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beelzebuddy-catan · 7 months

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The Not Entirely Human-Human Exchange Student pt.8

Summary: Diavolo hosts a retreat and formal dance for the exchange students, but there are greater threats in the castle than a giant snake and hidden labyrinth. Sometimes, the worst demons are the ones inside us. Warnings: Swearing, mentions of death and violence, unwanted sexual advances Spoilers: Through Lesson 8, Lilith's status Characters: Cass (OC), Lucifer, Mammon, Levi, Satan, Asmo, Beel, Solomon, Simeon, Luke, Barbatos, Diavolo, Mephisto, Preta (OC) and Nadia (OC). Notes: If you want to skip the part with unwanted sexual advances, it's starts after "He was taking selfies when she found the room he’d retreated to" and ends before "Cass didn't stop when she passed Mammon." Previous Part • Next Part

“You said your father’s advisor?”

“Ah, yes, I suppose you’re not very familiar with how things are structured here. Each King has a council of seven other demons that oversee the eight factions of the Devildom. After the King selects the seven advisors and they’re approved by the House of Lords, the previous King assigns them a faction based on traits they share.”

“So, your father assigned each of the brothers to a faction based on their sins?”

“Yes, but he assigned them even before they were approved due to his council being, we’ll say, disbanded. Aeshma was often referred to the demon of wrath before serving on the council. The faction Satan now rules over was once hers.”

“If I remember correctly,” Simeon chimed in from nearby, “Aeshma was never a fan of yours, was she Lucifer?” Ironic, Cass mused to herself.

“No, I suppose she wasn’t,” Lucifer answered. Cass would have expected him to carry some kind of contempt towards a demon that disliked him, but there didn’t seem to be any. In fact, he looked at the portrait with a sense of appreciation and perhaps admiration before turning away.

As she stared at the painting, a feeling of longing washed over her. For the first time in her short memory, Cass felt homesick. Yet, she couldn’t remember that home. Unconsciously, she grabbed her pendant, the only thing that may connect her to that home.

Asmo started unpacking when they got to their assigned room. While he’d claimed he had packed light and wanted to bring more, Cass couldn’t imagine ever needing half the things he unpacked. Simeon seemed to be sharing her sentiment, but quickly changed his expression.

“I’m excited to be sharing a space with the two of you.”

“Yes, you’re quite lucky to be sharing a space with me,” Asmo responded without looking at him. Simeon shot Cass an amused look but didn’t interrupt Asmo’s rant of why they were so lucky. “You know, Simeon, I’ve been wondering lately, what do you really think of me?”

“I still see you like I did when you were in the Celestial Realm.” Simeon rubbed the back of his neck as he thought about it. “Lucifer, the pride of the Celestial Realm was loved by all and there was one angel that he thought was especially beautiful. An angel whom he praised and kept by his side.”

Cass stole a glance at Asmo. For a moment, the demon looked crestfallen. Even Simeon, who had known him for so long and had seen different sides of him, still saw him for his looks. Then she realized that Asmo had always been told he was worthy because of his beauty. Did he think Lucifer only kept him around for that? That if he didn’t keep his looks up, he wouldn’t be worth anyone’s attention, much less the former pride of the Celestial Realm.

“’Twas, Asmodeus, Jewel of the Heavens!” And in a blink, the mask was on. Asmo winked and grinned at the description. “You’re always someone who works hard to uphold their image so other people appreciate him.”

“So, someone who wants to be loved?”

“Yes,” Simeon answered.

No, Cass wanted to say. It’s someone who needs to be loved. Someone who craves love. Someone who needs to be reminded that they are loved. Someone who wants to be desired but, above all else, desires to be loved.

Asmo tilted his head in thought. “I don’t think that’s quite right. I obviously deserve love, everyone knows that. There probably isn’t anyone who doesn’t love me.”

Simeon laughed. “It’d would be quite interesting to see how you would react around someone you couldn’t charm.”

“What about you, Cass? Do you think there’s someone out there who doesn’t love me?”

Cass stared at him before shrugging. “I think you're conflating love and lust. People aren’t worthy of love because of their looks, and they aren’t unworthy because of them either. Besides, it’s not the quantity of people who love you, but the quality of their love, right? The love from the right person can be worth more than the love of a million others.”

Before either of them could respond, Satan popped his head in the doorway to let them know the tour was starting. Simeon followed him out of the room. Asmo pushed past her, grabbing her hand as he did and tugged her along, but she could tell he wasn’t happy about her answer. Did he think she meant he wasn’t worthy of love despite being beautiful?

“I want to go home,” she heard Luke say before they even entered the room. “Levi made some weird alter for some cartoon character and Beel ATE one of the paintings in our room.”

“The painting was too good. I thought the fruit was real.”

“And you didn’t notice it was a painting before finishing it?”

By the time they joined them, Mammon was defending Luke. He was in a surprisingly in a much better mood than he had been when they got room assignments. Which quickly lead to his plan to steal artifacts around the castle with Solomon and Satan later.

Lucifer arrived just as he finished muttering why he was in a better mood, unaware that the eldest brother’s presence. While the others shifted their teasing to Mammon, a small black ghost that looked like a phantom with golden horns appeared.

“Hello, everyone! I’m Little D. No. 2.”

“Is that a tiny demon?” Luke asked, trying to cover his shock. Beel began drooling and at the same time said, “yummy.”

“I wouldn’t, Beel. Little D. No. 2 would probably make you very sick.”

“I’m sure you’ve all met some of the Little Ds before, if you haven’t met No. 2 since they help with different council tasks including those for the exchange program.”

“Yes, I’ve informally adopted them all,” Cass answered, scratching behind Little D. No. 2’s ear. The small demon practically purred in response.

“Barbatos had some–” there was a miniscule pause in his sentence. Cass wasn’t sure if anyone else caught it, but it seemed like he was hiding something “–student council business to attend to, so I asked Little D. No. 2 to be our guide. He’s small, but helpful.”

“Unlike another number 2 I know,” Lucifer smirked.

Mammon was about to defend himself when Little D. No. 2 interrupted. “Let’s begin with this portrait over here!”

Little D. No. 2 proceeded to walk them through the row of portraits of the Demon Kings in Devildom history. Before taking them to a long hallway full of pictures. Everyone spread out, looking at the different paintings. Mammon and Levi began complaining of boredom and Beel’s stomach continued to growl. Cass stopped in front of a portrait that wasn’t particularly special.

The subject of the portrait was looking slightly to the side. Her eyes were closed, and she had a slight smile. As if it had caught her reaction to a loved one being all too excited about the corny joke they just told. The portrait made it look like their long white hair was reflecting a soft blue light from the moon. Below one eye was a dark black mark that looked like a small, tattooed sigil.

