Eloi's eyes were the strangest I had ever seen in my life. Large and bright; a midpoint between green and blue, like the color of turquoises, just like those embedded in the jewelry worn by the rich and noble; the rarest and most valuable stone in Yrose. They were captivating; hypnotizing... They would made you forget for a moment where you stood. He wasn't anything like us, scrappy, dirty kids, hands injured from harsh work and feet toughened by the mud; with sun-darkened skin and straw-like hair...

Everything about him was alluring in an odd way; to men and women; to the old and the young; to the slaves and the 'High Lords' equally. He was, in short, and without being bothered with the hundreds of pompous words people would use to praise him... simply beautiful.

He was sitting that night at the table, immersed in his usual silence and doing absolutely nothing, as always. He seemed to be lost in thought, for when, while stacking the dinner dishes, a bowl slipped from my fingers and crashed against the others with a loud clang, Eloi turned so quickly that his golden earrings jingled. The amber light from the hearth outlined his delicate features and his hair reflected the reddish hues of the fire.

Barely recovered from the surprise, he sighed and turned his gaze away again from me. "Could you possibly be any noisier?" he grumbled.

I exhaled slowly through my nose and shook my head. He was in a charming mood, as per usual...

It was hopeless. Laila, who had known him since childhood, used to say that the years had completely changed him; that there was a time when he used to be a cheerful, happy boy. But for Inoe and me, the youngest of our small family who could only remember him after his strange metamorphosis, that couldn't be further from the truth; for the boy of captivating beauty who fluttered his long lashes and mesmerized everyone with his perfect pearly smile; he who walked with the grace of a fawn and captured glances wherever he went... was someone very different when he was at home.

For us, Eloi was a demon.

He had a terrible, unpredictable temper. He would burst into intense fits of rage, and nothing escaped his fury when something angered him; which happened quite often. His turquoise eyes would then blaze like flames, and he was perfectly capable of strangling anyone who crossed him with his slim, delicate fingers.

For that very reason, none of us engaged him more than what was strictly necessary. Therefore... he would always be alone.

I kept myself busy with the dishes, trying my best to ignore him. But due to the pain of my sore hands from the hard labor of that day, another bowl slipped from my fingers and crashed against the old wooden floor, breaking into pieces. I cringed and gritted my teeth in a reflex. I was certain that I had finally awaken the demon's wrath; for he had already been quite kind the first time.

Instead, all he did was click his tongue and mutter, "Useless..."

He made the remark almost under his breath. The problem was... that I heard it very clearly. No one ever replied to his insults, no matter how hurtful they were. No one... except for me.

"I'm sorry... Some of us worked all day and are exhausted."

I felt his gaze stab my neck, and before I could even finish drying my hands to pick up the pieces of the broken bowl, one of them —which, much to my misfortune, had landed next to his feet— crashed against the wall right in front of me, dangerously close to my face. I took a step back and then saw his shadow cast over mine, too late to react and defend myself, before his hand clasped my neck and his grip tightened around it, causing me to gag.

He spun me around with that demonic strength that I never understood where he could possibly get from, and shoved me until my lower back hit the counter, against which he trapped me.

His eyes blazed with fury as they locked onto mine, "What did you just say?"

I was about to throw a punch directly to his face—even knowing that it might not end well for me—when the sound of the door made us both turn our heads. Immediately after, Ashun's sturdy body came between us and impelled Eloi to let go of me.

"I can't leave you alone even for two hours, huh?"

We both had to lift our faces to look at our brother's. More so me, as I barely reached his chest.

Eloi was taller than me but shorter than Ashun, though they were nearly the same age. And unlike Ashun, who was robust and muscular, even for his almost sixteen years, the demon was slender and delicate. Too delicate. He was not fit for any kind of demanding physical labor, like the hard work that Ashun and I did daily at the construction site.

"Go back to your chair. You're going to cut yourself barefoot like that," Ashun scolded him gently as he bent down to collect the pieces of the broken bowl.

He gave me a kind glance from the corner of his eye and then turned his broad, sunburned back to me, crossed with whip scars from the past, against which his blond hair contrasted.

The demon listened and retreated to his chair, where sat down with his feet up, hugging his knees to his face. When he looked up at me again, his eyes were no longer blazing, but still smoldering like a recently extinguished fire. There was only one force in the world capable of soothing Eloi's fiery rage. And that was Ashun.

