Page 87 of Demon Food

“Because he is not the one.” My body wanted to scream at the lie. The monster wanted to claw its way up my throat and yell LIE, but I forced myself to swallow it down. “Tell my father to drop this ridiculous spectacle and release this human. He’ll listen to you.”

He sucked his cheeks, stealing another glance at Feloré who was sealing his lips around a forkful of cake, eyes rolling shut in delight.

“Look at me, Neopal,” I said. “I need to get out of this room. I’m running out of time. Surely, you can appreciate that much.”

He bounced a little, agitation twisting his lips into a grimace. “Gods, what do you want? What will finally please you?”

I cocked my head, arching an eyebrow.

“You have an entire kingdom holding their breath, willing to break laws to save your life. If not him, then what the fuck do you want?”

I didn’t let my face reflect how the irony was nearly palpable. This whole time, I’d pretended to be waiting for the perfect person only to find him. He was as perfect as a human could get.

“I’ll know it when I see it.” I took a breath and forced myself to say, “He’s not the one.”

He squeezed his eyes shut, dragging a hand down his face. When he spoke again, he nearly sounded defeated, the word pushing past his lips on the tail-end of a sigh, “Fine.”

My eyes flared wide.

“I will tell the king what I have seen today, and I will recommend that we continue our search. That’s all I can do.”

I inclined my head, holding back a smile as I said, “Very well.”

Neopal whistled at the servants who were tidying up my room. They jolted, lining up to bow before me. Neopal cast one more sidelong glance at Feloré, who’d proceeded to eat, none the wiser.

Then he was gone.

Feloré’s energy instantly shifted the moment I sealed the door shut, his face all lit up with the eager words he was dying to say.

I held a finger to my lips, ear pressed to the door. Once the footsteps vanished into the distance, I spun around, leaning back against it, letting my face split into a grin as I said, “You fucking fox.”

“Yes?” The chair screeched when he rose from the desk. “You think it worked? You think he’ll really speak to your father?”

“Oh, darling.” My gaze fell down his body as he began to creep toward me, expression a bit unhinged. “I think it worked brilliantly. I think you are brilliant.”

His smile widened, matching mine as he moved even closer, his joy bright, like beams of light were surrounding him. “Because you think your father will listen?”

“If there’s anyone he’ll listen to,” I said, “it’s that asshole.”

He nodded quickly, inching closer. Faster. “I’m going to hug you now.”

My body twitched in anticipation. “Please fucking do⁠—”

I grunted when he flung himself into my arms. Oh, fuck, I would let myself have this. I would let myself bury my face in his neck, my arms encircling him as I lifted his body from the floor.

To him, it was probably nothing. A simple way to express excitement.

To me, it thrilled me to my core. Holding him was something my soul craved. Something I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to do as I squeezed him tightly, swinging him in a circle while his feet caught air and the chain swirled around us.

“Okay, that’s enough,” he said, chuckling, the sound absolutely precious. “I didn’t mean to—put me down. You’re going to get yourself worked up.”

“Shh, Snow Fox,” I said, spinning him once again. His body fit so snugly inside my arms. “You’ll get me worked up.”

“Prince.” He squirmed, but he was still snickering. “That is quite enough. You’re still a dangerous creature⁠—”

“So dangerous.”

“—and we have to be careful not to overstep. You only have seven cigarettes.” He slapped my arms. “That’s not many, and I can feel you twitching.”