πIn a realm where the forces of Hell, Fire, Light, Time, and beyond hold the fabric of existence together, war has torn the once united Eight Nations apart. The great battle between King Gude of the Angel's Arch and Lucifer VIII of Hell devastated the world-leaving five rulers dead, two missing, and one barely hanging on. That one? Lucifer himself. But even the devil needs a successor.
πDon't worry though, Akuma Abiko(miss saving grace), a neglected and broken child lost in the deep forests of Japan. Her parents' cruelty is matched only by her untapped potential. Lucifer, in his final act as ruler, finds her and sees in her what no one else can: the strength to wield power beyond imagination. With her destiny sealed, Akuma is whisked away to the underworld where she will be trained in everything from politics to combat, becoming a deadly force in her own right. But there's just one problem-Lucifer's rule is coming to an end. And Akuma is about to be thrust into a world that doesn't want a child on the throne.
πNow, as she prepares to face the entrance exams to Athena Academy, a place meant to refine the most gifted minds, Akuma's world is far from stable. She must find seven other children destined to restore the balance of the Eight Nations-if they even remember who they are. Meanwhile, Akuma's personal demons are clawing at her heels, and the pressure of her legacy might be enough to push her over the edge.
πWith her father's twisted love guiding her and a killer instinct she can't suppress, Akuma must navigate a world where betrayal is constant, power is a game, and nothing is as it seems.
πGet ready for a dark, thrilling ride where family, destiny, and power collide in the most dangerous ways.
πChapter One is just the beginning...
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"This is an Angel girl named Maisie Lark. She hasn't ever stepped foot into the 'real world'. Attempting to break the lock is useless and I have the key. I've extended the olive branch. Maisie's your motive. Come find me when you're ready."
Cecilia Star has been alive long enough to know what it's like to be a demon in the human realm, but she's also been alive long enough to cope with her everyday life. But when she wakes up handcuffed to a strange Angel she's never met before, she's thrown for a loop. Cecilia assumes it's all just one big, extremely cruel prank by the twins in order to rile her up and test her limits. After all, Maisie is everything that Cecilia would rather leave behind her, determined, opinionated, and so very clearly wrong. But it doesn't take Cecilia and Maisie long to realize that the handcuff prank is a little more than just a lighthearted joke.
The thing about Demon metal is that it is a fickle thing. It can only be unlocked by the person who has the key and no matter what method is used, it cannot be broken. Cecilia would rather just forget the whole thing, refuse to give Ezekiel the satisfaction he so wants, and remain handcuffed to Maisie for the rest of her life. It doesn't take long to realize that it's just not possible. Maisie is everything that she shouldn't be in the human realm. Bigoted, rude, and annoyingly difficult. She can't even get close to Cecilia without making some sort of remark on how she can't stand Demons.
As the time ticks down and options become less and less, maybe being handcuffed to each other will teach Cecilia and Maisie a thing or two about themselves. Maybe running from the past isn't the right choice and perhaps, maybe even a Demon and Angel could fall in love too.
(Entered in the Open Novella Contest 2022 under prompt 79. "A love so forbidden it was unspeakable. Who ever would have thought an Angel would fall for a Demon?" Copyright Ursula Inc. All Rights Reserved.)