I didn't know how he did it, but somehow, he always managed to calm his fury. And although he not always escaped his threats or his cutting glances, he never suffered the consequences of his anger beyond a measured blow or a poorly elaborated insult. After all, we all owed him a lot. Ashun was the one who took care of us and looked out for our well-being. He was the one who lifted our hopes when we were down and protected us from danger. He was everything the demon was not.

For that reason, Ashun was my favorite brother, my hero; whereas Eloi... I hated with all my being.

I clung to the counter with one hand and held my neck with the other, breathing heavily, both to catch my breath and also refrain from throwing myself at Eloi and rip out every lock of his silky bronze auburn hair that my fingers could grab before he ended me. After all, the demon didn't need to be tall or strong like Ashun to win a fight. He had quick hands and always managed to grab something blunt or sharp before any blow could reach his face, which he protected fiercely.

I decided to let it go this time and knelt to help Ashun. "We already had dinner without you. What took you so long?"

"I went to the marketplace in the 'Rim' and waited 'till everyone left and took down the stalls to grab the leftovers. There's a bag with bananas, apples and some oranges by the door. They're not too fresh, but we might not have another chance to eat fruit for a long time, so we need to finish them before they spoil," he said as we both threw the collected pieces of the broken bowl in the trash bin.

He then stood up and fixed his hair—which alternated lighter and darker blonde strands—brushing it away from his face. Ashun was handsome in a type of way that was very different from Eloi. The girls wouldn't take their eyes off him and whispered among themselves as he passed by, especially when the heat of the sun forced him to take off his shirt.

However, there was a girl their age who seemed immune to both Eloi's angelic beauty and Ashun's masculine appeal.

"You're back, Ashun! You had me worried sick," Laila said as she stepped out from under the curtain that served as a door to the small room next to the stairs. "Hold on, I'll serve you dinner."

She had a bowl of untouched vegetable stew in her hand, which she placed on the table. Exhausted, she tucked a loose strand of black hair behind her ear and sighed. Then, as she crossed the room, she shot a reproachful glance at Eloi and me from her light honey-brown eyes:

"And you two, fighting as always. Inoe needs his sleep now. Could you behave yourselves for the rest of the night?"

Eloi rolled his eyes and I bit my lips.

Ashun looked at Inoe's plate and furrowed his brow with a sad expression. "He almost didn't eat anything today either..."

"I'll make sure he finishes it", I decided.

Our little brother couldn't go another day without eating in his delicate condition, so I took the plate from the table, stopped by the bag next to the door to pick the best banana—which were Inoe's favorite—and headed to the room. "He almost finished his food yesterday. From now on, I'll make him eat every day until he gets better."

Laila smiled and Ashun nodded and said, "Good luck."

"The kid would be better off dead," Eloi interjected. Even the smoothness of his velvety voice couldn't soften the cruelty of his words. "If I were you, I'd let it happen and spare him from enduring the agony of that illness any longer," he added, fixing his gaze in the grooves of the wooden table.

His despicable comment was like wind over burning coals, rekindling my anger with the strength of a blaze.

I slammed the bowl down on the table, making a sharp sound, and clenched my fists at my sides, "Can't you keep your mouth shut?"

"Yuren," Ashun scolded me. As always, he completely dismissed Eloi's vile words.

"Didn't you hear him?!"

"That's enough. Take Inoe his plate back and make sure he eats."

"No! I'm sick of this!" I yelled.

Laila shuddered, knowing that at this rate I would soon awaken Eloi's wrath. And with that, the whole neighborhood.

Ashun stopped me as I lunged in his direction, ready to finish what we had started before he arrived.

"Damn you!" I shouted at the demon as I struggled in Ashun's grip, aware that there was no way I could break free from him. "I wish it were you who was sick and dying!"

"Yuren!" Ashun shouted and spun me around by the shoulders to make me face him.

Suddenly, everything fell silent. And when I looked behind me, driven by a hunch, I saw Inoe under the curtain of his room, staring at us with his large hazel eyes under dark, swollen eyelids. The strands of his wheat-colored hair were matted with sweat around his fevered, flushed face.

He looked alarmed and confused. "Why are you fighting this time?" he asked in a tearful voice.

Laila approached him, lifted him from the floor in her slender arms and kissed him on the cheek like the loving mom she had become for all of us, after we had all been ripped from our own, before we could even remember them—as was the fate of all children in Yrose, our nation.

