“How long has it been since we last did something like this?” Vir asked, staring up at the many beautiful buildings that dotted Samar Patag’s main street—one of several main streets, as it turned out. The city had expanded significantly, and Vir was itching to explore it.

  “You mean putting on makeup and pretending to be people we’re not?” Maiya tilted her head, snuggling closer as she thought. “Not since Riyan, I think? At least, not together.”

  “That sounds about right,” Vir said as they walked hand in hand, each basking in the joy of each other’s company after so long apart. Longer for her, and harder for her, shouldering all the burdens he’d left in his wake.

  And yet, more had happened in the past handful of days than in all the years he’d spent cooped up in his mindscape. So much that he’d scarcely had time to breathe, let alone enjoy time with the one he cherished most.

  Killing Andros had only been the first step in aiding Ira, though it was mostly Vir’s presence and Gate-stabilization that were needed, as Ira and her cadre of handmaidens did the heavy lifting.

  And then there was the Demon Realm. Sending missives to all the Rajas in the demon realm to announce his return, the endless administrative burdens that followed. To say nothing of the endless crowds that lined up day and night just for a chance to glimpse him. That was with Maiya running things. He couldn’t even imagine trying to lead his clan on top of all of that.

  “You’re doing it again,” Maiya said, playfully slapping his arm. “You’re not allowed to think of the fate of the realms today. Not while we’re together.”

  “Oh, right,” Vir said, scratching his nose in embarrassment. “Sorry.”

  Vir knew he ought not to do that. It had been a taxing few days, and all of it came right on the heels of his ordeal with the Soul. For once, it would be good to slow down, to tour the streets of the city. Especially with such a beautiful Rajni as his guide.

  Maiya laughed. “You know, I feel sad for the world.”

  “Oh? And why might that be?” Vir asked, looking into Maiya’s hazel eyes, nearly losing himself in their infinite depth. “You look good in red, by the way.”

  They had both painted their faces and hands red, figuring it was the easiest way to change their appearance. Nobody would confuse a pair of red demons for the leaders of the clan.

  “Thanks,” Maiya replied, smirking. “You don’t look too shabby yourself. And it’s because they only know your scary side. They think you’re some sort of demonic deity, and no one would dare admit it, but I see the pity in their eyes. The ‘She must have such a hard time betrothed to a being such as he’ look. If only they knew what you’re really like.”

  Vir chuckled. “Believe me, I struggle to believe I’m the same person sometimes.”

  But at least I don’t feel like a sham, Vir reflected, having accepted his role in the mindscape.

  “But no longer a sham, like you felt before?” Maiya asked, looking up into Vir’s eyes with a knowing smile.

  “That’s—How did you…”

  A smile that twisted into a grin when Vir’s eyes shot wide.

  “It’s written all over your face!”

  “I swear,” Vir said, laughing, shaking his head. “You read me like an open book. I honestly don’t know how you do it.”

  “You’re one to talk! And I’d think you’d be used to it after all this time.”

  Vir replied with a peck on her cheek, which made her instantly look around to see if anyone had noticed.

  “We’re in disguise, Mai,” Vir said, laughing. “Nobody cares.”

  “R-right…”

  Not even Maiya could walk around without being swarmed by requests, greetings, and effusive gratitude.

  Vir was much worse, as he’d learned when he made that mistake a couple of days ago.

  He could scarcely walk ten steps without crowds throwing themselves at his feet in worship, blocking his way and clogging the streets. As much as he had come to accept his godly persona, he had to agree with Ashani. It was a dangerous thing.

  Not just on account of the impossible expectations heaped upon him—which he could at least manage now—but because it threatened to blind him to his flaws.

  It was precisely why he had gathered such capable comrades—to advise him when he strayed from the path.

  Yet even Greesha, for all her brash disregard for station or reputation, seemed hesitant to give him a piece of her mind since his return. Before, she’d seen him as a prince and an orphan. A young upstart.

  Now, she worshiped him like the others.

  These days, only Ashani, Cirayus, and Maiya dared to speak the hard truths to him. For that, Vir was eternally grateful.

  “Hey, Mai? Please don’t ever treat me like they do,” Vir said, sure that Maiya had picked up on his thoughts, remaining silent out of courtesy. “I can’t—”

  “Lose what we have,” Maiya replied softly. “I know. I won’t. But it’s a harder ask than you think, you know?”

  Vir’s eyes widened once more, but Maiya spoke first.

  “Every time you get ahead, I race to catch up. And then, every time we meet, you’ve just run ahead of me again. Rajni’s a full-time position, you know? And I still made time to train in the Ash. To increase my prana capacity, all so I could stand with you as an equal. And then you had to go and cheat death.”

  “Would you rather I hadn’t?” Vir asked coyly.

  Her prana had been one of the first things he’d noticed—impossible for a human, and the more he’d learned, the more in awed and shocked he’d grown. She’d taken far longer than the demons to acclimatize—many months, in fact—yet she had persevered, even as she juggled her other duties. All after he’d fallen into that dark world.

  As a result of that training, she could now freely enter and exit even the deepest reaches of the Ash.

  Vir could not have been prouder to have her.

