Chapter Eight: The Eyes in the Shadows
522 Words
The palace was peaceful.
Or at least, that’s what everyone believed.
Selene had grown comfortable in her new life. The once-feared queen had become beloved—not just by Azrael but by the demons under his rule.
She walked through the grand halls without fear. She laughed with the maids, exchanged teasing remarks with the guards, and even joined in their midnight feasts.
But she never noticed the eyes that followed her.
A shadow among shadows.
A demon who had been watching. Waiting.
For his chance.
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The Queen of Beauty
Selene had always known she was different.
As the daughter of a goddess, her beauty was otherworldly. No demon queen before her had possessed such celestial grace.
And that made her dangerous.
Not just to those who sought to destroy her—but to those who wanted her.
And one demon wanted her more than anything.
His name? Vael.
A noble of the underworld. A creature born from darkness itself. A demon who had spent centuries in Azrael’s shadow, ignored, overlooked.
But now—he had his eyes on her.
And soon, she would be his.
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A Dangerous Encounter
It happened on a quiet afternoon.
Azrael had left for a meeting with the high council, his presence no longer lingering in the halls.
Selene, thinking nothing of it, had stepped into the palace gardens—her secret place of peace.
The air was cool, the scent of blooming nightshade thick in the air.
She closed her eyes, exhaling softly.
And then—a whisper.
“Alone, my queen?”
Selene’s eyes snapped open.
A figure stood behind her.
Tall. Too close.
Vael.
His deep crimson eyes dripped with hunger.
Selene’s heart pounded.
“I—” She took a step back. Why hadn’t she sensed him before?
Vael only smirked.
“I’ve watched you,” he murmured. “You don’t belong to him.”
Selene’s fingers curled into fists. “You will regret speaking that way.”
Vael chuckled. “Will I?”
Then—he reached for her.
A clawed hand, dark and greedy.
Brushing against her arm.
Selene’s breath caught. No.
She spun away, breaking into a run.
The palace halls blurred around her, her bare feet barely making a sound against the cold stone floors.
She could still feel his touch.
A tainted mark against her skin.
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The Fear She Couldn’t Speak
When Selene finally made it back to her chambers, she slammed the door shut, pressing her back against it.
Her breaths came fast, uneven.
Her hands trembled.
She was untouched. Always. No one dared to lay a hand on her.
No one but Azrael.
And now—
Her stomach twisted.
She could tell him.
She should tell him.
But—what if he thought she was weak?
What if he thought she couldn’t protect herself?
Azrael trusted her to be strong.
She wasn’t weak.
So she swallowed the words.
She pushed down the fear.
And when Azrael returned that night, pulling her into his arms, she smiled.
Pretending nothing had happened.
Even as Vael’s touch still burned against her skin.
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End of Chapter.
- Writer
