Chapter 101: Slyven’s Treason
Seraphel
His powers were terrifying.
Although this was not the first time I had witnessed his raw, monstrous strength, seeing how casually he dropped the servant’s lifeless body onto the marble floor showed just how powerful he was.
He was the Prince of Lust, yet in moments like this, he moved and acted like the Prince of Wrath.
I was not scared of him. Instead, I felt a deep sense of admiration, seeing how far he would go just to protect me. Or was all of this simply because of the baby?
While thinking about what had just happened, I caught him giving me a subtle side-glance, as if he were trying to pry open my exact thoughts.
Fortunately, his power didn’t extend to reading my mind anymore, saving me from having to explain my internal panic—that I was sitting here privately wondering if his protection was meant for me, or if it was entirely for the child I carried.
I expected him to say something, anything to break the suffocating silence hanging between us, but he merely looked away instead.
Moments later, a spatial portal tore open right at the center of the hall.
A stream of concubines began walking out, led at the front by the four highest-ranking consorts: Eiren, Kaevian, Lioren, and Slyven.
"Your Highness," Malachi announced as he walked out last, bowing his head . ’’They are here.’’
Azriel said nothing. He walked back to the throne, sat down, and rested his chin upon his hand.
"Kneel!" he commanded.
He used his celestial voice on them, a force so absolute and suffocating that it rattled the heavy stone pillars. There was no practical reason to use such an oppressive power—a simple spoken order would have brought them to their knees—but the sheer pressure behind his voice proved that he was still on edge, his bloodlust far from satisfied.
"That is one hell of a collection of concubines! Even that greedy Raizel does not keep such a vast court," Lumiel pointed out, tutting as he turned his sharp, mocking gaze to Azriel. "This is precisely why everyone is trying to slaughter each other. Is a single hole truly insufficient for you, brother?"
I almost chuckled at Lumiel’s words because the way he delivered that line with such casual malice was hilarious. Azriel must have caught my slight reaction, throwing a sharp glare at me that softened almost immediately.
I watched as his crimson eyes flared with a sudden light before dimming back down into darkness.
He was jealous. His eyes were always like that whenever jealousy took hold of him. Yet, as the prince with so many concubines of his own, he should have been the very last person entitled to feel jealous.
He is the Sin of Lust, a quiet voice in my head muttered. Without the energy of lust, he wouldn’t have survived up to this point.
"I used to enjoy putting my cock inside so many holes before, brother, but now..." Azriel’s dark eyes locked onto mine, refusing to release me as my heart started pounding hard against my ribs. "...I care for only one."
I felt chills run down my spine at his words.
Was he saying that because he actually meant it, or because he wanted to prove to me that he didn’t care about anything else except me?
Or had he changed because of the baby?
My heart started racing so fast that I believed everyone in the room—including the concubines writhing in agony on the cold floor—could hear it.
"Calm down, little lotus. I can hear your heart racing loudly in my head," his smooth, dark voice resonated directly inside my mind.
I clenched my fists tightly in my lap and forced my head down, refusing to meet his gaze.
Lumiel began prowling among the concubines like a predator selecting his prey. "One of you dared attempt to murder the child of prophecy, and..." He paused, casting a sharp, impatient look at Malachi. "I have no time to spend on low lives. Which of these creatures is Slyven?"
Malachi bowed his head immediately, dragged Slyven away from the rest of the concubines, and shoved him directly to Lumiel’s feet.
"Ah..." Lumiel chuckled darkly as he crouched down to Slyven’s level, grabbing his chin and forcing his face up until their eyes met.
Instantly, Slyven’s eyes rolled back until they were completely, lifelessly white.
I shifted uncomfortably in my chair as I watched, knowing that Lumiel was tearing through his mind.
Slyven tried to kill me. The words repeated in my head, and I couldn’t believe he would do something like that to me—that he would go to such lengths just to end my life.
So many questions flooded my mind about how he managed to meet with Elysium and how he planned the whole scheme out.
Having read so many NovelPhoenixs back in my world filled with scheming villains and harem tropes, I was convinced he couldn’t be the only one involved. There had to be co-conspirators. Especially Lioren, who had hated me so openly the first time we met.
There was no way Slyven could have acted on his own.
"Your heart is pounding again. Does the mere sight of these concubines cause you such distress?" Azriel asked softly, and I turned to face him to see a look of genuine worry written across his features.
He was confusing me yet again, and my heart raced even faster knowing that he cared about me. It made me wonder if he was already starting to see me as something more, rather than just his vessel.
Or was I simply overthinking it?
"If it is your desire, I shall obliterate all of them this instant with a mere snap of my fingers, if that will grant you peace."
"obliterate them? You mean... kill them?"
Azriel offered a slow, lingering grin before giving a deliberate nod in response.
I shook my head immediately. Why the hell would I want him to kill innocent people just because of me? No way.
Before I could say a word, Lumiel spoke up, breaking the moment.
"The servant’s memories were accurate. This concubine of yours met with Elysium and commanded the servant to conceal the curse beneath Seraphel’s bed."
My eyes widened at the revelation. While I was still trying to digest it all, Azriel was already on his feet, his aura flaring wildly.
"Very well then," he said, stretching his hand out toward me in a grand gesture. "Now that it has been laid bare that this human sought to end your life, what manner of death shall I grant him?"
I gave him a questioning look.
What was with him constantly wanting me to dictate someone’s execution?
"I..."
"It wasn’t me!" Slyven suddenly shrieked, his voice breaking in desperate panic. "I didn’t do it!"