Demons and humans have coexisted among each other since the beginning of time. Each prefers to stay to their own separate realms, but occasionally they will cross over to the other side with no major consequences. Most humans rarely ever encounter a demon in person, so they are neither bothered nor threatened by the presence of demons.

- Dual Universes: Of Humans and Demons

Nia instinctively tightened her fist around the handclock and clutched it to her chest. It was now her most precious belonging and she would never forgive herself if someone stole Vivian’s last present to her from right under her nose. Even if the thief is a strange boy with a handsome face.

“Wha— Where am I?” he groaned, blinking his eyes as he became more lucid. Nia felt a pang of sympathy. She was all too familiar with nauseating side effects of the tranquilizing drug not too long ago.

“Don’t tell me— Oh, they’ve really done it this time!” The boy snapped angrily as his eyes took in the sight of the bars of the cell he’s in. 

Nia barely stifled a gasp at the sight of his slitted golden eyes. He was a demon all right.

“Hush!” Nia fidgeted, trying to ignore the strange features of the mysterious boy. “Don’t attract their attention! Or they’ll drug you again!”

The boy paused. “I really got sold to a bunch of slavers, didn’t I?”

“What kind of question is that?” Nia glumly retorted, her words coming out sharper than she meant for them to.

“Well, aren’t you a ray of sunshine?” He hissed back at her. The shadows cast by the torches flickered across his face, making him appear more ominous in the dark. However, his furious eyes gleamed brightly like embers. Nia couldn’t help but think of a tiger or lion when she looked at him.

For some reason, his sarcasm ticked her off even more, her anger finally exploding after being held in check for a good period of time.

“Look here, you rascal.” Nia snarled. “In the last day and a half, my family was murdered, and I got kidnapped by slavers who were fawning over how much money we could bring them! I’m not in the mood to answer your stupid questions!” Nia hissed the last part at him as she gripped the bars that separate her cell from his.

A long silence followed her words. The only noises were the soft crackling of the torches and the heavy breathing of all the captives as they watched the two argue. None of them bothered to step in, perhaps too overwhelmed by the current situation to say a word.

Nia wasn’t even sure why she snapped at him. None of this was his fault and they were in the same unfortunate predicament, and yet, she had vented her anger and frustration on him for no reason. Wasn’t she asking the same stupid question as him herself when she first woke up?

He’s not the target of her ire. The real targets were the slavers and that Zahdian woman. She was lashing out at him for no reason.

“Sorry.” Nia mumbled softly as she let go of the metal bars and slumped backward, the misplaced aggression slipping away like shadows. “I didn’t mean to be rude to you. I’m sure it’s been a hard time for all of us too.”

Before the demon boy could respond any further, there was the sound of footsteps approaching.

“Someone’s coming! Pretend to be unconscious or they’ll drug you again!” Nia whispered fervently to him.

The boy snapped out of his sour mood and quickly flopped back down on the straws, his limbs splayed stiffly like a wooden doll. His pose was way too artificial. There was no way anyone would fall for it. Even Nia, who rarely had to fake her sleep before, knew how unbelievable it was. She groaned internally, wanting to smack him in the head until he’s unconscious for real.

One of the people from earlier opened the door to the barrack and entered carrying loaves of bread and water canteens. He tossed a small loaf of bread and a canteen to each captive, even the unconscious children that were drugged.

“Better ration your food. That’s all you will have for tomorrow. Chamber pots are at the corner of your cells.” He coldly stated, not even bothering to look at anyone except the strange boy.

For a moment, Nia’s heart leaped to her throat, thinking that the slaver saw through his poor charade.

“Hmm. I suppose there’s no need for a second dose tonight.” The man muttered to himself before turning and leaving without a second glance. 

Some of the other captives’ jaws dropped slightly in disbelief at how gullible the man was, but hastily corrected their faces before he noticed.

Nia was also unable to believe that the man actually fell for the demon boy’s horrendous acting skill. She let out a silent sigh of relief. As soon as the man was gone, sounds of chewing and slurping instantly filled the small barrack.

The white-haired boy sat up again, his arms folded across his chest. “No food for me?”

“It’s better than being drugged.” Nia pointed out. She couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Apparently, being considered more valuable doesn’t always lead to better treatment.

“Here, have some of mine.” She offered him half a loaf. He took it reluctantly.

“Why do you look like that?” One timid boy finally spoke up, wording the question that everyone was dying to know.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Another captive, an older one this time, answered. “He’s a demon.”

Nia frowned lightly, despite figuring that out already. Demons have a similar appearance to humans, albeit, rumored to be more beautiful, with some nonhuman traits like animal characteristics. The proof of the boy’s heritage was in his beautiful features, his snow-white hair, the pointy ears, and slitted golden eyes.

The closest to a demon she had ever seen was only a portrait of one. The subject of the portrait was Queen Lavida Lunare, wife of the first king of Saraja. She was rumored to be a powerful demoness who helped overthrow the Tyrant King and created the kingdom of Saraja. 

