Cassian gently brushed his fingers through the baby demon's soft, silvery curls. The little creature had dozed off in his lap, wings fluttering occasionally like a dream stirred them. Its warmth was oddly comforting—like holding a sleeping animal close on a cold night.
For the first time since waking up in this strange palace, Cassian didn't feel so entirely alone.
Then suddenly, The baby demon's ears twitched.
It sniffed the air once—then twice, sharply. Its eyes shot open.
"Hey, what is it?" Cassian asked, his voice soft and cautious.
But the creature didn't respond. It sat up stiffly in his lap, head tilting toward the sky as if it sensed something beyond what mortal ears could detect. Its golden eyes narrowed, wings tensing against its back.
Then, without warning, it leapt off him.
"Wait—!"
Cassian reached out, but the little demon was already darting away. Not running, but vanishing—melting into the shadows like mist, too fast for his eyes to follow.
