“Your soul,” Lucien said hesitantly.
“My soul!” the man repeated, his face turning pale, but he couldn’t refuse.
The words hung in the room.
Seraphina stared at the man, then slowly turned toward Lucien.
She had heard him mention souls before, but hearing an ordinary human say it so calmly made the whole situation feel different.
“You’re serious?” she asked.
The man nodded.
“I have nothing else left to give.”
Lucien studied him carefully.
His expression had changed completely.
The playful man Seraphina knew was gone.
In his place stood someone cold and ancient.
“Tell me what you want,” Lucien said.
The man took a shaky breath.
“My daughter is sick. She’s been in the hospital for weeks. The doctors told me that she needs an operation immediately, but I can’t afford it.”
His voice broke.
“I borrowed money. I sold almost everything I had. I even begged people I barely knew. Nobody could help me.”
Seraphina’s chest tightened.
“And now?”
“They told me she may not survive the night.”
Silence filled the room.
Seraphina looked at Lucien.
“Can you really save her?”
Lucien’s eyes remained on the man.
“Yes.”
The answer came without hesitation.
Seraphina stepped closer.
“How?”
Lucien glanced at her.
“That’s not important.”
“It is to me.”
He sighed.
“Humans always want to understand things they cannot control.”
“And Devils always avoid answering simple questions.”
A small smile appeared on Lucien’s lips.
“Perhaps.”
The man stepped forward.
“Please. I don’t care what happens to me. Just save my daughter.”
Lucien looked at him for several seconds.
“You understand that once we make this contract, there is no changing your mind.”
“I understand.”
“You cannot take back your soul.”
“I know.”
“And when your life ends, it belongs to me.”
The man closed his eyes.
“Just save her.”
Lucien raised his hand.
“Then we have a deal.”
A black mark suddenly appeared beneath the man’s feet.
Seraphina stepped backward.
Dark smoke spread across the floor, curling around the man’s legs.
The lights in the room flickered violently.
“What is happening?” she asked.
Lucien didn’t look at her.
“The contract.”
The man cried out as the darkness climbed higher.
Seraphina wanted to stop it, but something inside her told her that interfering could make things worse.
Then Lucien touched the man’s chest.
A burst of black light filled the room.
The man fell to his knees.
Everything became silent.
A few seconds passed.
Then Lucien pulled his hand away.
“It is done.”
The man looked up, breathing heavily.
“My daughter?”
“She will live.”
Tears immediately rolled down the man’s face.
“Thank you.”
Seraphina stared at him.
“You actually saved her.”
“Yes.”
“And you took his soul.”
Lucien looked back at her.
“Yes.”
She shook her head.
“I don’t understand you.”
“You don’t need to.”
“I think I do.”
Lucien walked toward the door.
“Why?”
“Because I’m stuck with you.”
He stopped.
Seraphina folded her arms.
“If I’m going to be your guardian’s responsibility, then I should know what I’m dealing with.”
Lucien turned around slowly.
“You’re beginning to sound like a detective.”
“Maybe I should investigate you.”
“You’d regret it.”
“That’s exactly what someone suspicious would say.”
For a moment, Lucien simply stared at her.
Then a faint smile appeared.
“You’re brave.”
“Or stupid.”
“Sometimes there’s very little difference.”
Seraphina rolled her eyes.
Before she could answer, a loud ringing came from the man’s phone.
He quickly picked it up.
“Hello?”
His face changed.
Seraphina watched as tears returned to his eyes.
“What?”
He listened for a few seconds.
Then he covered his mouth.
“She woke up?”
His knees nearly gave way.
“She’s awake?”
He began crying.
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
Seraphina looked at Lucien.
He stood silently beside the door.
For the first time, she saw something she hadn’t expected.
He looked satisfied.
Not because he had taken a soul.
Because the wish had worked.
She walked toward him.
“You’re not completely heartless.”
Lucien looked at her.
“Don’t spread that rumor.”
She smiled.
“Your secret is safe.”
He held out his hand.
“Come.”
Seraphina looked at his hand.
“Again?”
“We’re going back.”
“Can’t we stay until he finishes his call?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I have no interest in watching humans cry for twenty minutes.”
“You really are terrible with emotions.”
“I’ve survived centuries without them.”
Seraphina placed her left hand in his.
His fingers closed around hers.
The black cross on her palm gave a faint pulse.
Lucien noticed.
His eyes narrowed for a moment.
Then he lifted his other hand.
Snap.
A second later, they appeared outside Alexandria Corporation.
Seraphina immediately released his hand.
“I hate that.”
“You’ll get used to it.”
“I hope not.”
They started walking toward the building.
After a few steps, Seraphina looked at him.
“Lucien.”
He glanced at her.
“Hmm?”
“Do all humans who make wishes have to give you their souls?”
“Most.”
“And you never feel bad about it?”
Lucien was silent.
Then he answered quietly.
“They know the price before they agree.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
He looked at her.
“No.”
Seraphina frowned.
“No what?”
“I don’t feel bad.”
She nodded slowly.
At least he was honest.
They entered the building.
The receptionist immediately looked up.
Her eyes moved from Seraphina to Lucien, then back to Seraphina.
A knowing smile appeared on her face.
Seraphina noticed.
“Don’t.”
Lucien looked confused.
“Don’t what?”
“Nothing.”
They walked toward the elevator.
As the doors closed, Seraphina leaned against the wall.
“You know what people are going to say.”
“I don’t care.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because it’s true.”
She looked at him.
“You really don’t care what anyone thinks?”
“No.”
The elevator doors opened.
Seraphina stepped out first.
“Must be nice.”
Lucien followed.
“What?”
“Not caring.”
He looked at her for a moment.
“You care too much.”
“Maybe.”
She continued walking.
Neither of them noticed the figure standing across the street.
The stranger watched them through the glass doors of Alexandria Corporation.
His gaze remained fixed on Seraphina’s left hand.
Even from a distance, he could see the faint darkness beneath her skin.
A slow smile appeared on his face.
“So it is true.”
He turned away from the building.
“The cross has chosen a new host.”
Inside, Lucien suddenly stopped walking.
Seraphina turned around.
“What?”
Lucien looked toward the glass doors.
His expression had gone cold.
“What is it?”
He didn’t answer.
For the first time since becoming her guardian, Lucien looked genuinely worried.
Someone had found them.
And whoever it was…
knew exactly what Seraphina was carrying.