The morning light barely touched the obsidian towers of the southern fortress, but the palace halls were already alive with whispers. I could feel them everywhere—the nobles' doubt, the sorcerers' curiosity, even the soldiers' cautious respect.
I walked beside the Demon King, chains glowing faintly on my wrist. The artifact hummed in response to his presence, stronger now than yesterday, and I realized that every glance, every heartbeat of his, amplified its power.
"Today, the Council tests you," he said quietly. "They will challenge your authority, your skill, and your loyalty. Do not falter."
I swallowed, heart racing. I had survived the courtyard trial, but the Court was different. Here, magic and politics were entwined like poisoned threads. One misstep could destroy me—or worse, my family.
The council chamber was grand, filled with noble banners and a semi-circle of the kingdom's most influential figures. As we entered, silence fell. Every eye turned toward me—the Demon King's wife, the human girl whose bond with the ruler was already causing ripples.
"Your Majesty," a tall, pale noble began, voice smooth but laced with venom, "if I may speak frankly… we wonder whether this union is truly beneficial. The girl is human. The magic… the artifact… unpredictable."
I felt the chains pulse sharply. His heartbeat thrummed in my veins, warning, protective, alive. I swallowed my fear.
"She stabilizes my power," the Demon King said coldly, voice echoing through the hall. "Her presence is law. Her bond is not to be questioned."
The noble's lips twitched. "Law, perhaps. But if she falters, if she fails… the consequences could be catastrophic."
I took a deep breath. The chains warmed against my wrist, humming like a promise—or a threat. Slowly, I lifted my hand, letting the artifact's faint glow extend toward the noble.
"Then see for yourself," I said, voice steady. "I will not falter."
Gasps filled the chamber as a faint shimmer surrounded me. The artifact responded to the contract, forming a protective aura that pulsed in tandem with the Demon King's heartbeat. I felt his presence, his life force, merging with mine, stabilizing the power. The chains tightened gently, a tether linking us.
The noble's face paled. "Impossible…"
The Demon King's eyes were sharp, unwavering. "You see," he said quietly, almost to me, "our bond is not weakness. It is strength. Do not forget it."
The council murmured, some whispering fearfully, others exchanging wary glances. The test had begun—and I had passed the first challenge.
But then, a shadow moved at the back of the chamber. A figure cloaked in black, face hidden beneath a hood, stepped forward. Magic radiated from him—dark, twisting energy.
"I have come to claim what is owed," the figure hissed. "The contract is flawed. The human cannot hold such power without consequence."
The chains pulsed violently, burning warmth up my arm. I felt him—him, the Demon King—tighten the tether around my senses. His presence flared like a shield.
"You dare enter my court?" he roared, voice low, resonant, shaking the walls. The dark figure froze, and even the council drew back.
"I… I am testing her," the figure said cautiously, sensing the overwhelming magic. "She cannot survive the full power without faltering."
"Then she will learn," the Demon King replied, stepping closer to me. His shadow fell over me, protective, possessive. "And you," he said, voice cutting through the chamber, "will leave before I decide your fate."
The figure retreated, but not without casting a glance filled with warning. I shivered, feeling the artifact's warmth spike and then settle.
The Demon King turned to me, gaze softening for just a moment. "Do you understand?" he asked quietly. "Every challenge, every threat… the chains will respond. They will bind us together. But you must learn control—or the consequences will not be mine alone."
I nodded, pulse racing. "I understand."
He stepped back, mask of authority falling into place. "Good. Let the court witness that the Demon King's wife is not just a figurehead. She is part of my power, and she will endure."
As the council dispersed, whispers trailing behind me like shadows, I realized the truth: this marriage, this contract, this artifact… was more than magic. It was war, politics, and survival.
And somewhere deep in my chest, I also realized: it was beginning to feel like something else entirely—dangerous, impossible, and undeniable.
I was the Demon King's wife.
The chains hummed against my skin.
And I was only beginning to understand the price—and the power—of being bound to him.