Devereaux had smoothly caught her, preventing her unceremonious landing on the floor. Their gazes held each other for the briefest moment before a loud sneer drew their attention.

Sitting by the stove was the companion Ada had been missing for a while-Flitch, the nasty, naughty elf. The initial rage at the creature, almost breaking her back just now, melted away as Ada witnessed the fond smile on Flitch's face.

"Flitch..." She whispered to herself.

"My lady, eh..." Flitch greeted back with its signature mischievous grin.

"I figured you could use some company, so I asked Flitch to come back," Devereaux mentioned as he slowly placed Ada back on her feet.

"You know the elf?" she asked.

"Mhm, a little bit, right Flitch?" The Dark Lord walked out of the kitchen, and Ada and the elf trailed behind as he slumped down on his favourite couch.

"Come, take a seat. We need to talk," Sitting sideways and crossed legged in the far corner, he patted the spot next to him, inviting Ada to join the conversation. Curious, Ada complied as the elf trailing behind her took a leap onto the coffee table nearby and settled there.

"So, did you think about my suggestion?"

"Of you helping me to hone my powers? Back to what it used to be?"

Devereaux nodded in agreement. "Or I can bring Hanna here so you can have a little chat with her, confess your sins if you may, and get her to help you out."

"No, no, don't do it," she opposed. The last thing she wanted was for Hannah to be kidnapped, and that would set the Luna Sanctum off if the recent events had not already.

The dark lord took a minute to silently observe the girl sitting next to him. He couldn't fathom why she was so hesitant, nor discern her intentions. Convincing her that she needed to solve this problem, and that only she could, remained a daunting challenge. Time was of the essence, and with every passing moment, he feared it might be too late for him. He desired to see her safe, with everything restored to its rightful place.

With a prolonged sigh the Dark Lord ruffled off the couch and adjusted his cloak. "Okay then. There's only one way this could be done if you don't want to get involved. I'll solve it myself." He turned around to leave.

Startled, Ada hastily got up from her seat, swiftly grabbing him by the wrist, stopping him in place. "Don't. He is way too powerful."

"So am I," his gaze settled firmly on her and a look passed through them, that Ada couldn't comprehend. "I'm no less than him, Ada."

"I know Devereaux, I know," her grip tightened on his wrist, genuine concern reflecting through her sapphire eyes. "It's not about power. He's ruthless. He's insane. He knows no mercy."

"Mercy?" The Dark Lord scoffed. "Mercy is it, Ada?"

"It's a win or die game he is playing." Tears threatened to escape from her eyes and Ada stumbled upon her own words. "And I-I don't want to lose another one I value. The only one I have left."

Devereaux felt a weight in his chest at Ada's words. The vulnerability in her eyes struck a chord deep within him, awakening a complex blend of emotions. It was the genuine fear of loss he saw, he was way too familiar. He had seen eyes pleading like this, the reluctance in them to be exposed to further pain, and the remnants of past scars that lingered. He gently placed his free hand over hers, offering a reassuring touch. Their eyes remained locked on each other, a thousand unspoken emotions written on the penetrating gaze.

"Ada," he began.

"I'll do it." She interjected, the firm tone betraying the soft involuntary sniffles. "I'll do it. I made this mess. I'd rather not lose you by letting you clean it up for me."

Her grip tightened around his wrist and Devereaux could feel a cord tightening around his heart with the same strength. his voice softened as he slowly sit beside her, taking her hand in his and gently caressing. "You're not alone in this; you have me, and I won't let anything happen to you."

Ada hesitated, her sapphire eyes reflecting the weight of her past experiences. Taking his help would mean one thing. She had faced the darkness before, and the scars left by Gan's actions were still etched in her memory. Trusting Devereaux wasn't the issue; she trusted him with her life. It wasn't about doubting that he would stand by her; she knew he wouldn't leave her alone. This time, it felt different -- it felt like she was revisiting the same mistake, joining hands with another dark entity, the Lord of Death nonetheless. But then again he was the Devereaux she used to grow up with.