Nia distinctly remembered the figure in the portrait also having slitted eyes just like the boy before her, only they weren’t gold but azure blue, the same color as Nia and her siblings’. 

Demons live in a separate realm, but it’s not uncommon for a few inhabitants of one side to cross over to the other, such as the case it was now. The living proof was right in front of her.  But even so, what was this boy doing here?

The demon boy snorted as he chewed on his bread. “Half-demon, to be exact. That would still fetch a handsome price for those bastards, I suppose.”

“So that was what they meant by saying you’re Class II.” Nia realized. “Class I must be referring to a pureblood demon.”

“Are you referring to those slavers? They’re foolish to think that they can keep me here. Have they ever caught a demon before?” The demon boy snorted as he grabbed the chains that were shackled around his right ankle.

“They’re iron.” Someone pointed out. Iron was a powerful protection against magic.

“That won’t stop me. You can’t chain up a thief as skilled as me.” The demon boy wasn’t even ashamed to admit being a thief. His lips curled up in an arrogant smirk that immediately fell when he realized something. “Wait—they took away my lock picks!”

Nia tried not to snigger at the blow to his pride. She really did. “What were you saying about being a talented thief?”

He glared at her. “It’s not like you can break us out, can you?”

“Even if you did have your lock picks with you, would you free the rest of us?” Nia slipped a hand into her pocket and fingered a hairpin.

“Why should I? You’ll only slow me down.” The demon boy replied coldly as he crossed his arms.

Nia gritted her teeth in anger as everyone else glared at him in distaste. “Is there anything that can change your mind, thief?”

The demon boy thought carefully for a short moment. “For the right price, I might do it.”

Nia stilled, her mind racing as she started thinking carefully about what to say next. “How much would it be to free everyone in here?”

“Do you think you’re rich enough to afford it?” He sneered. “I can tell that you probably grew up pampered in a well-off family, but you have nothing now, do you? Otherwise, you wouldn’t be stuck here like the rest of us.”

Nia ignored his jab. “How much?” She demanded.

“A hundred gold coins.” He threw out an answer flippantly, not believing she could cover the price.

Everyone gasped at his words. It was way too much for an average person to cover.

“What about… something of equal value?” Nia pressed, hope blooming in her heart. If this crazy demon thief can really break them out, she would gladly give up all her jewelry.

The demon boy yawned. “Even if you have it, I don’t have a lock pick.”

“Would this work?” Nia held up one of her hairpins. It was golden and encrusted with sapphires on one end. The craftsmanship was one of the finest in the kingdom.

The captives let out another collective gasp. Even the demon boy was interested now, his eyes sparking brighter than before. As he reached out to touch it, Nia snatched it away from his reach.

“Where did you get that? Did you steal it? Is it even real?” He demanded.

Nia smiled coyly at him, relieved that she now had the advantage in this exchange. “Like you said, I probably grew up pampered in a well-off family. It’s worth at least a few hundred gold coins. It should be enough for you to free everyone, right?”

Everyone nodded enthusiastically in agreement to Nia’s words.

The demon boy paused. “Yes.” He admitted reluctantly. He seemed to be regretting his earlier offer now.

Emboldened, Nia tried pressing her luck further. “Are you willing to do anything for the right price? How much do I have to pay you for you to put an end to slavery in the Underworld?”

That elicited another round of gasps. One of the demon boy’s eyes started twitching. Everyone was wondering if Nia had lost her mind. The Underworld was a system of illegal businesses that have existed for centuries. How could one little girl along with a half-demon thief destroy the oldest and most persistent business in the Underworld?

“Do you think I’m a wish-granting genie or something?”

“Nevermind,” Nia hastily reassured him, realizing how impossible her request was. “But I do want to tear down this specific hub. We need to take care of our captors so they don’t come after us again.”

Everyone stared at the boy expectantly. He finally crossed his arms and gave her a firm nod. “Alright, but as for abolishing slavery in the rest of the Underworld, you need a lot more than a jeweled hairpin.”

Nia nodded sweetly. “Can I trust a thief’s words?”

He fixed his eyes on hers. “You have my words on my honor as a demon.”

Nia knew that demons were tricky creatures. They would never break a direct promise, but they were good at exploiting loopholes and twisting the terms of a deal. Making a deal with a demon was a gamble—there is always a chance of it backfiring on her. But Nia really had no other choice.

“Deal.” She finally decided as she handed the hairpin over to him through the bars. What more does she have to lose? Those jewelries she had on her were more or less worthless in a situation like this. It wasn’t like she could buy her own freedom from the human traffickers. If it weren’t for this crazy demon boy, her jewelry would have no purchasing power at all.

The demon boy inserted the pin into his ankle cuff, and within a few seconds, it unlocked and fell off his ankle.

Everyone cheered softly.

The demon boy cleared his throat. “Alright now, here’s what we’re going to do…”