There was something familiar about the person in the picture, but Cass couldn’t place it. She didn’t have to look away to tell that Diavolo had joined her to look at the portrait. He didn’t speak right away, as if remembering her.

“Aeshma of the old council. She’s often cited among some of the most powerful demons in Devildom history.”

“She’s beautiful.” Diavolo hummed in agreement. “It’s odd, if Preta was in their full human form, I feel like they’d look like her.”

“It is their aunt, so it’s not too surprising.” Diavolo chuckled.

“Really?” Cass asked, finally tearing her eyes away from the portrait.

“Aeshma was my father’s most trusted advisor, so I spent a lot of time with her growing up. It’s also why I’m so close to Preta.”

“What happened?”

“She was forfeited. It’s actually one of the reasons Preta stays in an in-between state. I suppose it’d be quite upsetting if whenever they saw their reflection and it mirrored their aunt. Presha adored Aeshma and never really recovered after losing her.”

Cass wanted to ask more, but it seemed Diavolo was also still upset about losing someone he was close to. “You said your father’s advisor?”

“So, your father assigned each of the brothers to a faction based on their sins?”

“If I remember correctly,” Simeon chimed in from nearby, “Aeshma was never a fan of yours, was she Lucifer?” Ironic, Cass mused to herself.

“Cass, are you okay?” Diavolo asked.

“Yeah, sorry. It must be because she looks so much like Preta, but I weirdly feel like I’ve met her before.”

Diavolo didn’t question her, and for that, Cass was grateful. She’s not sure she could explain the feeling. She knew it wasn’t because of the similar looks. Whatever happened before arriving in the Devildom, she’d met that demon before.

“Hey, it’s the Celestial Realm!” Luke called from the other end of the hall. Luckily, he distracted the others, and Cass was able to wipe the tears from her eyes that threatened to fall.

“Ah, yes. That was painted around the first time I met Lucifer.” Diavolo laughed when he looked at the picture. Lucifer groaned, knowing Diavolo was going to share more. “He was so divine and awe-inspiring that he took my breath away. I couldn’t believe how such a beautiful angel existed.”

“Guess we know why he wanted to share a room with Lucifer so bad,” Cass muttered to Mammon who stifled his laugh when Lucifer shot them a glare.

Diavolo continued, unbothered. “You even refused to shake my hand at first.”

Before they could learn more, a horrible shrieking filled the room. Everyone looked around, trying to figure identify the source. Cass brought her hands up, covering her ears, the shrieking only getting louder.

“HELENE!” Asmo yelled, running towards one of the portraits.

“Helene the witch was once known far and wide by her unparalleled beauty. Then, Asmodeus came along and seduced her. In turn, she betrayed her lover to be with him,” Little D. No. 2 explained.

“All surprised, raise your hands,” Solomon laughed.

“War erupted from the event and destroyed the entire country. Afterwards Helene was described only as a horrible woman who sold her soul to a demon.”

“All because Asmo couldn’t keep it in his pants.” Asmo, completely unaware of Little D. No. 2 and Solomon, started trying to reconnect with the witch. “Is, is he really trying to flirt right now?”

“After Asmodeus, I incurred the wrath of my former lover’s nephew. He was a sorcerer who sealed me in this painting,” the portrait spoke.

“That must have been Demetrios. It’s quite impressive he grew up to be a sorcerer capable of trapping you. I imagine he must’ve been quite the man given how his father was a hunk.” Asmo pouted slightly. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would have come to help.”

Helene continued yelling at Asmo, nothing she said getting through to the demon as he tried to flirt his way out of her anger. Suddenly, Mammon started being pulled towards the painting. He grabbed onto Levi’s arm trying to ground himself.

“Uh-oh. Watch out, she’s known for dragging viewers in, mmmkay,” Little D. No. 2 laughed.

“Why didn’t say something sooner!” Mammon demanded as he disappeared through the portrait.

Levi was quick to follow, complaining about his lack of muscles. Beel, whom nobody had grabbed onto, didn’t even bother fighting the witch, hunger getting the best of him. Solomon latched onto Asmo, scolding him for the turn of events. The last thing Cass heard as Asmo grabbed onto her and she was pulled through the painting was Little D. No. 2 telling them to always listen to the tour guide.

Cass slammed against a concrete floor, groaning from impact. After the room stopped spinning, she took in her surroundings. She was in an old stone hallway that looked like part of the Demon King’s castle. The hall stretched into darkness with no end in sight, just a few doorways along the way.

“Here me, denizens of darkness, you who are born of shadow and you who give birth to it,” Solomon’s voice echoed around her. “Here me and do as I command! I, King Solomon the Wise, call upon you to send forth one of your numbers! I summon Den of Iniquities’ Master Asmodeus, Avatar of Lust!”

“You can summon demons?”

Asmo landed somewhere down the hall from them, rolling on impact. He looked as confused as Cass felt, trying to get his bearings. Upon seeing them, he stood up and brushed any dirt off his clothes before stomping over to yell at Solomon.

“EXCUSE ME!” He yelled. “I told you to be GENTLE when you summoned me.”

“Oh, like your girlfriend was with us?” Solomon retorted before turning to answer Cass. “Yes, you can summon demons through your pact with them. It’d probably be difficult for you to do since you have almost no magical power.”

“I don’t know where we are or what’s going on, but we need to find Beel and get out of here. Otherwise, he’s going to go on a rampage and destroy the castle like he ruined your room, Cass.”

They chose a path and started walking, deciding to not take any turns that weren’t necessary. Solomon marked the walls as they went, in case they got turned around or came to a dead end and needed to backtrack. As much as she wanted to, Cass refrained from complaining when her feet started to get sore, knowing they were all in the same situation.

Asmo, however, didn’t seem to care. “How much longer does this go on? Are you even sure this is the right way?”

“You’re the reason we’re here, Asmo, so suck it up.”

“Excuse me! Cass, tell him I did nothing wrong.”

“Being a catalyst to the Trojan war is definitely not nothing. Why don’t you just apologize for trying to seduce a married woman?”

“Me? Apologize? It didn’t plan for anything to happen. It’s not like I even manipulated her. I simply gave her an opportunity and she grabbed it. Everyone has lust in their heart. No matter how noble or saintly they pretend to be, they’re keeping it locked up in there.”

“Given the spectrum of sexual attraction, not everyone has lust in their hearts. Are you sure you’re not projecting?”

Asmo stopped her, staring down into her eyes. “As hard as you may try to control it, deep inside you wish you could do and have what you want. You’re just fighting to suppress the urge and desire to be free. Aren’t you, Cass?”

