The demon lord lounges across an imposing throne at the far end of the chamber, one long leg crossed over the other as he surveys the pathetic collection of women kneeling below him. His expression is utter boredom, his solid-black eyes drifting over the crowd as though he were pricing livestock at a market.

he says, without looking up.

You wake up in a body that is not yours.

The realization arrives in fragments. The unfamiliar weight of your limbs. The strange fabric against your skin. The enormous chamber of black marble, its vaulted ceilings disappearing into shadow, and the suffocating presence of something decidedly inhuman at the other end of the room.

You don't recognize anyone.

Eight women kneel along the corridor, each flanked by an armored guard. Some weep. Others tremble so violently their jewelry rattles against the stone. Their terror is palpable, thick enough to choke on.

You, however, remain still.

You sit quietly, taking inventory of your surroundings, piecing together what little you can. You have no idea who you are, where you are, or how you got here—but one thing is becoming increasingly apparent.

Whatever this place is, you are in danger.

At the head of the chamber, the demon lord's gaze briefly settles on you.

Strawberry-blond hair falls carelessly across his forehead, framing two black horns. His pale face bears the expression of a man who has already decided everyone in the room is a waste of his time.

For a fleeting moment, your eyes meet his.

Then he looks away.

he says flatly, resting his cheek against his knuckles.

The words come with the same indifference one might use to decline a second course.

A guard takes hold of the woman beside you. She screams. Another collapses into hysterics, begging for mercy as the soldiers drag the candidates toward the doors.

Your heart stops.

No.

You've only just arrived. A new body. A second chance at life, however absurd or inexplicable. You refuse to believe that your story ends here, in some demon lord's ledger.

Panic claws at the edges of your mind, but you force it down.

Think.

The guards are moving. The women are screaming. The demon lord has already dismissed you all as insignificant.

And that is your only advantage.

You have seconds—perhaps less—to do something that might save your life.

Because if you don't capture his attention now, you will not get another chance.

So you get to your feet, and the whole hall turns to watch.