My Angel Girl

Kael was wandering around the grand halls of the castle, his small feet pattering against the cold stone floors. At just three years old, his curiosity knew no bounds. He wasn't supposed to be exploring this part of the castle—especially not unsupervised—but Kael had inherited his father's penchant for trouble and his mother's boundless energy.

The castle was enormous, with ceilings so high they seemed to touch the darkened skies of Hell. Kael loved the open space, the spiraling staircases, and the echoing halls. Today, he was particularly fascinated by the towering central staircase, a marvel of demonic architecture. It spiraled up over a hundred feet, its steps carved from black stone, each edge jagged and sharp.

Kael stopped at the very top of the staircase, peering over the railing. His golden eyes widened with a mix of awe and mischief as he watched the seemingly endless drop below. The thought of how far it was to the bottom didn't scare him—it excited him.

He stepped closer to the edge, gripping the cold, ornate railing with his tiny hands.

"This is high," he whispered to himself, tilting his head to look all the way down. His balance wavered for just a second, but that second was all it took.

His foot slipped.

Kael let out a startled yelp as he tumbled forward, his small body flipping over the railing. For a moment, it felt like time itself slowed. He saw the floor rushing toward him, the jagged rocks and bones embedded in the stone ready to meet him.

"Shit!" Kikidori's voice roared from somewhere below.

Kikidori had just been passing through the hall at the base of the staircase, heading to his office for some quiet time, when he looked up to see his son plummeting from the top. His heart—well, whatever demons had in place of one—stopped.

Kael screamed as the ground approached rapidly. Kikidori's mind raced. There was no way he could reach him in time, not even if he teleported.

Then, he spotted a pencil sitting on a nearby table.

Without a second thought, Kikidori grabbed the pencil and hurled it with inhuman speed and precision. The pencil whizzed through the air like a dart, cutting through the silence with a faint whistle.

Kael's shirt suddenly tugged upward, and with a sharp sound of fabric tearing, the pencil pierced through the hem of his shirt and embedded itself into the wall behind him. Kael dangled mid-air, the pencil holding his weight as he swayed back and forth.

For a moment, the entire castle seemed to hold its breath.

Kael looked down at his feet, which were dangling a good twenty feet above the floor. His tiny hands gripped the fabric of his shirt, his golden eyes wide with shock. "W-What just happened?"

Kikidori appeared below him, looking up with a mix of relief and exasperation. "What the actual fuck, Kael?!" he barked. "You almost became a goddamn stain on the floor!"

Kael's lip quivered. "I-I didn't mean to! I was just looking, and I fell!"

Kikidori ran a hand down his face, muttering curses under his breath. He stepped closer to the wall, grabbing the pencil that had miraculously saved Kael's life. With a single yank, he pulled it free, catching Kael in his other arm before the boy could fall.

Kael clung to his father's neck, trembling slightly. "Th-Thanks, Dad," he whispered.

"Don't thank me, you little shit," Kikidori snapped, though his tone was more relieved than angry. "What the hell were you doing up there in the first place?"

Kael hesitated, his cheeks turning red. "I... I wanted to see if I could fly."

Kikidori stared at him for a long moment, his expression blank. Then he sighed deeply. "Kael, you're three. You're not even close to figuring out how to fly yet. And you're definitely not trying it from a hundred fucking feet up!"

Kael nodded quickly, burying his face in his father's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Dad. I won't do it again."

"You're damn right you won't," Kikidori muttered, carrying him down the stairs. "If your mom finds out about this, we're both screwed."

Ere'ana's voice suddenly rang out from the other end of the hall. "Finds out about what?"

Kikidori froze mid-step, Kael still clinging to him. He turned to see Ere'ana standing there, her arms crossed and her angelic glow dimmed slightly by the irritated look on her face.

Kael peeked over his father's shoulder, his big eyes full of guilt. "I fell," he admitted softly.

Ere'ana's expression shifted from irritation to alarm. "You *what*?!" She hurried over, her wings flaring slightly. "Kikidori, what happened?!"

Kikidori groaned, already feeling the lecture coming. "He slipped off the top of the stairs, okay? But I caught him."

"Caught him?" Ere'ana's eyes narrowed. "With what?"

Kikidori held up the pencil, smirking slightly. "With this."

Ere'ana's jaw dropped. "You caught him with a *pencil*?!"

"Damn right I did," Kikidori said, his smirk growing. "Pretty fucking cool, huh?"

Ere'ana glared at him, her hands on her hips. "Cool? COOL? Kikidori, our son could have died! This isn't a joke!"

Kael whimpered, shrinking against his father's chest. "I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to..."

Ere'ana sighed, her expression softening as she reached out to stroke Kael's hair. "I know, sweetheart. Just... please be more careful, okay? You scared me."

Kael nodded, sniffling. "I'll be careful."

Kikidori rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath as he carried Kael toward the living quarters. "You're welcome, by the way."

Ere'ana shot him a look but said nothing, following behind them.

End of Chapter 12