Asmo grabbed her chin, forcing her to maintain eye contact as he moved closer, his voice lowering into a deep whisper. “Who is it you desire? What sort of secret shameful thoughts are hidden inside that heart of yours?” His other arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against him. His breath ghosted over her lips. “Why don’t you let me reach inside and unleash it.”

“There’s been a development.”

“We’re having a moment here, Solomon,” Asmo answered, not looking away from Cass.

“Sorry, I just thought you might want to know that Mammon, Levi, and Beel are coming towards us followed by a giant snake.”

Asmo didn’t release her as he looked over Cass’s shoulder to see what Solomon was talking about. He jumped back, finally letting her go, waving his hands frantically as he shouted ew. Cass turned to see Solomon wasn’t joking when he said giant.

“I hate looking at unattractive things. It’s disgusting,” Asmo cringed.

Cass rolled her eyes at his reaction. It was kind of amazing how he could flip that switch so quickly. Mammon reached them first, picking up Cass and giving Asmo a shove. By the time Beel caught up, Solomon had started running in the direction they were going before Asmo distracted them. Cass looked over Mammon’s shoulder to see Levi trailing shortly behind them, the snake getting closer.

They were finally able to lose it and pause to come up with a plan. Mammon set her down with a quick apology, explaining that he figured it be harder for her to keep up being human. They had to figure out something fast. There’s no way the snake was far. Even if it were, Beel’s stomach growling gave their location away to anything in a ten-mile radius.

“Way to go, idiot,” Levi coughed, still trying to breathe.

Asmo, Cass, and Solomon looked around not sure what he meant. “I thought it was a snake’s shed skin that I could take with us and sell. How was I supposed to know it was a friggin’ monster?

“He’s not a monster,” Levi cried, trying to hit Mammon, but not having enough energy. “He’s Henry 1.0. He was down here all along. I never thought I’d see him again.”

“I’m sorry, Henry 1.0?”

“It’s his pet snake. Every time Levi gets a new pet, he names it Henry.”

“You’re onto, what, you’re fourth henry?

“NO! I currently have Henry 2.0. I’m so happy that Henry 1.0 is alive and well! He grew up to be so big. Look at the selfie I took with him!” Levi beamed, turning his phone for them to see.

“You had time to take a fucking selfie? While we were runnin’ for our lives?”

“If he’s your pet, why can’t you pacify him?”

Levi smile fell. “He looked like he’d forgotten about me.”

“Or he’s pissed you replaced him and left him to die.” Levi turned to Cass horrified at even the joke that he would do that.

“Let’s hunt it down, trap it, and eat it,” Beel said, a scary level of determination taking over his features.

“NOOOO,” Levi screamed.

“Plan B?” Mammon asked.

“Well, if it were up to Asmo, he’d be trying to sleep with it.”

“EXCUSE ME?” Asmo yelled at the same time Solomon spoke. “That actually gives me an idea.”

---

After Mammon had distracted the snake, Solomon had been able to amplify Asmo’s powers for him to charm the snake. After being charmed, the snake safely led them to an exit before disappearing down the corridors. Levi’s cries of goodbye following the snake in his tracks.

They’d gotten out in time for Barbatos’s dinner and before Beel’s little remaining self-control left. They had retired earlier, giving Cass some time to unwind after everything happened. That, and time to research the former council.

There had been very little information about them in the final years of their existence. It would have been impossible for her to have met Aeshma, considering she had been forfeited. Not that Cass had been able to figure out what exactly that meant.

With a brief interruption from Mammon trying to start a pillow fight with Asmo, who had been pretending to be asleep, and Lucifer charging into the room, Cass had fallen asleep early. That sleep had gone uninterrupted as Asmo claimed he needed his beauty sleep and Simeon could have been dead with how quiet and unmoving he was once asleep.

Apparently, after being pulled away by Lucifer, Mammon hadn’t gotten much sleep. The following morning, he could barely stand up. His head rested on Beel’s shoulder as he tried to sneak in a quick nap. Levi was live tweeting the conversation, as he had done the day before.

“I’m sure you had a hard time yesterday,” Diavolo laughed, “but it was quite fun to watch.”

“You know,” Asmo started, “I bet–”

Before he had time to continue, both Simeon and Cass rushed to cover Luke’s ears. Cass wasn’t able to catch everything Asmo said, but she was grateful that they’d gotten to Luke before he’d heard any of the vulgarity pouring out of his mouth. Both of them glared at the demon, who shrugged, unbothered.

“Why are you covering my ears? I can’t hear anything,” Luke shouted.

“Why don’t we just get started with the scavenger hunt?” Solomon asked, trying to divert attention away from Asmo.

They divided into teams based on their room pairings. Something seemed off about Asmo, like he was trying to prove something. He kept disappearing during their search and didn’t bother helping. He was being especially aggressive about getting Cass’s attention.

“Did you really hatch a plot to keep us from winning?” Satan demanded, charging up to them.

Simeon and Cass exchanged a look, not sure what he was talking about. “Asmo’s been preventing us from making any progress.”

“He keeps jumpin’ in front of the items when we go to get a picture so we can’t get a clear shot.”

“Why do you even want a picture of some old boring art. Your camera will thank you for taking a picture with such a beautiful subject.”

“SERIOUSLY?” Luke shouted from around the corner.

“Luke?”

“I tried to take a picture of this statue and Asmodeus went and charmed it.”

“I can’t help that I’m so beautiful and charming, plus the rule didn’t say I couldn’t do that.” Mammon and Satan both starting yelling at him. Asmo waved his hand in a shooing motion at them before turning and walking away. “I’m going somewhere where I don’t have to listen to someone lecturing me.”

The others called after him or complained about his attitude. Cass sighed, handed Simeon the paper with their clues, and followed the drama queen they got for a partner. He was taking selfies when she found the room he’d retreated to.

Asmo looked up at the sound of the door closing. Before she knew it, he had backed her against it, placing a hand on her hip. The other reached down and locked the door. There was something different about him. It reminded her of the maze yesterday and when they’d first met.

“Did you follow me for some alone time?”

The way he spoke reminded her of a hypnotist. Even though it was a question, he said it as a statement. His movements strategic, laying the foundation for whatever his goal was. Even without using his powers, there was something hypnotic about the demon.

But she wasn’t going to let herself get pulled in by cheap tricks. “No. I came to get you so we could finish the game. Also, you should apologize to the others, that wasn’t cool.”

Asmo hummed in fake thought, but Cass could tell he wasn’t considering it. The hand on the door went to cup her cheek. She tried to shift out of his grasp, not recognizing his behavior. Normally, he seemed to exude love, making others feel as good as he did. This was too calculated for Asmo, too harsh. The hand on her hip tightened, as he leaned down to speak in her ear.

