Chapter Sixteen (Sin)

“Where is Rook?” I asked Merula when I entered the throne room. He was sitting by the side wall with a demoness in his lap. He quickly stood and bowed as I took a seat on my throne.

“On his way, sire. Are you alright? You look angry?” he asked, backing away like a scared rodent.

“I’m pissed.” I spat as he cowered.

“Brother, you wanted to see me?” Rook asked as he walked into the throne room, looking at Merula, then at me with a question on his face.

“Out!” I ordered to the crowded throne room as they hurried to leave, Merula leaving with them.

“What has happened?” Rook questioned.

“Your damn brother has touched what is mine and I am not at all pleased that he seems to have the same abilities as your damned mother.” I bit out as he flinched.
“I’m sorry I was unaware that he had inherited them. You know I have her abilities as well and for some reason, unlike my mother, I can only control those that have feelings or a connection to me. My brother may have the same abilities.”

“Great, so she is being brainwashed by him.” That asshole, I told him to stay away. “Did you speak with the oracle?”

Rook nodded, “She can meet with you today. I will show you how to get to her place after supper, my mother usually has meetings with her guards and my brother at that time so she should be preoccupied.”

“Great, I will meet you outside the castle after supper.”

Rook nodded, “I was on my way to check how the harvesting of sins is going. We seem to have an influx of souls of late. I will bring back a report for you as well.”

“Very well.” I replied as I stood to leave, Hellebore waltzed into the room, her face red with anger.

“Where are you going? I have been looking all over the hellscape for you!” Hellebore yelled at me as Rook exited the room.

“And what do you want now?” I asked, annoyed.

“A quick word," she snipped, "we had a deal that you would be married and securing your position with a queen. Why have you not done so?” she accused.

“First off, I am working on it, second, I will marry no one other than my fated mate. I will not risk my siblings finding theirs and dethroning me.” I pointed out angrily.

“Some demons never find them, and you are King. Your father knew better.” She scolded.

“My father was brainwashed.” I narrowed my eyes at her. “As you well know.”

Her face contorted into rage, "It doesn’t matter what tactics and lies you spit the fact remains that you need a queen so you can start creating heirs."

“Why are you so invested? If I had heirs, your sons would never have a chance of being King.” I pointed out.

“I don’t want them to be. That is the point.”

“Stay out of my business, Hellebore, or I will execute you for treason.” I warned darkly as she flinched and turned and walking away.

Bloody bitch, what game is she playing at, why would she want me to have heirs and be married when she is conspiring behind my back unless this her way of trying to throw me off her trail? Sorry to tell you, but it will never work. I know what you are up to, and I am on to your plans.

I left the room heading to the dining hall for supper, Rook met me there a while later and quickly gave his report.

“Everything is going smoothly with the collection of sins. There are a couple spirits who may be too tainted to save, though. He reported around a mouthful of pride. It was his preferred sin and honestly, he was a very proud man. He took pride in everything he did and was respected for it."

As usual, we ate and left as quickly as possible, wanting to avoid Hellebore and usually Lazarus, but he was playing patient to my little flame right now, so who knew when he would resurface.

I went to my room and changed my clothes and grabbed a cloak to hide my appearance, using the secret tunnel I had my servants build after the last assassination attempt. I snuck out of the castle and met Rook on the outskirts of the village that surrounded it. After too many near-death experiences in my youth, I ha ordered the tunnel built in case I needed to leave the castle in secret and quickly.

“Rook, did anyone follow you?” I asked him, as he shook his head. I didn’t need anyone finding out about this meeting.

“No, I covered my tracks.”

I followed Rook to a spot where he had hidden our two Nightmares. Nightmares are demonic horses that are black with manes and tails made of fire, their eyes are red and unless you are a demon, I wouldn’t recommend touching one. One touch from a nightmare could make you have horrific dreams for the rest of your life. They fed off fear and loved to torment the living.

I mounted Amdis, my Nightmare. I've had had him since I was young, and he was loyal. The only one who could ride him was me. If another tried, they would end up seriously injured.

Rook mounted his hell steed, and I followed as he led us through the forests of hell, purple trees with their normal obsidian bark surrounded us and hell creatures scurried about as we winded through the rough terrain following the paths that the creatures had made.

Travelling around hell it was best to use forests and places with a lot of cover, demonic dragons snatched up anything moving out in the open for dinner, there were certain times during the day they slept, and it was safe in the open, but the periods of time were not very long. The royal family could communicate with the dragons, which made it easier for the royal family to travel in the open.

Coming up to the creek we crossed its pink waters as the water bubbled and boiled, continuing to follow my brother for about an hour we finally came to a small purple log cabin camouflaged into the trees we dismounted and walked over to the door which opened before we could knock.

In the doorway was a young woman with gold-coloured hair braided into millions of tiny braids, she had bright green eyes and she wore a green dress that hugged her slight frame.

“Come in.” She said as she moved aside to let my brother and me enter her home; she had a fire lit in the fireplace and a couch and chairs set in front of it with a small kitchen to the side.

“I’m Fanis. It is a pleasure to meet you, King Dezudon.”

“Please call me Sin. I hate my name.” I replied as she motioned for us to take a seat as she walked over to the chair taking a seat.

“Sin is your last name, is it not?” She inquired, confused.

“Yes, but I prefer it.”

“Very well.” She replied as she sat down across from me.

“So, I believe you know why we are here?” Rook asked.

“You are here regarding the information I gave Lazarus, correct?"

“Yes.” I replied.

“The truth is, I didn’t lie to him. She is his fated mate, but she is also yours, Dezudon, sorry Sin.”

“WHAT! How is that even possible?” I yelled.

“I don’t know, but it is what I have seen. As far as I can tell, she is the Kingmaker who she chooses or falls in love with will be the next King of hell and will also decide the fate of magic. If she chooses the wrong, one magic will be wiped out forever.”

“Why would it be wiped out forever?” Rook asked.

“While one of you is destined to save magic, the other is destined to destroy it, whomever she chooses will have the power to decide if magic should be saved or not. Unfortunately, there isn’t much time left to save it, though. As you well know.” She looked at me, her eyes shimmering with knowledge.

“I will just have to move my plans up then. Luckily, time moves slower in their realm than ours."

“Lucky indeed.”

“Do you know who she will choose?” I asked hopefully.

“No, it is a toss up either way, you are dealing with a young woman’s emotions and feelings and if she doesn’t know what she will choose, neither will I.”

“I see, so Lazarus has a head-start on her then?”

“Not really, you have an advantage because you have known her since infancy.”

Rook looked at me then her, “What do you mean?”

“I mean, Sin is the one that took her from the past as a baby and placed her in the future.”

"You did what?"

"It was a favor for a friend."

"Yeah, because some random woman asked you to drop her baby into the future." Rook scolded me.

"She had her reasons?"

"And what is that?"

"None of your business." I retorted, thinking, her mother will not be pleased with me.