Chapter 48 Jealous bitch
Lilith woke to shouting.
Not in her room. Outside. In the corridor.
She threw on a robe and opened the door.
Morgana stood there. Face twisted with rage. Two guards holding her back.
“You little bitch!” Morgana screamed when she saw Lilith. “You think you can just waltz in here and take everything from me?”
“Lady Morgana,” one of the guards said firmly. “Lord Azrael has ordered”
“I don’t care what he ordered!” She struggled against them. “Three hundred years! Three hundred years I’ve served him! Stood by him! And he discards me for some child?”
Lilith stepped into the hallway. Calm. Collected. “You weren’t discarded. You were fired. There’s a difference.”
“Because of you!”
“Because you cornered me in a corridor and tried to intimidate me.” Lilith’s voice was steady. “Because you touched him inappropriately during council meetings. Because you couldn’t accept that whatever you had with him ended decades ago.”
“It didn’t end! It was just paused! Until you”
“Until nothing.” Lilith stepped closer. The guards tensed but she waved them off. “He doesn’t want you. He made that choice fifty years ago. You just refused to accept it.”
Morgana’s face contorted. “You’re nothing. A prophecy. An obligation. When he’s done with you”
“He won’t come back to you.” Lilith’s voice was firm. Final. “Even if I’m not in the picture. Even if I choose someone else. Even if this all falls apart. He. Won’t. Choose. You.”
“You don’t know that!”
“I do. Because he told me.” Lilith met her eyes. “He told me you were meaningless. Convenient. A political arrangement that meant nothing. And you know what? I believe him.”
Lady Morgana lunged.
The guards grabbed her but not fast enough. Her hand connected with Lilith’s face.
Pain exploded across her cheek.
Then something else exploded.
Golden light erupted from Lilith. Pure. Powerful. Uncontrolled.
It slammed into Celestine. Threw her backward. She hit the wall hard. Slid down.
The guards stepped back. Eyes wide.
Lilith’s hands were glowing. Her wings manifested. Partially. Gold and light and divine fury.
“Don’t.” Her voice wasn’t entirely her own. Deeper. Resonant. “Ever. Touch. Me. Again.”
Morgana stared up at her. Terror replacing rage.
“I am the last Seraph.” Lilith’s power filled the corridor. Made the air thick. “I am prophesied. Divine. More powerful than you can comprehend. And I will not be threatened by someone who can’t accept reality.”
She pulled her power back. Forced it down. The wings faded. The light dimmed.
But Morgana stayed on the floor. Shaking.
“Get her out of here,” Lilith said to the guards. Her voice was her own again. Tired. “And make sure she leaves the palace. Today.”
“Yes, my lady.”
They hauled Morgana up. Dragged her away. She didn’t fight. Just stared at Lilith like she’d seen a monster.
Lilith stood alone in the corridor. Hand pressed to her stinging cheek. Heart racing.
Footsteps. Running.
Azrael appeared. Still half dressed. Hair disheveled. He must have been asleep.
“I heard” He stopped. Saw her face. The red mark forming. His expression went cold. Deadly. “She hit you.”
“She tried.”
“I’ll kill her.”
“You’ll do nothing.” Lilith’s voice was firm. “I handled it.”
“Your face”
“Will heal. I’m fine.” She touched her cheek. Winced. “Though I might have overreacted. I threw her into a wall with my power. Accidentally manifested my wings. Terrified your guards.”
Despite everything, Azrael smiled. “Good.”
“Good?”
“You defended yourself. Showed her what happens when she crosses you.” His hand came up. Gentle. Careful. Touched the unmarked side of her face. “I’m proud of you.”
“I lost control.”
“You found your power. There’s a difference.” His eyes were warm. Proud. “Come on. Let’s get ice for that.”
He led her to his chambers. Sat her down. Pressed a cold cloth to her cheek.
“Does it hurt?” he asked quietly.
“Yes. But I’ve had worse during training.”
“That’s not comforting.” He held the cloth in place. His other hand found hers. “I’m sorry. About Morgana that I should have dealt with her years ago.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Guilt, maybe. She served me for centuries. Was there when I built this kingdom. I thought I owed her something.” He paused. “But I don’t owe her you. Don’t owe her the right to hurt you. That stops now.”
“You already fired her.”
“I should have done more. Should have anticipated this. Protected you better.”
“I don’t need protecting.” Lilith took the cloth from him. Held it herself. “I needed to stand up for myself. And I did. That’s what matters.”
He studied her. “You’re different this morning.”
“How?”
“Stronger. More certain. Like something shifted.” His smile was slight. “Like you finally believe you belong here.”
“Maybe I do.” She looked at him. “Or maybe I’m just tired of people telling me I don’t.”
“Either way.” He leaned in. Kissed her forehead. Gentle. “I’m glad you’re here. Even with the drama. Even with Morgana. Even with everything.”
“Me too.”
They sat in comfortable silence. His hand still holding hers. The morning sun streaming through the windows.
“One more week,” Azrael said quietly.
“One more week.”
“Then you go to Cain’s kingdom.”
“Then I go to Cain’s kingdom.” Lilith’s chest tightened. “And you’ll stay here.”
“I’ll stay here.” His thumb brushed across her knuckles. “But I’ll be thinking about you. Waiting for updates. Counting days until you return.”
“That’s not helping."
“I know.” His smile was sad. “But it’s true anyway.”
The moment stretched. Warm. Fragile. Real.
Then Sera burst through the door.
“Did you really throw Celestine into a wall?” she demanded.
Lilith sighed. “News travels fast.”
“The entire palace is talking about it! They’re saying you manifested wings! That you glowed like the sun! That you” Sera stopped. Saw Lilith’s face. “She hit you.”
“And I handled it.”
“Damn right you did.” Sera’s grin was fierce. “I’m so proud of you.”
“Everyone keeps saying that.
“Because it’s true.” Sera looked at Azrael. Still holding Lilith’s hand. “Am I interrupting?”
“Yes,” he said.
“Good.” She sat down anyway. “So. What’s the plan for today? More council meetings? City tours? Avoiding angry ex lovers?”
Despite everything, Lilith laughed.
“Rest,” Azrael said firmly. “Lilith needs to recover. Both physically and emotionally.”
“I’m fine”
“You manifested your wings for the first time. That’s exhausting. You’re resting.” His tone left no room for argument. “Tomorrow we’ll continue exploring the kingdom. Today, you rest.”
“Bossy.”
“Concerned.” His eyes were serious. “Let me take care of you. Just for today.”
Lilith looked at him. At the genuine worry in his expression. The care.
“Okay,” she said quietly. “Just for today.”
Sera stood. “I’ll leave you two alone. But Lilith?”
“Yeah?”
“You really are stronger than you think. Don’t forget that.”
She left.
Azrael and Lilith sat together. His hand still holding hers. The morning stretching ahead of them.
One more week in his kingdom.
One more week before everything changed again.
But today, right now, she let herself rest.
Let herself be cared for.
Let herself be exactly where she was.
And it felt like enough.