  Maiya punched his arm. “You know I don’t! Just that, until now, it was just annoying when that happened. Infuriating, yes, but nothing more. Now, though? Vir, you did something no mortal can. You can deny it, and I can pretend to ignore it. But you’re… different now. You’re not like us. Not that you ever were.”

  Pain flashed across her eyes, disappearing instantly.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Vir asked. “And don’t say 'nothing'.”

  “Noth—,” Maiya began, before sighing. “You’ve cheated death once. Who’s to say you won’t again? Because you’re a demon and because of your prana, you won’t age. You’ll live for centuries, maybe more. And I… I’ll be withered and old a few decades from now, Vir. Don’t you understand how hard that is for me? How hard it’ll be for you in the future?”

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  “I…” Vir froze, then swept Maiya up in a tight embrace. For the first time in a long while, he had no words. No firm assurances or sweet words of solace. Didn’t know if there was anything that could be said, other than the truth. “It just felt so far off.”

  “I know,” Maiya said sadly, leaning into his chest, allowing him to wrap his hands around her. “I hope it is. And I’ll probably live longer than most humans with how dense my prana is now. But…”

  But when that time comes and when you’ve lived a thousand years, will you still remember the hundred you spent with me? What will I be but a half-remembered memory from an era long forgotten? She didn’t say. She didn’t need to. He knew.

  Vir thought he understood a sliver of the pain that must have tormented Janak and Ashani for millennia. Living through the deaths of those they most cherished, screaming into the endless void for someone—anyone—to listen.

  Maiya broke away, wiping the tears that threatened to mar her face paint.

  “I—I’m sorry. Look at me, ruining the mood. After we finally got some time to ourselves. I’ll have you know, I fully intend to cherish the time we do have,” Maiya said, trying and failing to put some cheer into her voice.

  Vir did not smile. He instead held her arms as she trembled against his chest, saying nothing, mind ablaze with a thousand thoughts and a hundred plans.

  A long while later, Maiya finally broke away. “We, um… we’d better continue the tour,” Maiya said, the weight of her earlier words lingering like shackles on their necks, and Vir couldn’t help but admire her even more.

  Even knowing their lifespan differences, even knowing that a human might never sire a child with a demon, Maiya loved him. She loved him with every shred of her being.

  He couldn’t help but wonder—would Annas or Nor have turned out differently had they been blessed so? Would someone like Maiya have been able to steer them from their path of hatred and self-destruction?

  “That’s, um, that’s the new plaza,” Maiya muttered, pointing ahead.

  “It’s much larger than the old one,” Vir replied, lacing his fingers in hers—her anchor in the storm, just as she had countless times for him.

  “Well, we’ve got a lot more mouths to feed now,” she said with a genuine smile. “A boon and a curse, that. There’s so much life now, but it’s brought no end of problems.”

  “I can imagine,” Vir said, admiring the children who ran about, their parents running after. The animated conversations between colleagues. The life and energy that filled the square.

  They walked on, toward what had once been the slums that pressed against the outer walls of the city. Away from sight and thought.

  “My first order of business, once things calmed down,” Maiya said, “was clearing the slums. Not by kicking people out like the Chitran did. We built homes for everyone who lived there for free. Provided clothing and food and saw to it that everyone got jobs and the children education.”

  “I can’t believe you solved that crisis in under a year. You’re incredible, Mai. More than I could ever be.”

  “Flattery will get you everywhere, dearest,” Maiya replied, laughing lightly. “Anyway, Soon after, encampments began to spring up outside the city and the streets choked with traffic. Instead of letting it all spiral into chaos like Daha, we expanded the city outward. What you see now is the result of long hours and a lot of hard work from a lot of people. I couldn’t have done any of this without Cirayus, Malik, and Greesha, to name a few.”

  And what an awe-inspiring achievement it was. Samar Patag had almost tripled in size, with demons flocking from all corners of the realm and birth rates soaring to their highest in recent memory.

  Where once the outer wall had enclosed the entire city, now it demarcated only the inner city, with vast new districts stretching beyond where fields and forests used to sit. All protected by taller, sturdier walls with well-patrolled ramparts and towers. The castle sat at the very center in the distance, like the beating heart of a growing beast.

  Though parts of the new city remained undeveloped, the organizational schemes Maiya had set down were plainly visible. Streets were broader, cobblestone-paved, and clean—so clean that Vir hardly recognized it as the same city.

  “I wanted this expansion to be more organized,” Maiya said as they passed through the former main gate, now a divider between the inner and outer districts. “Though the inner city still commands higher prices, that’s more because of its proximity to you than anything. The outer walls are our true defense. If those fall, the castle is all we can rely on.”

  Vir nodded, studying the bustling roads and orderly blocks. “I can’t help but notice how spotless everything is.”

  “That was another initiative,” Maiya said, beaming with pride. “My idea, actually. With so many flocking to the city, sanitation became a big issue. We expanded the sewers and bolstered the old ones. Everything’s much cleaner than before, and the people want it to stay that way. Can you believe they pack in their own trash? They used to just throw it on the streets!”