“Oh, no? Was I being unfair?” He mocked, pulling her even closer. His grip became painful, but he refused to let go despite how much she struggled. “What an odd behavior. Who would have thought a demon would be unfair or unkind? Did you delude yourself into thinking we aren’t the type of beings to take what we want?”

Cass squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to look at him. He pulled away as he tsked, hand moving to her chin and squeezing until she looked at him again. She glared back, knowing it would do very little, but wanting him to see how pissed she was.

“I tried charming you yesterday and again today. But you didn’t feel anything, did you? You’re just some human. Why doesn’t my power work on you?” He became enraged at the very notion, but the soon expression shifted to a ruthless, inhuman one. “Don’t worry though, I can convince you in other ways.”

“This is a really ugly side of you,” Cass spit out.

Asmo’s grip became impossibly tight as he pressed her into the door. His horns sprouted at her words, and she knew she had hit a nerve. He grinned. Unlike his normal smile it was sadistic. When they’d first met, his eyes reminded her of a flickering candle, drawing her in. Now, there was nothing behind the pale saffron hue.

"I don’t have any ugly sides, Cass. I’m happy to take my time and show you that.”

“Knock it off, this isn’t funny.”

“Who said I’m joking? I don’t know why you’re fighting me. Things would go a lot smoother for you if you just agreed. Besides, this is what everyone wants, to be with me. You should consider yourself lucky I find you worthy enough.”

“Fuck you.”

“I’m certainly not surprised to hear that from you. That’s what you’re doing, isn’t it? Sleeping your way through my brothers? Or is it just whoever will agree to it? I suppose it was only a matter of time before you tried to trick me into a pact too. Did you think insulting me yesterday would make me want to prove something to you? I’m not going to let that happen, you’re not going to control me.”

Cass blinked rapidly, trying to clear the tears forming in her eyes. She wasn’t sure if it was from the pain of Asmo’s nails digging into her skin or what he was saying. She needed to get away from him somehow otherwise he might let his sin and insecurities take over completely. How had he gotten into a state of such desperation that he couldn’t control himself?

“Cass?”

She heard someone calling her name. She used the brief window of time Asmo was distracted to shove him away from her. He stumbled backwards, falling into the nearby chair. She threw the door open and glanced back. The feral look in his eyes was gone and a mixture of regret and self-hatred took its place. She didn’t care though, she wanted him to feel that way, at least for now.

Cass didn’t stop when she passed Mammon. He called after her, confusion evident in his voice. She didn’t want to talk to him. She didn’t want to talk to anyone right now. By the time she was back to her room, she couldn’t stop the tears. Her anger only made it worse.

She grabbed her keys, leaving the rest of her belongings. Diavolo would probably let her get them later. If not, they really weren’t worth packing. Cass made it to the front door before someone stopped her. She ripped her arm out of their grasp, not wanting anyone to touch her.

“Where do you think you’re going? Lord Diavolo planned this retreat and we’re staying for the weekend.”

“You go right ahead. I’m not staying here any longer.” Lucifer went to stop her again and she shoved him. “Don’t fucking touch me,” she hissed. She knew he was going to scold her, tell her not to risk harming Diavolo’s image. “Don’t worry about threatening me either, your brother already beat you to it this time.”

Lucifer furrowed his eyebrows, only now taking in her tear-stained face. She could hear Mammon calling her name still. There were a few other voices, but it didn’t matter who right now. Cass pulled open the door before Lucifer could stop her and walked out of the castle.

Only after she was alone did she start to calm down. A weird feeling had settled over her after she started the walk towards town. At first, she’d thought it was Lilith. Then she noticed the difference. Whenever Lilith’s presence appeared, it was like a wall between her and whoever was threatening her.

This feeling only came once any threat had passed. Rather than preventing the danger, it was comforting. Like a blanket draped around her shoulders or hug from a best friend. Whatever, or whoever, this was, Cass was glad to have them on her side.

Cass didn’t have a plan once she made it to town. They’d be looking for her at the House of Lamentation, Purgatory Hall, or one of the restaurants she frequented. There weren’t any places Cass could imagine going to that they wouldn’t think to check.

She sank to the ground, sitting on the edge of the sidewalk. There’s nothing she wanted more than her memory back. Or, at the very least, her memory of one person. She just needed one person she could turn to no matter what.

“Isn’t it dangerous for you to be out here?”

Cass looked up at the person who had stopped in front of her. She wore a large black witch’s hat. If Cass were standing, the brim would cover one of her golden amber eyes where it dipped from the weight. An old scar, likely from an animal’s scratch, ran across one side of her face and a maroon rune was on her forehead. Her hair had been pulled back at one point, but now pieces were falling out and the hair tie close to following.

The oddest thing about the witch was the greyish tone to her skin and the vacant look behind her eyes. Cass wasn’t sure why, but the first word that came to her mind was corpse. Her stare seemed to go right through her, like Cass was a ghost.

“I guess it’ll be easier for you to survive since your only half here.”

“What?” Cass blinked up at the witch.

“Has no one told you yet?” She looked to her right, falling silent. Cass looked down the street, but nothing was there. “I don’t know who called me here, but they weren’t very powerful. You’ll need to find someone stronger next time.”

Cass turned back to the stranger, but she was already gone. A single raven’s feather floated to the ground, a small, rolled piece of paper was tied to the quill. Cass unfurled the paper to reveal a single name, Nadia Kyteler.

“Hell to Cass!” Cass jumped at the voice looking up from the card to see Preta leaning over her. “I’ve been calling your name from down the block. What are you doing here?”

“Oh, sorry. I, um, I was supposed to be at the Demon Lord’s castle, but something happened and I kind of ran away?”

“Just when I think you can’t be any more amazing,” Preta laughed. “Do you want to talk about it?” Cass shook her head. “Well, I have to go to some stupid dance in about four hours. Do you want to get drunk and come with me to get ready?”

---

“What’s it like when you get hungry?” Cass asked. Preta gave her a quizzical look. “Obviously I know what it feels like to be hungry. I meant, what does it feel like after you get past the typical feelings, when it starts to take over your thoughts?”

“It’s hard to know when that is, really, because I’m always hungry, I’ve always been hungry. I don’t know what it’s like to not be hungry, just what it’s like to be less hungry. That feeling’s just part of me and it’ll never really be gone.

“It’s like a headache. If it’s not bad, you ignore it. But you can only do that so long before it starts to impact your thoughts and actions. Eventually, it becomes all consuming. Every sound, every movement, every little thing is about the headache. And you’ll do anything to get rid of it, but at some point, it’s not really you making those decisions. Something else takes control because you can’t fight it anymore.”

