Page 101 of Hell Bound

She probably thought she’d hidden it, but I caught the shadow of brokenness in her eyes.

The tension didn’t fully leech from my body for long moments. I expected one or both of them to come bursting through the door again at any second, ready for round two.

My shoulder slumped and my hands finally fell to my side, cramped from having been clenched so hard during that ordeal. The dress immediately slipped down, pooling at my feet.

I stepped out of the fabric pile, only then noticing how much hay had still been caught up in it. It was getting late, which meant that Hana and the others would be there soon enough. Maybe I could beat them to the punch.

Taking the quickest bath since my arrival, I cleaned the filth that I hadn’t noticed had accumulated on me in the stables. The bath water was actually gross as I let it swirl down the drain, running fresh water over my body to rinse away any lingering grime.

By the time Hana walked in, I was standing back in my bedroom with the ruined dress bundled in my hands as I debated what to do with it.

She looked me over, noting my long wet braid and bare feet.

“Go,” she snapped to the other two who’d entered behind her. Thankfully, Tavila hadn’t made an appearance. I’d seen more than enough of her for the day, thanks. Once we were alone, she shut the door firmly, whirling to face me. “You want to be killed again, is that it? And take the rest of us with you?”

“What? No, I—of course not!”

“Word is already going around the palace servants that you were down in the stables. Apparently, Lucifer was also seen at the stables, as was Odragir. Since Odragir left there with a broken face covered in blood, it doesn’t take an intellectual to discern what happened.”

Well, when she laid it out like that…

“I didn’t go looking for him, Hana, I swear. I took what you said to heart. All I wanted was to take a walk.”

“Your intention isn’t going to matter when you're beheaded or burned to death. Again.” She shoved her fists onto her hips and glared at me. “How can you care so little for yourself and everyone around you?”

“No! I wouldn’t do that, my actions are my own, and so are my consequences.”

“Maybe in the human world they were, but here? Asmodeus has issued orders that any who see you with Lucifer are to report it immediately. Anyone who sees you and says nothing will share your fate.”

That sick fuck. I wasn’t surprised at his edict, more shocked that he hadn’t thrown it in my face.

Because you’ll be on your guard. He’d rather let you get caught unawares.

“Hana, I didn’t know, I swear.”

“You do now, but it won’t stop you. I’ve loved you as a sister my whole life, Lilith, even ifyoucan’t remember it. But you’re a princess. A queen. You never learned to put the needs of others before your own wants.” She shrugged, a gesture that was a blow to the gut. “It’s just who you are.”

With that, she turned for the door.

“Hana, wait—”

“Goodnight, my Queen. I’ll be here to prepare you for breakfast in the morning.”

I could have told her to stay, but wasn’t that just proving her point? Commanding her to submit to my desire to feel better, to apologize, when she clearly needed space.

I’d just been happy to have my room to myself, to have bathed without the supervision of lady’s maids.

Now I just wanted Hana to come back. To go through our normal routine so I could ask her questions and make her giggle while I talked shit about Tavila.

Instead, I was alone, and the silence left far too much space for me to contemplate just how much of a selfish asshole I was.

Every day, I was falling a little more in love with my wolf. He lit me up in ways I’d never imagined.

But now, to protect Hana and the rest of the innocent servants, I didn’t have a choice.

I had to let him go.

Chapter24

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