Zorien’s POV.-My deplorable actions earned me a pair of ‘restraints’ and ‘surveillance’ in the hoax of aides to support me. What an insult...support me? A high-level Demon like myself?I’m on the brink of sabotaging all I labored so hard to build. In all this collapsing ruin, she’s been the only prominent structure seemingly keeping me focused and assured. Unlike everyone else, who now walk over my name and criticize me openly...even in her fear for me, my pup is more loyal than any being I know.Holding Ashton like this should mean nothing and be incapable of inflicting him with pain. But it’s Zorien holding him this tightly, relishing in the snaps and crushes I’m purging out of him.Mid-tier Demons have their blood in orange, like the glow of their eyes when they use their powers. I mute his chokes and desperate attempts to bring my hand free and irritatedly toss him over to Ciel.“I must be a joke to you both, it seems. You should be indebted to my pup, for it’s only bec

Himari’s POV.-I sweep a quick wary glance behind me before taking off in a sprint toward the forest. As the cold breeze smacks against my face, stings my lips, and clatters my teeth and bones, one stray alarm flares in my mind and nearly thwarts my resolve.Is it this easy?Zorien started to act strange and out of his cold demeanor all of a sudden, he conversed with me and refused to raise his voice and torture me when I brought up the topic. He even had to drop that juicy line at the end, permitting me to do whatever I wished.Could this all be a meticulous plan he’s craftily set out for me? And am I playing right into it right now?No, I scatter the shards of distracting thoughts from my mind as I draw closer to the trees, coming to a stop with my hair splaying over my face. I sweep the strands from my face, quickly glancing around as I ask Runa cautiously, “Hey, do you think he’s got some sort of detection system installed here? Like some mechanism to flare an alarm on

Himari’s POV.-“You and Mari’s relationship is about to be hit by a turbulent storm.”Welma emphasizes her words with a funny wiggle of her brows and Ciel’s face loses its color at once. While I’m stricken with unbelievable shock, Flynn openly shares his laughter and Ashton makes a cackle, throwing an arm around Ciel’s shoulder to tease him, “Dude, heard that? Seems love isn’t all it takes to maintain a steady relationship”.‘A turbulent storm? That’s practically a tragedy in my understanding, Mari. But it’s only normal hard tests like that occur, it’s to help cement the bond better, don’t you agree?’ Runa tries to convince and persuade me with her reasoning, and I pout with a frown.“Hey, check mine and let’s be certain” I urge Welma who giggles nervously and nods.I glance at Ciel to see him with a very broken face I’ve never seen before. His sullen ambiance makes me sad and I quickly give my hand to Welma who mutters remorsefully, “I’m sorry I sounded that way, Mari. Th

Himari’s POV.-Zorien, in his fiery temper and powerful gait, is storming right behind Ciel. His rage animates itself as the black ooze tainting the aura around him as his crimson fireballs fixate upon my squirming little form. Oh dear, he’s brimming with such impregnable inferno, at this rate he won’t bother to give me a painless death at all.Ciel notices Zorien behind him and he tries to dissuade his temper. “Zorien, don’t. Give Mari a chance to explain herself”.It only whisks past Zorien’s glacial armor as he remains intent in his approach. I break into electrifying tremors, tears pouring freely as I wait shock-still, for my miserable death.Not even Welma who shows up in haste behind Zorien, nor Ashton, succeed in diverting Zorien’s gait to capture me. He gets to me before Ciel can, driving petrifying shock into my being at how easily he deflects Ashton’s and Ciel’s blockade to prevent him from zeroing in on me. Zorien binds them down on their knees with some mysterio

Himari’s POV.-“I’m so sorry for what I did to you, Himari.”At this juncture, I snap my eyes wide open, gobsmacked to see the all-pompous and saucy Kitra acting fretful and fumbling with her fingers just to speak to me. ‘What a total 360-degree turn’ Runa chuckles in my head while I fix my jaw, moving to speak before she does something that might make me faint.“Uh, um...Kitra, that’s-”She cuts me short with a sudden outburst, shooting forward with a regretful expression on her face as she regales, “I know I haven’t been nice and considerate towards you- I was such a disgusting bully, and yet, you didn’t even bat a lash to jump in to save my life last night...”Kitra...I’m compelled to lax back, watching her quietly as she battles with herself, wobbly lips parting again to say so solemnly to me, “...no matter what we do to you, you always tolerated us. I’m so sorry, Himari. I want to make it up to you”.I’m stunned when she darts forward to clasp my hands in hers. Kitr