It made sense, she’d seen all the brothers go through something similar. Countless times Lucifer looked like he wanted to apologize, but couldn’t say the words or when he did, they always came with a warning. Mammon had called her outside of the casino having been ripped away from the table because he couldn’t leave. Levi almost killed her because of it. Satan and Beel had destroyed parts of the house on several occasions. And now, with Asmo.

“You’re really going to go?” Preta asked, when Cass didn’t say anything. After she’d told them about what happened, Preta kept asking her that.

Cass sighed, looking up at the ceiling. The dance Preta had mentioned turned out to be the formal ball Diavolo was hosting for the exchange program. It made sense given their family’s connection to the House of Lords and Royal family. As much as she didn’t want to see Asmo, she knew it wasn’t an option.

“Yeah, it’s not Diavolo’s fault. Regardless of how many times Lucifer threatens me, I don’t want the exchange program to fail either.”

“Alright but say the word and I will break every one of that fucker’s nails and then pull them off one by one.”

Cass, who’d taken a sip of her drink at that moment, started coughing. The image of Asmo having each nail broken made her feel better than it probably should have. The stylist Preta had managed to hire at the last minute looked more concerned about Cass than Preta did. After she made sure Cass was fine, she went back to finishing her hair.

Preta picked up their phone, rolling their eyes at Cass. “Hello?...Do I look like I run a service for runaway humans?...Maybe she doesn’t want to talk to you, and that’s why she’s not answering...I will immediately check on that for you.” They ended the call and set their phone back down.

“What are you checking on?”

“I’m not. He’ll get his answer when you get to the ball, I’m not his secretary.” Before Cass could respond, they changed the subject. “Do you even have something to wear for this?”

Preta groaned as their phone rang again. Cass shook her head in response to the question. “Hey, Dia!...I hung up on him because he’s an arrogant ass...I’d say he should learn some manners, but he doesn’t really need anything else to warrant his ego...Yes, she’ll be at the caste, safe and sound and the envy of all...Goodbye.”

“Good news, a dress will be waiting for you at my apartment. If you hate it, I probably have something you can wear. Bad news, the dress they sent has reds, so those won’t work.”

Cass turned to see the stylist holding flowers with a magenta hue. She hadn’t even realized the stylist was there. Preta took a sip of their drink, already scrolling through their phone. After a beat they held it up to the stylist, showing her some different pictures. The stylist went into the back, returning with gold laurel branches and flowers of a pale azureish seafoam.

“How do you make your freckles glow?”

“My what?”

“When you were sitting outside, your freckles looked like they were almost glowing. Kind of like pact marks in use. Did you make another pact?”

“No,” Cass muttered, staring into the mirror.

She traced over the dusting of freckles on her cheeks. They didn’t look any different than usual. Despite their being black, they were usually easy enough to cover with some light make-up, if she chose to hide them. They couldn’t be a pact mark, right? They weren’t even sigils, just random dots, like stars in a constellation.

“It was probably just my eyes playing tricks or residual magic, I wouldn’t worry about it,” they added after noticing Cass’s reaction. “Just thought it was a cool party trick for a human.”

By the time they made it to Preta’s apartment, they were both tipsy. So much so, that when Cass saw the heels shoes that accompanied the dress, she almost cried. Despite wearing heels most of the time, they weren’t usually this tall. She’d struggle walking in them even if she hadn’t had anything to drink.

It was only after Preta stopped laughing and ate enough food to satisfy a family of four that they announced there was a spell to help. Of course, there was a spell for that. The more time she spent in the Devildom, the more she wished she could perform some magic.

“That bitch! Of all the times Asmo has seen me in heels.”

“Say the word and I’ll do it. One nail at a time.”

Cass laughed, swaying where she stood. Okay, okay, okay, Cass. She thought to herself, or maybe she said the words out loud. Either way, she needed to focus and finish getting ready. She was fortunate enough that liquor in the Devildom didn’t affect her as much as it did demons. It did, however, make her feel cross-faded. By the time she started taking out the dress that had been sent for her, Preta had already changed.

Their hair was pulled back into a slick ponytail making their horns appear even more prominent. They were wearing a formal suit. The fitted, cropped white top contrasting the oversized black jacket and high-rise pants. While it wasn’t unusual for Preta to wear black and white, the whole ensemble showcased how well they could fit in around Diavolo and Mephisto.

“You need to hurry, or we’ll be late,” Preta said, mouth full of the bread they’d taken a bite of.

Moving as fast as she could, Cass started changing. The dress had clearly been designed with her in mind. The dark mahogany lace bodice was so dark that it looked black at certain angles. Sigils of the brothers she’d made pacts with made up the lace design.

Each layer of the gathered skirt was a lighter color. There was a slit in the dress that showed peaks of the bold blood red of the bottom layer when she walked. The heels laced in a way that went all the way up her leg. Even with the heels, the skirt trailed behind her while she walked.

Cass spun once the dress was on, unable to look away. Somehow, the fabric had been embedded with magic to reflect lights like gold sparkles. There was a single elbow length glove that she debated wearing but decided that whoever designed the dress knew best. Mammon and Levi’s pact marks would have been hidden with the matching glove. The gold jewelry included in the package matched the clips in her hair.

“Wow, you look stunning.”

Preta was close enough to examine the details of the dress. Cass, distracted by the sparkles, hadn’t noticed someone entered the apartment. They both jumped at the sound of a throat clearing. Mephisto stood in the doorway looking unamused.

“How many times must I tell you not to eat after you’ve gotten ready?” He grumbled, walking up to Preta to wipe the crumbs off their shirt. “Cass, you look presentable, surprisingly.”

“Did you hear that, Cass? Presentable. He’s absolutely swooning.”

Cass giggled at the impression Preta started doing of the demon, grabbing his arm to keep her balance. Mephisto rolled his eyes, before pausing to appraise both of them. His eyes narrowed after a moment, and he inhaled sharply.

“Did you really get drunk again? As associates of Lord Diavolo, we owe it to him–”

“When did you become such a lame ass, Phitsy?” Preta interrupted, grabbing their keys.

“Excuse me? Do you really think Aeshma would be proud of this behavior? Or that you got one of the guests of honors drunk?”

“Do you really think you’d get away with admonishing Aeshma?” Preta bit out, pushing past him. “Don’t act like you’re above me. Pointy boot shoe bitch.”

Cass watched the interaction with wide eyes, afraid to interrupt or move. Even though this is how the two always interacted, the demonus made her hesitant. After Preta left, Mephisto looked down at her. Only then did she realize she was still holding onto his arm.

Cass let him guide her into the hall so he could close the door. “I am but an inozent human was cor-” she hiccupped “-rupted by a demon.”

---

Luckily, Mephisto’s driver was able to get them there on time. Still affected by the demonus, Cass tried to stay towards the back of the room. Solomon was the first one to approach her, linking arms and pulling her in line with the other exchange students and the student council.

