Once Upon a Demon's Heart (Cruel Fates #1)

by K.M. Moronova

“With gilded blood, pray upon a demon’s heart, for it very well might save you.”

Half-gods bleed gold, that’s a given.

Unfortunately, those bubbly thoughts and ideas of what the world could be beyond Alzhor were muddled for me from a young age. My first brush with a demon ended smeared in death. Because, you see, the demons and demigods have never gotten along. Not before the war, and certainly not now. So why would a wish upon a demon’s heart save you? I’ve wished on every evil heart I’ve plundered for this war to end.

I’ve prayed to Jupiter, the King of Gods, and all the deities above but nothing can save us now. Not after all the blood we’ve spilled. Mortal and demon alike. The demigods are on the brink of extinction. We’ve pushed the demons too far this time, and now, only a marriage in peace between the two species will bring an end to this senseless war—A

The wicked creatures were sent to Faultore by Pluto, God of the Underworld, himself. Perhaps it’s because the gods despise their grim brother, that their offspring naturally fight with Pluto’s creations. At least, that’s one of the assumptions. It wasn’t shocking to any of us that King Borlin, Ruler of Alzhor’s demigods, announced that he wasn’t willing to lower to his knees without a fight. He would have thirty years of war at the expense of what remained of the demigods over an arranged marriage to one of his daughters.

I couldn’t imagine being one of the princesses and having to marry a demon duke. None of us wanted to let our freedom and dignity go that easily. I’ve learned that nothing is effortless. Everything has a cost, magic or not.

In my unfortunate case, it would seem that magic, fate, or a horrid curse is in play. You see, the prospect of an arranged marriage compared to the slaughter I’ve endured repeatedly would be like walking through a flower garden. How many times have I died at his hand? I lay my hands together over my jewel encrusted sword, blood drip...

The thought of watching the royal family's heads being severed before my eyes agai...

I lift my chin to the near seven-foot-tall knight before me. His ivory armor is bathed in the light of the crimson moon. He lowers his sword to my throat. It tinks against the neck guard—something he does every time without fai...

The Blood Knight has killed me in twenty-time loops—a cruel curse that I’ve f...

For some reason, my life keeps resetting to exactly one week before h...

No, a wish on a demon’s heart doesn’t save you, I wish I could sc...

The Blood Knight is a merciless demon. I cannot defeat him no matter what I try. No techniques I spent countless hours learning. No high-end swords that I had made from the bones of dragons and the blood of unicorns. Absolutely nothing.

He comes on the night of the war god’s moon without fail—at the exact moment the sun dips beneath the mountains behind Alzhor’s walls. Without hesitation or a drop of pity, the Blood Knight always finds me and kills me.

Four times it was my head being severed from my body, six times he pierced my heart with his sword, twice he snapped my neck like it was nothing more than a stick. But in each loop, his gold-stained armor was the ...

I firm my resolve and strike his heel with my blade, thinking if I can get him on the ground, he’d be easier to slay. He doesn’t budge from my attack. My eyes widen as he lifts his arm and with one hard thrust, he pierces his sword straight through my chest armor. Blood spurts from my lips as my head is t...

for the first time I catch a glimpse of the Blood Knight’s eyes as he watches me fall. They are an inferno of golden amber. Heartless flames. For a second, I think I see a glimmer of emotion flash through them, but my mind doesn’t linger on the thought as darkn...

I sit straight up in my cot and stare down at my hands. Again. To what end will this loop continue resetting? My gaze shifts to the calendar on the far wall of the knights wing. It’s exactly one week before the demons come to take over Alzhor.

My silver hair spills over my shoulders and makes my olive skin look rich in contrast. The gold blood in my veins makes my complexion practically glow even though I feel like death.

The sun has just risen and slivers of light streak across the gray stone walls of this practical dungeon we sleep in. Vines of ivy grow along the windowsills, thanks to the knights who are descendants of Ceres, the Goddess of Agriculture. The presence of a child of...

Most of the demigods are uncertain of who our parents are until we start to show signs of our gifts. Many never develop their signs th...

“What’s wrong, Alira?” Korin asks sleepily as she rubs her eyes. I glance over at her, trying not to grin at the messy brown locks of hair strewn over her face. I breathe out slowly and press my palm to the fading ache in my chest. Gods, he didn’t hold anything back that time, did he? I muse grumpily. At least he kills swiftly. Not once ha...

The first few times, I tried to tell her that I’d somehow jumped back in time and she reported me to the healers for insanity. They kept me locked up until the night the Blood Knight came. Long story shor...

Ignorance really is bliss, I suppose. They have no idea what’s coming our way. I press my lips together and narrow my eyes as I take a deep breath, memorizing the scent of the mossy stones and slumbering comrades.

I decided in the days leading up to my last death loop that if I failed to protect my kingdom again, I would abandon it and live for myself this time. Who’s to say if I will survive or not? At least I’ll have a fraction of peace.

What’s the point of all these time resets if I have to watch all of my friends die before being slain myself? Nothing I do saves any of them. There are too many demon...

