KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

I gasped awake, flailing amidst silky sheets and plush comforters. Somehow, I’d become wrapped within all of them, much like a caterpillar in its cocoon. Although in my case, I was precariously perched on the edge of a thick mattress. I inched my way upwards, desperately trying to get free, but was unable to. The blankets were stronger than I was, apparently. Unsurprising.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

The sound made me jump, or at least, twitch violently within my silky prison. Unfortunately, my coordination as a caterpillar was not stellar, and I plopped to the floor, a mess of luxurious bed coverings. The impact loosened the silk sheet a little, and I was able to squeeze a hand free. I brushed my wild hair from my forehead.

“Princess?” called a gentle, timid voice from beyond the door. “Are you well? I heard a thump.”

Ah, that must be Alathor, the transparent bureaucrat. The events of the previous night, and the last several, replayed in my mind, refreshing my sleep-ridden brain of where I was, and what was going on. I sighed. I missed my simple days in the palace where nothing was half as complicated.

“Princess?” Alathor called again, insistent and concerned. “Are you alright?”

I groaned, never the morning person.

“Well, you seem to be somewhat conscious,” Alathor said, business-like. “Please, meet me in the hallway when you’re dressed. I’ll escort you to breakfast with the King.”

“Shit,” I mumbled.

I had almost forgotten about that. In all of the craziness that had happened, it was too mundane of an event for it to stick in my brain. I carefully extracted myself from my silky prison, standing awkwardly on one leg to retrieve my foot from a particularly tight knot. But he’d promised to answer more of my questions, and I had plenty of those.

“There are clothes in the closet, take your pick,” Alathor said, answering my most immediate concern before I’d even spoken.

I scanned the room, hoping to find something that was a closet. My eyes happened upon a tall mahogany wardrobe, tastefully decorated with gold filigree. I stumbled towards it, hoping to find some comfortable trousers.

I opened the door and was met pleasantly with a wide variety of clothing, ranging from ballroom dresses in wild colors, to neat, soft casual clothing. I chose a simple, comfortable and casual outfit, and hastily put it on. After I’d donned my preferred clothing, I briefly wondered if I should’ve worn something fancier. Would that be expected of a newly claimed princess? I had no idea how different the customs were here. Given how different everything looked, and felt, I was sure that the traditions and expectations must be just as different. I looked down at myself, worried. Had I escaped my dull existence as a human princess only to fall into the exact same responsibilities I’d tried so hard to avoid?

I guess only time would tell. For now, I had immediate concerns to attend to. I straightened my bangs, brushed through my hair with my fingers, and smooth my shirt. I inhaled deeply. I would be able to do this.

“Good morning, Alathor,” I said, exiting my room and closing the door behind me, taking care not to slam it.

He nodded in response. “Good morning, princess. You look well.” He extended his elbow for me to take. “Shall we?”

I eyed his clear skin, noticing the tendons, muscles, and all of the other odds and ends that were visible. It was fascinating. He cleared his throat, breaking my thorough examination.

“Ah, sorry,” I said, putting my arm through his hastily. I would have to be more careful not to offend.

“It’s perfectly fine, princess,” he said, marching us forward. “I get it a lot. And I understand. I am not offended.”

“Please, call me Callie,” I whispered. “This place is so foreign to me… It’d be nice to hear a familiar name.”

“As you wish,” he said, smiling. “Alright then, Prin… uh, Callie, do you have any questions for me before you break your fast with the fearsome demon King Hazuzu?”

“I suppose I have a million questions… but none that will make it any easier. Thank you, though.”

“Of course, Prin – ah, Callie.” He stopped suddenly and gestured at the door before us. “Here we are.”

It was a nondescript door, close to the bustling kitchens. I could hear the ruckus of the morning meal being prepared, smell the aromas of whatever demons ate for breakfast wafting through. Clangs of pots and pans, shouts from the head cook, all came through, clear as day. I glanced at the door again. What kind of fancy breakfast room was this?

I opened the door, following Alathor’s direction, and stepped inside.

The room, not much larger than a royal pantry, held a small circular table with two chairs. One of them had the demon King in it. The walls were lined with random foodstuffs, and it occurred to me that this really might be the royal pantry. There was a counter on the far side on top of which sat a freshly brewed pot of tea, and what smelled like a hot pot of coffee. I inhaled automatically, taking in the scents.

“Good morning,” grumbled the King, who was perched on the dainty-looking chair, sipping at a warm tea.

The string hung over the side of his mug, the steam wafting through up to his face. He was reading what looked to be a massive book, which I hadn’t noticed before, flicking through the pages with long, sharp fingernails. I wasn’t sure if they were nails or claws yet, I hadn’t gotten close enough yet to determine. I supposed now I would be able to.

I nodded at his greeting and took it upon myself to sit at the small, circular table, pulling up a chair across from him. He didn’t look up at me, instead, kept reading his book, flipping a page with a flick of paper.

“Please, have a seat,” he said, still staring down at his book.

I followed his instruction numbly, fumbling for the chair across from him.