"It's nothing. Let's go to bed," she said gently. "Do you want me to snuggle with you?"

Laila gave Eloi and me a disapproving look before turning and entering the room she shared with Inoe, leaving the three of us in silence.

Ashun let out a weary sigh. "I really hope he didn't hear you. Neither of you. What do you think would go through the head of an eight-year-old if he heard his older brothers shouting that he's going to die?"

"But... Ashun—!" I tried to reason with him, only to receive a swift and stern look, which silenced me immediately.

He didn't need to do anything else for me to start feeling the tears prickling at the corners of my eyes. I cursed my big mouth and my bad temper. I looked at Eloi, hoping to find at least a hint of remorse in his eyes and reach some kind of consensus with him... but the demon only drew a wicked smile.

It wasn't anything like Ashun's kind smile or Laila's sweet one; but rather one of his cynical, cold smiles, which never conveyed the slightest happiness.

I could feel the veins throbbing in my temples and, unable to stay another moment in the same room as him, I stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind me.

• • •

I ran nonstop until I reached the Salman River—which flowed right across the city—and released everything I had been holding inside with a cry that rose into the void of the sky.

Although the night was freezing—which was common for autumn nights in Kajhun, given its proximity to the sea—the sky was clear, and the stars shone brightly. Watching them usually brought me comfort, but not this time. I was too angry. So, I sat among the reeds by the riverbank and remained there for a long time.

I heard footsteps on the grass behind me and, shortly after, Ashun's huge frame cast a dense shadow over me. I ignored him, but as soon as I felt his warm palm on my shoulder, the tears gathered in my eyelids streamed down uncontrollably. My favorite brother had that strange effect on me.

"I hate him..." I mumbled, hugging my knees tightly to my chest and speaking through the space between them.

Ashun was silent for a moment before replying, "No, you don't."

"Yes, I do!" I yelled. "Why does he have to be like that? Why does he have to be so cruel? If Inoe dies..."

"Don't say such terrible things. That won't happen."

"If it did, he wouldn't shed a single tear."

"No... He wouldn't," Ashun agreed. "But he would hurt just as much as any if us. If not more."

"Don't be stupid. To grieve Inoe more than any of us, he'd have to care about him more than any of us. And that miserable idiot doesn't care about anyone. He loves no one, but himself."

From there on, Ashun just let me vent without interrupting me.

I cursed our brother once more; got lost in a long recount of times when he had said or done similar things in the past, not too long ago; I swore that one day I'd teach him a good lesson...

... and in the end, I just let out a deep sigh and fell silent. And I realized I was calm.

"Let's go home. We shouldn't worry Laila," Ashun asked.

"I don't want to see that monster again."

"Eloi must have left already. He had to go to his master today."

I was relieved to hear that. Actually ... I did want to go home. I wanted to apologize to Laila and make sure Inoe finished his food. And without the demon there, it felt safer doing so. I stood up with my older brother's help when he offered his hand and brushed the dirt, grass, and mud off the back of my pants. Before we headed back, I took one last look at the stars.

Due to the suffocating cluster of tall, square houses made of clay and stone, the sky wasn't very visible from the 'Fringe', where our home was located. It was something I missed from when we all lived in the camp settlements in the 'Outskirts,' the farthest area of the city, right next to the outer walls, along with all the other workers. Although of course... the cold and humidity rising from the river and the venomous vermin were not something I missed too much.

"Yuren..." my older brother called out.

"What's is it?"

Ashun took a deep breath of the cold night breeze before speaking, "Can you promise me... that you'll try to ignore him?"

"Huh?"

"I mean Eloi. He just wants to make you angry and you always let him. If you stopped being such a hot-headed child, he'd stop messing with you." Ashun paused and looked at me with a mocking expression. "Your temper is just as bad as his, did you know that?"

"Of course not!" I hissed through my clenched teeth, only reaffirming his point. Ashun looked at me with a raised eyebrow and I shrugged, embarrassed. "Don't compare me to that idiot."

"I'm not. And I know it's not easy to understand him; but..."

"What's there to understand?! He's a spoiled brat!" I retorted, waving my arms in all directions as I usually did when anger got the best of me. "He doesn't even remember what it was like to work like the rest of us; that's why he turned out like that: a pampered, spoiled child with no empathy for anyone. He's a good for nothing because he's a weakling; not no mention his shitty temper. It's only because of his looks that he's where he is now!"

