••{DELILAH'S POV}••
I walk quickly through the dim corridors, the chill of Darkholme settling along my spine like a warning I can't quite name. The castle is quieter than usual now that the assembly is over and the nobles are leaving.
I reach my chamber doors, slip inside, and let out a breath as I shut them.
"Finally. I was starting to get impatient waiting for you, Delilah."
My entire body stiffens.
That voice… smooth, cold, beautiful in the most dangerous way.
I turn slowly.
Lilith Blackthorne, Queen of Crimsonholde, is sitting on the chair in front of my vanity as if she's been lounging there for hours. Her posture is perfect, her gown cascading over the chair like liquid darkness. She doesn't even bother looking at me at first—because she knows she doesn't have to.
I bow immediately, my heart racing inside my chest. "My Queen."
"Rise," she says, barely flicking her fingers.
I do, carefully, trying to mask the sudden spike of dread crawling up my throat. I force myself forward, making sure my expression stays composed.
"I assume the court assembly with Azrael is already over," I say.
Lilith leans back in the chair, her eyes distant as her fingers toy lazily with the rings on her hand. "Yes."
Something about the look on her face makes my stomach twist. She's troubled. Confused. Lilith never looks confused.
"My Queen…" I say carefully, "what happened at court?"
Her eyes meet mine. They're sharp and cold.
"Did you know that Azrael is marrying a human princess in four nights' time?"
"What?!" My voice cracks, and my brows pull tight.
"Yes." She nods slowly. "He calls her Rhiannon of Astragarde."
My breath catches in my throat as my eyes widen. I didn't think I could be surprised by Azrael anymore, but this—this is something else entirely. Lilith notices. Of course she does.
"What is it, Lilah?" she asks.
I force the words out. "A few days ago, Azrael abducted Rhiannon. He brought her here against her will. I even overheard him, Lady Seraphine, and Princess Azeria arguing. They were demanding answers from him. Apparently the princess tried to escape, and when the guards cornered her she… she killed several servants."
Lilith hums softly, nodding like everything is starting to piece itself together in her mind.
"This is all very strange, don't you think?" she says. "Not even Azrael's family knows about this. And before you told me about their argument, Seraphine and Azeria's reaction in court told me everything I needed to know."
She tilts her head, her lips curving into something not quite a smile.
"Why would Azrael go all the way to Astragarde to kidnap the princess and force her into marrying him? What could possibly be worth enraging the entire vampire race by making a human their future empress?"
"I… I suppose there must be a reason," I manage to say, because she's right. None of this makes sense.
"So you don't know why she was brought here?" Lilith asks.
I shake my head. "No, My Queen. Azrael refuses to reveal the reason to anyone."
"Hm…" Lilith's eyes narrow. "And you also didn't know about his plans to abduct her beforehand?"
"No, my Queen, he never mentioned—"
She moves faster than I can finish. One moment she's standing, the next her hand wraps right around my throat, cutting off my air.
I gasp, my legs buckling as she lifts me off the ground. Her nails dig into my skin, deep enough that I feel the burn as the flesh tears.
Her eyes blaze into mine, furious and disappointed all at once
"I carefully planted you into Azrael's life and put you in his bed," she says, her voice low and venomous. "Your sole purpose was to use seduction to extract information and bring it to me."
Her grip tightens and my vision blurs at the edges.
"What use are you," she hisses, "if Azrael is making plans of this magnitude and you have absolutely no idea?"
Out of desperation, I claw weakly at he wrist as she chokes the air out of me. My lungs burn as tears gather in my eyes.
"M-My Queen…" I rasp, "P-please…"
She holds me there just long enough for me to believe this is where I die…
Then she lets go.
I collapse to the floor, coughing harshly and dragging in air like I've been drowning. My hands go to my neck. I feel the blood, the torn skin—then the stinging stops as the wounds knit together beneath my fingertips. The pain fades, replaced by the cold numbness that always follows Lilith's punishments.
Lilith stands over me, her expression unreadable.
"This princess," she says. "Have you seen her?"
I shake my head, still struggling for breath. "No. Azrael won't let anyone near her."
Lilith crouches until we're eye to eye. Her presence presses down on me like a weight.
"Then you will do everything in your power to find out why he wants to marry her," she murmurs. "What's so special about her. What makes her worth defying everyone."
"Yes, Your Majesty," I whisper.
Lilith turns and walks toward the door with slow, elegant steps. When she reaches it, she pauses and looks back at me.
"Do not disappoint me again, Delilah," she says softly. "I won't be so merciful next time."
She opens the door and leaves.
I stay kneeling on the floor long after she's gone, trying to calm my breathing, trying to steady my shaking hands… and wondering what secret could possibly make Azrael risk everything.
Because whatever it is, Lilith wants it.
And I'm the one who has to uncover it.