Chapter Thirty Six

The moment the door clicked closed, Rina slid down against the wall and sighed. She shut her eyes and rubbed her temples.

"Dad!" beyond the closed door she heard her child's muffled voice.

His father guided him away from the door, soon their voices faded. Rina tipped her head back and stared at the vaulted ceiling. She just kept finding herself in a mess with Damien. This time it almost got her in trouble.

The thought of Nathaniel catching them in a heated lock of limbs was mortifying. A parent's worst nightmare. Her gaze swept over the room again, her camper bag had yet to be brought to the room.

She stood from her stop and walked towards the armour across the room. It was empty, all drawers by the nightstand as well.

"Damn it." she glared at the shredded long sleeve on the floor.

She needed to find something to cover up before Nathaniel came looking for her again. The massive walk-in closet was also empty. Rina bit her lower lip in worry, she walked into the bathroom and noticed a short black silk lace nightgown and robe.

Her fingers grazed the soft material then my traced the lace hem.

"This might work." she mumbled.

Rina opened the vanity drawers and found a pair of scissors along with a fully stocked drawer of hair care items and other hygiene products.

"Perfect." she said.

She cut off a quarter of the already short nightgown and slipped it on. She glanced at her reflection and played with the hem then tucked it into her black pants. Now it looked like a lace spaghetti top. No one would be the wiser to what the top used to be.

Finally, Rina was able to leave. Once out the door she headed down the same way she came until the halls split into four. She came to a halt unsure of which way to go.

Rina spread her aura and searched for Nathaniel and Damien. Eventually, she sensed them much farther than she thought they would be. They were at the opposite end of the palace.

Soon Rina came upon the beautifully designed all white kitchen. It was spotless, completely immaculate and very obvious no child lived here. An older woman with a head full of gray hair wrapped in a bun walked out of the pantry closet.

She quickly bowed once she noticed Rina's presence.

"My Lady," she greeted. The plump woman remained in a bowed position.

"No, please don't bow." Rina said.

"Is there anything you would like my Lady?"

"My name is Laurina but you call me Rina."

"Ah Lady Rina."

She gave up on trying to convince the woman to only call her by name and not title. The staff was respectful of her presence, so far she had only come across demon servants. The title they continuously used made her uncomfortable, but they weren't wrong. Rina wasn't

"What's your name?"

The aged woman froze, then jolted as she answered.

"My name is Ana, Lady Rina." she bowed again.

'Maybe she didn't expect me to care?'

"Is there anything you would like to eat?" she asked once she rose from her bow.

"No, I'm fine, just looking for Damien."

"Ah, yes the Lord and young master are in the training arena."

"Thank you have nice day," Rina said

-O-

Rin faced towering doors twice her size.

"Why do all these damn door's have to be so ginormous." she muttered.

She pressed the door with her full weight only to have the door swing wide open. Rina caught herself before she fell forward. The oversized hinges carried most of the weight giving the illusion of the massive door being unmovable.

Father and son turned to her abrupt entrance.

"Hi, you two." she waved.

"Mom!"

Nathaniel ran towards his mother and hugged her legs. Rina bent down and hugged him then kissed his head.

"What are you guys doing here?"

Nathaniel squeezed her thighs and widened his eyes as he looked up to his mother.

"Dad has so many cool swords and other stuff!" he replied enthusiastically.

"Wow, really?" Rina met Damien's gaze. "I hope you were careful, don't get cut."

They walked towards the demon Lord. He stood by a wall decorated in a variety of weapons. Some looked unused while others held knicks and scratches so deep that even a polish couldn't hide.

Rina spotted the sword Damien carried in Glory Forest towards the center of the collection of weapons. The overly long blade suited his height of over six feet five inches. The black and dark green hilt looked worn from constant use.

It was obvious even at his strength Damien still took his training very seriously. The muscles that rippled under his shirt said as much.

"You see mom, it's so cool!"

Nathaniel ventured down the row of swords toward fighting staff and short poles.

"I thought this would be a good distraction for him." he said in a low voice.

Rina nodded as she stepped closer to gaze at a duel set of short blades.

Damien smirked. "I thought it would be a good idea to let you cool off before we came back." he added.

Rina narrowed her eyes. "You ruined my top, and left me with nothing to wear."

Gold irises traveled down the glimpse of cleavage that peeked through the lace top.

"It seems you had no issue finding something to wear." a low purr rolled with his words.

Rina flushed and turned away. Swords of all shapes and sizes faced her. Curved tips to straight tips any sword you wished to spar with was currently hanging before her. The array of weapons was astounding. A minimum of hundred people could come here and take their pick and there would still be weapons left over.

She focused her attention back on the short blades and picked one up. Damien's chest pressed against her back. His left hand discreetly gripped her hip. His claws scratched against the rough material of her pants.

His breath brushed the wisps of hair near her ear. Rina shivered at the sensation, she tipped her head to the side towards his mouth.

"Do you like them?"

It took a moment for Rina to understand what Damien was talking about. Her fingers traced the leather sheaths dipping into the light grooves in the leather. Intricate patterns of leafs and blossoms decorated the sheaths.

The feminine design seemed displayed amongst the rest of the masculine weapons surrounding it.

"They're gorgeous," she whispered.

Damien's strong hands pressed against her hips before he wrapped his arms around her torso. Rina's breath hitched. It was the first time Damien had physically held her in front of another. Even if that person was their son.

The demon Lord was not known to express any emotion in front of others let alone the casual hold he had on her.

"They're yours if you want." he whispered against her ear.

Another shiver went through her. Damien lifted one of the sheathed blades before her. The feminine design seemed displaced amongst the rest of the masculine weapons surrounding it.

"Are you sure?"

"Very," he said.

He unsheathed the short blade revealing a smooth blade with sharp edges. A thin floral design sprouted from the base of the metal towards the tip. Rina traced the delicate design.

"They're beautiful, but it would be strange to walk around with them."

"It is customary for the Lady to carry a weapon of their choosing. It can range from small daggers to even poisonous viles."

"Oh," she mumbled.

Again she had to remind herself that her life would never be the same again.

"What's wrong? Is the weapon not to your liking?" Damien noticed the shift in her mood.

"No, nothing like that. I guess it just hasn't quite hit me yet that this will be my life now, our life now."

Damien chuckled. "It will only get better from here on out."

'I hope so.'

"Come,"

Damien sheathed the blade and placed it back on its display hook. Rina followed him to the right end of the wall of weapons. Nathaniel played around with a short staff and swung it in random strikes.

"Woah there little warrior be careful."

"Mom this is so cool."

"I think you're having too much fun in here. Let's go out and get some fresh air."

"Would you like to look at the green house?" Damien asked.

"Wow you have a house colored green?!"

Rina bursted into laughter.

"No, sweetie it's a small sort of glass house filled with plants outside." Rina explained.

"It's made out of glass, the whole thing?" Nathaniel's eyes widened as he waited for his parents to answer.

It was Damien's turn to chuckle. The boy's curiosity was refreshing.

"Come, you shall see for yourself."

Damien led them to a door on the other side of the arena that led outside. The cool air brushed against her bare arms as they walked across the freshly cut grass. Nathaniel grabbed his father's hand and swung it up and down as they walked.

Rina rubbed her arms fighting off the chill. She stumbled as the Demon Lord pulled her towards him and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She was instantly consumed in heat. Demons were unbothered by the cold opposite to humans that shivered at the slightest change in temperature.

"Thanks." she mumbled.

He gently squeezed her shoulder as they walked.