"Enough already..." my older brother sighed.

"I mean it! Do you not think so? What wouldn't I give to work in the house of some High Lord like he does; singing songs, playing instruments, carrying trays with snacks for the guests, and looking pretty for them.

"What wouldn't any of us give to be the pet of one of those pompous old men and spend the day lounging on feather cushions; instead of being outside breaking our backs, sweating under the heat, crying at night from the pain of our cut hands and feet!

"It's so, so...!" I shouted... and then let out an exhausted sigh. "So unfair..."

Ashun watched me in silence. His sad expression diluted some of my anger, and I looked down, embarrassed. "Look around you, Yuren," he requested after a moment.

I did as he asked. The streets were deserted.

"Not at the city. Over there." He turned me around, holding my shoulders, and pointed to the Outskirts, at the other side of the Salman River, where hundreds of old hemp tents stood barely visible in the darkness of the night. "What do you see?"

"Tents."

"Is that all?"

No; it wasn't just tents... Outside there were clotheslines with hanging clothes, extinguished bonfires, carts, a few animals... and, of course, their occupants. Children like us. That was just one of the many settlements designated for our class: the workers. It included all the children and teenagers of our nation.

"Kids living in them. So what?"

Ashun turned me back around and reclaimed my attention, "Don't forget it's thanks to Eloi that we live in a house and that Inoe is safe from the cold," he reminded me. "We owe him a lot."

"That's not true!" I shouted as I brushed his hands off of me, furious that he would give all the credit to Eloi. "Even if we live in a house because of him, you're the one who works the hardest of any of us. You're the one who puts food on the table and protects us! And Laila! She's the one who saves the money, who takes care of us and feeds us. Without both of you, we would be lost."

Ashun had gone silent again. He glanced at me, but without really seeing me. He was tired; I could tell just by the look of his eyes. And I was only making it worse. I looked down and sighed.

"Let's go home" he finally said.

And I agreed. Ashun needed to get some sleep... and so did I. So, I walked when he did, and we headed back home.

Just like Ashun had promised, Eloi was nowhere to be seen. His schedule wasn't fixed like ours. Sometimes he worked all day, and some other times he was needed at his master's house only at night, during the huge parties thrown by his master and all the other High Lords.

While Mahashtan, the nation to the south of Yrose, had a king; Milwan, the western nation, an emperor; and Hadiveh, the eastern nation, a sultan, in Yrose, the High Lords were the highest tier of our society and, therefore, practically the equivalent of royalty. They lived lives of excess, indulgence, and unrestrained pleasures. Parties and feasts regardless of the day and time; especially at the end of the year, in commemoration of certain holidays or special occasions, and during the changing of the seasons.

It was said that they were very tall and obese men. And High Lord Ibn Mailhar, Eloi's master, was surely no exception. We had never seen him in person, but we knew one thing about him: he was the wealthiest man in the citadel of Kajhun... and the most powerful. Beyond that, we didn't know much, since Eloi never spoke of him, and would get moody at the sole mention of his name; which is why I assumed he wasn't a very pleasant man. After all, they were a match made in heaven.

But as much as I hated to admit it, Ashun was right. While he was the one who worked the hardest and put bread on the table, it was thanks to Eloi that we, as mere workers, enjoyed the luxury of a house just for the five of us—right at the foot of the middle wall too, which separated the Fringe from the Rim; a privileged area even for the lower class. Even if it was small and only had two rooms. It was all thanks to the generosity of his master, Ibn Mailhar, the lord of the house of the 'Russet Bear'. However, nutritious food, quality clothing, and not having to work under the scorching sun were privileges exclusive to Eloi, who couldn't risk getting an illness that would make him lose his beautiful hair or his perfect teeth. The rest of us could only partake in the luxury of a solid roof. Beyond that, we were still workers and had to continue laboring just like everyone else.

And every worker in Yrose had a job according to their abilities.

The more robust boys were sent to mines and excavations, to mine metals, precious stones, and gold; to the forests, to cut trees and work the wood; or to the fields, where they harvested, carried sacks, and pulled carts. Others like Ashun, who were exceptionally strong, were sent to construction jobs; whether for repairing, building, or even erecting and enlarging the mansions and palaces where the High Lords lived, located right inside the inner walls, in the highest-class area of the city, called the 'Lordly Gardens'.

