Angel of the lake

Chapter Seventeen

In the few days she'd spent in King Claudio's presence, Meg had never had the pleasure of waking up before him.

Until now.

Beside him on the bed, she couldn't help but stare.

He slept with an arm slung across his face. The other rested upon the mattress, reaching out for her. His weapons remained in close reaching distance, ready for anything in the night. Even in his sleep, his muscles flexed. His shirt was tight on his chest, revealing those rippling abs and thick biceps.

In the heavens, Meg had never come across a man quite like him.

Her eyes trailed across the fire glyphs that coated his body. Right now, they were a soft amber hue, but she'd seen them change shades ever so slightly.

She glanced to his head where fully grown red horns peeked out of his blonde hair.

They'd grown back, just as he'd assured her they would. And now her fingers twitched to touch them.

She trailed her fingers over his full lips, wondering what his kiss would feel like. Meg stared at them in contemplation until a soft knocking came from the door.

She looked to Claudio. Still asleep. Meg crept out of the bed, traipsing over to the door.

The blonde from yesterday, Evie, stood at the other side.

"Good morning Megan." Oh lord. This woman was way too bubbly for this time in the morning. Meg rubbed at her eyes, still trying to wake up. With a suggestive glint in her eyes, Evie raised an eyebrow. "Did you have a nice night?"

Megan was no idiot. She knew exactly what the witch was getting at.

Fighting back a blush, she answered, "A bed beats the floor, so I guess so."

"But the demon beats the bed. How cute—you're blushing. Don't mind me, I'm just playing. I thought you could do with these. You and I seem about the same size, so they ought to fit alright."

She handed a bag of clothes over, that suggestive look still about her features.

"Thank you."

Evie brushed it aside. "You're going to be the bombshell the Inferno demons never saw coming. Oh the things I'm going to teach you. We'll be seeing plenty of each other before the year is up. Don't worry."

"You see the future, right?"

"It's a gift and a curse. But you, Megan, are very important. You're our first move on the chess board."

"The chess board?"

"All eyes are going to be on you sooner or later. You're going to be brilliant. I won't keep you any longer. It looks like you have quite the surprise in your bed."

Evie closed the door for her, solidifying her fate.

Chess board? Had the woman gone mad?

She headed to the bathroom, bag in hand, mind still playing over it.

What was the chess board? And what did Evie mean about Megan being the first move on it?

Good lord, she was so far behind. She needed to find the library now more than ever.

As she sifted through Evie's bag of clothes, Megan soon caught onto the blonde woman's preference for showing skin. Not that Megan minded. It'd come as a relief, actually, what with how much the demon had been bundling her up.

She needed to let her skin breathe every now and then.

When she was dressed, she headed back over to the bed where the demon King still snoozed.