  “Incredible,” Vir said, voice filled with awe. “I don’t understand how you paid for all this, though. Garga’s coffers were nearly empty, and the demon realm is not a fertile place.”

  “Actually, not anymore. Saunak’s invention has proven revolutionary, enhancing crop yields like never before. Money flows more freely than it ever has.”

  “The prana converter, right? I remember,” Vir said, recalling his conversations with the mad Thaumaturge. They felt like so long ago. “Tell me more.”

  “You’ll see it soon enough,” Maiya promised with a smile. “They’re not exactly easy to miss.”

  Vir’s gaze lingered on the winding streets, trying to puzzle out their design. “It’s a little surprising, though. The old city had straight, rigid roads. This new design feels… less structured.”

  “Malik’s idea,” Maiya replied. “Apparently, he’s something of a scholar of different city designs.”

  The roads sprawled all across the new districts, and Vir thought its creators hadn’t given much thought to its design until Maiya explained.

  “Straight roads like the ones you see in a lot of human cities aren’t the best way to move people around,” she said. “Winding streets, with alleys and byways connecting them are better at keeping things flowing. This way, not everyone crowds into the main roads.”

  “Incredible,” Vir said, marveling at Malik’s ingenuity. “I’d never have guessed.”

  “Neither would I,” Maiya admitted with a small smile. “I’m just glad you managed to find so many talented people. That’s something Ira always struggled with.”

  “Especially after you were gone.”

  Maiya chuckled. “I wouldn’t say I was all that great.”

  “And yet,” he countered, “you’re the one responsible for all of this.”

  “It was a group effort,” Maiya said, puffing her cheeks and turning away.

  Even after all these years, despite all the hardship she’d endured and the horrors she’d seen, she had lost none of that playful energy that Vir admired so much. If anything, she’d only grown more radiant.

  “Stop staring,” she said when she caught him looking.

  “Why?” Vir asked. “Is that so wrong?”

  He smiled. “No one knows us in these disguises anyway.”

  “That’s true,” she murmured, scratching her cheek.

  He longed to kiss her but held back, unwilling to smudge the face paint any more than it already was. Instead, he kept an arm around her waist as they walked on, content to feel her close.

  Maiya pointed out new additions to the city while Vir admired the care and thought that had gone into its expansion, conversing about every random topic under the sun until they found themselves at the outer wall.

  Once, there had been only empty plains and forests in the distance. Now the trees were gone, burned away in Annas’ fire. In their place stretched endless fields of crops, rolling out to the horizon.

  “Each of these is fed by an Ash Gate?” Vir asked.

  “Not quite. It’s been hard without you. Ashani can recharge the Gates, but her cores were dangerously running low towards the end. We stopped asking her to make new Gates altogether and only relied on what we had. Trade suffered, but it ended up being a blessing in disguise, forcing us to build more roads and airships. We even build the airship for the Panav and the Bairans.”

  “For a hefty fee, I presume?”

  Maiya grinned impishly. “But of course.”

  Vir understood why she hadn’t given them to the Aindri or the Chitrans, but what of the Iksana? “Guessing they didn’t want them?”

  “We offered,” Maiya said with a shrug. “They refused. The Iksana loathe the surface, let alone the skies. They’re content to remain underground.”

  “That sounds like them,” Vir said. “And the Ekat’ma? Do we still have an Iksana corps?”

  “They’re still around,” Maiya replied, “but they haven’t grown all that much. They’ve still been invaluable, though. I use them as spies and scouts, mainly to keep an eye on our new neighbors to the east.”

  “The Chitran encampment?” Vir asked.

  “More of a small city these days, but yes. Asuman’s been leading the effort there,” Maiya said. “What began as a refugee camp was bound to fail in time. Tensions grew and crime spread. Especially after you vanished. Asuman held everything together despite that. He is surprisingly talented at his job. I’m glad you spared him.”

  Vir’s voice softened. “I’m just glad he didn’t take up arms against me like the others. He’s a good person. I always felt it.”

  “He is,” Maiya said. “I can’t imagine how challenging it must’ve been holding Samar Patag together under Matiman’s rule.”

  Vir nodded. “He cared more about my people than any Chitran I’d ever met. He truly wanted peace.”

  “And he’s kept it,” she said. “Better than anyone could have expected.”

  Vir exhaled. “Then I suppose we owe him a visit.”

  “You should,” Maiya said. “But there are others you must see first.”

  Vir’s shoulders tensed. “The other Rajas. I know. I’ve put them off for too long.”

  He drew a long breath, steeling himself. “Summon a council. Have Ashani gather them all in Samar Patag. It’s time I faced the leaders of this world—and announced where the realm is headed from here. Oh, and Mai?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Do you remember what we promised each other, all those years ago in Brij when…”

  “When I learned of my parents’ death? I could never forget, Vir. We promised each other that we’d always be together. Even if the realm became our enemy.”

  Vir looked into Maiya’s eyes, expressionless. But the fire that burned in his eyes made her breath catch.

  “I’ll find a way.”

  “And if it doesn’t exist?” Maiya asked, her finger hesitantly tracing the outline of his chest tattoo, her eyes daring to hope.

  “Then I will make one.”