The younger and weaker boys, like Inoe—though he was exempt from work due to his illness—were sent to farms to feed and care for small animals, such as chickens and rabbits, to clean cages and stables and sow the land; or to textile factories, dyeing fabrics, working on looms, sewing clothes and shoes; or even to work as goldsmith assistants—those with the most skillful hands—crafting and embedding jewelry. Or even in 'hammams', assisting the rich in their baths, giving massages, carrying towels, and fetching soap, brushes, and basins.

The literate, like Laila, were highly valued in libraries, notaries, scribes, and offices. Laila worked as a messenger and porter, bringing and taking small packages or letters throughout the city and reading them to their recipients; which meant she had to run from place to place all day and ended up exhausted, with very sore legs.

And then, of course, there was the other class. The 'companion lads'; to which Eloi belonged. These were young boys chosen based on three specific traits: being male, being from the working class... and being particularly beautiful.

They were very popular among the High Lords, who acquired and kept them close as if they were pets; cleaner and smarter than an animal and also capable of following orders. Their role was limited to serving their masters in the simplest daily tasks and activities; as company, aide or mere entertainment; singing, dancing, reading, or playing instruments.

In the working class, due to food scarcity and the terrible sanitary conditions in the outskirts, disease and illness were rampant. Severe malnutrition, baldness, parasites, skin conditions, deformities, missing limbs, tooth loss... These were the frequent ravages of poor living conditions, making it quite a challenge to find attractive specimens. The few who did stand out were highly sought after, and Eloi, 'The Demon', was among the most coveted.

Added to the immense fortune of having been born with the gift of beauty, our brother had started working on his appearance as soon as he reached enough maturity to understand how our world functioned. He took care of his teeth and skin, treated his hair with vinegar —which was cheap and kept it shiny and free of parasites—, brushed it frequently to keep it soft and silky, and had shaped his personality into the charming creature he was nowadays, even though it was just a facade to hide his true hostile, aggressive, and arrogant nature.

He had also taught himself to read and write, and knew how to sing and play some musical instruments. It didn't take long for a High Lord to notice him, and that's how he obtained his privileged position as Ibn Mailhar's companion lad, in whose house he now served as if he were another exotic pet of his menagerie.

I often wondered what it would be like to work there; how many comforts and luxuries he had... Sometimes I asked Ashun, who was the only person Eloi would deal with in somewhat cordial terms. It was only through him that I could paint a mental picture of that perfect world; the one Eloi was born destined for... and which he refused to share.

That night, when Ashun and I went to sleep by the hearth—the spot in which we had settled ever since we had completely given up the only other room in the house to Inoe and Laila, which was small and couldn't house all four of us—I knew just by laying my head on the pillow that I wouldn't find it easy to fall asleep.

Ashun started to snore almost instantly, and for a while, I entertained myself with the amber glow that the light from the hearth projected onto his face, outlining his features. I couldn't blame him for passing out like that every night after working so hard all day.

I worked alongside Ashun as a construction assistant. My tasks were limited to simple chores: bringing and carrying tools, nailing, holding things, fetching water, and assisting those who did the heavier work. This was because, while I wasn't weak enough to be sent to work on the farms, I was still young and didn't have Ashun's strength. I aimed to be, of course, maybe in another two years, when I was his age. Yroseans, especially the men, were a race of very tall and strong people, so I was just waiting for my growth spurt. However, with each passing month without growing even half an inch, I had slowly started to lose hope.

I tossed and turned on my mat, uncomfortable and restless. The earlier fight had left me on edge, so I decided to get up, thinking a walk or skipping stones in the river might help burn off some energy. But as I made my way out, the sight of the door to the only room upstairs stopped me in my tracks.

Of course, Eloi had to have his own room in the tiny house. And he locked himself there in solitude almost the entire time he was at home. No one knew what he did during his secluded hours on the days his master did not require him, while the rest of us worked ourselves to the bone. But whether he was there or not, the door remained closed.

Yet that night, the door was ajar.

I was struck by curiosity. I had never seen inside the room since we were strictly forbidden to enter; except for Ashun, although even he had fairly restricted access. I glanced over my shoulder at my older brother asleep and then peered through the curtain that served as a door to the second room, where Laila and Inoe slept huddled together to stave off the cold. Then, resolved to satisfy my curiosity, I lit an oil lamp on the hearth and carefully climbed the stairs.

