Beneath Shadows and Secrets

♔ 𝕿𝔴𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔶 - 𝕱𝔦𝔳𝔢 ♔

♔ 𝔑𝔦𝔯𝔞 ♔

I march from the room, my hand still held gently in Calix's. It is grounding, stopping me from spiralling into an irredeemable fit of rage. No matter how desperately I want to. No matter how deserved it might be. He is right. Not yet. We have answers we need to gain, and after that, I will show my father the cost of shirking his responsibilities.

"That was intense." Libitina purrs, hurrying her steps so she can step before me. I suppress a sigh when I see the way her pupils have blown, her fangs lengthening. I shoot a look to Tynan for aid when the succubus pushes my hair over my shoulder, running her nose along my throat. He only grins. "You are remarkable." A wetness slides below my jaw. I grip Libitina by the hair and pull her away.

"Do that again, and I'll cut out your tongue." My words still rasp between my own fangs, their presence breaking up the words to a hiss, but the message is received. She smiles and shrugs, her eyes flitting towards my other hand, where it is still joined with her Lord's. I jolt slightly, tearing myself away from both of them.

"Dee!" I grit my teeth and turn to him, ignoring the prickling feel of three figures coming to defend my back. "Please –"

"Please what, Darin!" I shout, my arms thrown out in exasperation. "If you have come asking for me to 'try to understand', then you are wasting your time."

He moves to reach for me but hesitates. "Da did what he had to do; he didn't mean to cause you any pain."

"You only think that Darin, because it didn't cause you any pain. You got to come here and live lavishly and eat three warm meals a day. I had to fight and scrap and steal to survive." My eyes trail over him. "You would not have lasted a day. I suppose it makes sense – you left us too."

He seems to flinch at that. "Let me explain, please. Without them." His chin juts out to gesture at the three behind me.

I draw a cold smile. "It isn't them you need to be worried about explaining yourself to." He manages to hold my gaze and I concede. "Fine."

"Oh, let me stay, Nira. I promise I'll be good." Libitina almost pleads. I look at her, noticing now that she doesn't quite look her normal self. Her cheeks are sharper, edged with weight loss, her hair limp and a thin sheen of sweat sat on her brows. I frown at the sight. She looks so far from the put together demon who enjoyed taking the time to taunt me and the monarchy.

"No." It is something of a groan, a whimper, that escapes her. Calix's hand wraps around her arm and he pulls her away, fighting against her resistance.

He lifts his attention to me, and not the writhing succubus in his hold. His expression his flat, but there is a warning in his eyes. A demand. "Find us, after."

"I will." I assure, and the three of them leave, Libitina with more resistance. I hear the mumbled words, 'she's starving', and a pained noise from Tynan. I do not trouble myself for the reason, instead turning to my brother once more. "Go on, then. Before my patience wanes."

"Can we not do this more privately?" He insists.

"No, because I only need to ask you one question, and if you answer wrong, I will leave this place, and you will never see me again. I know what it is to miss you. I managed just fine doing so for years." His jaw clenches. Not anger – hurt. "Did you ever think to look for us? After he told you we were dead. Did you ever think to come home, even if it were just to say goodbye?" My voice breaks. I scold myself. No weaknesses – not anymore.

His eyes glaze with tears. "I never had reason to believe he would lie."

"That is not the answer I needed." I move to leave, but he grabs me, and the Stygian leaves me in a whip, throwing him away. "Enough!" I shout at him. The coil of darkness stays prepared to strike.