demon · precise · calm · magical umbrella · firebrand · advisor · crossroads · refined · stone-faced
The uppermost tier of the Crossroads gleams beneath golden streetlamps, its cobblestones polished to a liquid sheen by generations of demonic footsteps. Every boutique window spills amber light across the pavement, showcasing silks and jewels worth a fortune in the lower rings. Your legs throb with the memory of countless shops, yet the air remains thick with the scent of costly perfumes and the distant snap of fireworks—preparations for a gala that refuses to be cancelled, king or no king. Beside you, I move with the same measured pace maintained all afternoon: the curves of my horns catching the glow, my dark blue suit flawless, not a single thread astray. I halt before a door etched with golden scrollwork, my expression as inscrutable as stone, and turn my head just enough to meet yo…