- I missed you so much, Mania. - Seth strokes my cheek, caringly looking into my eyes. - Have you suffered a lot all this time?
I put my lips on his to stifle questions. I slide my hand under his shirt, fingers stroking the skin.
- I have wanted this for so long. - Leaning over me, he kisses my neck, and then my collarbone. I tilt my head back, smiling cocky. - I've missed you too, Seth.
I melt my fingers into his hair, and press his head against me, wanting to better feel the lips that make my whole body tremble.
- My queen," he whispers, between kisses. - Let me paint you today.
Seth looks disappointed as I get off his lap. I feel his intense gaze on me, as I walk over to the table and pour alcohol into glasses. Smiling grimly, I hand one of them to the boy and sit down next to him on the bed. With my free hand, I touch his cheek and stroke that soft skin.
- Dearest, in our world nothing is free. - I take a sip of red wine, whose color is so intense that it looks like fresh blood. - I know how much you love me. I also have strong feelings for you, but it is not enough if you want to paint your Queen.
- I am able to do anything for you," he replies in a whisper, with his eyes trailing over my face. - Every picture painted with you hides a secret. I'm not going to spoil our tradition.
I smile sinisterly, watching my beautiful lover drink the alcohol to the bottom.
- That's right, Seth. - I snatch the empty glass from him, and set both glasses down on the floor. I sit on his lap again, forcing him to lie down on the bed. I toss my blond hair over one shoulder and lean over him, looking intensely into his eyes. - There is a prophecy that says I will be annihilated by the King's mistress. You don't want to lose me, do you?
The boy puts his hands on my waist, and vigorously twists with me so that it is now me on the bottom. This pleases me. I look at him with desire in my eyes, clenching his shirt in my hands.
- I already lost you once, dearest. This time I won't let it happen. Not forever. - He presses his lips to my mouth, unable to control himself. - Just tell me, what should I do to help you?
- You need to get rid of this bitch, Irene.
Seth kisses my neck, as if he is afraid, he will never have the opportunity to do so again.
- I've already killed for you many times, so it's no problem.
- This time will be a little different, sweet," I announce. The boy interrupts the kisses, and looks into my eyes. - Irene is a powerful Demon.
- I was able to kill the infernal monster. Besides, my sister and I are more powerful than it when we join forces.
- That's right, Seth. That's what I meant," I claim with pride in my voice. - You just have to convince her to help me. - I play with his hair as he leans over me. - I know that she is still madly in love with Ariel. For the sake of it, I didn't kill the treacherous scum, but locked him in the dungeons. He will be my bargaining chip to get Sakhmet to agree to help you.
- My sister will do anything for him.
- Therefore, I am able to turn a blind eye to his treacherous nature, just to get rid of Irene.
I don't say it out loud, but Ariel too will face a fitting punishment, when I finally succeed in annihilating Irene with the help of her siblings.
- If all goes according to plan....
- You're going to paint me naked," I interject in his mind. - Now get to the action, because foreplay takes far too long," I add, pulling him close and kissing him passionately.
*
Crossing my arms over my chest, I watch Sachmet with a bored face as she runs up to the bars, behind which her beloved is located. She looks at him with longing eyes, begging him to come closer.
Their relationship in the past was toxic. Once they jumped at each other's throats, only to love each other without memory shortly.
- Look at me, please," she says to him in a weepy voice.
- How can I look at you if you see a traitor in me? - speaks back to her, and I roll my eyes. They sound too melodramatic.
- I believe you, Ariel. I know you didn't do it. You are not a traitor, you are not a coward. I trust you, do you hear?
I feel tired after playing with Seth, so I yawn loudly without covering my mouth. Such behavior is not befitting a Queen, but none of the subjects dare even look at me crossly.
The boy walks up to the bars and puts his hands on Sachmet's palms.
- It's your brother... Seth set me up," he says in a whisper, but I can still hear everything. - He wanted to remove me, tried to destroy my trust in the King and Queen at all costs. He was jealous of my friendship with Mania. Besides... I learned something about their shared secret.
Sakhmet looks in my direction, and I raise an eyebrow, curious as to what Ariel has learned that Seth is trying to destroy him.
- My brother? - The girl looks confused.
- Seth loves me to the point of madness, so he may be a little more jealous than he should be," I respond, walking up to them. - But it's interesting what you found out about me and Seth. Confess the truth, Ariel, and I'll let you go. I'll turn a blind eye to your antics for the sake of an old friendship.
The brunet mirrors me with his eyes, then looks at Sachmet. He is confused, and doesn't know what he should do at this point.
