just tired. Didn’t get much sleep last night,” I said nonchalantly. My head throbbed, too. I rubbed my temples, hoping the pressure would ease some of my discomfort. Unfortunately, it didn’t work. Far ahead, the city stood, bustling and proud. Beyond it, the castle loomed above, tall and intimidating. It felt different, seeing it now, and from this perspective. I couldn’t decide if it looked different, or if I was the one that had changed.

I scanned our surroundings. Immediately, I recognized where we were. This was the area where my favorite café was located. And I could certainly use a coffee. My lack of sleep the previous night had me calling for a cup of my favorite brew. Surely, we could spare a moment.

“You wait out here,” I said, bidding my entourage to stay. “I want to get a drink really quick.”

“But your highness – “

I cut him off. “But nothing. I’ll be a few minutes. I doubt I’ll keel over inside a coffee shop.”

“As you say,” answered the guard.

“Oh, and before I go in,” I said hesitantly, unsure of how to broach the subject. “I’m not sure how much you can control it, but the more humanoid you look, the easier it’ll be to blend in. I’m sure you understand.”

The guards nodded, and their bodies shifted, taking on a more human appearance. One of them remained a vivid purple, though. I shrugged. It’ll have to do; it was certainly an improvement.

“Want me to come inside with you?” offered Prince Matthias.

“If you like. You don’t have to,” I shrugged, hoping he wouldn’t agree.

“I wouldn’t mind seeing a real café in person!”

I held back a sigh. He was far too excited for both my mood and fatigue, but it would be rude to be so obvious about it. “Actually, if you don’t mind, I can bring you something. I’d rather us go in unnoticed; don’t want to draw unnecessary attention,” I reasoned, raising my hands in defense as I offered.

I wasn’t actually sure if bringing him inside would cause any alarm to any of the other patrons, but in truth, I just didn’t feel like interacting with him any more than I had to. His overwhelming enthusiasm irritated me. If Tom were here, then he would’ve ordered a coffee with me. I wondered what it was that he was drinking when we first met here.

That line of thought was unproductive, and I shook my head to clear myself of it. It would do no good to think of Tom here; he went home, exactly like we’d agreed. I wasn’t sure what I’d expected, for him to follow me around at my whim, accompanying me on business from hell? What was I thinking? He deserved what he wanted, he deserved to make his family proud of him. I only hoped that my letter I’d written was enough to give him what I’d promised.

I waltzed through the door to the café, much like I had on that fateful day only a short time ago. The cozy atmosphere calmed me immediately, the scent of fresh brews and hiss of steam reminding me of my why I’d came. Ah, caffeine. My one true vice.

I ordered my usual from the barista, and while waiting for my coffee, I sat in a plush armchair not unlike the one I’d been sitting in when Tom had waltzed up and changed my life forever. I closed my eyes, taking in the sensations, ignoring all of the people around me. Instead, I savored the smells, the sounds, and the general cheeriness of a busy café.

The barista called out my order, and I stood to retrieve it. It was warm in my hands, the heat soaking pleasantly into my fingers. I inhaled deeply, the aroma wafting to my nostrils on a lazy stream of vapor arising from the decadent liquid.

My guards awaited out the front door, and now that I’d gotten what I came for, I should return to them. They were waiting after all. But the chair in the corner called to me. I didn’t want to leave yet; to do so would be to admit that I had changed, that everything was different now, and that I had to begin embarking on this new path. I wasn’t ready, didn’t want to. All I desired in this very moment was to recharge, take in the solitude, and read a good book, curled up in that chair.

I decided to procrastinate my journey, to prolong this moment of peace as much as I could. Instead of leaving out the front door, I made my way around the back. I had been coming to this café for years and knew it like the back of my hand. Around the counter was a long hallway, with a room for the employees, and beyond that, the door that led to the alley. I could go along that way and pretend that I was simply Callie, the wayward daughter of Selissa, and not Princess Callisto, heir to the throne of Hell. I walked calmly down the narrow hallway, sipping my hot coffee delicately. Despite how often I usually drank the hot beverage, I really had never managed to figure out how to drink it without burning my tongue. Today was no different.

I had reached the back door, pushing it open with a flat palm, my coffee held tight in the other. I would be Callie for a few steps more, then after I walked around the building to the front, I would assume my role as Princess Callisto. Mentally, I bid goodbye to the café, as I would likely never set foot in it again. I wished Tom was here to make light of the situation. His clumsiness and general good nature always made for an amusing take on things. I should probably be nicer to him if I ever saw him again. I missed him and found myself wishing I’d spoken kindlier to him. Maybe he would’ve stuck around, if I had.

A shove knocked me to the ground, coffee splattered all over the hard dirt, hot liquid burning my hand and arms as I dropped the drink. The mug shattered and shards of ceramic scattered across the earth.

A swift hand pressed something soft to cover my face, a thick piece of cloth smothering my senses. Foreign words whispered beyond my ears, a flash of light beyond the cloth covering my eyes.

A small gust of air, and everything went black.