Thousands of years earlier.
With a haughty face, I head down the corridor, intending to kill anyone who gets in my way. I am agitated by the sight I saw with my own eyes. I've known about Abaddon's affair with Irene for a long time, but seeing how my man romanticizes her makes everything boil inside me.
Previously, I was the apple of his eye. The appearance of this devious Angel in the human world has led to the fact that I no longer fill my man's heart, and I am replaced by a pretty girl with white wings.
He is the one who led me to become spoiled. Ever since I've known about their affair, and it's been going on for quite a long time, I've been perpetually angry, morbidly jealous, and I feel like killing anyone who gets in my way, even if they're innocent.
Just watching death calms me down. And Seth. His presence also has a soothing effect on me.
I snort under my breath as I pass an arguing couple. Ariel and Sachmet have a habit of this. They love each other, and in a moment they are jumping down each other's throats, only to fall into each other's arms again. I'm the one who's not as toxic as they are.
- Are you crazy? Why would I seduce this bald demon? He's not even my type! As usual, you see images that don't happen. - Sachmet is agitated by the untrue accusations. - Cretin, since you appeared in my life, I see only you. Get that into your stupid, lush-haired head! - She added, stabbing him in the forehead with her finger.
They are so preoccupied with themselves that they don't even notice that I'm walking past them. I turn into the next corridor, and Sarahama is coming from the opposite direction. My attention is drawn to the vial of blood-red liquid she holds in her hand.
- Queen, this is your rescue. This is the only way I can help you," she announces, handing me a vial in my hand. - If used correctly, you will be able to annihilate any immortal.
- What do you mean when you say: when used correctly? - I ask, squinting my eyes.
Sarahama looks anxiously around the corridor.
- No one has ever tried it before, so I don't know what the side effects are.
- So it might as well kill me?
The blue-eyed woman looks at me with frightened eyes.
- Yes, Ms.
I twist the vial in my hand, staring at the red liquid.
- He may kill me, but that way I will get rid of the enemy. I'd rather sacrifice myself than see Irene loved by my man," I announce in a cool tone. - Thank you, Sarahama. Just in case, hide, because Abaddon is beginning to suspect that you are helping me with something.
- I will hide my soul in a bottle of your favorite wine, Queen. You will find me when you need me.
The young witch bows to me, then hastily walks away. I hide the vial in my cleavage, and my lips twist in a tart smile.
- Since I can't have him, all the more reason why you won't be happy by his side, Irene.
*
With shining eyes, I look at Seth as he returns to his chamber smeared with blood. This sight causes a shiver of excitement to run through my body. It's an eerie feeling as I watch his soiled face and torn clothes convince me that he fought a battle with his victim.
For me, he killed another person.
He sits down next to me on the bed, and I use my finger to collect the blood from his cheek, then lick it off. The demon looks at me with mesmerized eyes, waiting for me to praise him.
- You did a good job again, Seth," I announce, mussing his lips. The boy closes his eyelids, happy to be exceptionally rewarded once again. - You are my most faithful Demon. I can always count on you.
Seth snuggles into my arms, and I stroke his hair, smiling slightly.
- Anyone who betrays you deserves to die," she whispered, tickling my neck with her breath. - It was a fantastic feeling when I looked at the suffering face of this traitor. She died in agony. Just as you wished, dearest.
- This servant girl dared to follow me and report everything to Abaddon. Did she really think the King would protect her? - I burst out laughing, playing with Seth's blue hair. - Abaddon will not protect anyone from me.
Seth in my arms is like a child who does not want to leave. He loves it when I treat him with such tenderness, while for others I am ruthless.
- There are a few things I need to do now. - I push him away from me, and he looks at me with puppy eyes. - I will come to you when I am free. I will reward you, Seth. - Before I get up from the bed, I stroke his cheek.
- Nothing is happening, right?
I stop mid-step and, looking over my shoulder, nod in response.
- Everything is in order, Seth. At its best.
I leave his chamber and my attention is caught by the light I see outside the window. I walked closer, and watched the sky, which turned red.
- Mania! - I shift my gaze to Abaddon, who is heading towards me with a hurried step. He grabs me by the shoulders, looking into my eyes with a frantic gaze. - What have you done!
- Don't jerk me around and explain more clearly what you mean," I say through my teeth.
- None of us had any idea until now that the woman who claimed to be a servant was the infernal monster that the emissaries of hell were looking for! She was murdered, and the only person who could have done it is you!
- And whose fault is that? You know very well that I hate being followed. You let her on me, so I removed her," I reply, and my gaze becomes jaded. - What do you want to communicate to me? That you are going to have problems with hell? You have led to this yourself.
Abaddon lets go of me, all the while piercing me with a murderous gaze.
- You're right, it's all my fault, especially the fact that I created a monster out of you.
- You finally understand, darling.
Now I know why Seth looked so bad when he returned to the chamber. He really had to fight a hard battle with the infernal monster before finally killing it.
Impressive how brave this boy is. He could lose his life, and he would sacrifice himself for me.
- We will have issues, because you murdered the infernal monster. They wanted to catch him alive! This is Lucifer's precious gift!
- And what do I care? I didn't know what he was, and he was in our world, so if I felt like it, I killed him. Simple.
My man looks like he wants to rip me to shreds.
- Mania, I'm worried that you will have serious problems because of this! The emissaries of hell are already here! - he shouts, pointing his finger out the window.