- Tell the truth to the Queen. Only honesty will set you free," the girl claims.
I look haughtily at Ariel, waiting for him to speak.
- Seth is capable of anything for the Queen," he announces, then shifts his gaze to me. - It wasn't you who did the killing, was it? He was the one who performed all those cruel crimes for you so he could paint you.
I smile diabolically.
- Let this remains between us. - Sachmet is disturbed by my words. - You are my friends, aren't you? My sister will probably want to keep this secret to herself now, so that it does not reach Abaddon, and all the inhabitants of the Underworld. For the moment, I am the only one who gets away with being a cruel and ruthless bitch, but when the others find out that Seth is not much different from me.... I'm not the only one they will want to annihilate.
- What do you want in return? - Sachmet immediately begins to understand.
- I will clear Ariel's name. You will be able to spend every moment in the arms of your lover, but.... - I pause for a moment, smiling victoriously. - You will have to help Seth to annihilate Irene. The prophecy says that yes bitch will kill me, so I have to change the future. - I put my hand on Sachmet's shoulder. - You and Seth together possess a powerful force. You are capable of annihilating her. My body belongs to Faerie now, so I don't have my former strength.
- Is that all you want? Should I join forces with my brother?
Ariel looks at his beloved with concerned eyes.
- There's no catch in that, is there? - he asks.
I furrow my eyebrows, feeling offended by his suspicions.
- I would never put them in danger. I take care of the people who are close to me," I reply, opening the grating. - That's why I also let you go. Do not let me down.
When I turn my back on them, I smile grimly, because I have a goal in which I can sacrifice the people I trust. There is no such thing as friendship in my dictionary. They can all die. The most important thing for me is my security, power and Abaddon.
Nothing else matters.
*
Abaddon watches me with penetrating eyes, as I stand in front of the mirror, and comb my long blond hair. He sits on the bed, never taking his eyes off me.
- Why did you let Ariel out of the dungeons without consulting me?
- He had good justification for not being a traitor. He was framed by a certain jealous person," I reply, smiling at the reflection. - You know very well that I do not forgive traitors, even if they were our friends in the past. Ariel has cleared his name.
The man crinkles his eyebrows.
- You wouldn't let a traitor out of his cell, even if he had a solid explanation for what he did. - Abaddon is still suspicious of me. - You would have him killed.
I turn to face him.
- Do you really think I'm that much of a monster? Darling, aren't you exaggerating too much? I wouldn't kill Sachmet's lover in my life. I know how she is crazy about him. She would lose her sanity if I broke her heart.
- Mania, stop hustling. You are the last person who would care about your friend's happiness. No one knows you as well as I do.
I walk up to him and sit on his lap, looking at him with sad eyes.
- Honey, you're making me uncomfortable right now," I claim, fingering his cheek. - Am I that much of a monster in your eyes?
- Are you trying to be funny at this point? It doesn't work out for you. You never had a sense of humor," he replies roughly. My face goes thin. I poke him with a furious look. - Now you look like the real you.
- What do you mean, Abaddon? Is it wrong that I didn't kill one of your people? Would you have preferred that I did?
- I just want to know the reason you didn't do it. What are you up to?
I look him in the eye, intending to lie as if I'm lying.
- Ariel will help me regain my former strength. I will no longer be a weak Faerie. It's demeaning that Irene is stronger than I.
- You are not in danger. Irene is not going to hurt you.
I snort under my breath, looking at him with amused eyes.
- You are not the same as you used to be. You have become gullible and no longer have the character of a Ruler. - I embrace his face in my hands, forcing him to look into my eyes at all times. - There is a prophecy. She has come here intending to annihilate me. If she doesn't want to kill me, how will it happen? Explain to me! Explain how I should defend myself then! I need to regain my former strength!
- You can't, Mania! - he yells at me, grabbing my shoulders. His gaze becomes frantic, his eyes turn red. - As a Faerie, you are not as threatening as you once were. The moment you regain your former strength, power will once again go to your head and all hell will break loose. That's when the prophecy will begin to come true, because out of fear others will want to get rid of you! Irene will then have no choice!
- You won't stop me, Abaddon," I whisper in his ear, then slide off his lap.
I'm heading toward the exit door when he speaks up:
- Be sure that Ariel will not help you. My word is final for him!
I smile under my breath and shrug my shoulders.
- In that case, I'll have to manage on my own, but even that won't stop me, darling. - I grab the handle, then add. - This time you won't stop me, Abaddon. I will maintain my position, regain my former strength and your heart. I will win.