I stopped in front of the door and hesitated to turn the knob, paralyzed by the thought that the demon might emerge at any moment to try and strangle me again. But he wasn't there, and it was likely that he wouldn't return until the next day. It wouldn't hurt to take a quick peak inside, just to see how his "royal highness" lived and then leave, go back to bed, and act as if nothing ever happened.

No one would know.

But... what if Ashun woke up? Or if Laila got up to get water for Inoe and caught me? Or what if Eloi found out... And I had to admit that the last possibility terrified me more than the thought of the "Cheitan" himself waiting on the other side to devour me the moment I stepped inside. I swallowed hard and, upon gathering all my courage, I entered the room and carefully closed the door behind me.

I had expected a large double bed made of ebony wood, perhaps adorned with gold and precious stones and silk beddings; porcelain tinted vases from Milwan, filled with fine delicacies and fresh fruit; divans piled with soft cushions stuffed with duck feathers; among other luxuries. I soon realized I had a lot of imagination, because all I found in the room was a small, simple cot—in no better condition than the other one in the house; a nightstand with a bronze lamp and a book; a wardrobe, and a small dressing table with three drawers and various items on top.

The room wasn't very large either; perhaps just a tad bigger than Laila and Inoe's.

Of all the wonders I had expected to find in Eloi's room and weren't there, what I did find, which I hadn't thought of, was the thing I envied most about him. He had an ogee window with hinged shutters. They were wide open to let in the air and you could see the clear starry sky through the lattice. Despite my fascination, I tried not to get too distracted by it so I had enough time to nose around through the objects on the dressing table.

On top there was a simple ceramic basin filled with water that smelled of fresh roses, along with a ewer and a matching towel, several bottles of perfume, and a small wooden chest adorned with gems containing jewelry. It was customary for young boys serving in the houses of High Lords as companion lads to wear earrings in both ears and a ring with the crest of the house they served.

Eloi's ring, for instance, had a roaring bear on a red background, representing the house of the Russet Bear.

Aside from the ring that was no longer there, I found a couple of bracelets, bangles, earrings, and necklaces made of precious metals, set with gems and stones that dazzled in the lamplight. Among them were blood rubies from Nawka and turquoise from Ikaina, which I knew from Laila were extremely expensive.

If I owned all of that, I would have sold it a long time ago to buy better medicine for Inoe. But in reality... everything Eloi had was property of lord Ibn Mailhar. Items meant to be used only in his presence and which he had no authority to sell. He would be accused of theft, for sure. Not only would he lose his position, but probably a hand too... in which case he wouldn't be able to strangle me.

I chuckled at that thought and continued to snoop around.

There were also many small bottles and pots of creams, ointments, and perfumed oils that smelled fancy, a stone incense burner, a tortoiseshell comb, and a silver hand mirror, whose exact position I made sure to memorize before lifting it. It wouldn't surprise me if someone as possessive of his private space—and as much of a lunatic as Eloi was, remembered exactly where he placed each of his belonging, in order to detect any intruders. I couldn't take that chance.

I had never seen my reflection so clearly before. Mirrors were luxury items reserved for the upper class—gleaming and beautiful, serving only to reflect the splendor of their owners. Items, like Eloi. As for the rest of us, I had no doubt that most workers had probably spent their entire lives not even knowing what they looked like. I carried water so many times a day that my reflection was not unfamiliar to me and I had the fortune—or misfortune—to know it quite well.

Nonetheless, seeing it for the first time so clearly and with such detail left me in a slight awe.

I looked at my face from every possible angle, searching for one that looked favorable, pondering if with proper care it might be possible for a High Lord to notice me and allow me to work in his house; even just to feed his dogs or open his letters. The answer came to me as a resounding 'no'. I was missing only two teeth, fortunately, none visible, I had no deformities or visible scars on my face, and I had both of my eyes, so I couldn't say my face was altogether unpleasant; however, I had spent my entire life under the same roof as the most beautiful creature in Kajhun, so my concept of beauty was quite skewed. Perhaps clean, with jewelry on, and if I had nice hair, I might be considered a handsome lad... but then I would only have to stand next to Eloi in front of that mirror and with my weak jaw, my dark eyes, my long and straight nose, and my unruly hair which, just like Laila's, had no outstanding color, I would look more like a decked-out goose.

