I kick at the gravel underneath my feet, glaring at the flowers in the front garden of the house.

"What are you looking at?" I growl at the garden gnomes smiling while holding their pitchforks.

The wind picks up and ruffles my hair, creating the effect of a horror movie, and a feeling that I'm being watched. I raise an eyebrow at the gnomes, backing away from them immediately.

"Freaking, stupid dimensions and their weird magic dumb creatures." I grumble to myself as I hear a deep chuckle behind me. My head snaps back in an instant, and I'm greeted with familiar red eyes. His eyes are crinkling at the corners as he gives me a smile, flashing the fangs that I can't seem to fear.

"And especially stupid demons." I spit, furious that he had the nerve to follow me outside. I pick up pace, hoping that he'd trip over a root— a flower or something.

"You know," he starts, still trailing behind me. "Storming off in the middle of a discussion like that is considered something an adorable five year old would do." He calls out, smile in his tone. He's right. I curse him under my breath, and then I do it out loud. And then I curse him louder again. I hear him sigh, and then I feel my satisfaction in waves.

"You know," I mock him. "Yelling at me in front of my family is actually something a controlling parent would do." I say in a vicious tone. I hear him stop walking and I do the same, turning to face him just a couple steps away. He closes the space in between us, fire in his eyes.

"I'm sorry that I yelled, but I was only trying to—" he starts up again, but I interrupt him.

"Trying to what?", I laugh bitterly, still embarrassed at the way he treated me and was still treating me. "To control me like an obsessive boyfriend? Well cut it out, because you're not even a friend." I say, eagerly hoping that the words cut him in the exact way his words felt like to me.

The thunder is gone from his eyes in an instant, and he blinks away the sour hurt. He steps away from me and bites his lip. He turns his expression into one of mockery and let's out a chuckle, shaking his head.

"I knew I should've never taken pity on you and made that deal. All humans are weak." He says bitterly as I flinch. Now the anger that I have makes it feel like there's steam coming from my ears in clouds.

"What did you just call me?" I whisper, furious. I take a step forward, making sure that I hear him correctly.

"Weak." He says, no emotion in his eyes. I guess this is what it's like to know a demon.

"Oh?" I ask, ice coating my palms. I spread my feet apart, readying myself to charge at this ignorant demon. "Like you would know anything about me." I say, heart thumping in distress. Fight. Fight. Fight.

"Prove that you're something more than a useless, weak human." Kilian says humorlessly. "You can't, can you?" He taunts wickedly as I close my eyes. I hear the cracking of ice running through my veins, and this time— I don't stop it.

I hear a light coating of frost spread underneath my feet as I open my eyes.

And then, without another thought— I blast Kilian with an ice shard.

His strong body collides with a tree, creating the sound of thunder cracking in the sky. For a second I see the tree tilt sideways, and I think that it might fall over. He peels his large athletic build off of the tree trunk and gives me a smirk.

"That all you got?" He says, eyes flashing black as onyx. I straighten up at his slip up, alerting me that he wasn't letting himself go at all. He was using himself as a punching bag. He was testing me.

"You sure you want to see more? Or should I just run in the other direction like a coward?!" I shriek at him, ice thundering out of my palms and forming blocks at his feet. Now without him being able to walk, I run to him, fully intent on tackling him and breaking his legs.

Last second, he gives me a grin, and the blocks at his feet explode into nothing but slush. It's too late, I'm a second away from his body. Not able to stop myself from colliding, I close my eyes and put my palms out in front of me.

I let out an 'umph' as I collide into his body built like a temple of marble and stone; both of us falling to the ground.

Kilian is greeted with soft green blades of grass, morning dew still coating them. Me? I'm greeted with his uncomfortable body, face smooshing against his chest. I let out a curse as he wraps his arms around me waist.

I push myself out of his chest, the scent of men's cologne leaving my nostrils. They sell cologne in Hell? I meet his red eyes, and I glare hard.

"If only glares could turn me into a statue." He pouts and then lets out a chuckle.

"Kiss my ass." I snarl at him in distaste.

"I would, if only you hadn't worn those damned miss match socks." He groans. I roll my eyes at his dramatic antics and grumblings.

"Like you would get the chance." I counter him as we hear someone clear their throat.

"Guys?" I hear Claire's voice ring out as I scramble to get off of Kilian, slapping his hands away from my waist. I turn around looking for the direction that I heard her voice.

In the clearing of trees, there she stood with King Atticus. She was smiling nervously as Atticus had a knowing smirk, but she quickly shoved her elbow into his stomach— efficiently erasing any expression he had prior.

I look towards Kilian to see him dusting himself off with a smile.

I raise an eyebrow at him as he looks past me to Atticus.

"She's ready." He says, and then grabs my arm.

"Don't make me regret this." Kilian whispers to me as I huff with pride.

"How are we getting to the camps?" I ask looking away, still aggravated at him. I feel Kilian look down at me before he replies.

"My way." He says as a black portal appears in front of us. I feel my disappointment as I look at King Atticus.

"You sure there aren't any trains we can take?" I ask as he gives me a pitying smile.

"Fuck me." I say, stepping into the portal.

I can swear that Kilians infuriating laugh follows me into the portal.

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