Chapter 112: The Sin Who Fell in Love
Azriel
I could not take my eyes off Seraphel as he walked down the aisle toward me, every step he took laying bare every single feeling I had buried deep inside.
And that was not even the wild part. The urge to have him right there was hitting me like a violent wave. As he approached the dais, my mind filled with unhinged, uncontrollable thoughts of taking him on the spot.
The lust inside me spiked so fiercely that my heavy pheromones nearly leaked right into the hall, threatening to overwhelm the entire room.
I imagined pinning him against the wall in those magnificent ceremonial robes, claiming him over and over until nothing else in the world existed.
The thought sent my heart hammering violently against my ribs. I wanted him. Right now, and for eternity.
"Hey," he whispered softly, stepping up right beside me.
I could not even bring myself to answer him at first. I was completely thrown off by my own dark imagination and the sheer fact that he looked so devastatingly beautiful. His striking blue eyes shone brightly in the dim hall, setting my pulse racing out of control.
My pheromones surged against my skin, desperately trying to break free. I was two seconds away from embarrassing myself right in front of the court as the Prince who could not keep it in his pants, but luckily, Anomas stepped forward and began the ceremony.
Anomas stood before us, his voice deep and resonant as he raised his hands, invoking the sacred ancient rites of Katula. He spoke of the eternal burdens and honors of being tied to a Sin, framing the bond not as a mere contract, but as a binding of souls before the ancestors.
Turning his sharp gaze onto Seraphel, Anomas asked if he was prepared to stand beside me, to lead, honor, and support the Prince of Lust as his sole consort.
Seraphel looked over at me, met my burning gaze, and gave a clear, quiet nod.
"I will."
The moment those two words left his mouth, my heart slammed against my chest.
He had chosen me. Truly chosen me.
"Then, since you have taken this solemn oath, the bonding ritual shall commence," Anomas declared, taking a ceremonial silver blade from a velvet cushion. "Two hearts, carved into one path, sharing a single eternity."
Anomas stepped closer. Taking my right hand, he drew the sharp edge across my palm. Blood, dark and pulsing with magic, pooled instantly. Then, he gently took Seraphel’s hand and slowly sliced across his pale palm. Seraphel winced slightly at the sharp sting, his breath catching in his throat.
"Join your hands," Anomas commanded softly.
I pressed my bleeding palm directly against Seraphel’s, lacing our fingers together tightly.
"Be one, and let this bond endure for eternity," Anomas proclaimed, his voice echoing through the hall.
A sudden, violent shiver shot down my spine. It felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck my core.
In an instant, the floodgates opened—a rush of unfiltered emotion slammed directly into my mind. I felt everything Seraphel was feeling: the lingering thread of anxiety, the sudden shock, the quiet wonder, and the pounding rhythm of his heartbeat, beat for beat with mine.
Our souls locked into place, intertwined so tightly that I could no longer tell where my life force ended and his began.
When I looked down at him, his blue eyes were slowly shifting in color, shimmering with light as the mark of the bond settled into his soul.
He felt it too.
"The coronation shall now begin," Anomas announced, gesturing toward the high throne at the center of the dais.
He led us to the royal seats.
Once we were both seated, an attendant stepped forward holding a velvet tray that carried a breathtaking crown forged from dark silver and set with a central, glowing crimson ruby.
Anomas raised his hands over the crown, his voice dropping into a rhythmic, ancient chant that vibrated through the stone floor:
"Ignis et sanguis, throno destinatus. Ak’tara vael, Seraphel, dominus katulae."
("Of fire and blood, destined for the throne. Bound by ancient blood, Seraphel, Lord of Katula.")
Slowly and carefully, Anomas placed the heavy silver crown onto Seraphel’s head.
"Your Highness, Seraphel—Crown Consort of Katula!" Anomas shouted, his voice ringing like a war horn.
"All hail the Crown Consort! All hail Katula!"
In an instant, every single minister, noble, guard, and courtier in the room dropped to their knees, bowing their heads low to the floor as their voices echoed over and over through the hall. Only my brothers remained standing.
I turned my head toward Seraphel, a bright, triumphant smile breaking across my face. I was so fiercely proud that he was mine. I wanted to ask him how it felt to wear the crown, but I had one final, urgent matter to settle before I could take him away.
I stood up from my throne, my voice carrying smoothly across the kneeling crowd.
"Now that my consort is crowned, hear this decree. Effective immediately, the Concubine Hall is officially dissolved."
A sudden wave of shocked gasps broke out among the kneeling nobles. Ministers began whispering frantically, their heads snapping up in disbelief.
Lord Vaust scrambled forward, bowing frantically.
"Your Highness! Please reconsider! The Concubine Hall has been a pillar of palace tradition for centuries! Disbanding it so abruptly will cause severe unrest in the inner courts, and—"
"I only want Seraphel," I cut in smoothly, my tone cold and utterly final. "I have no use for anyone else."
"But, Your Highness!" Lady Lydia spoke up anxiously, stepping out of line. "The concubines serve a vital purpose for your—"
I let out a dark, amused chuckle, my crimson eyes locking onto hers with dangerous intensity.
"Are you truly concerned for me, Lady Lydia? Or are you simply worried about your brother, who will no longer hold a cushioned position in my inner palace?"
Lady Lydia’s face drained of all color.
"Your Highness... I... I only..."
"My decision is made," I said, sweeping my gaze across the room. "There are no more concubines. I have one mate and one consort. That is the end of it."
Knowing better than to push a Sin further, the crowd quickly lowered their heads again.
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Raizel let out a dramatic laugh, clapping his hands together with a smirk.
"Well, look at that! Who would have thought the great Prince of Lust would end up tied to a single human mate?"
I rolled my eyes at Raizel’s antics. I turned to Seraphel, whose wide eyes showed just how stunned he was by my sudden declaration. Without waiting another second, I reached down, grabbed his hand, and pulled him up from his seat.
"Where are you going?" Anomas called out, raising an eyebrow.
I flashed him a wicked, dangerous grin.
"I am taking my newly crowned consort away. There is something I must show him."
Something hard and demanding was pressing heavily against the front of my robes, and I had zero intention of waiting through the post-ceremony banquets.
Before anyone could utter another word, I tightened my grip on Seraphel’s hand and snapped my fingers.
A flash of magic consumed us, wiping away the crowded hall. When the light faded, the background had shifted instantly—we were standing inside my private, dimly lit bedroom, surrounded by deep-red silk drapes and warm candlelight.
Seraphel blinked, looking around in confusion.
"Where are we?" he asked softly.
I did not answer. Instead, I stepped close, cupped his face in my hands, and leaned down, pressing my lips against his in a deep, slow kiss.
"You look so beautiful today," I murmured against his mouth, my breath hot against his skin. "I cannot stop staring at you... and thinking of all the new ways I am going to fuck you."
