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Dodd flew out of Hellfloes and into the servant’s quarters the way a car screeches through the Indy 500. She rocketed into the pile of assorted armaments and left a trail of scuffs and smoke.

Felicity, unimpressed, turned around. Traces of morning light peeked through the curtains and onto her face. “Oh. Wow. You’re back,” said the wood imp, making her voice as glum as possible. “Freedom wasn’t enough for you.”

Dodd crawled out of the armor mountain and tumbled weakly down the side. By this point, she’d regenerated enough to have one-and-a-half arms. When her coworker saw this, she gasped.

“Why are you worrying?” said Dodd.

Felicity tsk’ed. “Fine, I’ll stay quiet for now. But if you get us both in hot water...”

“It’s not going to matter.”

Soon the time had come...the great grandfather clock at the side of the foyer rang, calling for all servants. Once again the castle, figuratively speaking, was awake.

Lord Nightfall was waiting in the kitchen, leaning against the counter and fussing with a crate of eggs. Grabbing two and tapping them lightly together. Bobbing them around delicately as dolls. Clearly they had big culinary dreams today, dreams that Dodd was hoping to crush. (Or maybe they were just really bored.)

The door cracked open. Felicity came in nervously. “Hello, boss—I mean, my lord,” she said. “I must say, your white cooking apron is pristine, and your lack of chest today is beautif—I mean, dashing?”

“Thank...you...?”

Dodd came in behind her. She eased past Felicity and stood in the middle of the floor. Planted her feet there.

Lord Nightfall’s expression didn’t change. They scanned her up and down.

“You want a bandage or something?”

Dodd shouted, “I know who you are!”

This got Lord Nightfall’s attention. They stepped away from the counter, imposing, bolt-straight.

“You could’ve been the greatest demon lord that two planets have ever seen!” cried Dodd. “You still can be! I know you now, and I know you have it in you!” She swallowed. “You had a kingdom. You still do. But your problem is that you’re doing things by half-measures.”

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Felicity laid a bark hand on Dodd’s shoulder. She whispered, “Dodd, don’t be this mean to—”

“I’m asking you to commit!” screamed Dodd, paying her no attention. “Commit to being a demon lord! And commit to being the Master of Light and Darkness!”

Shouting from the pit of her soul made Dodd look taller somehow, the way a cat in a corner raises her back.

Lord Nightfall looked...pensive. The room fell to silence. Dodd’s shoulders fell.

“Hm,” said the lord. “‘The Master of Light and Darkness.’ Haven’t heard that name in a while.”

“It’s only been a year, hasn’t it?” breathed Dodd. “Since you were turned.”

“A year’s about a twentieth of my life, Dodd. If you must know.”

Felicity was dazzled by all of this information—looked sick, like she was close to fainting.

“I always thought that title was overblown,” said Lord Nightfall with a nostalgic smile. “Like...I never got that good at light magic. I think everyone could see that. Guess you murder one king with a blast of light and it really stays with you.”

Dodd said, “Come back to the present, my lord. What does this mean for me? Are you going to live like a demon, or just another human?”

A growl entered Lord Nightfall’s voice. A sign that now Dodd might have been pushing it. “I never wanted the life of a Red Ochran, Dodd. In case you couldn’t tell. And to tell the truth, I never wanted the life of a demon lord, either.”

“T-that’s too bad, because it looks like those are the choices you’ve got. Anything else and you’re just an impostor.”

“Aha!” grinned Lord Nightfall, waggling a finger. “I get it now! God, I need to tighten the leash around you two.”

Dodd smiled back with closed, droopy eyes. “Such kindness is not becoming for a demon lord such as yourself.”

“That wasn’t a kindness.”

“I sensed a kindness behind it, my lord. You should be doing far worse, inflicting punishments. We’re only servants, after all.”

Lord Nightfall didn’t respond to that, except by rolling their eyes.

Moving on, they said, “Fine! Fine, I’m the demon lord. I’ll take that! I don’t wanna do nothing but eat pizza poppers all my life. I like...killing things.”

“Yes, my lord!” cried Felicity. Suddenly she was falling all over herself with ecstasy. She kneeled so hard and fast that her forehead banged on the floor. “Ow!”

Dodd gave a respectful, restrained, one-armed bow. “I am relieved that you see it this way, Lord Nyx.”

Lord Nightfall blinked.

“T-there is no such person as a Lord Nightfall, is there, Lord Nyx?” said Dodd. “That name has no story, no past. No future. It’s as good a name as nothing at all. But you, Lord Nyx, have old glories to recapture.”

“Right you are, my servant,” said Nyx. “...Damn. I have glories now? Alright.” They felt for the dagger at their belt and declared, “Then let’s go get them.”