Chapter 50 Returning to Vestibulum
The last morning came too quickly. Lilith stood in her chambers, bags packed, staring out the window at the city. Two weeks had passed like days. Like hours.
A knock on the door. Azrael entered without waiting for permission. He looked tired like he had not slept.
“Ready?” he asked.
“No.”
“Me neither.” He crossed to her and stopped close. “I don’t want you to go.”
“I have to.”
“I know. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.” His hand came up, cupping her face. “Two weeks in Cain’s kingdom. Then someone else’s. Then someone else’s. Until you’ve seen all seven.”
“That’s the plan.”
“I hate the plan.” His smile was bitter. “I hate that I have to share you. That I can’t just keep you here. That this isn’t just about what I want.”
“Azrael.”
“I know. You don’t have to say it. I know this is bigger than us. Than me. Than anything I feel.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “But for just this moment, can I pretend it’s not? Can I pretend you’re mine and staying here and nothing else matters?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “Just for this moment.”
They stood like that, silent, holding each other, memorising.
“I’m keeping the stuffed animal,” he said finally.
Despite everything, she smiled. “Good.”
“And I’m keeping this.” He touched his chest where his heart was. “Whatever this is. Whatever happened between us. I’m keeping it.”
“Me too.”
Sera appeared in the doorway, bags in hand. “Portal’s ready whenever you are.” Neither moved.
“We have to go,” Lilith said quietly.
“I know.” But Azrael did not let go. “Come back. After Cain’s kingdom. Come back here. Even just for a day. Let me see you again before you move on to the others.”
“I will.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
He kissed her. Soft. Brief. Goodbye. Then he stepped back. “Go. Before I do something stupid like forbid you from leaving.”
“You can’t forbid me.”
“I’m Pride. I can try.” His smile was sad. “Go, Lilith. Before I actually try.”
She left. Sera is behind her. She did not look back. If she looked back, she might not leave.
The portal opened in the Vestibulum courtyard. Lilith and Sera stepped through. The familiar nightmare architecture surrounded them. Three moons hung in the purple-red sky. Home. Sort of.
“Lilith!” Mammon’s voice. She turned. All six brothers were there, waiting. Mammon. Lucian. Beelzebub. Asmodeus. Belphegor. And Cain. Cain, who was watching her with those volcanic glass eyes, reading everything, seeing everything. Lilith’s stomach dropped.
“How was Pride’s kingdom?” Mammon asked, moving forward to help with bags.
“Beautiful. Complicated. Educational.” Lilith kept her voice neutral. “I learned a lot.”
“I’m sure you did,” Cain said quietly. Her voice was flat. Too flat. She knew. Of course, she knew.
“Father wants to see you,” Lucian said. “Immediately. He’s not well.”
Lilith’s chest tightened. “How bad?”
“Come see for yourself.”
They walked to the throne room. All seven brothers. Sera. Lilith. A procession.
The Devil sat on his throne, and he looked terrible. Worse than two weeks ago. So much worse. His skin was translucent. His body wasted away. He barely looked solid, like he was already half gone.
“Lilith,” his voice was weak. “You’re back.”
“I’m back.” She moved closer and knelt beside the throne. “You look…”
“Like death? Yes. Because I am dying.” He smiled, tired. “How was my son’s kingdom?”
“Impressive. Orderly. Everything I expected from Pride.”
“And unexpected things too, I imagine.” His eyes were knowing. “Azrael can be surprising when he wants to be.”
Heat crept up Lilith’s neck.
“Father,” Cain said, her voice controlled. “You wanted to see us?”
“Yes. To inform Lilith of what’s next.” The Devil looked at his sons. “Cain. Your kingdom. Two weeks. Starting tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow.”
“Is that a problem?”
“No, Father.” Her eyes flicked to Lilith, dark and unreadable. “No problem at all.”
“Good. Then it’s settled.” The Devil coughed. Blood. More than before. “Lilith will spend two weeks in Wrath’s domain. Learn. Observe. Understand what Cain built.”
“I’ll prepare chambers,” Cain said.
“See that you do.” The Devil settled back. “Now leave. All of you. I need rest.”
“Father—”
“Out. I said out.”
They left slowly. In the corridor, the brothers dispersed. Cain started to walk away.
“Cain,” Lilith called. “Wait.”
Cain stopped but did not turn around.
“Can we talk?”
“Tomorrow. When we’re in my kingdom. When you’re on my territory instead of his.” Cain’s voice was hard. “Tonight, you rest. Tomorrow, we talk.”
“Cain.”
“Did you sleep with him?”
The question was blunt. Direct. Painful.
“No.”
“Did you want to?”
Silence.
“That’s what I thought.” Cain turned, expression carefully blank. “Two weeks. You spent two weeks with him. In his palace. In his city. And something changed. I can see it.”
“Nothing happened that—”
“Don’t lie to me.” Her voice cracked. “Please. I can handle the truth. I can’t handle lies.”
Lilith took a breath. “We kissed. More than once. And I have feelings for him. Real feelings. But I also have feelings for you. And I don’t know what to do about any of it.”
Cain was quiet. “At least you’re honest.” Her jaw tightened. “Tomorrow we go to my kingdom. My territory. Where you’ll see what I built. What I am. What I can offer.”
“This isn’t a competition.”
“Isn’t it?” Cain’s smile was bitter. “You have to choose eventually. So yes. It is.”
She walked away.
Sera appeared. “That went well.”
“That was a disaster.”
“Could’ve been worse. She could’ve tried to kill you.” Sera squeezed her shoulder. “Come on. You need rest.”
Lilith collapsed into bed, exhausted. Two weeks with Azrael. Falling for him. Tomorrow, Cain. Fire. Wrath. Guilt. She closed her eyes.
Tomorrow would bring fire. Tonight, she just needed to survive.