Demon and Wife [GL]

Astraea's POV

I didn't even realize I'd fallen asleep until I heard Draven's voice through the silence. My eyes snapped open, and for a moment, I was disoriented.

"Draven?" I muttered groggily, turning toward him.

But he wasn't looking at me. In fact, he didn't even acknowledge my voice. Instead, he had one hand on the wheel and the other holding some strange, rectangular object to his ear. He was speaking into it, though none of the words made sense to me.

I frowned, sitting up straighter as I watched him, my confusion growing by the second. What in the underworld was he doing?

"Draven," I said again, more loudly this time.

He glanced at me briefly, his expression calm, before returning his attention to the road. "I'll call you back later," he said into the object.

Then, with a flick of his wrist, he pulled it away from his ear, pressed something on its surface, and placed it in the space between us.

I stared at him, my confusion evident. "What was that?"

He smirked, as if anticipating my reaction. "That, Your Highness, is called a phone. It's one of the many wonders of the human world."

I blinked, trying to make sense of his words. "A phone?"

"Yes," he said, clearly enjoying my confusion. "Humans use it to communicate over long distances. Instead of using magic, they rely on technology."

I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest. "They wouldn't need so many so-called wonders if they had powers. Their reliance on these…weird things only proves their weakness."

Draven chuckled lightly. "You're not wrong, but humans have a way of turning their weaknesses into strengths. It's impressive, if you ask me."

I rolled my eyes, turning back to the window. "We'll see about that."

The view outside had changed while I was asleep. Gone were the dense trees and the darkness of the forest. In their place were tall structures that seemed to pierce the sky and even more strange-looking lights.

The streets were lined with glowing signs, and strange, metallic objects—cars, I realized—moved along the roads.

"What… is this place?" I murmured, my voice audible.

Draven glanced at me, a hint of amusement in his expression. "Welcome to the kingdom of Eldris, your highness. This is one of the many kingdoms in the human world."

"Eldris," I repeated, the name rolling awkwardly off my tongue.

My gaze darted from one unfamiliar sight to the next, taking in the chaos of the place, until suddenly, something else caught my eye.

It was a gathering of people crowded around a corner, and from the way they moved, jostling and shouting, it was clear that something was happening in the middle of the circle they'd formed.

Without thinking, I turned to Draven. "Stop the car."

Draven shot me a confused glance, his hands steady on the wheel. "What is it, Your Highness?"

"Stop the car," I repeated, pointing toward the gathering. "Over there."

He looked confused but complied, pulling the car to a stop along the curb. "What caught your attention?"

I leaned forward, squinting through the glass. Even though I couldn't hear them clearly, I could see the crowd's energy—the way they chanted and gestured and how their movements were erratic and wild.

"It looks like a fight," I said, intrigued. "What are they doing?"

Draven followed my gaze, his expression shifting to one of understanding. "Ah, street fighting."

I turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "That's what they call it here?"

He nodded. "Yes. It's a common sport here. No rules, no formalities—just competition. It's usually a way for people to prove themselves or settle disputes."

I glanced back at the scene, my interest piqued. This reminded me of those days long gone when I lived for the thrill of a fight—an escape toward which I retreated after my father died.

"I didn't think humans could enjoy this sort of thing," I said, half to myself, half to Draven.

"They're not terribly different from us, in ways," he said. "It just happens that the difference is they're a bit weaker."

I smiled at him in amusement. "You think I'd find this interesting?"

Draven tilted his head, scanning me. "Do you want a close-up? It would help you know how to blend into the human world and see with your own eyes how they live and what excites them."

I very nearly hesitated, but one moment later I nodded. "Yes. Let's see what all the fuss is about."

Draven parked and got out of the car, and I followed. With each step, the noise grew louder—cheers, jeers, and the unmistakable sound of fists connecting with flesh.

The crowd parted a little as we got closer, allowing me to see the ring clearly. When we finally got close enough to see, I froze in surprise.

Two girls were fighting.

I expected men, and here were two women squaring off in the middle of the crowd, and they couldn't have been more different.

One of them was huge, with broad shoulders and muscular arms that could probably crush a boulder. I wouldn't have called her a girl—not mentally, anyway. She was more of a giant.

The other fighter, by contrast, was tiny. Her frame seemed almost childlike compared to her opponent's, and she moved quickly, her eyes never leaving her target. 

It was the smaller girl who caught my attention. Something about the resolve in her expression and the way she held herself despite the odds intrigued me. Outmatched in every way, she stood her ground against a girl that was three times her size.

