I woke up the next morning with an extreme headache. I had been thinking the whole night about what Irene had told me. I couldn't find a reason for her to lie to me, so she must have been speaking the truth. But then again, how could I believe that I had met the Devil himself?
I shook my head. Think straight Hazel.
Irene wanted me to help her and figure things out myself. She must have had a reason to tell me that Lothaire is the devil, if he truly was. Maybe she was giving me hints. First I had to figure out why Irene wanted to help me at all. Either she was related to me or to Lucian, or maybe Lothaire was related to Lucian. Then if Lothaire is the Devil and Lucian is said to be the Devil's son....no, no. You are being crazy Hazel. How could Lothaire be Lucians father? He seemed to be just a few years older, besides if he was his father then why wasn't he helping his son?
No! It had to be something else. Maybe Lucian was related to Irene instead, but how? She said she wasn't a previous lover then...ughhh. I pulled my hair. I was losing my mind.
There was a knock on the door and shortly after Irene peeked her head through the opening.
"Good morning." She smiled."Can I come in?"
"Yes, of course"
She had a tray with a cup and from the scent I knew it was my favorite tea. I really needed it now that my head felt like exploding.
"Here drink this." She said putting the tray on the nightstand. "I am sure you are not feeling alright. I am sorry I told you like that but I really need your help."
I sighed as a took the teacup. " Is Lothaire really the Devil?" I wanted to laugh again but everything was possible at this moment. I knew Lucian wasn't entirely human so there were probably other beings out there.
"Yes."
"And Enoch?" I said as I took a sip from the tea.
"A demon." A demon? Then... Roshan...
"Roshan is a demon too." She said.
My throat felt suddenly dry and I gulped the tea down even though it was hot.
"Careful." Irene looked at me with a worried expression. "Hazel, do you believe in angels?"
Why was she suddenly asking this? Am I about to meet an angel as well? Can we take one creature at a time?
"Yes,"
"Than why is it difficult to believe in demons?"
Good question, but maybe because I haven't met an angel yet, but I just met demons.
"I am sure you have at least once in your life met an angel, you just didn't know, just like you didn't know that Enoch and Roshan were demons."
Well, it could be true.
"Hazel, I don't want you to be caught in the words demon and Devil, right now you could be the only way for me to break the curse. Then I can help you and your husband."
"Alright, I will try." I said.
Not getting caught in the words demon and devil would be almost impossible but I had to try. For Lucians sake, I had to put the pieces together so that Irene could help, whatever her reason was for helping.
"I'll leave you to get ready. You will find me in the garden when you are done."
Taking the tray she left. I quickly got out of bed and decided to take a bath, then I changed into a light blue dress and decided to find Irene all while thinking about Lothaire. He was too beautiful to be true, so beautiful it was almost frightening. If I thought Irene was beautiful and Lucian breathtaking, than Lothaire was beyond all that. Yet I was supposed to believe that he was the Devil.
I knew Irene wasn't lying but I really had a hard time believing her words. Maybe she believed Lothaire was the devil when he in fact wasn't. Maybe he was something else, but what?
While I pondered I didn't realize that I had reached the stairs and suddenly I was falling.
"Woahhh..." Before I fell an arm came around my waist and stopped me from falling. For a moment I thought it was Lucian, the spicy scent and the strong arm, but I was looking into Lothaires cold eyes.
"You should look where you go." He said with a serious tone. Once again I was mesmerized by his beauty but scared at the same time.
I quickly took a few steps back, "Yes, I...I was just...I mean thank you."
He just looked at me and I felt uncomfortable."I shall go then," I said and excused myself.
I made my way to the garden. Irene was watering the flowers and seemed happy.
"Do you need some help?" I asked as I neared.
"No my dear." She said and put the watercan down."Lets' have some breakfast instead."
She led me to a table in the garden and we sat down.
"Enoch is coming with breakfast soon." She explained.
I nodded.
She looked somehow more beautiful today. Her hair was combed nicely and fell down her shoulders in beautiful waves and her lips were painted a light pink. As my eyes swept over her bare shoulders my eyes caught a mark on her left shoulder, just right beneath her neck. It looked like an animal had bitten her. It could be. I knew she even had snakes at home.
"What happened there?" I asked pointing.
"This?" She pointed at the mark.
I nodded.
"Well..." She frowned and seemed to think of a way to explain. "This is a mating mark. It means I already belong to someone. It's like getting married, but instead of becoming someone's wife you become their mate."
"I...I don't understand." I said. I was really confused.
"Demons mark their partner and therefore they get bonded for life. The mating bond is stronger than marriage, it connects you to your partner on a deeper intimate and emotional level." Her eyes swept over my neck and collarbone as if looking for something. "You will understand one day, right now it will only be too much information." She said.