“If you get any more radiant, people are going to start thinking you’re an angel.”

“If you get any creepier, people are going to start thinking you’re a demon,” Cass retorted, trying to appear normal, but the blush that had appeared at his words quickly gave her away.

How long had they been standing there? She knew someone was giving them instructions, but all she could think about was dinner. Solomon was clearly amused by her behavior, probably well aware of her inebriated state.

She jumped when she felt his breath hit her ear, unaware that he’d leaned down to speak. “You’re lucky most demons aren’t familiar of human behavior, or you might have more to worry about than Lucifer knowing you showed up drunk.”

“What’s he going to do kill me?”

Solomon snorted in response, trying not to laugh too loud. “They’re just going to introduce us and then you can go back to hiding in the shadows.”

As they approached the top of the stairs, Cass was able to hear the announcer better. It was the first time she’d heard the brothers’ full titles. Except when Solomon summoned Asmo. As each name was announced, she became more and more excited about what her own would be.

Archdemon Lucifer the Morning Star, Avatar of Pride...Count Mammon of Wealth, Avatar of Greed...Grand Admiral Leviathan, Avatar of Envy...Prince Satan of Darkness, Avatar of Wrath...Den of Iniquities Master Asmodeus, Avatar of Lust...Lord Beelzebub of Flies, Avatar of Gluttony...Chief Demon Belphegor, Avatar of Sloth.

Even the Angels’ and Solomon’s titles were formidable. Archangel Simeon, Principality of Kindness... Angel Luke, Disciple of the Archangel Michael... King Solomon the Wise, Son of David. Which may be why it was so disappointing to hear her introduction as Exchange Student Cass of the Human Realm.

“What a fucking disappointment,” she whispered as Solomon and her stepped to the edge of the stairs.

She didn’t miss the smirk he wore as they waited for the signal they could proceed towards the main floor. Cass thanked whoever was listening that Preta had used that spell on her shoes because she was certain she would have fallen down the stairs without it.

Solomon should have thanked them too because had she been a little more certain of her steps, she probably would have shoved him when he told her to do something more interesting if she wanted a better title.

The ballroom of the Castle was as extraordinary as the rest of the place. Cass had to remind herself to act natural, paranoid someone would wonder why she kept staring at the chandeliers. The jewels that hung from them may be common in the Devildom, but she was certain they weren’t crystal or diamonds, and she couldn’t figure out what they were.

Her paranoia wasn’t helped by the fact everyone seemed to be following her movements. She should have borrowed a different dress from Preta to blend in more. The sparkles only attracted more attention than she wanted.

It wasn’t long before Mammon, Satan, and Levi had found their way to her. Though she’d seen them in their demon forms before, it was rare to see them dressed in formal wear at the same time. Just as Preta seemed transformed, so did the brothers. For the first time, she saw them as others may, imposing members of the ruling council.

Cass was certain Mammon wasn’t acting any different. Try as she might, though, she couldn’t keep up with his stuttering to string together any meaning. Satan and Levi settling into the role of commentators, never ones to pass up the opportunity to poke fun at Mammon.

“You’re talking so fast,” Cass finally said.

She put her hand on his arm, looking up at him with tired eyes. She smiled, waiting for him to continue at a slower rate, but his brain seemed to stop at the action. Mammon was blushing so hard, he could have matched the color of her skirt.

“Cass,” a voice interrupted them. She turned to see Lucifer standing behind her. “Come dance with me.”

Without giving her a chance to respond, he grasped her hand and pulled her to the dance floor. The chandeliers looked even more amazing looking up from the dance floor. It wasn’t until Lucifer squeezed her hand that whatever trance she’d been in snapped.

“What happened with Asmo?” Cass stumbled over her feet at the question. “He hasn’t spoken to anyone since you disappeared earlier. As I’ve said before, I respect my brother’s wishes, but if you ever become a threat–”

“You sound like a broken record,” Cass interrupted. Lucifer clenched his jaw. “I get it, if I ever hurt you or your brothers, you’ll kill me, and no one will find the body.”

Lucifer quickly dipped her before pulling her close. Her head was still spinning as he continued speaking. “You seem to have a hard time remember that.”

“And what makes you so certain your brother was the one in danger earlier?” Lucifer didn’t answer, tension hanging between them as the song came to an end. “If you want to dance with me, you can do that without the threat. I won’t judge you.”

Cass barely caught the slight blush at her words as Lucifer dropped her hands. He stepped back, allowing Solomon to swoop in before the next song started, and she was stuck with Lucifer as her dance partner once again. The sorcerer’s grip on her hand was far gentler than the demon’s.

“How are you holding up?” Cass shrugged, not sure how to answer. “I’m not sure what happened with Asmo earlier, and it may not be my place, but I think you should speak with him once you’re ready.”

“You’re right, it’s not your place.” A sigh quickly followed her words, knowing the anger was misplaced. “Where is he anyways? I’d have thought he’d vying for center of attention.”

Solomon raised his eyebrows, only humming in response. That’s all he needed to do though. If he hadn’t spoken with anyone, he obviously wasn’t in the place to dazzle a crowd. While she felt guilty, she was also relieved Asmo at least realized he’d gone too far.

“You know, I find it a bit odd you haven’t manifested any magic.” Cass glanced at Solomon, wondering where the change of subject was leading. “I’m curious to know what would happen if you could take control command demons with your pacts. How would you feel about borrowing mine?”

Cass stilled. He was going to come up with a reason why he was offering that, because Solomon would never admit the truth. He wanted to lend them to her, so she felt safe enough to approach Asmo now. No matter how he acted, Solomon really did care about him.

“And why would you do that?” Cass asked, playing into it. “Do you have a booty call and want to hide it?”

Solomon laughed, the music loud enough it didn’t draw any attention to their conversation. “You know, if your magic is strong enough, you can make it so demons don’t have that feeling.”

“So why is it that Asmo is so familiar with that feeling when it comes to you?”

“I said you can, not that I did.” Solomon winked like the cheeky bastard he was. “How would you like to experiment a bit and know what it’s like to have magic and possibly control a demon? We wouldn’t want to waste the opportunity since it’s a retreat.”

Once the song ended, Diavolo started introducing her to what felt like everyone. By the time the dance was over, she was ready to spend the next few days in solitude. Before anyone could stop her, Cass slipped away down the first empty hall, wandering the castle for a moment’s peace.

She didn’t have many options. Preta had disappeared halfway through the dance, sending her a text later that an emergency had come up. It was passed the point she felt comfortable venturing down the streets alone.

While there were plenty of rooms at the castle, there’s no telling what hid behind some of the doors. Even with Solomon’s magic, she’d rather avoid being thrown back into the underground labyrinth, especially alone.