We locked eyes for a fleeting moment. Her stare pierced mine, and all of a sudden, everything went out of focus.

A sharp pain struck through my chest, almost knocking me backward. I staggered, grasping my chest with one hand and opening and closing my mouth in an empty effort to breathe. Nothing like that had ever happened to me before.

"Lady Astraea?" Draven's voice immediately called out. "Are you all right?"

I squeezed my eyes shut, grappling to make sense of what had just happened. The heart sting was receding, but the burn was insistent, and I felt an odd magnetic attraction toward the girl.

"I'm fine," I said quickly, shaking my head. I had no intention of going into detail about what had just happened or why a random human had given me a near heart attack. "Just nothing, really."

Draven gave me a skeptical look, but he didn't push the issue.

"We should leave," I said abruptly, eager to get away from whatever had just happened.

Draven hesitated, looking at the fight, before nodding. "As you wish, Your Highness."

As we began to walk away, a sudden roar of cheers erupted from the crowd, stopping us in our tracks. Against my better judgment, I glanced back to discover the cause of the commotion.

My gaze quickly found the smaller girl; however, instead of seeing her on her feet, I was taken aback to find her collapsed on the ground, utterly still.

Above her stood the other woman, panting heavily as she regained her breath, with her fists proudly held high in triumph.

The crowd surged with cheers and loud voices, but with the commotion settling in, all I could see was a girl on the ground with dirt and blood splattered on her face.

Something in my chest twisted painfully, and I clenched my fists to suppress this unfamiliar feeling.

Draven's voice cut through my thoughts. "Do you still want to leave?"

I didn't answer immediately, too busy observing the ring. I didn't really know what I wanted anymore, but I couldn't look away.

Then, a man, whom I assumed was the host, walked into the center of the ring.

"Vira reigns undefeated once again!" he announced with a wide grin, pointing toward her, and the crowd cheered in approval. "But the night is not over, folks! The question remains—does anyone have the guts to even try to take her on?" 

The crowd quieted slightly, and the host continued, "If you think you've got what it takes, step up! Show us that you have confidence, skill, and courage!" 

Nobody moved for a second, and a smile crept along my face. I turned and locked eyes with Draven, and he changed his expression in an instant, furrowing his brows, as if he could already read my mind.

 "No," he said sternly, shaking his head. "Whatever you might be thinking, don't."

I raised my brow, broadening my smile. "What makes you think I'm thinking anything?" 

Draven leaned closer and lowered his voice to a hushed tone. "Princess Astraea, you know you are not allowed to use your powers." 

My smile faltered slightly and was quickly replaced with a look of mild annoyance: "What makes you think I want to use my powers? This is just a simple fight; really just me against a human." 

Draven clenched his jaw. "Humans may be weaker than us, but they are not as fragile as you think. If you lose control—" 

"I won't," I interrupted.

He scrutinized me, obviously torn between his duty to follow the orders Therion had given him and the instinct to stop me.

With a heavy sigh, he murmured, "You are going to do it whether I agree or not, aren't you?" 

"Exactly," I said, a smirk on my face. "So, for your sake, you might as well grit your teeth and agree." 

He pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something under his breath, then nodded reluctantly. "Fine, just be careful."

"Don't worry, Draven," I said, patting his shoulder with mock reassurance. "You'll thank me later."

Before he could say anything, I raised my hand and drew the attention of the host and the audience. Noisy whispers ran through the crowd as they turned to look at me, the curiosity obvious on their faces.

"I'll fight her," I said loudly.

The host's eyes glistened with delight. "Why, well! Looks like we have us a new challenger! Brave one, step right up!"

The crowd parted, and I pushed to the center of the ring.

"Who's she?"

"She doesn't look like much."

"Is she crazy? Vira's going to crush her."

I ignored them and fixed my gaze on Vira, who was watching me with amusement and disdain.

As I stepped into the ring, the host crouched, allowing his smile to become wider. "Let's have your name, challenger."

"I'm Astraea," I told him bluntly.

"Astraea, ladies and gentlemen," said the host, now addressing the audience, "we have another fearless one today! Let's give it up for her!"

The crowd cheer was mixed with insults, but I hardly registered any of them, focused entirely on Vira, who cracked her knuckles and flashed a menacing grin.

"This is what you really want, little girl?" she sneered. 

I sweetly smiled, tilting my head. "Absolutely."