Hell's Consort

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Archdemon Empress Luna

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Luna had returned to the 'Ostara' with a shirtless husband after their tryst in the dark alley.

Apollyon's tunic was wrapped around her legs while its sleeves were securely tied around her waist.

In exchange for her husband's small sacrifice, the Vampire King's bare chest and sinewy stomach were exposed to the female faeries.

Brows knitting in a scowl, she had no choice but to accept his husband's kind offer.

He didn't like his wife's quim to be exposed to the male faeries.

In contrast, Luna didn't want other faeries to see her husband like this, especially Princess Alisabethe.

That Spring Princess might think Apollyon had done this to get her attention.

That Fae Princess liked to assume when it came to her husband, and her audacity made Luna grind her teeth.

Luna had expected the faeries to look at them funny, to whisper to the nearest faerie in their clique to gossip, or to openly ridicule their appearance because it was obvious what they had done before this.

She swallowed hard, nervous.

When she glanced around, Luna sighed in relief when no eyes had watched them with judgment, too focused on the celebration.

Like Apollyon always told her, "No one cares."

Luna's lips curved upward.

Apollyon could have never been right.

Never-ending daffodils with their attached leaves and stems rained under the white-gold moon with the stars in the dark heavens as their backdrop.

Three pairs of unicorns with their glowing horns pranced around above their heads as every creature present in the 'Ostara' watched the performance with parted lips and wide, sparkling eyes.

The crowd was full of awe when Luna heard the chorus of 'oohs and aahs.'

They clapped to the rhythm of the woodwind instruments played by faerie girls dressed like ballerinas in their purple tutus with wings drenched in gold and silver.

The faerie boys were also dancing to the beat of the drums as they waved the colorful flags representing the Spring Courts.

The sky was full of elegant aerial dancers with their long salmon pink gowns, moving in a mesmerizing liquid-like motion, holding a string of glowing blue flames attached to its ends in each of their hands and swinging them around in circles.

"Wow. " Luna's eyes and mouth widened in surprise as she clapped with the rest of the faeries.

It was a type of dance Luna hadn't seen before.

In her amazement, she momentarily forgot about her dark memories of Luxen's image converging with her husband and the half-truths she had uttered back at the narrow alley.

Despite the guilt which threatened to eat her heart, Luna still chose to heed her own discernment.

It was dangerous to tell Apollyon the truth about what happened between Luxen and her when she just came back from Hell.

Their relationship was too fragile to handle without expecting a violent reaction from her husband.

She was afraid that it would demolish what love they have left.

She had to walk on eggshells, skirting around the topic, while she was still unsure of the future.

Knowing her husband, Apollyon would lash out, not at her, but his anger would manifest in the real world.

His unpredictability might cause danger around others, seeing how he had killed creatures—such as those demonic faeries—without remorse.

Apollyon had done the right thing for the sake of the greater good, but what was he capable of doing if he had turned evil because of her confession?

It was her responsibility to bring him back if he was acting like a vicious Archdemon.

Apollyon might have the same fate as Lilith—A High Priestess of the Vampire Realm, who transformed into an Archdemon because of the blood sacrifices she had made.

Clenching her fists, Luna was determined her husband wouldn't turn into an Archdemon like her.

She focused on the now.

Luna desired to contribute to the show as a gesture of her gratitude to the Fair Folk for helping her return to her husband.

She will cherish the second chance the gods and goddesses had given her.

The death of the demonic faeries as a sacrifice will not be in vain.

This was also her way to test her acquired Archdemon Magic.

She might as well use them in this Realm so that the torment she suffered from the Archdemons wouldn't be futile.

Closing her eyes as she focused on her intentions, Luna lifted a hand to her lips and raised her arm upwards as if she was blowing kisses in the air.

Silhouettes of monstrous red monarch butterflies with ink-black edges came out of her mouth and joined the gathering, swirling around the guests as eager children chased them to touch their ghastly tails.

Everyone, including Apollyon, sucked in a collective breath as they openly stared at her, marveling in this beautiful chaos.

Luna felt hundreds of eyes on her form, which made her glance at the floor in discomfort.

As the last monarch butterfly came out of her parted lips, Luna raised her chin and smiled at every creature who dared to meet her eyes.

The servants had arrived carrying goblets of wine on their trays.

Some of the faerie guests standing by the docks as they watched the performance had returned to their tables and sat down to eat more cakes and drink wine.

The rest of the faeries had swayed to the magical music, making every creature's soul float in happiness.

Luna hadn't seen the King and the Queen of the Spring Courts.

She glanced around her to search for them just in case Luna and Apollyon missed them, but it turned out they hadn't arrived yet.

Apollyon still had to introduce her, the real Luna, to King Nuada and Queen Gloriana.

Prince Aspen wasn't in 'Ostara' yet, and she wondered if the rest of the Royal Family were alright.

Perhaps, they want to come in late to the celebration, coveting Ostara's grand entrance the way the 'life-of-the-party did.

As her husband noticed her still and silent beside him, Apollyon caressed her forearm before sliding his large fingers in hers, pulling her to where it wasn't that crowded so that they could have some little privacy.