He flicked his eyes up at me, then back down to his book. “I expect you have many questions for me. I’ll do my best to answer them.”

I stared open mouthed. Of course, I had questions – I had millions of questions, but none of them could form their way into actual words from my brain to my lips. So, I surprised even myself when the words fell out of my mouth without expectation.

“Is this the pantry?”

He chuckled. “Yes. It’s cozy and pleasant, and I don’t have to get up to find the tea. It’s my favorite place in the whole castle.” He looked up at me finally, kindness in his eyes surprising me. “You surely have more important questions.”

I pursed my lips. “Why don’t I look like you?” I asked bluntly. Immediately, I felt embarrassed. Of all the questions I could have uttered, why did I have to go and ask such a strange one?

“Ah, I suppose there are a lot of things you don’t know,” said Hazuzu, as he set down his tome to look at me. “Demons’ appearances are a fickle thing.”

“What?” His response certainly wasn’t what I’d expected.

“Humans change their appearances at will also, do they not?”

I furrowed my brows. “If you consider cutting your hair and wearing different clothes, I suppose so, sure.”

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“Well, demons are much the same. We change how we look depending on what we feel like, what experiences we have. We just have more control over it than humans do.”

“Oh,” I said. “So, looks aren’t hereditary?”

“Not really,” he said. “But in a way, they also are.”

I shook my head, now even more confused. “I don’t follow.”

“Demons can change their outer form at will, and follow trends, whims, fancies, all of that. Fashions change, what have you. But a demon’s true form is a very private, intimate thing. We don’t show them off to just anyone.”

“What do you mean by ‘true form’? Is that the default setting, as it were?”

“Sort of, because it changes too.”

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” I whispered under my breath.

Hazuzu must have heard, because I saw just a hint of a smile twitch at the corners of his mouth.

“A demon’s true form is a pure reflection of themselves. Their personality, their values, their experiences. As demons are basically immortal compared to humans, they have almost infinite experiences, and those experiences change you. Your personality can mirror who you’re with, who you’re shaped by. So, it stands to reason that a demon’s true form, while mostly constant, will change as the demon does.”

I remained silent for a moment, considering the weight of his words. “That’s rather… amazing,” I said quietly. “So, all demons can pretty much… shapeshift at will?”

“Again, sort of.”

I sighed, unable to hold it back. I would never understand this world.

He simply laughed. “Life is complicated no matter where you look, Callisto,” he said. “But no, it’s not as if we can just assume whatever form we choose. It’s a difficult thing to modify yourself. The talent varies among demons. Some can only change the color of their fur, scales, or skin; others can grow extra limbs, or take them away. But there’s always a give and take, you cannot make something from nothing. A demon still has to work with what they have.”

“Wait, so why don’t I have a true form?”

“Oh, you do.” He sipped his tea casually. “It’s what you’re wearing right now. A rather bold move, in this realm, but understandable. I must say, it’s also endeared you to our people. When you first came here to see me, they truly saw you. Well done.”

I was at a loss for words. He said that showing your true form to others was an extremely personal thing, intimate. Was it like I’ve been running around in my underwear this whole time, prancing around the demon realm? I mentally recapped all of my encounters with demons so far. Had they all been seeing right through me this whole time? I felt exposed, the panic rising, as if I’d just woken up from a dream where I’d showed up to court without clothes.

“I see your concern,” Hazuzu said, grinning over his teacup. “But it’s not socially strange, especially in this unique situation, so don’t worry. Aside from being an acquired talent, to change one’s form, the demon also must be full grown, which usually takes more than twenty years.” He sipped his tea again. “What else do you want to know?”

I blinked, trying my best to take in the information. What else did I want to know? I chewed my lip in thought. “Tell me about the details of the treaty, how it started, and why. Everything.”

He set his teacup back down. “I’ll start at the beginning. Though the Hunter’s Guild were sworn to keep Zaavi imprisoned, he still had influence in the demon realm. His followers are terribly loyal. For some reason, shortly after your birth, his influence grew, his followers increasing in numbers. They were rebelling against my rule, to the point where I feared for my life – and yours, as my heir, you were one of the primary targets. So, I turned to Queen Selissa for help. It’s difficult to fight a two front war, you see. But we didn’t trust each other. We traded children to make sure the other behaved. This also kept you safe and out of reach of Zaavi, assuming no one ever learned a demon was hiding in plain sight in the human court. I wanted to make sure you would safe until you were fully grown. It’s entirely possible you’ve inherited your mother’s magical talents, but there would be no way to know until then. I wanted to keep you safe and hidden until you could defend yourself. I needed Selissa to do that.”

“That’s a lot to take in,” I said, looking down at my hands on the table. “Wait - are you saying I might be able to do demon magic? My mother did?”

He shrugged. “She was a sorceress. And it’s possible you are too, although who knows. Not all demons can perform magic, just like not all humans can perform their own brand of magic. I personally can’t do much; all I can do are small portals.”

Hazuzu’s expression became dreary and sad, shocking me. What had happened to my mother? His melancholic countenance made me afraid of the answer. I didn’t want to pry. In any case, I had enough information to deal with at the moment. I could always ask him later.

