The Devil and I

Chapter 20: Salvation-Christabelle Marbun

When I woke the next morning, Styx was curled up asleep by my head on the pillow purring loudly into my ear. I must have been exhausted after spending the evening in the garden with Lucifer. I didn't even remember falling asleep. He, however, was nowhere to be seen. It wasn't all that surprising, though. He often got up early to attend to Hell's affairs. After snuggling with Styx for a few, I got up and went to the bathroom to bathe and get ready for the day. I was finally able to explore the castle, and Lucifer wasn't here to tell me otherwise.

A red gown was folded on the counter that I slipped into before I left the room. Furcas was stationed just outside the door. He tipped his horns down at me as I walked out. "Morning, my lady."

"Good morning, Furcas. I see he still has you guarding me," I said as he fell into step beside me.

"I am ordered to accompany you, yes." I nodded to him. having a bodyguard was going to take some getting used to but did give me a sense of security. As we rounded the hall and started down the steps, without looking at me, Furcas said, "I would like to thank you, though."

I craned my head up at him in confusion. "For what?"

"Lucifer made it quite clear that the only reason I kept my head was at your insistence. For that I am in your debt."

"You did the best you could to protect me from Belphegor, so it was the least I could do."

"Well, people don't do things like that here, not to mention no one else has that kind of sway with Lucifer. So, I pledge my allegiance to you, my lady."

I stopped in the hall and looked up at him. Having a demon such as him on my side could prove useful, especially given that no one else seemed to be fond of me. Aside from maybe Cassia, but I didn't see her often and last time we spoke she hurried off because I asked about breaking the blood bond. In hindsight, I might have messed that one up. I should have tried to build some trust with her first.

"Thank you, Furcas," I said with a smile as I turned toward the door that led to the library. It was sprawling and vast with spiraling stairs in all four corners that led to multiple floors that encircled the room. Gothic architecture and intricately carved railings were spread throughout, and the adjacent wall held an arched stained-glass window that depicted a scene of a star streaking through the sky and falling to the ground. There were people here as well.

A man in grey robes stood at a pedestal with a large book propped on top as he pored over the pages intently. Scars slashed across his face, and what I could see of his hands. A girl cut across the room and quickly glanced at me before she carried on weaving through the shelves. She wore similar grey robes and couldn't be much older than myself.

I set out through the library as Furcas waited by the door with his hands folded together in front of him. All of the books were aged, and most were written in a language I had never seen before. Not that I expected to find the full Harry Potter series or anything, but it was a little disappointing. The books that were here were still fascinating. Doubtful that anyone on earth had ever laid eyes on them either.

Having given up on my search for anything useful to read, I walked through the library aimlessly, until I came across the girl from before. She was taking a few books from one of the shelves and piling them onto a nearby table. "Hello," I said as I approached her.

She quickly dipped her head into a partial bow as her dull brown hair draped over her face. "My lady, how can I help you?" she stammered.

"Please, you don't have to be so formal, you can call me Keiran. Everyone keeps doing that," I told her. The consistent royal treatment made me uncomfortable enough as it was. I understood why the demons did it, but she was like me, a girl, probably in her twenties, it just felt weird. Plus, I could use a friend here. Someone that I could talk to.