Hell's Consort

The crowd had gathered in a large blazing fire which almost reached the heavens, and the three pairs walked slowly, helplessly drawn towards the faerie ring.

The other faeries left their food and wine goblets covering the table as if a collective spell had passed over them.

Luna caught Lady Clarence stealing glances at her.

Still, she couldn't approach her future friend to explain about the skirts she borrowed because Apollyon was adamant not to let her go and talk to anyone now that the faerie dance will begin.

Prince Aspen held Lady Clarence's hand and tugged her to their respective positions in the faerie circle.

Apollyon was also keeping an eye on Princess Alisabethe and Prince Aelfric across them.

He must have thought she would go straight into Prince Aelfric's arms and elope with the faerie prince as his lover when she didn't know why it came to that point.

Apollyon and Luna stood side-by-side in the midst of the crowd in silence while everybody fixed their gazes at the King and the Queen of the Spring Courts.

Queen Gloriana lifted a finger as a signal before the most romantic music she had ever heard played in the air.

Luna glanced around in a panic when the rest of the faeries began to take a step forward because she hadn't learned the steps for tonight's faerie dance beforehand.

The spring faeries stretched their muscles, jumping around in excitement as all of them held hands to form a circle around the bonfire.

What if she stepped on the skirts of the spring faerie and humiliated herself?

Her eyes widened in surprise when her foot took a graceful stride effortlessly as if the sweetest melodies controlled her movement.

With their hands joined, the guests danced round and round in mirth, alternating between linking their arms with the rest and turning to face their partner in a repetition of choreographed dance steps.

The rest of the spring faeries also sang along with a voice full of power as they clapped into the rhythm.

Luna didn't need to do much since her body danced all by itself.

It felt like everyone was in a trance.

Luna gaged the extent of Queen Gloriana's power, bewitching the crowd to dance when she commanded them to—in just a slight movement of a hand.

It was similar to how Prince Aspen can compel the ladies with his voice.

Luna can counter Queen Gloriana's magic with her Archdemon Magic but was there really a need to when her magic would, never in a million years, teach her how to dance when she wasn't familiar with it?

She found it a good thing that she didn't have to be anxious about the steps when the compulsion of the faerie enchantment made her appear like she had practiced dancing all her life with feminine elegance, enthusiasm, and talent.

The faerie magic also lifted her low spirits from her confusion about what happened earlier with Princess Alisabethe, Prince Aelfric, and Prince Aspen.

Her ears found the music irresistible, and the sensation of her toes as it touched the ground after spinning in her husband's tunic was downright addictive.

All she had to do was forget all of her problems with the Archdemons, her destructive secrets, and her fears regarding her relationship with her husband.

She should focus on the music and the center of her world—her mate, Apollyon.

The magic of the Spring Faeries was more potent on the First Day of Spring.

That must be why it was easy for these faeries to entice other creatures to stay during the faerie dances.

When the creatures began to lose themselves—their identities--in the enchanting music, by then, it will be too late.

What were the consequences if a creature became too exhausted to move?

Would they dance until their feet rot to death, turning into a skeleton?

Luna heard that humans were too gullible, falling for this trick again and again until their faerie abductors wipe their memories of the human Realm to make them his/her servants.

So far, Luna had counted ten abducted human girls in the bonfire dance as they twirled and turned with the other faeries in unison.

She noticed that their pupils were dilated yet glazed over.

As a victim of abduction, she will never agree to this as a way of acquiring servants no matter what the Realm was.

Apollyon's voice was low as he fixed his gaze on her face. "I know what you're thinking."

Pausing, Luna pirouetted under Apollyon's raised arm before she replied, "Are you reading my mind?"

"No, but I know your gaze is looking at the human girls," Apollyon said coolly as he gently squeezed her hips with his hand in a warning. "There was nothing you could do to help them return to the Human Realm once the Fair Folk have them in their clutches. It was these humans' choice  to step in the faerie ring."

She gripped his shoulders tight, narrowing her eyes at him. "They weren't armored with protection from Fae Magic."

Apollyon shrugged. "Humans should wear iron in them at all times."

"They should have known better not to be seduced by these beautiful, mischievous fairies. Little did they know that they could never return to the Human Realm." Apollyon pulled her to his arms after another spin. "Five minutes of dancing in this dream-like fantasy might equate to seven years of disappearance."

"What did the poor girls do to deserve this fate?" Luna murmured as she glanced down at their dancing feet.

"The world had never been fair to us, wife, and  you didn't deserve your fate either."

"I want to help them, Apollyon."

"You shall not interfere." It was an absolute statement for her husband. "We will respect the cultures and traditions of the Faerie Realm, and we could do nothing about them not unless the Spring Monarchs decided to change the rules." He added, "We are in the territory of the Faerie Realm, accepting the hospitality of the youngest Prince in Lilac Manor. Let's not create further commotion."

"It doesn't sit right with me to leave these women to become a slave of the faeries," Luna asked. "What if they were killed or abused by the master who had chosen them?"

"What if one of them will marry one of the Faerie Princes, and you are robbing them of their destiny?" Apollyon informed her, giving her an icy glance. "Lady Clarence is a human and a past consort of mine. I have not yet seen Prince Aspen hurt her in the years I have waited for your return in the Lilac Manor."

"Prince Aspen might be strange, but he had a good side to him," Luna said. "Have you ever hurt Lil—"

"Save your questions in the bedroom, wife. I will not answer while we are still around these many people." The quick shut down felt like her husband had slammed a window in her face.

Her soul hurt, but it was understandable.

Apollyon must be angry at Prince Aelfric's claim as Luna's lover, but he couldn't explain it yet because they were in public.

They couldn't afford to mention Lilith's name in the Faerie Realm, and they wouldn't get suspicious of the deaths of the demonic faeries their group had kept a secret with.

Killing hundreds of faeries—whether demons ate their soul or not—was still a crime without the knowledge of Queen Gloriana and King Nuada.

"The different passage of time in the Faerie Realm and the mortal world is a serious problem for the rescued humans. I suffered for years in this Realm while you are in Hell, wife." Apollyon said, and his tone was soft and soothing.

He must have sense Luna's distress. "If you return these girls, they will have to deal with the loss while they were away—humans age. Parents may have died, and loved ones may have married someone else. Wife, if we aren't tied together through the blood bond, I would rather you not return to me because I couldn't stand our reunion when there is this doom looming over us that I could lose you anytime. I don't want to suffer again and lose myself."

"Don't get me wrong." He added, and Luna watched her husband's sapphire eyes turned black. "I still love you, but I will accept that I had lost you forever when all the hope in my heart had finally depleted. It would be easier to be separated from your loved one without the blood bond."

Luna closed her eyes for a few seconds and forced them to open. "I can feel your honesty, husband. It hurts, but I appreciate it."

"You have to think before you act. Don't be impulsive when you rescue people because these people may not want to be rescued." Apollyon's intimate murmur still came out as admonishment for her. "If you love me, don't put yourself in danger.."

It didn't feel good because she felt like a child, tempting her to act in defiance.

She would have fought Apollyon in the past, but there was no reason to argue when her husband had only cared about her.

"If they ask specifically for your help, that is when you show your compassion. Don't waste your energy and resources." Apollyon continued, and Luna nodded in agreement, realizing that what he said was right. "You only need to focus on us and how to get rid of your soul tie with the Blood Beast."

Abruptly, the dancing ceased, and Luna and Apollyon glanced up when they heard screams coming from above.

Panic was a hummingbird's wings beating at the back of her throat.

Luna's heart froze.

Hundreds of dark apparitions attacked.