I placed the mirror back on the dressing table with a sigh and went to sit on the bed where 'his majesty' slept. It was much more comfortable than my coarse mat, although I disliked the fact that it smelled so much like him. The bastard smelled too damn good for what a miserable little boy should smell like.

I shook my head... and decided I was being a child again; that I really had no reason to hate Eloi so much. He was cruel, violent, hateful, selfish, and despicable... but he hadn't done anything to me; except being born with a pretty face and still manage to be an utter sourpuss, despite that.

He deserved my dislike, and he earned it with merit, but not my hatred. And with that last thought, I got up from his bed, tidied the covers as best I could, left his room, closing the door behind me, and returned to my mat by the hearth, where, after a few minutes and somewhat calmer after satisfying my curiosity, I fell asleep.

• • •

I spent a terrible night. Despite managing to fall asleep, I had many nightmares and woke up even before the sun had risen.

Soon it would be time to start the day, so I had no choice but to get up. I decided to take a walk around the street to wake myself up and then return home to have breakfast with Ashun before heading to our workplace.

As I was putting on my shoes, I thought I heard horse hooves on an empty street. Shortly after, I heard the sound of wheels of a cart. It was probably the carriage sent to pick up and then drop Eloi off at home. I rushed to leave before he could get off the carriage so I wouldn't have to run into him and hurried to the door to get away quickly.

However, I found myself face to face with him as soon as I opened and stood in the entrance. I froze in terror, as if his eyes had some kind of magical power which allowed him to know that I had been snooping around in his room. I waited for him to say something. But all he did was step aside to let me pass, instead of shoving me out of his way as he usually did. Surprised by that, I quickly moved past him and descended the front step. The ornate black carriage was parked in front of the house. It was a bit more discreet than those used by the High Lords to ride around the citadel, but just as elegant. The coachman didn't bother to even glance at me. He just flicked the reins of the single animal pulling the carriage—a tall, strong, and glossy black horse—and continued its way until it disappeared down the end of the street.

Only after the distinctive smell of horse had faded did I notice a second scent in the air, coming from Eloi. It was strong and sweet. I didn't have the courage to ask, but that didn't stop me from taking a closer look. Sometimes, the Demon brought home sweets and treats from his master, which he never touched but instead left on the table for us to eat. It wasn't an act of kindness; but rather it was more than Eloi hated anything sweet—naturally. But today, his hands were empty.

That's when I picked up other details that I hadn't before, due to my nervousness. There was something different about him. He looked tired and weak, his turquoise pupils hidden under heavy lids, dragged by the dark circles under his eyes, and his beautiful features had a noticeable tremor, as if he was experiencing some kind of intense malaise.

We stared at each other for a few moments before Eloi did something I had never seen him do in all the years I had lived with him: he looked down, embarrassed...

My jaw dropped.

As I was struggling to find something appropriate to say in such strange circumstances, Eloi turned back to get into the house.

However, when he took the first step toward the door, all of a sudden, Eloi staggered and fell to his knees, banging them on the hard floor with a loud thud. He barely managed to prevent his precious face from crashing against the stone steps, thanks only to his last-second reflex of grabbing the door handle before collapsing completely.

All the annoyance and resentment from our fight the previous day evaporated ad I hurried up the front steps to rush to my brother's aid.

"Hey!" I exclaimed as I crouched next to him, with a hand on his slender back.

He covered his mouth with his hand as a violent shudder shook is body, and he retched like he was about to vomit. His eyes were wide and tearful, and he had begun to breathe heavily and rapidly.

"What's wrong?!" I stammered, in fear that he had caught some kind of illness, like Inoe. "Eloi...!"

I hadn't realized he had placed his hands on my chest up until the moment he shoved me away with all his might. The push sent me flying over the steps and I landed painfully with my ass on the hard ground.

Right after that, the beautiful demon took a few more deep breaths and straightened up, haughty and impetuous as ever.

He then turned over his shoulder, only enough to throw me a cold, disdainful glare. "Don't touch me," he said before stepping into the house and slamming the door behind him.

I sat there on the hard, cold floor—silent and paralyzed as the humidity of the damp ground seeped through my clothes and crawled up my butt—too bewildered to react... or even begin to understand what the hell had just happened.