Demon Daughter (Book I)

✤ Prologue (2) ✤

Tasdar stood by the window and watched the storm subside. The rain had stopped, but the wind was still blowing and bending tree branches. The clouds soon parted, revealing the Blood Moon, and red light illuminated the surroundings even more. This night was special and decisive for him. Tasdar could feel the power growing just by looking at the moon, and a sly smile appeared on his face. He stood leaning forward, one hand holding the red curtain and the other caressing the hilt of his sword, his leather-booted feet firmly planted on the wooden floor.

Tasdar was certain his daughter was almost there. Ever since he first learnt of her existence, the demon had felt a special connection with her and knew she would help him fulfil all his desires. This girl had his blood, maybe she was even stronger than him. He couldn’t let her stay with her mother and risk losing if she decided to defy him in the future.

After a while, Tasdar’s gaze shifted to the door as it opened. Two guards entered, dragging a woman into the hall. She resisted and tried to escape, but her eyes locked with Tasdar’s and she froze, lowering her head. The demon backed away from the window and walked towards her, making almost no sound, his long cloak slipping easily across the floor. As he approached, he looked closely at the woman and laughed softly. Her hands were trembling with fear, which only gave him more confidence.

“Where is she?” Tasdar asked in a husky voice.

The woman remained silent without raising her head, unwilling to reveal her daughter’s location.

“You know what will happen if you refuse to give her to me, don’t you?” he grinned, trying to look her in the eye, but she kept turning away. “You know it’s inevitable, and you must obey me if you want to stay alive, right?”

“She’s dead,” the woman said in a heartbroken voice. “I’m so sorry...”

The demon fell silent for a moment, looking at her and trying to read her face. “Dead, you say?” He roared. “You’re so sorry?”

Gathering her courage, the woman raised her eyes and took a few steps closer. “We didn’t know she could only be a half-demon, which means she’s mortal, right?”

Tasdar clasped his hands behind his back and walked around the hall, thinking. After a minute, he turned to face her again. “When and how did she die?”

“After our last meeting, when she was only twenty weeks old.”

“Not today?” Tasdar’s lips parted in silent surprise. “I thought she was supposed to be born on the night of the Blood Moon!”

“I thought so too, but what could I do that the prophecy didn’t come true? Ravenna is dead, don’t you understand?”

Tasdar’s eyes narrowed. “Why should I believe what you say?”

“Haven’t you ever checked Azryath if you love her so much? You knew all along I lived there. You could visit us whenever you wanted.”

The demon furiously grabbed her by her clothes and pulled her closer. “Why are you lying to me, Arella? You know Azarra covered Azryath with a protective shield, so I couldn’t get there. That means Ravenna was born today, but you want to hide her from me!”

“No, Tasdar, I swear, why should I lie to you?” His strong hands seemed to tear the terrified woman in two, and she was powerless to fight. She knew she couldn’t escape.

“Tell me the truth if you don’t want to get hurt even more.”

His piercing gaze cut through her like a knife, for a moment, trying to penetrate the very depths of her soul. She closed her eyes tightly, but the ground shook beneath her feet, and Tasdar’s fingers loosened. Suddenly, a deafening explosion and a powerful wave of wind knocked down the guards, preserving the exit. As fireballs shot in, Tasdar leapt forward and met a woman emerging from the corridor. The golden crystal of the long magical staff she was holding emitted a blinding light that enveloped her whole body like a shield. The demon took a few steps back. The woman waved her hand and the wind instantly extinguished all the fire.