Angel of the lake

Chapter Thirty-One

I won.

The smile never dropped from her face as she exited the ring, not even when the demon King snatched her by the hand and dragged her out of sight.

I actually won.

Adrenaline still stormed through her body.

Ruby had been so sure she was going to lose. Because she wasn't a demon. Because she was in training. Because whatever. All that mattered was that Meg had won.

And she'd won more than just the fight.

Ruby, like her, had known exactly what they were fighting for.

I won the King.

I won Claudio.

He's mine.

Suck it demon girl!

Ruby fought to prove Meg wasn't worthy of a demon King. Megan had fought to prove she was exactly what this brawny King needed.

And she'd won.

Claudio didn't stop with that fast-paced walking until he had her in his office, pushing and prodding her towards his desk.

"Would you look at that?" She declared victoriously. "We're not sleeping in the cells tonight. Or tomorrow night. Or the night after that. I told you to have a little faith in me. All that doubt got you nowhere because I won."

He smiled, shaking his head busily. Despite that smile, the set of his features were pained. "My faith in you is endless."

She tutted. "It wasn't before that fight."

He stopped his searching to give her a pointed look. "My faith in you never wavered."

True, as per usual, he'd been over-concerned.

Leaning against his desk, she made herself comfortable in his office. The place where Claudio spent most of his days holed up.

"I'll be kicking your ass next." When the demon hummed noncommittally, she swivelled around to watch him. He stood by the window, shuffling speedily through his drawers. "What's with all this hurry? Why are we in your office?"

"I'm looking for something."

"Anything I can help with?"

"No, it's fine. I've got it."

He rose back to his full height with an all too familiar box in hand. The same kind he'd used on her a million times over now.

"You're kidding right?" When he dropped the medical kit on his desk, Megan got her answer. The King was not kidding. Far from it. "That had better be your kidding face."

"Your body isn't designed to take the heat of fire," He answered, searching through for wipes. "Ruby knew she was taking it too far when she burnt you."

The fire had been a reminder. The reminder Megan needed to push her. The reminder of the wings no longer attached to her back. A reminder of the responsibility weighing down on her shoulders.

"I told her not to breathe. I was just as bad as she was."

If not maybe more so.

"If you had any idea how hard it was to stop myself from—"

"Losing the plot entirely? You need to try harder big guy. Calm down with the coddling. I'm fine, see? I'm immortal. I'll heal from anything just short of hellfire."

She grabbed him by the shoulders, forcing their eyes to meet. Maybe if he could see her smiling, he'd see there was nothing to worry about.

"Your leg is far from fine."