A door opened, and in barreled a vaguely familiar looking face, framed with short blond hair. As the only other human aside from Tom in the palace, it was immediately obvious who he was. The human prince I’d been traded for: Matthias Morning, true son of Selissa and Lidas Morning. It stung a little to see him, the obvious child of who I’d thought were my parents for so long and tried so hard to fit in with.

“Sorry I’m late, Hazuzu,” said the young man, who hastily rushed in and pulled up a chair to the small table.

Instantly I felt overcrowded and instinctively shrunk away from the sudden intrusion.

“It’s alright, Matthias, you haven’t missed much.” He sipped at his tea again and gestured to the counter where the beverages sat. “Get yourself something to drink, we’ve much still to discuss.”

The prince stood up and raced to ready himself some sort of beverage per the King’s request. He hummed to himself, pouring a hot liquid into a mug that smelled suspiciously of dark roasted coffee. My mouth watered.

I turned my attention back to Hazuzu. “I wasn’t aware he’d be joining us.”

Hazuzu waved away my concerns with a swish of his palm. “Oh, I asked him to come because I assumed you two had a lot of catching up to do. If you’re uncomfortable, I can ask him to leave.”

“No, it’s okay,” I said slowly, unsure if it really was.

Matthias came back to the table sporting two full mugs. He set them both down on the table and pushed one towards me.

“Here, I was told you enjoy caffeine,” he said pleasantly. “I didn’t put anything sweet in it; I wasn’t sure what you’d like. But there’s some up on the counter over there if you’re interested.” He pointed lazily with a thumb behind him where he’d brought the coffee from.

“Thank you,” I said automatically. It was a nice gesture. I took a sip of the hot liquid.

And then promptly wished I hadn’t; demon coffee must be stronger than human coffee, because it was much too bitter for me, and I often drank my coffee black. I got up to find myself some cream and sugar, eyes fixed on the aforementioned counter.

“Right, so, Callisto,” said Matthias. “My sister from another mister, am I right?” He chuckled to himself.

My mouth went into a thin line. Did he really just say that? He was even cringier than Tom. “And another mother,” I added reluctantly.

“Right-o. So, when are you taking me to meet my mother?”

Taken aback, I glanced at Hazuzu. “I’m sure she’d like to see you as soon as possible,” I said into my coffee mug. “I’d like to see her, too.”

“You both can have my assistance to go see Selissa,” Hazuzu said. “I understand if you have questions to ask of her, as well.” He looked at me calmly.

I returned his gaze uneasily. I still had more questions to ask him, but I supposed if we both were as immortal as he’d mentioned, then we had plenty of time for that later.

“I insist you be careful on your journey back,” Hazuzu warned. “It’s clear that Zaavi’s followers are active, and aware of your presence. I’ll send with you a full guard.”

I set my mug down. “That’s another line of questions that I have,” I said. “Who is this Zaavi, really?”

“An old rival of mine,” Hazuzu grumbled.

It seemed that there was much more to that story, but I was overwhelmed by information. I would need to be of a clearer mind before I fully unraveled that one. I didn’t know why they were rivals, but that was a mystery for another day.

“I’ll let that lie for now,” I said carefully. “Matthias, I guess we have lots of catching up to do.”

“Plenty of time for that on the road!” exclaimed Hazuzu, ushering us to stand. “Now, will you be bringing Old Sage’s grandkid with you?”

“Who?”

“Ah, you didn’t know?” Hazuzu said. “Oops. Well, I suppose the cat’s out of the bag. Your hunter friend is Sage’s grandson, apparently. My apologies, I just assumed you knew.”

“No, I didn’t know…,” I said, trailing off. Tomas had mentioned that Sage was like a grandfather to him, but I had assumed if it was literal, he would’ve worded it differently. Maybe he didn’t know? “Regardless, I guess that’s up to him. I’ll have to ask.”

“Splendid. Well, I’m off – you two, stay as long as you like. Get to know one another. Come find me before you leave, and I’ll make sure your journey is safe and short.”

He pushed in his chair, polite as ever, and picked up his little teacup, amusingly small in his giant, clawed – long fingernailed - hand. Ever the contrasts, this king of Hell. He whisked himself away, the air whishing behind him as he left the room.

Matthias turned his attention to me, tilting his head curiously. “It’s a lot to take in. How are you doing?”

“Fine, I guess,” I said, though that couldn’t be further from the truth. “Look, I’m not one to mince words. I have a question for you in particular.”

“Ask away.”

“Did you know the whole time?”

“Yep,” he said. “You were the one that had a target on your back, not me. Hazuzu has never kept anything from me, as far as I know.”

I sighed. Of course, I was the only one left in the dark. “It seems that I’m the only clueless one here,” I said. “Speaking of clueless…” I stood up, pushing the chair away from the table. “I have to go.”

“We’ll speak soon,” he said, lifting his mug in a gesture of cheers. “We can chat when we go see my mother.”

I nodded, already halfway across the room.