Cass debated whether to just find a safe enough area to sleep or risk going to the room she’d been assigned to and coming across Asmo. There was a chance they’d rearranged sleeping arrangements because of this afternoon. Before making up her mind, however, she stumbled across Mammon.

He was pointing at the doors he passed, as if counting them from the corner he’d just rounded. Like her, he was still dressed in his outfit from the dance though his horns and wings were out of sight. It didn’t take a genius to figure out he was doing something he wasn’t supposed to be.

“Whatever you’re planning, I’d reconsider.”

Cass had never seen anyone jump the way did Mammon had. He’s lucky it was her that had come across him, considering he hadn’t been aware of his surroundings. His hand went to his heart to calm down before he started muttering under his breath.

“I’m not doing anything bad,” he whispered once she was close. She glared at him. “Okay, fine. I saw something in Lucifer’s room last night that would be really easy to steal. Nobody will even notice it’s missing. I’ll be so fast, they won’t even know I was here.”

Mammon opened the door, holding his finger to his lips to signal she needed to stay quiet. Mammon didn’t give her an option to follow or not. He grabbed her arm, pulling her into the pitch-black room, letting the door close softly behind them.

Cass squinted trying to adjust to the darkness. Something was wrong, that much was clear. The room was damp, as if someone had been stuck inside panting. A soft breeze blew through the room, but it carried the same warm, damp feeling. There was nothing refreshing about the air or the smell of death it carried.

“Shit,” Mammon whispered, grabbing onto her arm. “There’s something slippery on the floor.”

Before Cass could get more information, a loud grumble echoed around them. The sound was not unlike Beel when he hadn’t eaten enough. Had Mammon got confused and ended up in Beel’s room? Whatever was in the room shifted, and three pairs of eyes narrowed in on Mammon and Cass.

“Aw, it’s just a dog!” Cass practically squealed, rushing forward to pet the multiheaded animal.

The dog growled when Mammon grabbed her arm, pulling her back. “What the hell are you thinking? That’s Cerberus. We’ve got to get the hell out of here.”

“What? No, I think he’s just lonely.”

Mammon released her arm, frantically looking for a door. When he was distracted, Cass reached up, scratching beneath one of the dog’s chins. Even in the dark, she could see his tail wagging. While still loud enough to be terrifying, a deep satisfied rumble came from the dog.

“There’s another door here,” Mammon announced.

He picked her up by the waist, ignoring her protests and ran through the doorway without hesitating. They started falling, surrounded by darkness before crashing onto the stone floor of the labyrinth. Mammon cursed, taking the brunt of the fall since he was still holding Cass. She dusted off her clothes, helping him stand.

“We’re back in the labyrinth,” Cass groaned, stating the obvious.

“Yup.”

“Do you also think that noise is Henry 1.0 making his way towards us?”

“Most likely.”

“Bring it on.”

“We should be fine, Asmo charmed it.”

At the very far end of the corridor, Henry 1.0 started slithering towards them. Whatever charm the snake had been under before, it clearly had been lifted. Mammon was yelling at her to run, but she knew there was no point. If they were going to get out of this, they needed Asmo. As much as she didn't want to summon him, thinking it would only push them further apart, it was a last resort. Hopefully he’d understand.

She really should have paid more attention to Solomon earlier. She fumbled through the words, hoping it was close enough. “Denizens of darkness, those born of shadow and those who birth it. Here me, Cass, as I call to summon Den of Iniquities’ Master Asmodeus, Avatar of Lust!”

Magic swirled around them. This hadn’t happened when Solomon summoned Asmo yesterday. Was she too far off with the words that it went horribly wrong? Before her, Asmo materialized, confusion evident on his features. He started criticizing Solomon before he even saw Mammon or Cass.

Much like Mammon, he was still wearing his formal wear, but no longer had his demon features visible. The static caused by the magic didn’t dissipate. The charge only increased Cass’s adrenaline as the snake was almost too them.

“Cass?” Asmo’s eyes lit up, a mixture of emotion behind the initial relief. “I’m so happy to see you, I really wanted to talk to you abou–”

“And I would love to talk to you too,” Cass interrupted, “but we’ve got a much more pressing matter.”

Asmo pivoted, taking in the snake. Cass repeated the chant to help supplement Asmo’s powers to the best of his ability. Within no time, the snake was once again docile, waiting on Asmo to make a command.

“How? When? You can summon people?” Mammon yelled. “Did you make a pact with Asmo? Is that why you ran off or somethin’?”

“No, we didn’t,” Asmo answered, appraising Cass. “Not only did you summon me, but you drew my power out in a way that Solomon has never been able to. Who exactly are you, Cass?”

---

Lucifer was pacing in front of the three of them. Cass wasn’t sure why Asmo and her were being included in this lecture when they hadn’t done anything but get swept up in Mammon’s plans. Granted, Lucifer did seem to favor collective punishment.

“Why the hell was Cerberus in your room anyways? Huh?” Mammon demanded.

“I cursed the door to prevent a certain someone from stealing any pieces to sell. Anyone who opened the door without knocking first would go to Cerberus’s room.”

“Why are you locking up that precious animal anyways?”

Cass crossed her arms, huffing as she leaned back onto the couch. Several of the brothers exchanged looks while Levi and Mammon stared in disbelief. Lucifer rubbed his temple and muttered something under his breath.

“Precious?” Diavolo asked when nobody continued.

“Yeah! He let me walk right up and pet him. When was the last time you let him out? Or gave him a treat? Or spent time with him?”

“I’ve never heard anyone describe a hellhound, much less Cerberus, as precious,” Diavolo laughed. “And he let you pet him?”

Cass withdrew slightly, wondering why they were acting like the dog was vicious. “It’s not like I was a threat to him, why would he attack me? I obviously don’t know him personally, but in mythology, isn’t he just a guard dog that prevents mortals from entering the underworld and souls from leaving?”

“That’s just mythos though,” Barbatos answered, “those stories were made up. Hellhounds have a variety of skills and duties. One of the few truths about him is that he is a guard dog, though what he guards varies.”

“Maybe you all should try being nicer to him,” Cass shrugged.

“Regardless, it seems someone kindly lent you their powers. Very fortunate you had those when you ran into Henry 1.0 again. Don’t you agree Solomon?”

“What? Someone did that? What a kind and selfless act. Truly a rarity here in the Devildom,” Solomon mused in false sincerity.

Asmo, who had been silent since he charmed the snake apart from sharing directions out of the labyrinth cleared his throat. “May Cass and I be excused? I’d like to speak with her in private.”

