I pushed as hard as I could against Elira, forcing myself to sit through the pain. My muscles trembled, but I refused to stay lying down in front of her. My eyes widened, caught between fear and awe. That aura… I could feel her demonic energy spreading through the clearing, thick and unmistakable. It pressed against my skin, sinking into my bones in a way that made every instinct inside me bristle.

It made me want to growl before her… Worship her...

"Beatrice?" Elira's voice wavered. She must have noticed my eyes. I wanted nothing more than to run… but where could I go?

"Go. Leave me and her alone for a bit," I whispered into her ear. Elira's fingers trembled against my skin at the tone in my voice.

"But—"

"Please." I held her gaze, begging her silently to understand me, even if she didn't know what was happening.

"Hweee!"

Beelzebub's sharp squeak rang from the side. He scampered out from behind a tree, cheeks puffed as if he'd just returned from hoarding nuts. But now his tiny body was stiff, his fur standing on end. He looked ready to launch himself at a dragon.

He must have seen the devil itself.

"HOW CUTE!" Lyssandra vanished from where she stood and reappeared beside him in a blink, scooping Beelzebub into her hands before any of us could react.

My heart lurched so hard it felt like it jumped into my throat.

"Don't hurt him—?"

The words barely left my mouth before the scene in front of me stole the rest of the sentence. My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as I watched Lyssandra pamper the little hamster, petting him and tossing him gently in the air as if he were some fluffy toy she found adorable.

Her eyes flicked toward my stunned expression, and that smile on her lips, so painfully fake, twisted my stomach hard enough to make me want to puke.

"Should I still go? Or…?" Elira asked softly from the side, her gaze bouncing between Lyssandra and me like she couldn't tell which danger was worse.

I exhaled slowly. "Yes. And take Beelzebub with you. Carefully…"

I sent Lyssandra a sharp look, and only then did she pause her little game. Beelzebub dangled in her hands like a dazed plush, his eyes half-lidded and unfocused. I could tell she'd used her magic on him. Beasts struggled far more than I did to resist her influence, and it showed.

Elira carefully reached out and took Beelzebub from her. Lyssandra kept that sweet little smile on her face the entire time, the kind of expression an innocent girl might wear, soft and harmless. But I knew better. There was nothing innocent about her, not a single grain.

If Elira had even the slightest idea of who she was standing beside, she would probably faint on the spot. The Demon Empress herself… right here, acting like she'd just found a cute pet to play with.

After Elira slipped beyond the trees, the clearing fell silent. Only Lyssandra and I remained. She kept smiling at me, that same soft curve of her lips that made it look as if everything unfolding here was nothing more than a game meant for her amusement.

"What are you playing at?" My voice came out lower than I meant, edged with fear and anger both. "Did you come here to kill me? Or are you trying to make me submit by getting close to the people I care about? Is that it?"

I pushed myself off the ground despite the throbbing pain stabbing through my limbs. Standing on my feet felt like lifting a mountain, but I forced myself upright. Even if I had no chance against her… even if she stood on a level where even that woman from the prison would seem like a child by comparison… I still faced her head-on, refusing to bow.

She didn't answer. Instead, she gave a gentle, sultry giggle that made me clench my teeth. I hated that about her. Even when I first read the book, she carried herself with this aloof, untouchable air wrapped in mystery. But I knew the truth behind it. Lyssandra never did anything without reason. Every gesture, every glance, every word was calculated. Nothing she did was random. She was a creature who lived off schemes.

A green frost flower bloomed in my palm, and a halo flared faintly behind me as I pulled my strength together. If I could just seal her for a moment, even a single heartbeat, maybe I could flee…

The desperation clawing up my spine made my hands tremble. I felt like a cornered rabbit standing before a wolf who enjoyed the chase far too much.

"Now, now, dear Beatrice, put that toy away. You don't want to hurt yourself."

I froze. My entire body moved against my will, my skill collapsed at her command, and my muscles locked so tightly it hurt. That familiar helplessness washed over me. It reminded me that Beatrice had always been her slave, and until I broke this curse, my fate was no different.

She stepped closer, slow and deliberate. Her outfit revealed more than it concealed. A long black dress clung to her figure, split high on both sides so each step exposed the full length of her legs. Only a single strip of fabric draped down the center, swaying softly and drawing the eye in a way that felt intentional.

Thin gold chains traced along the edges of the cloth, catching the light and shimmering with every shift of her hips. The black fabric made her crimson hair glow brighter, and her eyes burned with that deep red that always looked one breath away from consuming someone whole. She moved like she owned every inch of space around her, elegant and dangerous in equal measure.

Her hand lifted to my chin. Her fingers traced my skin, feather-light, exploring rather than caressing. Her lips moved closer, close enough that I could taste the sweetness of her breath.

"How wondrous, Beatrice." Her voice lowered into a soft purr. "I wonder sometimes, are you truly Beatrice? Or did someone else take over her body?"

She laughed quietly.

And that single question made every drop of blood in my veins turn cold.

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