Page 108 of Hell Bound

“I’m really sorry.” She didn’t ask what for, so I pressed on. “I don’t have all of her—my—memories back yet, so I can’t speak to how selfish I was in the past, but I know that my actions now haven’t been… considerate, I guess.”

She walked silently for a few minutes, and we were about to enter the hall when she stopped and blocked my path.

“I understand, Lilith. Truly, I do. I know what you feel for each other, and it’s just as strong now as it was in previous lives. But I don’t want to see you go through all of that pain again. Either of you. I don’t think you’ll survive it this time.”

I didn’t get the chance to respond, but it didn’t matter. I had no idea what to say to that. Hana was so rigid about calling me “my Queen” or “my lady,” so even just her use of my name took me aback.

The sincerity of her words cut like a scalpel, quick and clean.

But in that precision was a truth that I wasn’t ready to handle.

Luckily, I didn’t have to. She pushed the door open, leading the way to my table and taking up her spot behind my chair.

One of the male servants had pulled out my chair for me, but when I got a look at the plate that had already been served, I froze at the edge of the dais.

Atop the gold-edged porcelain was a literal steaming pile of shit.

A second after I laid eyes on it, the smell assaulted me like a baseball bat to the face. I gagged and covered my mouth and nose, preparing to turn and run back to my room.

“Be seated, Queen.” Asmodeus snapped. I looked his way to find the eager anticipation of a child on Christmas. “I took your words to heart yesterday, my dear. If you’d prefer shit to your husband’s body, I’m more than happy to provide it for you. I live only to please you.”

I could go. I could still turn away and sprint from the room, and deal with the consequences later.

But what if you’re not the only one punished?

Hana’s warning about others suffering for my bad choices had really stuck with me, it would seem.

The threat of the servants being punished because I couldn’t handle one of Asmodeus’s nightmarish games was unthinkable.

So I sat. The servant pushed in the chair and scurried away, glad to be free from the line of fire, I was sure.

I, on the other hand, was stuck. The chair was heavy, and unless I was willing to shove the table over in the process, there would be no getting up from it on my own.

No matter how hard I pressed myself into the back cushion of the chair, I couldn’t get more than an extra inch from the disgusting plate in front of me.

Asmodeus was watching with glee, not bothering to hide his enjoyment.

“What’s wrong? Are you not pleased? Surely this is a proper meal for a queen with a mouth like yours.”

I bit my tongue, but only briefly. It only took a single inhale through my nose for me to realize what a shitty—wow—idea that had been.

Don’t engage. Just make it through dinner and he’ll get bored.

“You just must not be hungry, then. Yara,” he called to the young demoness who served our table, “my wife is to eat nothing else until she finishes her meal. Is that understood? She asked for it, and I would hate to take it away before she’s given the chance to enjoy it.”

“My King,” interrupted one of the palace guards.

“What?” Asmodeus snapped, clearly not finished tormenting me. I had to admire the guard’s bravery to intrude on what was clearly a crowning moment for his king.

“You asked to be informed of the progress of the incoming delegations. The first outriders for the Tainted princess and her entourage have just crossed the Ossean border. The princess is several days behind them and has commanded her suite be prepared.”

I waited for the poor bastard to lose his head. No one commanded Asmodeus to doanything, at least not if they wanted to live, and he was absolutely the kind of dickhead to kill the messenger.

Instead, he gave a sharp nod and a dismissive wave of his hand.

“See it done.” He scanned the room until he found who he was looking for. “Crussian. Are preparations on schedule for the ball?”

A short demon with deep emerald skin and pure black eyes stood and tapped his clawed fingers together.

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