Demons mark their partner? How?
An animal like roar escaped Lucians throat as he stood between the dead bodies of his enemies. Not all of them were dead yet, but the few that were left alive were so terrified that they didn't dare to attack, even though they had weapons in their hands.
Lucian didn't bother to kill them either. He knew after what they had seen today, they would never dare to lay a finger on him. He had literally snapped heads off, ripped hearts out and burned soldiers alive in front of their eyes.
He looked around. Even his own men were horrified at the sight of him. Lucian wasn't surprised he knew this would happen, he just hoped they would get over it soon and except him for the way he was.
Lincoln approached him slowly. "Your highness what shall we do with the rest?"
Burn, kill, torture, get rid of everything.
"Place guards everywhere, take their weapons and make them look for the royal seal. If they don't find it soon..." He turned to the shaking soldier " It will be an absolute pleasure to rip their organs out one by one."
"Yes, Your highness." Lincoln said, the only one who didn't seem horrified by this whole situation.
The stench of blood and burned flesh filled the air. Lucians hands were soaked in blood, today he had used his hands as swords and it had terrified his enemies which made it very easy for him to kill them.
"Anum!"
Anum shook his head as if waking himself up then swallowed hard. "Y...y...yes, Your highness." He said but his voice broke.
"I need a bath."
"I'll make sure it's ready." He said and left quickly.
The rest of his men stood there frozen as statues. Lucian didn't say anything. What was he supposed to say anyways?
Lucian went to his quarters. To his surprise he had missed the place. When he was younger he always wanted to leave but now when he had been gone for so long he realized that home was always home weather you liked it or not.
He opened the glass door that led to the garden. Everything still looked the same, he was happy for that.
"Your highness." He turned around and found Lydia standing there. It seemed Pierre hadn't killed all their staff. Hazel would be so happy to see her maid alive.
"I am glad your back safe." She said a questioning look on her face. She was probably wondering where Hazel was.
"Hazel is somewhere safe." He said even though he wasn't sure himself. But he had told Klara that if she wanted to help to go and find Hazel and keep her safe.
"I have prepared a bath." She said as she looked horrified at the blood on his clothes. If she only had seen him a little earlier, when his demon had a blood banquet, she would have fainted.
Lucian wondered where Hazels other maid was as Lydia washed his hair, but somehow he felt afraid to ask. If she was dead Hazel would be so heartbroken. Lucian tried not to think about it. Right now he needed to find the royal seal. If he got ther royal seal then he would have command over the largest army, the royal army. But Pierre probably hid it somewhere impossible to find. Where could he have hidden it?
While thinking quietly he heard his men talk a few rooms away. Most of them spoke of how they couldn't believe what they saw today.
"So...he is the devil's son." Ky said.
"It seems so." Anum spoke.
"What should we do?" Luke asked.
"What do you want to do?" Lincoln said.
"Well we can't let the devil's son sit on the throne." Luke responded.
"So what? Do you want us to fight him?" Ky asked. "And get our hearts served on a plate? Or wait maybe you want us to bring a cross and the bible?"
"Shut up Ky!"
"I can't believe you guys. How can you even think of fighting him? We have fought together with him in many battles, we have had each others backs. He never treated us, even one of us badly. Whether he is the devil or his son I don't know, but I know he is not evil and I know he will be a much better ruler than his brothers." Martin spoke.
"I believe so too" Declan agreed.
"Since you are shocked I'll let it go this time. But next time anyone speaks of fighting His Highness or betraying him will have to fight me first." Lincoln said.
Then it was dead quiet. Lucian knew there was some tension between them.
Lydia helped him get dressed and was brushing his hair when there was a knock on the door.
Lincoln came in. "Your Highness, what should we do with the crown princess?"
Kill her he wanted to say but then imagined Levis sad face.
"Just keep an eye on her at the moment. Did you find the seal?"
"No, we are still looking for it."
"Make everyone look for it everywhere and find it quickly Lincoln. These walls won't protect us very long without the seal."
They were of course more protected inside the castle but they could still get attacked. Lucian didn't know how many allies Pierre had, therefore he really needed the royal army.
"Of course Your Highness." Lincoln said and left.
"You may leave as well." He told Lydia. Lydia bowed and left.
Lucian went to bed. He suddenly remembered when he told Hazel he wanted to sleep with her in his arms every night. Today he missed her and his demon craved her. He lay down and shut his eyes but his demon refused to let him sleep. He kept imagining Hazel's naked body, her soft her, her sweet scent, the taste of her lips. Lucian ignored his bodies response to the images. He was used to this. When his demon spilled blood it always got hungry for flesh, and if it didn't get what it wanted it, then more blood would be spilled.
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