The ground at the Great Chasm was red. It was not like the soft grass of the palace gardens. This dirt was dry and hard. It looked like it had been soaked in blood a long time ago. On one side of the chasm, the air was freezing. That was the side of Aetheria. On the other side, the air was thick and very hot. That was Pandemonium.
Celeste stood very still. Athan's arm was around her waist. He did not talk to the Angel King. He did not look at the soldiers. His hand was heavy and very warm. His fingers pressed into the black leather of her dress. She felt very small next to him. Her head only reached the middle of his chest.
Behind them, the Angel Army stood like silver statues. They did not move. They did not say anything. Celeste felt her brother Caelum's eyes on her back. He wanted her to cry. He wanted her to beg to come home to her cage.
But Celeste did not look back at him. She looked at the army in front of her. The Demon Legion was loud. Their armor was black and had sharp edges. Some had tails. Others had horns. They looked at her with hungry eyes.
Athan did not look at his army either. He only looked down at Celeste.
He did not say hello. He did not ask if she was scared. He just reached out and gripped her chin. His fingers were long. They were covered in black metal rings. He tilted her head up. He did it slowly but with a lot of force.
She had to look at him.
His face was like stone. His skin had small white scars. His hair was black and messy. But his eyes were the most intense part of him. They were a deep, glowing gold. They did not show any kindness. They were just dark and focused.
He looked at her silver hair. He looked at the red stain on her lips. He did not say a word. The silence lasted a long time. It was so quiet that Celeste could hear her own heart beating.
He reached back with his other hand. He touched the jagged scars on her back. These were the scars where her wings should have been. Celeste flinched. She tried to move away, but his grip on her waist was like iron.
"Ugly," she whispered. Her voice was very small.
Athan did not agree. He did not disagree. He just ran his thumb over the rough skin. His touch was burning hot. It felt like he was marking her.
"The contract is finished," Athan shouted suddenly. His voice was a loud roar. It made the angels' horses jump. He did not look back at them. He kept his eyes on Celeste. "The princess is mine now."
Prince Caelum laughed. "Keep her, monster! We are glad to be rid of her!"
Athan did not answer the insult. He did not even blink. He just looked at Celeste. He leaned down until his nose brushed against hers.
"Do you want to go back?" he asked. His voice was low and dangerous.
Celeste looked at the silver army. She saw the cold, white city. Then she looked at the dark, purple sky of the Underworld. She looked at Athan. He was scary, but he was the only person who was really looking at her.
"No," Celeste whispered.
Athan did not smile. He just held her tighter. He flapped his massive wings. The sound was like a thunderclap. A big wind blew the red dirt into the air. He picked Celeste up easily. He held her against his chest armor.
"Hold on," he said. It was an order.
He jumped into the air. Celeste gasped. She had never been in the air before. She had no wings, so she always stayed on the ground. It was terrifying. Below them, the red river looked like a tiny line.
Athan flew fast. He did not look back at Aetheria. He flew toward the black mountains of Pandemonium. The air became even hotter. The smell of smoke was everywhere.
After a few minutes, he landed on a high black cliff. He put Celeste down on her feet. The ground here was made of dark, shiny stone.
The Demon Army was waiting below the cliff. When they saw Athan land with Celeste, they let out a loud roar. They hit their swords against their shields. The noise was very loud.
"Look at them," Athan said. He stood behind her. His shadow was so big it covered her. "They are your subjects now."
Celeste looked at the land. She saw volcanoes. She saw forests with black trees. She saw a giant city made of black stone that glowed with fire.
"What happens now?" she asked. Her voice was tiny. "Am I a prisoner?"
Athan walked around her. He moved like a wolf. He stepped very close. Her chest touched his cold armor. He was so tall that he blocked out the moon.
He did not answer her question with a normal answer. Instead, he reached out. He traced the red stain on her lips with his thumb. He pressed hard. He forced her mouth open a little bit. Celeste could not breathe.
"They said you were a defect," Athan whispered. His gold eyes stayed on her mouth. "They lied."
He leaned down. His lips were very close to her ear. Celeste felt the heat from his body. She felt like she was standing next to a fire.
"You seen different ," he murmured.
He leaned in even closer. She could feel his teeth graze the edge of her ear. A shiver went through her whole body.
"I like that," he whispered.
He stepped back. His face became cold again. He reached down and grabbed her hand. He did not hold it gently. He gripped it like he was never going to let go.
"Come," he said. "The night is starting."
Celeste followed him. She looked at his big wings and his wide shoulders. She was very scared. But as they walked into the dark, she realized she was not looking at the ground anymore.
She was looking at the monster who had bought her.