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Her quiet demeanor gave me time to think while the shuttle took us up to the giant spaceship I had been born in and, in all likelihood, would die in. But in the meantime, I intended on enjoying my little Nayphyllym to my newly beating heart's content.
After theAsphodelswallowed us up and we disembarked the shuttle, I led Fay up to one of the guest suites. Most were occupied by the nobles, but I had bribed a Tainted long ago to keep one for myself. It was my little secret, my escape and hidey hole once the assassinations between us brothers would begin. I didn't trust my assigned chambers to be safe from my brothers' treachery, not after the contest started and all bets were off.
We were supposed to kill each otherhonorably, but knowing my brothers, especially Nergal and Balaam, I expected no honor whatsoever.
So I had prepared, and that preparation worked in my favor now.
Fay faltered here and there, stopping to stare at the inside of our spaceship, something I had grown used to over the past three hundred odd years.
"It's beautiful," she said when we reached the balconies.
The guest suites were on a higher level, smaller than the cabins my brothers and I occupied, but much nicer in my opinion. I had always hated my windowless accommodations; the room looked more like a dark cave than anything, which was why I made sure that the guest room I used offered a window.
Fay leaned over one of the balconies and stared down the three hundred odd levels before she looked up at the hundred or so more—I had never taken the time to count them.
The levels were connected by an intricate network of see-through tubes running from one end of a level to another. Not many Daemons mingled about since most were amusing themselves on Adama, but Tainted walked about in abundance, and it took me a moment to realize why they were all standing still. My eyes moved down the rows and rows of floors until they landed on the center walk where a group of seven Nayphyllym—the chosen maidens—guarded by Daemons walked by. I was running out of time.
"We need to hurry," I told Fay, and unquestioningly she put her trust in me and hurried along.
"I don't have much time until I'm expected in the throne room. I should already be there," I mumbled as I hastened our speed. "I promise I will tell you everything later, but for now, I have a room where you will be safe. Stay there until I return."
We reached the part of the ship reserved for guest rooms and was relieved to find it deserted, since everybody was already in the throne room, waiting for the choosing ceremony, or on Adama.
The doors to my rooms opened at our approach and I pushed her in. "I will be back as soon as I can, I promise."
"Alright."
I resisted the urge to kiss her because I knew I wouldn't be able to stop. I only took the time to make sure the door locked behind her and wouldn't open for her before I raced to the bank of elevators.
I was in luck to run into a Tainted who was about to step out of the elevator. "You! Stay in there."
I pushed her inside the generous cabin; I needed her blood.
"I was wounded, I need your services."
"Of course, my prince." She exposed her elegant neck, but the sight of it made me recoil.
The idea of penetrating her skin with my fangs filled me with revulsion, and I fumbled for a small dagger by my side. It wasn't forged from mortferrym and wouldn't hurt her beyond the normal sting. If she was surprised I didn't want to feed from her neck, she didn't show it. Instead she stretched her wrist out for me to cut, and when her blood flowed generously, I pressed it against my wounds instead of sucking on it. The stab wound Fay had inflicted on me came first, and I heard the Tainted's gasp when she noticed the red blood where there should have been black.
"Not a word," I hissed. "To anybody."
The wound was already closing, and I directed her hand toward the other slices.
"As you wish, my prince," she acquiesced.
I handed her some of the gemstones I always carried on my person to bribe Tainted servants, or sometimes a noble, and warned her, "I will find you if I hear a word of what happened."
"You won't have to worry about me, my prince," she assured me. I sealed her cut with my venom before we reached the ground level where the throne room and the royal chambers were located.
"Ah, how good of you to join us, Prince Azazel, on the most important day of your life," Behlial barked out at my entrance.
I bowed sarcastically before his throne and winked at Ishtar who gave me an indulgent, albeit strained, smile. Having come from Adama, I couldn't imagine her enjoying sitting there and picturing the atrocities being done to her people and the Adamas, even though she had gone through it several times before.
Thankfully, the red stains on my clothes would be assumed to be the blood of Adamas and Tainted I had supposedly gorged myself on and would go unquestioned, even though I saw the look of disapproval on Ishtar's face. It was my turn to wink at her.
"I beg your forgiveness, great King and Queen of Darkness, but the amount of amusement on Adama captivated my attention for too long."
Behlial barked out some laughter as I had expected. He approved of the carnage and slaughter I supposedly took part in. I couldn't help but smirk at Nergal as I walked past him. It seemed, for today, I was the favorite son.
