The sky above the Underworld palace darkened to a deeper shade of crimson as dusk approached.
Rui stood on her balcony, watching the distant swirls of chaos energy in the perpetual storm clouds.
Tomorrow, she would venture where no demon princess had gone before.
Kee Kee sat perched on the railing, unusually quiet.
"Are you scared?" Rui asked softly.
"Me? Scared?" Kee Kee scoffed, but his tiny claws gripped the railing even tighter.
"I'm just thinking about all the celestial treats I might steal while we're there."
Rui smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.
She turned her gaze to the infirmary wing, where Zou lay fighting the corruption that spread through his body.
In the adjacent chamber, her father battled the same affliction.
"I won't fail them," she whispered.
A knock at her chamber door pulled her from her thoughts.
Rui opened the door to find Shen standing there, arms laden with an assortment of items.
