Page 85 of Demon Food

Where his fingers brushed my chest nearly burned. I held my palms up. “The kind that involves getting back into the bed? Should you put the silver undergarments on?”

“Shut up,” he said, parting my shirt, draping it open. “That’ll do. Go. Answer the door.”

My eyes narrowed. “What are you up to, human?”

There was something mischievous about his smile, like his intentions were dubious at best. “Follow my lead.”

24

ALEK

Neopal straightened when I finally answered the door. Then he bowed.

“Oh, cut the shit,” I said, leaning against the door frame with my arms folded. “I’ve watched you wrestle a greased-up pig for three coppers, Neopal—a match you lost—and that earned my respect more than anything you do now.”

He inhaled high in his chest as he rose tall again. “Optimistically, we’ve come to collect the human’s remains, but judging by your appearance, I see we’ll be serving him a meal instead.”

“Yes, you will. Just the way he likes it, too.” I twisted around to ask Feloré, “How do you like your meals, love?”

“Preferably, served by a high-level commander,” he answered, and I couldn’t help but grin. Clever, clever thing.

“You’re in luck,” I said, gesturing to Neopal. “We have one here. He’s more than happy to fetch you anything you wish.”

Neopal’s nostrils flared.

“Tell the commander what it is you want, darling.”

“I could really go for another one of those cakes,” Feloré said. “The little chocolate spongey one, dusted in sugar.”

“Did you hear that?” I asked, just as obnoxious as possible. “Sponge cake.”

“I heard,” Neopal said.

“And while you’re at it,” I grinned, “bring us a bottle of the bubbling plum wine my father keeps flowing for his parties. You know the one. It’s expensive and rare. Has he invited you to try a taste yet?”

He rubbed his nose, averting his gaze.

“No? Well, that’s odd. You would think being so close to him, he’d treat you more like a friend. But I guess true friendship is as rare as plum wine.”

He dragged his gaze from me to nod back over his shoulder. “You heard the prince. He requires wine. And cake.”

Two of the servants promptly scuttled off.

“If it suits you,” Neopal said, lifting his chin, “we’d like to enter.”

I stepped aside while he strode past me, halting hard when he came face to face with Feloré. I’d noticed all vultae tended to have that reaction to him. It was difficult to tell why, but it was like we all just needed a moment to calibrate around his unusual energy.

“What happened to his hand?” Neopal asked.

I glanced at Feloré’s hand, seized by the memory of ripping one of my shirts to shreds last night as he let me gently wrap it. “Oh, it was the silliest of mishaps. Why, he was getting ready to eat, and⁠—”

“I cut it,” Feloré said. “I cut it with Alek’s knife.”

Neopal’s eyes rounded. “Why, human?”

My brows drew together as I frowned at Feloré. Yes, why, human? We hadn’t agreed to tell anyone about that, let alone this prick.

But something naughty glinted in Feloré’s eye. “Well, has no one read A Magnificent Constitution?”