Chapter 98 Quiet Understanding
Sera had been pacing the corridor outside Lilith’s locked door for an hour when footsteps made her turn. Belphegor appeared around the corner, Morpheus perched on his shoulder, moving with his usual unhurried pace.
“She still won’t open it?” he asked, nodding toward the door.
“No. I’ve tried three times. She just keeps saying she needs to be alone.” Sera wrapped her arms around herself. “I don’t know what to do. She’s locked herself away and everyone’s talking about what happened in the throne room and I can’t help her.”
Morpheus immediately launched himself from Belphegor’s shoulder to Sera’s, nuzzling against her neck with concerned chirps. She scratched behind his ears absently.
“Come on,” Belphegor said gently. “You standing here wearing a path in the floor isn’t helping anyone. Let’s go somewhere else.”
“I can’t just leave her—”
“She asked to be alone. Respect that.” He was already walking, clearly expecting her to follow. “Besides, you look like you need to sit down before you collapse.”
Sera hesitated, glancing at the locked door one more time, then followed. Belphegor led her to a small sitting room she’d never noticed before, quiet and tucked away from the main corridors. He settled onto a couch and gestured for her to join him.
She sat, leaving careful space between them, but Morpheus had other ideas. The sprite curled up in the gap, forcing them closer together.
“Traitor,” Sera told him, but there was no heat in it.
“He knows what he’s doing.” Belphegor’s slight smile faded. “So. That was quite a declaration Lilith made.”
“You were there.” Sera looked at him properly. “You heard everything she said. What do you think?”
“I think she’s braver than anyone gives her credit for.” He leaned back, considering. “Standing in front of Father and all seven of us, telling us we’re wrong about prophecy we’ve believed in for centuries. That takes courage.”
“But do you think she’s right?”
Belphegor was quiet for a long moment. “I don’t know. Maybe. The Keepers gave her that vial for a reason. They don’t do things without purpose.”
“You’re not angry about it? About her refusing to choose?”
“No.” He said it simply, like it was obvious. “I never expected her to choose me anyway. And honestly, what she’s proposing makes a certain kind of sense. We’re stronger together than separate. Always have been. Maybe binding all seven kingdoms through one person is exactly what we need.”
Sera felt something loosen in her chest. “So you believe her?”
“I believe she saw something real. Whether it’s possible to actually do what she’s proposing, I don’t know. But I’m not going to dismiss it just because it’s not what we expected.” He glanced at her. “You’re worried about her.”
“Of course I’m worried. She locked herself in a tower room after bleeding from her eyes and declaring she’s going to rewrite prophecy. How could I not be worried?”
“Fair point.” Belphegor shifted slightly closer. “But she’s stronger than you think. She’ll figure it out.”
“What if she can’t? What if the Devil refuses and everyone fights her and she ends up alone against all of you?” Sera’s voice cracked slightly. “She’s my best friend and I can’t do anything to help her.”
“You’re here. That helps more than you realize.”
“I’m here but she won’t even let me in the room.” Sera pressed her hands to her face. “I’m useless.”
“You’re not useless.” Belphegor’s arm came around her shoulders, pulling her against his side before she could think to resist. “You’re the one person in this entire palace who doesn’t want anything from her except her happiness. That matters.”
Sera let herself lean into him, exhaustion and worry finally catching up. “I just want her to be okay.”
“She will be. Eventually.” His voice was quiet, steady. “Right now she needs time to process everything. Tomorrow she’ll come out and face everyone again. But tonight, let her have this.”
They sat in silence for a while, Sera tucked against Belphegor’s side with Morpheus sleeping between them. It should have felt awkward, sitting this close to someone she’d only known a few weeks, but it didn’t. It felt safe.
“Can I ask you something?” Sera said eventually.
“Always.”
“If Lilith actually does this, if she binds all seven kingdoms through herself, what happens to…” She trailed off, not sure how to finish.
“To us?” Belphegor’s arm tightened slightly around her. “Nothing changes. This isn’t about romantic claims or exclusive possession. It’s about kingdoms being united. You and I, whatever this is, that’s separate.”
“Is it though? You’re one of the seven princes. If she binds to all of you—”
“She’s not binding to me romantically. She’s creating a political and magical connection between kingdoms.” He shifted so he could see her face properly. “What we have is different. It’s ours. It doesn’t involve prophecies or political necessity or anything except the fact that I like being near you and you apparently don’t mind being near me.”
“I more than don’t mind,” Sera admitted quietly.
His smile was soft. “Good. Because I more than like being near you.”
They were very close now, close enough that Sera could see the exact color of his eyes, the way his hair fell slightly into them. His hand came up to rest against her face, thumb tracing slow circles along her cheekbone. She could feel his breath, could count the seconds between each exhale.
He leaned in slowly, giving her time to pull back if she wanted. She didn’t want to. Her hand came up to rest against his chest, feeling his heartbeat quicken under her palm. The distance between them closed inch by inch until his lips brushed against hers, soft and questioning.
She answered by pressing closer. His other hand slid into her hair, fingers tangling gently as he deepened the kiss. It wasn’t rushed or desperate like their first one had been. This was deliberate, measured, like they had all the time in the world. His mouth moved against hers with careful attention, and when his tongue traced along her bottom lip, she opened for him without thinking.
The kiss lasted until breathing became necessary. When they finally pulled apart, his forehead came to rest against hers, both of them catching their breath in the small space between them.
“Whatever happens with the prophecy, with Lilith and my brothers and all of it, this doesn’t change. You and me. We’re separate from all that chaos.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.” He kissed her again, brief and gentle, his lips pressing against hers for just a moment before pulling back. “Now come here properly. You’re stressed and exhausted and trying to hold yourself together when you don’t have to.”
He pulled her fully against him, her head on his chest, his arms wrapped around her. Morpheus adjusted to the new position, curling up on her lap and immediately falling back asleep. Sera let herself relax for the first time since Lilith had locked herself away, let someone else hold the worry for a while.
“Thank you,” she said quietly.
“For what?”
“For not being angry about what Lilith said.
For being reasonable when everyone else is losing their minds.
For this.”
She gestured vaguely at their position.
“You don’t have to thank me for any of that.” His hand moved through her hair slowly, soothing. “Especially not the last one. I’m entirely selfish about wanting you close.”
They stayed like that until Sera’s breathing evened out and she started to drift, exhaustion finally winning. Belphegor didn’t move, just held her and let her rest, Morpheus’s quiet chirps the only sound in the peaceful room.
Outside, the palace was probably still in chaos. The Devil was probably furious. The brothers were probably arguing. Lilith was probably still locked in her tower room crying or planning or both.
But here, in this quiet space, Sera let herself stop worrying for a while. Let herself just be held by someone who made her feel safe and valued and important in a way that had nothing to do with prophecies or kingdoms or impossible choices.
Tomorrow would bring more chaos. But tonight, this was enough.