When we arrived at the Villanova residence, I could only describe it as a palace. It had large gleaming spires that pointed into the sky with an elegance that oozed wealth. It had a dark exterior, with dark stone and dark awnings and iron fencing.

It looked like the devil's palace.

Yet, I had no time to properly marvel at the architecture before the maid suddenly gave me over to a strange man with a monocle.

"Thank you for your services." The man addressed the maid. "You are no longer needed, you shall receive your payment at the gate."

What? She was leaving? Already?!

Now who was going to protect me from the beast inside?

My body went cold.

Don't go. I wanted to say. But nothing came out.

I had a feeling guests rarely entered this place. There was a purposeful isolated feeling about this residence, as if the dark exterior served as a warning for those thinking on entering.

Before I had time to voice my complaints, the maid hopped back in the carriage and left.

Now I truly was on my own.

The man holding me then looked down at me, and I was surprised to not be looked at in disgust. Back where where I had just come from, aside from the maid and the man servant, everyone I saw would look at me in disgust and whisper curses.

Because I had read the novel, I new it was because of my eyes.

It meant I had demon blood.

Naturally, the man holding me must have been the butler, but seeing as he didn't introduce himself, I could only assume it was because he thought I was at an age where I couldn't communicate.

How foolish.

As he walked with me in his arms, I had time to look around and take in the amazing garden that surrounded this place. The stone path the butler walked on was practically gleaming in the sunlight. The landscaping was truly amazing, it appeared as if every flower here was in full bloom, serving as a stark contrast to the dark cathedral-like building that stood looming in the centre.

I also spotted a few hidden figures.

Guards.

Kael was a man with immense power and wealth. That also meant he had a lot of enemies. Being second to the Emperor, it was useless for me to even fathom the amount of money he had. I had not yet come to grips with the fiscal side of this world. When reading the book, one did not need to understand monetary values. Yet considering that I was now living in the book, it now brought with it its own issues.

The butler then walked right up to the large wooden doors that towered over everything. It had large wrought iron carvings that were beautifully made into smooth lines on the doorway. A few of them merged in the centre to form a grand, pitch-black demon's head.

How quaint.

Without knocking, the butler opened the door with one hand.

The large groan of the doors indicated that they must have been very ancient, and very, very heavy.

As soon as we walked through the doorway, it felt as if the air suddenly shifted around me. It was almost as if we had walked through some unseen barrier.

"We are almost there, miss."

I looked up at the butler and would have yelped in shock if not for my precariously slow infant reflexes.

Now, I noticed two distinct feline ears atop his head. They certainly hadn't been there a few moments ago. In fact, now his face looked slightly different. It was more angular, and he eyes appeared to glow slightly.

I was definitely not in on earth anymore.

Nothing scientific could explain the half-beast that was holding me.

I would have thought he was wearing fake furry ears, if not for the fact that they twitched slightly, and turned to listen to noises.

Just where was I?! I knew from the book that Kael was a demon, but because Edythe was a supporting character, the book never really mentioned her home life within the castle aside from the fact that she never saw her father, and the few brief encounters with him. Everything else, such as the butler before me, the book did not specify.

Suddenly, I didn't feel so confident about meeting Kael face-to-face.

In fact, I felt sick.

Although I knew his personality, I suddenly wasn't too sure about my position. I had tried previously when I was alone, to see if I could speak, but the muscles in my mouth were weak and uncoordinated. I could only manage simple words such as papa and mama. Sadly, I knew I would never be using these words.

The butler's footsteps echoed on the stone walls as he walked through the extremely large corridor. Above me, the ceiling stretched up so far that I had trouble focusing.

Suddenly, he stopped before two grand doors. They were old and ancient, probably hundreds of times older than me.

This time, the butler rose his hand and knocked.

After a few seconds, the butler's ears twitched and he suddenly opened the door, as if he had heard something I had not.

Inside, was a large room with a large chandelier. There was a deep, blood red carpet that stretched forward until it stopped at stone steps. At the end of the room, were large bay windows that stretched from floor to ceiling. It allowed in so much light, that the figure sitting on the chair (or throne?) appeared hidden in shadows. My eyes couldn't adjust to the stark contrast.

But I knew who sat there.

He didn't say anything, but the butler walked forward. As he walked closer, I could feel the muscles in my body tensing up.

Wait.

I wasn't ready.

I couldn't do this. It was all too real. Everything was so different. It was easy to read a situation, but it was a completely different scenario experiencing it first hand. I could feel the dark energy in the place.

A sweat began to form on my forehead.

Once we were a few steps away from the end of the carpet runner, the butler stopped and suddenly lifted me down.

I hadn't expected the sudden movement and jumped slightly.

As I was placed on the floor, I felt how cold it was.

Seriously? They were just going to place me here?

Before I could object, the butler took a few steps backward.

That was when I felt it.

Cold tendrils—like ice—slowly crept up my body and wrapped their way around my neck.

I froze and became still.

"So this is the product of that wench."

It was my first time hearing his voice.

It was powerful and menacing. His words seemed to make my bones ache, as if they knew that he would one day be the death of me.

"Kill it." He ordered, his voice like ice—cold and indifferent.

Speechless, all I could do was stare. What was I meant to say?

He hadn't even seen me for a few seconds and I had already been sentenced to death?

What was I meant to do? Or say? Hi, I'm your daughter, an adult female stuck in a child's body and I've been reincarnated into this world?

His eyes were as red as blood, hair as dark as the ocean depths and had a voice that made a chill run down my spine. He was callous, psychotic and had a thirst for blood.

My blood.

"Do you know who I am?" His red eyes narrowed and his pupils became slits. The cold tendrils around my throat tightened.

In the book, I remembered this scene. Edythe, being innocent and young and pure of heart, said the only thing that any two year old could in this situation.

Papa!

That had been her greatest mistake.

Kael was loathe of anything related to the woman who bore Edythe. The book had never mentioned her name, but only that he would kill anybody who dared mention it.

Knowing this, I stayed silent.

"Not going to speak? How pathetic. I can sense the tainted blood in you."

Seriously, was he just going to continue talking down at me? Hadn't he just ordered me to be killed? Why not get on with it!

Angry, I stared at his blood red eyes in disdain.

Why did I have to be reborn as Edythe of all people? Reborn into a living hell!

I had to get out of here.

But one wrong step and he would kill me without hesitation.

I could feel it.

This man was the devil incarnate, no matter how handsome he was.

Even worse.

I was now his daughter.

His eyes narrowed as we stared at each other. I hoped my face mirrored the disdain that he was showing me. I was only an infant, how could he expect a competent answer?

"On second thought." He suddenly said, the disgust in his voice evident. "Throw it in the east wing. Get it out of my sight. I've killed enough people today, I've lost the appetite for it."

I sensed movement behind me. "Yes M'lord."

Two hands lifted me up under my armpits and I was then in the butler's arms again. Without any hesitation, he turned and began walking away.

Looking over his shoulder, I watched Kael as we walked further and further away. The darkness around him appeared to spread the further we walked.

The moment we stepped out of the room, it was if I could breathe again.

I let out a long breath.

I hadn't said anything. Yet the fate was still the same. The east wing.

Had I won?

Clenching my stubby hands into fists, I could feel the blood pumping through me.

I was still alive...

But for how long?