"You're a demon, right?" she questioned, not necessarily expecting an answer. It wasn't a secret to her that he was. He was a Raven shapeshifter cursed to be a demon and rule the Underworld. He was the one and only Lord Of Death.

Devereaux chuckled softly, his hands still holding the delicate hands of the girl. "Why? Do I look too soft to be one?"

His smile made it bring some glow up on her face too. She softly smiled at him. "You do look quite soft in that wool turtleneck."

"Oh, yeah?" He mirrored her smile as he checked on his attire. The ebony wool turtleneck was his favourite and the signature.

"But that's not the point." Her gaze lingered on his, searching for answers. "He was too. Gan. Me accepting your help means I'm striking a deal, right?"

Devereaux's expression softened, and he met her gaze with sincerity. "You're more than just a deal for me, Ada. You've known me for so long. You know me."

Ada hesitated again, grappling with the myriad questions swirling in her mind. "No deal with a demon comes free. What is it you need from me?"

The dark lord was taken aback for a moment; her straightforwardness caught him off guard. Though it was true that no deal with a dark entity came without a cost, the way she phrased it brought a slight pang to his heart. He swiftly masked it with a forced smile that curled his lips softly.

"I was thinking maybe I'll consider it as a helping hand," he said, attempting to lighten the mood. "But if you insist, well, I can entertain the idea of striking a deal too."

However, Ada's eyes didn't reflect his enthusiasm. "Your kind can't help. That's not how it works."

Ada knew for a fact that his kind couldn't intervene. It was an immutable rule, a boundary that restrained every entity possessing unimaginable powers, such as Devereaux, from using those gifts to assist greedy or cunning humans in fulfilling their desires. Whether an action was deemed virtuous or sinful, or whether the entity had noble intentions, they were simply forbidden from intervening. Conversely, humans were unable to assist them in any way.

If there existed a method to achieve it, it would be through a precarious pact—a bond akin to a ticking bomb. By navigating the treacherous terrain of delicate circumstances and successfully fulfilling the desired objective as a unified entity, victory would be secured. However, failure to do so would result in the explosive consequences of the bond detonating, engulfing all involved like a volatile bomb.

That's why their bond remained intact, between her and Gan. It explained why he was avoiding direct confrontation, instead employing Auden to eliminate Ada, because if he were to take action himself, he would inevitably become the next target after Ada. The same principle applied to Ada; she could only do so much to bring him down on her own. She would require assistance to ultimately defeat him.

"I hardly go by any rules, Ada." She would be the last rule he broke. He had already decided on it. The girl contemplated it for a bit. Devereaux sensed the anxiety growing in her aura.

"Let's do this the right way."

"I'll help you."

"No. Let's strike a deal."

"Ada?" He began but she beat him to it.

"Yes. I've made up my mind." She exclaimed, determined. "Just another deal with the Dark Side. What can go wrong?" She phrased her statement with a half hearted smile.

"Everything!"

"I trust you. Do you not trust yourself?" She asked the Dark Lord staring right into those piercing eyes. It wasn't easy with thousands of emotions rising in waves within her and colliding with the ones opposed, threatening to give way through her barely composed demeanour. But she wasn't just ready to give up.

"I--" Devereaux wasn't sure what he should say. This wasn't playing out the way he expected it to be. He wanted to help her regain the powers she lost with the curse of Luna Pearl. Finally, he decided against it. If this is the only way it's going to happen, he would let it be.

"Alright. Alright. Whatever the way you want it, my lady."

"I'm in. Let's make a deal."

"You're not even asking me what I would need in return? Aren't you concerned?"

She chuckled. "I have not much to offer. And I have even less to lose. So, don't ask me much alright?"

***

The elf silently watched as their eyes locked again, in a position where there were just a few inches between Ada and Devereaux, barely managing a gap. 

A/N: That was pretty long. The second longest in this book. It just had to be.