My pillowcase is heavy with bread, small jars of honey, and dried meats. I secure my sword to my side but leave the rest of my armor behind. It would be suspicious for anyone outside of the kingdom to be wearing a full suit of imperial-grade plates so the sword and black leathers will have to do. It will be easier to expl...

My thin pale blue cloak is the last thing I secure around my neck before giving the knight’s quarters a final look over. The men and women in the royal guard are the only people who’ve cared for me for most of my life. I’m not just betraying my kingdom, I’m betraying them. I firm my hands at my side and force myself to turn away from their...

I close my eyes and pray, even though it’s been decades since anyone has heard so much as a whisper from the deities who created us.

The gods abandoned us long ago. It won’t be long before the final frontier of the deities is gone for good. We’re outnumbered a hundred to one. I huff at the thought. If the mortals and demons want a world without gods, then let them have it. See who answers when the plague comes again to rot the world like it once did centuries ago.

you can only die so many times before all of your hope is stolen away.

Kalel’s amber eyes find me over his shoulder and the softness in them flickers as the muscles in his jaw feather. “I wish it wasn’t you, little godling.”

I don’t hear the song of the gods and hymns for safe passage as my kingdom sends me off with the army of demons. I don’t hear them thanking me for sacrificing myself for them. I only agonize in the fear that Kalel’s words instilled in my heart.

“Why do I smell like you?” I sound as mortified as I feel. “Where are my clothes?” Kalel doesn’t blink. “Unless you want to be torn to shreds by the demons outside this tent and the ones when we reach Devicit, then you will carry my scent. Demigods smell like death and rot. We can detect the odor of all those you’ve slain, and Alira, my little godling, you smell worse than a fresh graveyard. I’ll need to scent you frequently to get the tarnish off your skin and to make sure everyone knows you belong to me.”

“Scent me?” My voice is mortified. Kalel grins. “Yes, I prefer it while you sleep. You don’t struggle at all.” Oh, my gods what did he do?

“How long was I asleep?” He shifts in his chair. “One day. We are moving out to return to Devicit tomorrow.” His voice remains even although there’s a heavy hatred in his gaze. Whatever version of him I met in Florum is not the version I get to converse with now. It puts a weight on my heart, because I liked him. I changed my path because of him.

“Look at me, ...

I shift in the bed of blankets I’m sitting in, like a pet, and face him. My expression absent of emotion. His lips curve, clearly pleased that I’m obeying him so easily. I don’t wish to fight my fate, and struggling will only make matters worse. If this is penance for what ...

My knees tremble as I force myself to stand, gritting my teeth against the pain that claws at my insides. Placing the sacred oath took a toll on my body. I’ve never used so much soul essence at once before. His brows perk up with satisfaction at my ina...

“Pity, you look as if you’re in a great deal of pain.” He unbuttons his shirt more until he’s revealing bruises he has from a recent battle. “Care to tell me why the roy...

I don’t respond because I don’t know what he means. What, because I’m a daughter of Venus? He re...

“You’re a demigod from one of the highest bloodlines. Why have they treated you this way?” He taps his finger on the armrest of his chair like I’m testing his patience. I shake my head. “Well, it’s not like I told anyone until I had to.” I rub my arm nervously and avoid looking at his ...

“You know, you really are such a pretty little thing for being so vile. Far more broken and ignorant than I thought you’d be. Tell me, have you heard of me?”

“Of course, I’ve heard of you. You are the most revered knight in all of Faultore.” I fist my hands at my side. It feels unfair that I’ve known him far longer. Perhaps it’s why I’m so pliant to him. I know what the end of his sword would do to me. “You are the Blood Knight.”

“That’s right, and you’re the knight that led the raid on Thornhall.” He pauses before looking at me like I’ve let him down. I certainly feel like I have. I’ve regretted that day since the moment I let my troops down into the valley and chased down fleeing families. His voice shakes me back to the present. “Why didn’t you tell me who you really were when we met that night?” Kalel lets his hand brush across the top of my shoulder, making me shudder. “Why didn’t I tell you? You told me you were an apothecary. And why did I have to tell you if you could just smell it on me anyway?” I scowl at him as he appraises my lips.

He glowers at my tone and shakes his head. “I wasn’t lying to you. I am an apothecary.” He pauses to consider his words before lifting his eyes back to mine. “I knew you were there, but not that you led it. Not until I saw your armor.” His gaze narrows with anger.

“An apothecary when you aren’t cutting heads off?”

A flicker of emotion passes through his eyes before he hardens them. “You lied about being in Thornhall. I saw you with my own two eyes in your ebony armor. It was practically red by the time I arrived, and you were already out of reach.” His fists clench and the muscles in his jaw feather. “I wish I would’ve arrived five minutes sooner. Then you’d be dead and none of this would be happening.”

“I never wanted to be there.” My admittance sounds pathetic. It doesn’t change the fact of what I did. I know that. “But you were,” Kalel says coldly. I only nod with a trembling lip.

He looks down at me, and I have to force my gaze to meet his. He towers above me, making it uncomfortable to lock eyes with him. He runs his freezing hand down my neck. Goosebumps prickle across my arms and my jaw flexes. His silence is something I’m going to have to get used to.