Grogginess clouded his mind, and he awoke to the moonlight streaming through the slitted window. He just now noticed that it was always night here and the day never came. He never thought that he would miss the sun and how it would warm the Earth.

That was another thing: it was always cold here and apart from him, it seemed like everyone was used to it - especially the Queen. The coldness on the outside seemed to match the inside of the Queen, and it showed in her facial features.

That being said, Orion knew or thought he knew the Queen’s true self. To him, she was soft and warm, and she had to hide who she really was from the other demons, to make it harder for those who wanted to usurp the throne.

A small smile graced his lips as he continued to think about the Queen and her delicateness.

“This, this, and this!” The Queen pointed out the clothes that caught her eye and gestured to the servants to get them out of the wardrobe. “These will look perfect on him.”

She smiled to herself and turned her head slightly when she felt a presence behind her. “It’s not good to sneak up on a demon, you know?” Fire danced behind her red eyes and along her fingertips. “Unless you want to get burned.”

“Sis, is that any way to talk to your brother?” Xander held up his hands and chuckled. “And why do you have a wardrobe full of men’s clothes?”

“Ah, I just thought they might come in handy one day.” Asteria joined in his laughter. “Oh, and now they have. He’ll look great in these and when he’s sitting on the throne, we’ll be the perfect couple.”

“Aren’t you getting too involved with him?” Xander raised an eyebrow and threw a questioning glance at his sister. She seemed to stiffen at his words. “He’s just a human. How can they match us demons?”

Asteria ignored his scoffing tone and replied, “is that how you talk to the Queen? And if you must know, I’m not getting too involved with him. I’m just using him to make my position on the throne more secure. Who knows when those vultures will strike?”

Xander’s expression softened when he heard what his sister said. He knew more than anyone how hard his sister had worked and how difficult her childhood had been.

She was the first-born daughter of the royal family and her father had neglected her because of him not seeing her worth. Only males were important because of them being seen as potential candidates for the throne. But Xander had been incompetent and had no interest in being King, so it all fell onto Asteria’s shoulders.

If their father hadn’t fallen ill, she wouldn’t have even had to be Queen.

Xander pitied his sister.

“Anyway, I need to give these clothes to my future king.” She waltzed out of the room and left Xander behind.

“I’m sorry, sister.”