Pallid terror claimed its place on Simone’s face.

“Ummm… oh…” she stammered, her dirt-colored eyes wide, “Prince Ra-Gadol… I thought you were your father for a moment…”

The demon prince’s nostrils flared at the comparison, but he forced a white-fanged smile. “I do so hate to disappoint my Father’s mistress. Should I see if he is available? I know he always has time for you.”

The two of them stood in Simone’s spire. Though the human’s bodyguards were not far away, Ra-Gadol relished the panic he could instill in her simply by entering her home. If he was willing to die for it, he could slaughter her here and now, as he’d fantasized of doing many times.

Simone merely stared at Ra-Gadol in silence, her leathery lips slightly parted as if ready to speak, and her scrawny body trembling. When no further insipid words fell from her mouth, Ra-Gadol slipped past her. “I’m here to visit Nadia.”

“Nadia?” she squeaked at last. “Umm… Why?”

Ra-Gadol gave Simone a wicked smile. “What? Am I suddenly not allowed to see my sister?”

Simone chewed on her lower lip and looked down.

Ra-Gadol chuckled. “I’m just trying to be a good big brother. Unless… you’d rather Nadia not know her family?”

Simone raised both of her hands in front of her chest, her fingers splayed out in an apology. “No! Prince Ra-Gadol, I apologize! That’s not what I meant at all!”

“Good,” said the demon prince with a nod. “I’ll be back shortly.” He started on his way to the back door.

“Why don’t I come with you?” Simone blurted out.

Ra-Gadol turned his head to look at her over his own shoulder. “Oh, you’ll be there too? Good. Then we’ll be like a real family.” The prince’s smile turned into a snarl for just a moment as he spoke the final words, then turned and stomped out through the back door.

A low, guttural growl greeted Ra-Gadol on the other side, and he stared up at the giant black wolf’s fangs.

“Who is it, Markho?” came a squeaky voice. From a flower bed on the ground stood a little girl in a white dress with daisies in her hair. When her eyes beheld the demon prince, her cheeks balled up on either side of her wide smile. “Raggo!” she squealed, just before running to embrace him where he knelt. Her stubby arms could barely reach around his sides, and her little head nuzzled into his chest.

The longer Ra-Gadol held her, the more the fur stood up on Markho’s back. Better yet, the more horrified Simone looked.

“It’s been a long time since I visited you last.” Ra-Gadol held her out at forearms’ length. “Do you just keep getting cuter?” He leaned in and rubbed her nose with his own, causing the little girl to giggle. “Oh, that little face is so adorable! Can I have it?”

Nadia giggled. “Silly! You can’t have my face! I need it!”

“Ah, right. Silly me.” Ra-Gadol backed up again and touched her nose with his fingertip. “But maybe someday you won’t want it anymore. Then I can wear it like a mask.”

In the corner of his eye, he could see Simone’s fists clench. Markho’s front legs bent at the shoulder, ready to pounce. Ra-Gadol was certain he’d fit inside the black wolf’s jaws.

Nadia spun with her arms out. “Come on, Raggo! Let’s play!”

Ra-Gadol rose to his feet. “I’d love to play with you. What do you want to play?”

“Hide and seek?” Nadia suggested.

“No!” Simone exclaimed. “Umm…” Nadia’s mother glanced back and forth. “Maybe not hide and seek… Nadia, don’t you have… umm… dolls to play with?”

Nadia giggled. “Mama! I can’t play dolls with Raggo!”

Simone wrung her hands. “Why not, dear?”

“He’s a boy!”

Ra-Gadol laughed and stared at his father’s mistress with triumph in his eyes. “She’s right, Simone. Haven’t you heard? Boys don’t play with dolls. When they do, sometimes they play a little too rough and break them.”

Nadia pointed to Ra-Gadol and nodded her head in agreement. “He accidentally popped Izzy’s head off one time. Remember?”

“Yes…” said Simone through grinding teeth.

“Accidentally,” Ra-Gadol repeated, gleeful malice in his eyes. His palm fell on Nadia’s head, and his fingers slipped into her curly locks. “You know what game we haven’t played in a while?”

Nadia turned her face to look up at Ra-Gadol. “What?”

In a flash, Ra-Gadol snatched her off the ground, his hands under her arm-pits. She yelped as he tossed her into the air and caught her again.

Simone jumped.

Markho stopped just short of a lunge.

The demon prince twirled Nadia through the air. “The Flying Princess!”

Nadia broke into hysterical laughter and spread both her arms and frail black wings to pretend she was flying. Ra-Gadol tossed her into the air and caught her again, this time a little higher.

Then again, a little higher.

Then higher.

All the while, Nadia laughed and smiled, and Simone looked completely panicked.

Just after Nadia had landed safely in the demon prince’s hands again, Markho’s paw gently pushed on Ra-Gadol’s back. “I think it’s time to stop,” the giant wolf said in a deep, gruff voice.

Ra-Gadol looked up at Markho. “So soon? Must you be a spoil sport? Nadia! Tell Markho he’s a spoil sport!”

Nadia looked up at Markho with a furrowed brow. “You’re a spoil sport!”

Markho snorted. “Your tutors will be here soon to resume your lessons.”

Ra-Gadol set Nadia down on the ground but kept his hand on her shoulder. “Lessons? What does she have to learn? Are you trying to say Nadia’s not smart enough already?”

Markho shook his shaggy head. “Your father’s the one who ordered the lessons, Raggo.”

“Ah. So, Father thinks she’s not smart enough yet.” Ra-Gadol patted Nadia on the head. “It’s just as well. I have work to take care of anyway.”

“What are you gonna do?” Nadia asked.

“There’s a bad golem in one of our Papa’s mines,” said Ra-Gadol. “I’m going to go kill him, so things can go back to normal around there.”

“I’ll say a prayer to Sygin for you,” said the little girl.

Ra-Gadol smiled at her. “I appreciate it.”

The demon prince started out the door. On his way, he passed Simone, and whispered to her, “Thank you for a lovely time.”