Page 29 of Hell's Queen

He touches my cheek, and I melt into it. “Goodnight, my queen.” He returns to his room, and my eyes roam his broad shoulders and round ass. I want him.

“Time for bed, for real this time,” Ledger says.

I lift my arms, and he picks me up without a struggle, carrying me into bed. I fall asleep almost instantly. When I wake, I ignore them all when they get me up for breakfast, still not feeling good, and Hazen can tell and kisses my head, leaving me alone.

“Are you in Lucifer’s house?” My father’s voice comes from my dreamscape. I look around, and instead of the usual darkness, we are in the enormous obsidian throne room.

“Yes.”

“Maybe you can get to know your telum more. He has a library—”

“He can read?” I ask.

“And it’s filled with my books. I couldn’t fit everything in my library and had copies placed in each palace.”

That makes more sense.

“How are you, my child?” he asks, sitting on the throne. I remember when I would sit at his feet as he ordered Soul Reapers around to do their jobs. I slowly move to him, sitting right before his feet, like I used to. It makes me feel sad.

“Why did you bribe Inarian?”

“Child...”

“What was your thought process? You knew damn well I wasn’t going to accept him. Now, I don’t want to return to the academy, and I have two hellhounds. Did you bribe him?”

“Maybe with pie.”

I don’t laugh, looking up at him.

“Inarian was never going to join a team. He wanted his inheritance, but he’s strong.”

“His reaper was murdered.”

“It wasn’t his fault. I met him after the incident. He was barely conscious, so beaten he couldn’t remember his name or even heal. Cuts from his own Soul Reaper’s telum covered his body. He watched as they tortured his team, and he couldn’t do anything. Later, we caught the demon, and he laughed about it, said he used his magic for Inarian’s Soul Reaper to be the one to torture them.”

I look down, almost ashamed of what I said yesterday, but I never felt it was entirely accurate. I was just mad.

“He tried his best, Asura. He never wants to experience that again.”

“So, you forced him.”

“I did not know it would get this bad, Asura. I am so sorry.”

I swallow, eyes tearing up. “I’m sick of all the fake sorry’s, and I just want it to be normal again.” Tears start rolling down my cheeks, and I look away.

“My child.” My father slides onto the floor and throws his arms around me.

A sob breaks free, and I turn to hug him back. “I can’t do this without you guys. I’m so fucking lost. The anger and sadness and—”

“Will go away.”

“It’s suffocating me! I feel so fucking broken. I left and lost two years with my goddamn family. I would do anything to go back. One more morning with your pie and Fenric’s singing while he made me soup. Just one more time. Please.” I’m damn near begging a dead man.

“I’m so sorry, Asura.” His voice wavers, and that doesn’t help my tears to stop. I cry and cry for my family; that feels broken. My dead father holds me the whole time, letting me sob until I wake up.

I ignore everyone for my sanity in the morning and shower by myself. Dressing in comfy clothes with a blanket wrapped around me, I leave the bedroom to find the library. It is enormous, almost as big as the throne room. I case the shelves trying to find anything that stands out to me. I don’t want to sit here and try to go through every single one.

I find one that has no words on the spine and pick it up. Our names are written on it in my father’s handwriting, and the moment I flip it open, tears well in my eyes, and I sniff, holding back a sob.

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