When she woke up, he still hadn't returned. She was told that he had slain the dragon, but the damage was so great that he had stayed behind with the team of mages to rebuild the houses and care for the injured. Then there was to be a funeral ceremony for the dead. Rwine said that normally the Queen would have participated, but Satan had strongly objected.

When would he return? In an hour, she was told.

But an hour later, a second dragon had awakened. He still couldn't come.

On Saturday midday, she was thus back in the house of her grandparents, Lilith on her heels. She had insisted not to leave her alone, so the beautiful demoness discovered her house, and by extension that of her brother, with a not feigned cheerfulness.

-By all the devils of the skies! How outdated! Have you ever considered redecorating, Lisa!? I'm not human, but even I can see it's old. Oh, hello, Cerberus.

The Chihuahua had welcomed them with joy, jumping around. Taking him in her arms to cuddle him as it should be, Lisa noticed the faded wallpaper, the carpeted floor that had seen better days and the heavy brown furniture, very well made, but very old. Indeed, after the luxury of Satan's palace, all this looked very poor. And yet, this was her home.

-Well... I'm a high school student, she explained. I don't have a family anymore, I'm emancipated, and I earn just enough to pay my bills, so...

-So be it! Since it is so, I will help you! Which style do you prefer?

-Sorry?

Without understanding, she looked at the beautiful Lilith, in her red kimono richly embroidered with gold, wide open on her chest. With her intricate bun and alabaster skin, she could have been mistaken for a Japanese woman. If not for the horns that peeked out from under her hair and her red eyes. Was this her true appearance? When she saw her Machiavellian smile, she thought she really looked like Satan.

-The Japanese style? she snapped her fingers.

Immediately, the carpet disappeared under his feet, replaced by tatami mats. Wooden doors and paper cloth replaced the old ones, a traditional round window appeared on the front, while all the furniture changed at once.

-Uh...

Holy cow!

-Or the Versailles style?

A new snap of the fingers, a new change of decor, so rococo that she thought she had fallen into another world. Marble, gilding, chandeliers, huge staircases, velvet curtains... Everything was there!

-Or the Hindu style!?

Another thing. Flower petals on the floor, colorful fabrics, a fire in the middle of the room, cushions all around... Then it was the turn of the Russian, Napoleonic, Vietnamese, Mexican, Canadian style, a chalet, a Turkish bath, an igloo...

-Wait, wait! exclaimed Lisa. Stop for two seconds!

Ready to snap her fingers again, Lilith froze.

-So, did you find your happiness? A French brothel is not bad too.

It was a move to be jumped on right away by Satan!

-If you really want to help me, take a look at this. Um, can you restore the house to its original condition?

A little later, sitting on the living room table, Lisa showed her sister-in-law several catalogs of rather cheap and slightly more expensive signs, explaining in detail what she would like to do in the future. As she spoke, Lilith realized that the king's young wife was planning for the long term in this place. But as an emancipated and almost penniless girl, she would never get there on her own. At least not right away.

-I have to work this afternoon, Lisa suddenly remembered. I'm sorry Lilith, I have to go. You can stay or go home, it's up to you.

-I'm going to see if there's a sexy human to put in my bed, she declared with a big smile.

-Um... Okay. See you later, maybe. Cerberus, are you coming my dog?

The rest of the day passed normally. She did her best not to think of the evening of the day before, nor of Satan's hands on her body. Of all the virility which he had shown during these few moments, of all this masculine insurance which was his.

Yet, while helping the bookstore customers, and ignoring the procession of high school students suddenly interested in her now-sexualized person in their eyes, she thought back to their discussion. In a year, they could be divorced.

The more it went on, the more she wondered if her father's claim to have sold her to Satan was true. However, she had no way of contacting him to find out for sure. Most of all, she didn't want to see him or talk to him.

His father's passion for demons dated back to before she was born. However, her mother's presence had always tempered his passion. With her feet on the ground, she had kept the problem at bay. But when she passed away, he fell. Joining a satanic cult, he had abandoned his daughter to his late wife's parents, forgetting everything about his past life. Well, almost. When his last protectors died, he wanted to get her back, but she refused. Was it for this betrayal that he had sold her to the devil?

Her shift finished without any trouble, she she left, Cerberus on her heels. It was the rumblings of the latter that alerted her. The day began to decline, the streets were less frequented, especially in this residential district. However, a man was facing her, on the other side of the street.

Frowning, she looked at the Chihuahua, whose lips were curled up. A demon dog sounding the alarm was never a good sign.

When she tried to look again, she found the stranger a meter away from her. His red eyes fixed in hers, as brown as Satan and with bigger horns, he had a pale skin.

A demon.

When he spread black leather wings and held out a supposedly tempting hand, she stared straight into his eyes. It was a cross between her husband and Lilith.

-Come to me, mortal. Your life is mine.

-Tell me, you wouldn't be the brother of Satan, by any chance?

The question caught him off guard. He opened his mouth, frowned.

-I'm sorry for you, but I'm already married to the King of the Underworld, she said, raising her hand to show the skull ring. But Satan is not a lender.

-WHAT!?

That roar of fury sounded particularly like his brother's. Elder or younger? She didn't know yet, but she would know for sure!

The impudent one seized her ringed hand... And was pushed back for a wave of power. Damn, effective wedding ring! Beside her, Cerberus kept barking and growling.

-It can't be! You are supposed to be mine!

-What do you mean by that?

-Your sire sold you to me!

Sorry?

Interdict, she stared at this demon mad with rage. It seemed to be about to strike her.

-No. My father sold me to Satan.

He squinted his eyelids, before smiling with an evil look on his face.

-Your husband didn't tell you the truth... Why don't you come with me, to find out everything?

She considered his outstretched hand again.

-You really think I'm an idiot, don't you.

He laughed.

-I like you mortal! And by the smell of you, my brother hasn't deflowered you yet! A shame...

His gaze became hypnotic, diving into hers like the snake in The Jungle Book. Or was it the Robin Hood of Disney, when they are all animals? She didn't know anymore...

-Cerberus, attack.

The male voice, vibrating with anger, reached Lisa's ears just before a gigantic ball of hair with a colorful coat passed in front of her. A three-headed dog, a kind of giant transgenic Chihuahua that jumped on the intruder without a moment's hesitation. But what the...

-Let's go home, said Satan, tucking her against him.

The next moment, they were in his grandparents' living room.

-Lilith! Did you put up the fence like I asked you to?

-Yes brother! Except for Rwine, you and me, no one knows about this house. And nobody can find it.

Letting go of his wife, Satan nodded.

-Great. Lisa, is everything okay?

Turning slowly towards him, she considered him for a moment. Covered in thick blood, partly dried, stinking of brimstone and ashes, he looked at that moment like what he was: a demon. And a liar.

-That's who my father sold me to, isn't it?

Frozen, he considered her. Time seemed to stand still around them.

-Then why am I married to you, Satan?