A much more familiar voice is what really pulls me from my slumber. “Ugh, you two are so darling!” I sit up, seeing a figure with ashy pink skin and black hair down to his shoulders grinning ear to ear. “Hey, Minnie! I like your accessories.” Kas drags a hand along his left shoulder.
I pull the bed sheets up to my neck, glaring at him.
Kas starts laughing maniacally. “Pretty swanky place our Prince has here, huh?” He flops down on the edge of the bed. Up close, there’s a hint of purple to his pink hue and little devil horns poking out just below his hairline. A tail swishes behind his back, but he lacks wings. “Gotta say, Minnie, you lucked out. Rosier is one of the better looking devils down here.”
Rosier is still resting against his pillow. “I should throw you in the river Styx.”
“Why?That was a genuine compliment!”
“Um…” Lithobates shivers. “Baphomet is here my Prince! They wish to speak with you!”
Now Rosier sits up. “What? Here? Now? Why?”
I’ve never heard him speak so urgently.
“Yes, my Prince, they are waiting in the throne room for your audience.”
Rosier grits his teeth, and his tail tightens around my waist. I touch his shoulder. He takes a deep breath and then asks Lithobates again, “What are they doing here?”
“I, um…” Lithobates’ voice trills. “I-it’s an honor to have an Archdevil visit, my Prince! So much so, I… I did not inquire…”
Rosier’s tail glides around my waist as he gets out of bed, “Useless. Let's go.” He grabs my wrist and pulls me upright. “Do you need me to carry you?”
I blink. “I’mverynaked,” I remind him. He lifts me up, carrying me in his arms like a princess again.
We pass a golden mirror, and it makes me want to crawl back into bed and hide till this Archdevil is gone. My hair is a mess and, as expected from Kas’ comment, I have a massive bruise on my shoulder, a yellow and purple halo around two puncture wounds. My other shoulder isn’t much better, stitched up and red like a fire siren.
I smack Rosier’s shoulder. “I look terrible! I amnotgoing out like this! And put me down!”
Rosier grumbles but does as I say, letting me stand in front of the mirror. There’s a sharp gasp, and I see Lithobathes standing with his mouth wide open like a fish on a hook.
Rosier barks, “Fetch the crown jewels!”
As Lithobates trots off, Kas comes to my side. “Honestly, the nude look suits you.” I glare at him, and he shakes his head. “But if you insist…”
He snaps his fingers, and two other figures appear out of thin air. One is pastel like Kas, with black hair that extends long past her body, pooling around her feet. The other is a dusty red, with thick, broken horns growing out of his forehead.
“I’m still pissed about the dress.” Chanel’s vocal fry gives her away. Kas hands her a sheet from the bed, and she drapes it over me, gathering the fabric around my hips as Kas hands her some pins. “Timaios, you wore togas, help me out here.”
Tim frowns. “Did you use my full name? And I am not a handmaiden!” Despite this, he comes over and starts helping Chanel with the makeshift dress. I try not to think about the fact Rosier and I fucked on these sheets a few hours ago…
While they assemble the dress, I glance back at Rosier, who’s leaning down as Lithobates lifts chains over his head, careful not to catch any of the links on his horns. Gold cascades across his chest, each link leading to a cut and polished gemstone. Lithobates slides gold bangles onto his wrists as well, the color stunning against his purple skin but hardly as impressive as his chest piece.
The dress is done and it, unfortunately, does look like a toga. But beggars can’t be choosers–which means after this, I’m going to have to demand a better dress. I’m about to step away from the mirror when I bump into Lithobates, who’s holding out a necklace encrusted with amethyst. Same as Rosier, I lean over and let him thread the necklace over my head.
Rosier bends down to pick me up again, and I almost stop him, something about an audience making the gesture feel less wholesome. Except when he holds me, I can see his face properly, and I tower above the other devils, making me feel like I’m something precious worth protecting.
So he scoops me into his arms, and I avoid looking at Kas, Tim, and Chanel, though it’s painfully easy to picture the expressions they must be making. We all leave the bedroom and head down the long corridor to the throne room.
I can’t keep my questions at bay. “So, is Baphomet a big deal? He’s a big deal on Earth.”
“Exactly.” Rosier nods. “They are one of the nine Archdevils and have been for a very long time. Their reputation is a good source of power. I’ve witnessed Archdevils lose their title in part because their names no longer hold as much weight.”
“Do you know Baphomet?”
“In name only,” he admits. “I’ve never had the honor of meeting them myself. That was a role reserved for my Father.”
“Maybe they just want to meet you then?”