Everyone’s eyes were suddenly on her, mostly out of concern. “What’s he going to do kill me?” She laughed but the joke was met with silence. “One of these days, you all will find that funny.”

With that she stood up, brushing off anyone’s concerns and followed Asmo out of the room. They walked in silence for a while, making random turns before Asmo came to a stop. Cass knew he was trying to make sure nobody heard their conversation while also making sure they were in a hallway so she felt like she could escape.

Asmo took a step towards her after a moment, lifting a hand. Cass flinched, withdrawing at the action. His hand tensed before falling back to his side. She crossed her arms, trying to calm down. While she did feel safer knowing she still had Solomon’s powers and could stop him from doing anything, she didn’t want to do that.

Even when she’d summoned him and helped when he’d charmed Henry 1.0, Cass couldn’t help thinking about what he’d said earlier. I’m not going to let that happen, you’re not going to control me. It was the same sentiment Mammon had expressed after they made a pact. Just because may be in control of my body doesn’t mean you own my mind.

“Simeon wondered how I would react if I couldn’t charm someone,” Asmo finally spoke. “I panicked, that’s what happened. You said that was an ugly side of me, but it’s not a side of me. That is me.” His voice fell into a whisper, so quiet she almost missed the next part. “I’m ugly. I’ve been ugly since I fell.”

“No one is one thing and one thing only. Yeah, that was you earlier, you’re right, but that’s not all you are. Just like Satan is so much more than his wrath. It’s a disservice to yourself to think that.”

“I could have hurt you. I kept thinking, if I can’t charm her, there might be others I can’t charm. And if I can’t charm people, they’ll leave me when they see what I really am.”

“Then let them.”

“I can’t live like that, abandoned, alone,” Asmo said, his eyes glassy.

“You won’t be.”

Asmo didn’t answer. He was looking off to the side, as if considering Cass’s words and how to respond. She was finally able to take in his appearance. At first glance, it was likely nobody would notice something was wrong. But the little details that were so important to him were missing. A piece of hair or two in the wrong place, make up not as perfect, wrinkles on his jacket.

“There are a few things I want to say, and I don’t want to be interrupted. Is that okay?” The question was met with another long silence before Asmo nodded.

“I know that whatever happened wasn’t something you could control. It’d be hypocritical of me to hate you for that since I’ve been threatened or attacked by all of your brothers when their sin takes over. That doesn’t mean I have to be okay with it and brush it off though.

“I know you’re a demon and think that because I’m human you can just do whatever. But I’m not letting anyone, demon or not, push me around. You said you didn’t want to be controlled. Neither do I. I can respect your wish if you can respect mine.

“I’m also sorry.” Asmo’s head snapped up at the words. “What I said hurt you, regardless of what I meant, and you had a natural reaction. I don’t want to be the type of person that hurts people, especially people I care about.

“I don’t know what you thought I meant when I said that people aren’t worthy of love because of their looks. But I didn’t mean that you weren’t worthy of love. Anyone who doesn’t love you is a fool, Asmo. That may be because you are incredibly beautiful, but who you are isn’t what you look like.

“Who you are is inside of you, flaws and all. Even that side of you earlier, that’s part of you. Pretending it’s not or hiding that is only going to make it harder for you to love yourself and accept love given to you. But you deserve to be loved and are worthy of that, sin and all. Don’t let anyone make you believe differently.”

“Nobody could love who I was earlier, not even me.”

“We don’t have to love every part of someone to love them, not even ourselves.”

She stayed silent, not sure where to go from here. Regardless of what she said, the only person that could change his mind was him. She just hoped she could help him on his way.

“When you’re ready, if you’re ever ready,” Asmo finally spoke. “I want to make a pact with you.”

“What?”

“I've known Solomon for millennia and I’m not sure he sees me the way you do. I think that’s why you were able to pull such power out of me. You said you didn’t want to control me, and I believe you.” Asmo hadn’t tried to move closer to her since the start of their conversation. Even now, he stayed outside of arms reach. “I’ll spend however long it takes proving that I’m as worthy as you think.”

“You don’t have to prove anything to me,” Cass sighed.

“I know, but I have to prove it to myself.”

---

Cass stared out the window, taking a deep breath. It was surprisingly warm outside compared to how cold it’d been the last few weeks. She let the breeze blow over her, as if blowing away the stress of the day. For some reason, she wasn’t tired, even after everything that had happened.

Asmo had gone to bed after their talk. He seemed lighter when he’d turned to leave. Before he could, Cass had wrapped her arms around him. The demon stiffened for a moment, before placing his hands on top of hers. He glanced over his shoulder at her. She returned the gentle smile before letting him go. One day, they might both be ready to make a pact.

“I think he might.”

Almost out of sight, tucked away in the garden, she saw Lucifer and Diavolo. Their voices were so faint, it’s possible they’d been talking since she sat down. Diavolo, not surprisingly, was smiling. His smiles always seemed more genuine when he was away from the public eye, especially around Lucifer.

“It’s good though, isn’t it? From what I can tell, Cass and your brothers seem to be form real bonds. This was the goal from the beginning.”

“It should be. They trust her and are changing because of it. Yet, there’s something about her that’s not letting me put aside my concerns. What if they get hurt again?”

Diavolo didn’t respond to his question. Cass wondered the same thing. She was only here for a year, really. Lucifer had certainly reminded her of that. The three brothers she had pacts with didn’t have pacts with other humans. What would happen when she left if she couldn’t summon them?

“If she and Asmo do make a pact, that’ll be four in a few months. An average human dropped here with no memory and yet she’s been able to win over almost half your council. It’d be difficult to make that many pacts with lower-tier demons, let alone my brothers.”

“She certainly is an enigma.”

“I can’t say I approve of your eavesdropping, Cass.”

She jumped at the Barbatos’s comment. How long had he been standing there? “Were you not listening also?”

“It’s my job to stay close to Lord Diavolo so I can best serve him.”

“Do you think there’s something else going on? A reason I was chosen for the program or why I have no memory, but have been able to make these pacts?” Cass changed the subject, knowing Barbatos wouldn’t budge.

“There may not even be a greater plan that brought you to us. Perhaps it’s not an accident either. There are things in this world that are inevitable, no matter how much we try to change time.”

Spoken like someone who had tried to change something in the past and failed. “Yesterday, Diavolo said you were running errands for the student council, but I could tell he wasn’t telling the truth. You were looking into my history, weren’t you?”

“Has anyone told you that you may be far too perceptive for your own safety?”

Cass released a breathy laugh. “Usually too nosy.” Barbatos smiled. “Were you able to find anything?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I’m afraid of the same thing Lucifer is, that they’ll get hurt. I don’t know who I was or what will happen at the end of the year, but at least knowing could help prevent that. Or lessen the pain if it is an inevitability.”

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