- So you are worried about me? Do you still care about me?
- You are my wife, regardless of what kind of relationship we live in now. It's obvious that I want to protect you!
From my cleavage I pull out a vial of blood-red liquid.
- No worries. With this, we will remain the strongest. All we have to do is drink.... Me, you, Sachmet, Seth and Ariel. No one can defeat us," I claim with pride in my voice. - I was going to use this for something else, but since we are in danger.... we have to defend ourselves.
- You got it from Sarahama, didn't you? - Abaddon squints his eyes. - Did you want to get rid of Irene with the help of this? That witch will pay for conspiring with you behind my back!
I move my gaze out the window, entirely ignoring him. I don't need to answer him. He already knows anyway.
- Let's find the rest and better drink it if we would rather not be punished, dear," I say, finding his eyes with my gaze. - Because the envoys of hell look furious. Better be prepared just in case.
I open the vial and take a sip, then hand it to Abaddon. The man looks at me for a long moment, then treats himself to the red liquid.
- I don't know what it is, but I'll just trust you, crazy woman. You're the reason we're in trouble nonstop.
I shrug my shoulders, intending now to drink it to the twins and Ariel, who are not much stronger than us. The five of us come from the oldest tribe of Demons, but Abaddon and I know Lucifer himself, who led us when we were still raised in hell.
He hates disobedience, that's why he's going to get us now.
*
The five of us stand in front of the castle on the steps, watching the envoys of hell who line up in rows. Dressed in black robes, they stare at us with stern faces.
- We were sent by Lucifer, because our father already knows that you have killed the infernal monster.
- And what about it? - I ask in a bored voice, looking at my fingernails. - He took the form of a servant, and since he was working against me, I decided to murder him. You could have guarded him better before he escaped you from hell.
Next to us stands Irene, whose presence raises my blood pressure. Another moment and I will not be controlling my words, and actions.
- Queen Mania, you killed a prehistoric monster precious to Lucifer, which he received as a gift from Purgatory! You committed a forbidden act!
- It's my fault. It came to this because of me. - Abaddon comes to my defense, shielding me with his back. I force a slight smile as I glance at Irene's face. The angelic woman looks nailed down.
- I was the one who had the blood of a prehistoric monster on me! - shouts Seth, stepping forward. I raise an eyebrow, intrigued that they are not afraid to stand up for me.
- I also participated in it! - speaks up Sachmet, who doesn't really have anything to do with it, but is worried about her twin. She doesn't want him to serve his sentence without her.
It's sweet that they want to protect me, even though I sometimes act like a bitch to them.
That seems to be my charm.
- Therefore, all four of you must be punished," declares the envoy of hell. - Whether you did it with intent or not, Lucifer cannot forgive anyone. He has lost the most precious gift to him.
- And didn't Lucifer lose it a long time ago, when he escaped you from hell and you couldn't find him? - I ask openly, and Abaddon glances over his shoulder at me, with his eyes intent on silencing me.
- Count your words, Queen Mania! - replies the envoy of hell in a raised voice. - We have been ordered to take the perpetrators to hell and imprison them in a coal prison!
All around, the lamentations of the subjects who are worried about Abaddon begin, while they accuse me of the worst.
- Please spare our King! He is not guilty of anything! He is only protecting the Queen in this way!
- We beg you to spare the King!
I snort under my breath, thinking it's funny.
- I knew you would eventually lead to tragedy. - Irene's voice, which is directed at me, takes me completely out of my thoughts.
- I am the Queen! I belong to this place! No one will force me to rot in a coal prison! - I scream unexpectedly, in an act of rage attacking the envoys of hell.
I bring about war. Every stroke of magical power satisfies me when I see the results. Abaddon and the others who have drunk the mysterious liquid also possess incredible power. The emissaries of hell are surprised when they can't deal with us.
My attention is caught by Ariel, who unleashes a powerful gale and then disappears without a word. I furrow my eyebrows and look at Seth, who looks furious.
- Queen, he is a traitor! He is the one who reported everything to Lucifer!
Abaddon protects me with his body and deflects the blow from the envoy of hell, who attacks me in the back.
- Shake yourself up! Fight back since you started this war, Mania! - he shouts at me.
I look around and just then I see Seth before my eyes dissolve into the air, with his hand extended to me. Sachmet also disappears without a trace.
Of the strongest ones, it's just me and Abaddon. I see that Irene is trying to help us. Maybe not to me, but to my man yes.
- Mania! - A scream rises from his lips as I begin to melt into the air. I look at him with wide-open eyes, not understanding what is happening.
Is it possible that this is a side effect of the red liquid I received from Sarahama? After all, I wasn't even hit!
Abaddon grabs me in his arms. Actually, something bad is happening to me. I get dizzy, and my body starts to become invisible.
- It's a trick! They turn into souls and disappear! - shouts the infernal envoy. - This is how they want to avoid punishment!
- We belong to each other. I will find you in the next life and annihilate you if you don't manage to love me again," I warn Abaddon before I completely dissolve into thin air.
And in fact. I become invisible to others. I am there, I see Abaddon disappear a moment later, but his soul I am no longer able to see.
The only satisfying sight for me is the crying of Irene, who will not be able to be happy at Abaddon's side.
If I disappeared, so did he. I will take him with me everywhere, because he is my husband and he is mine.