-Damian-

  “Wake up, rat.”

  A boot slammed into my ribs. I opened my eyes to the same stone floor, the same moist air thick with the stench of blood and human excrement. The same four walls of my home. And the same golden-eyed devil standing over me.

  The caretaker crouched down and grabbed my arm, his grip bruising my skin. “Get up. Your turn.”

  I pushed myself up on unsteady legs. My body ached from yesterday’s ‘activities’—they never called it what it really was. The man dragged me forward through the dim corridors of my home. I could never tell if it was day or night.

  As we walked past the other cells, I heard my siblings and cousins whispering and whimpering amongst themselves. The clattering of chains caught my attention and I looked up—my stomach twisting.

  My parents were being forced back into their room, their bodies weak and faces hollow. My mom’s wrists were raw from her shackles, while my dad’s back was bent from his daily beatings. I locked eyes with them for a split second before a caretaker shoved my mom into her room. My father tried to step toward me, but another caretaker drove a fist into his gut.

  My friend walking with me spoke, his voice cold, “keep walking, rat.”

  We reached the main chamber. The cold metal table stood in the centre of it, tools laid out beside it. And waiting for me, in all his glory, was Mr. Calor.

  “Good morning, Damian,” he said smoothly, as if he didn’t remember what he had done to me the day before. “Are you ready?”

  I gave him a slight nod. What else could I do?

  They strapped me down, the leather biting into my wrists and ankles. Too tight. It was always too tight. My breathing quickened, and I bit my bottom lip to stop myself.

  Calor picked up a knife. He twirled it between his fingers, smiling. “I think today we’ll test pain thresholds and how your healing factor responds to it,” he said, looking down at my body. “If you scream, we’ll restart the process.”

  I swallowed hard.

  The first cut that grazed my skin was shallow, tracing a line along my forearm. Blood welled up. This was nothing. They’d done worse to me before.

  The second cut, however, was deeper. A whine escaped my lips before I could stop it.

  Calor tsked, pulling the blade away and wiping it clean with a cloth. “What did I say?” The knife pressed against my ribs and he dragged it upward slowly, his gold eyes watching intently.

  The heat inside of me boiled. My vision blurred.

  Calor pulled back with a satisfied smirk. “Good boy. Much better than your mother.” He placed the knife down on the table, his hands dangling above the other tools like he was a spider stalking a fly. He grabbed his favorite toy, an iron rod. It glowed a bright red color as he poured his mana into it, heating it up.

  He pressed it into my shoulder and I inhaled sharply. Flesh sizzled, and my body struggled against the restraints as I attempted to pull away. I bit into my lip so hard I could taste my own blood.

  Calor leaned in closely, his voice gentle. “You know we only do this because you carry his blood. But, we’ll fix that.”

  As the pain settled into a dull, searing throb, I heard the door I had entered from open. Footsteps followed the figure that entered my line of sight. A woman I knew too well. Empress— she made me call her.

  Calor glanced at her, a soft smirk forming on his face. “I think you should continue his education tonight.”

  Empress laughed softly as she reached down toward me, her sharp nail dragging along my chin. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

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  I squeezed my eyes shut, bile rising in my throat.

  —

  The door to my room slammed shut with a groan as I laid on the cold stone in a daze. Empress’s footfalls could be heard echoing on the floor as she left. I curled in on myself, my fingers digging into my ribs. This was a nightly occurrence. Education meant to put me in my place. Education to prove to me that I was nothing more than a rat.

  They’re right. It’s my fault for being born. It’s my fault for carrying the Demon Kings blood. My parents are scum who gave birth to me. They should know better.

  I sat up on the floor, looking down at my forearms. The wounds had already started to scar over, all thanks to the evil power that ran through my veins.

  I tightened my fists, and without thinking, drove them into my face. “Just die already!” I cried out as my fists repeatedly collided with my jawline. I reeled in pain but didn’t stop.

  “You’re worthless!” A tooth shot out from my mouth, clattering to the floor.

  “Be grateful!” Blood spurted out from my nose, running down my chin.

  “Rat!” Another punch sent me stumbling backwards, my jaw and face throbbed in pain.

  My hands grasped around my throat. Squeezing. Choking. Trying desperately to snuff out the light in my head.

  I dropped to my knees, my chest heaving as I stared down at my bloodied knuckles. Blood flowed from my broken nose and mouth onto the floor.

  Drip.

  Drip.

  Drip.

  I reached for the small puddle that began to form and drew a half-hearted smiling face onto the stone floor. I still wasn’t dead. Why? Why can’t I die? I don’t deserve to live. None of us do.

  I let my body go limp, falling on my back.

  Since death couldn’t take me, sleep did.

  I awoke to a scalpel tracing another line down my side. I was strapped to that cold table again. My body jerked involuntarily in response to the pain.

  Mr. Calor was gone, meeting with his precious Hero, but his scientists remained. Their hands moved over my body like I was a table of food, deciding which part they wanted first.

  “He’s healing at a much slower rate today,” one of them noted, setting down the blade. “Perhaps it actually has a limit.”

  “We must test further, don’t make assumptions,” another responded, dragging another scalpel along my wrist.

  I barely felt it, my focus was instead on the woman standing in the corner. Empress. Her smile brought back all my memories from the previous night.

  Her using her entire weight to hold me down.

  Her hitting me if I cried.

  Her leaving me on the cold floor.

  She took a step closer, her fingers dancing along my chest. “You did so well last night, sweetie,” she purred, her nails digging into my skin, drawing blood. “If you behave well for these gentlemen, I’m sure His Majesty will reward you.”

  My whole body went rigid, and my breathing quickened. She leaned in, whispering against my ear. “And, of course, you’ll get my attention as well.”

  My eyes went wide. My heart pounded. No more. Please. No more.

  The moment her fingers found their way to my face, something inside me gave way. My body seized, fire bursting out of me in a torrent of blackened flame.

  The restraints holding me in place melted away, curling like dying snakes.The scientists reeled back, their bodies catching fire in an instant. Empress shrieked as the flames licked up her arms, her beautiful face twisting in agony before she collapsed into a smoldering heap.

  I stumbled off the table, my legs weak but desperate.

  I took one last look at Empress; part of me wanted to try and help her. But I couldn’t let that part of me win.

  I had to run.

  I didn’t know where my parents were. Or my siblings. My cousins. The only thing that mattered was me.

  —

  I took in a deep breath, staring up at the trio. Luca’s face was tight with worry, his eyebrows furrowed. The devil— Sacer, was gripping his knees tight, biting down on his lip hard, and the auburn haired man next to me looked like he wanted to hug me, but wasn’t sure how to ask.

  “Then, I heard something,” I met Luca’s gaze directly. “Your name.”

  “My name?”

  I gripped the cloak draped around me tightly, my nails digging into the fabric. “I was surprised to find out there was one of us living out here. Living a normal life.”

  His breath caught and he looked down at the ground. “I… I didn’t…”

  “We didn’t know.” The devil cut in, coming to his brother's aid.

  I forced a smile, nodding. “I know, you couldn't have.”

  The auburn haired man— Edric, I remembered now— placed a hand on my shoulder, gripping softly. “So… what happens now?”

  The answer should have been simple. Should have been clear. But it wasn’t.

  Luca spoke before I could, “you don’t have to decide anything right now,” he said, his voice quieter than before.

  This made me laugh— a short, bitter laugh. “Thank you. But there is… something.”

  The devil straightened, glancing between Luca and myself. “What do you have in mind?”

  “I want to see Mr. Calor.”