New Chapter in Highest Tier (May 2021)

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Archdemon Empress Luna

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A stream of light penetrated a darkened room revealing a solitary figure seated on a comfortable couch with royal blue cushions and fancy wooden carvings painted gold.

No, she was mistaken.

It was a long chaise large enough that two people could lay together in there.

Scattered blue velvet pillows were on the cushions and the floor.

Luna's scrutiny could make out Princess Ourania's movements as she held something in her hand.

It was a mirror chiselled with silver and adorned with precious gemstones.

She swore Princess Ourania was speaking to someone.

But she wasn't certain if Apollyon's mother was talking to her reflection, or… was she talking to another person in the room to whom Luna couldn't see?

Squinting at her form, Luna's sensitive ears couldn't pick up any words in the conversation—not even a mumble.

She pressed her ear on the keyhole, hearing nothing.

There must be a dark void sucking out any sound in this room to avoid confidential information from being spread through gossip.

Princess Ourania's scandals might have stirred the general public's curiosity, so she did this as a precaution.

This must explain the complete utter silence in this hall compared to the previous ones Apollyon and Luna have explored.

Apollyon's mother must be hiding something important.

As her vampire eyes adjusted to the shadows, the warm air in the atmosphere on that floor turned to ice, sending goosebumps along the expanse of her skin.

A cold hand lightly caressed her neck, shooting off tiny electric sparks from his fingertips that she hunched her shoulders and shivered.

Turning her head slightly to the right, Luna checked if her husband was playing tricks on her while bent over the mysterious keyhole.

But, no. It wasn't her husband.

Apollyon's hand wasn't anywhere near her head, her nape or her back.

One hand of his was lightly pressed at her buttocks, and that's it.

Apollyon stood behind her, wearing a blank expression and looking a bit bored.

When their eyes met, Apollyon tilted his head at her as he raised a curious eyebrow.

Apollyon opened his mouth to ask what's on her mind, but she placed a finger on her lips and spoke with her eyes before gesturing to her temple.

He shut his mouth.

Her husband was smart, and he got her signal at once that they should speak through their minds. What was the use of their blood bond anyway except for that purpose?

'Your grandparents are right, Apollyon.' Luna said. 'She is speaking to herself, facing a handheld mirror.'

Returning her attention to the vision in the keyhole, Luna witnessed Princess Ourania lifting her chin and smiling smugly in the mirror.

At the same time, her long purple-coated fingernails rested on her chest. This time, Apollyon's mother had changed into a shiny silver ball gown with a hint of blue after Queen Titania had thrown hibiscus tea on her face in irritation at the gazebo.

Now that she thought about it, it was a coincidence that Queen Titania and Princess Ourania and Luna wore gowns in variations in blue.

'Any other person around her?'

Luna's left eye looked to the right then to the left as she shifted her form, trying to get a view of the rest of Princess Ourania's room.

If someone caught them wandering in this private hall where no guests should be allowed, Luna might appear like a fool with her buttocks sticking out while her husband's palm massaged them as she spied on the keyhole.

Hopefully, the rule was still in place.

Princess Ourania's private hall was off-limits from anyone aside from the Summer Monarchs.

There would be no maidservants and Fae sentinels traipsing around here.

Should she kneel to get comfortable?

No.

Luna might lose her self-respect with that.

'I don't see anyone else so far.' Luna projected her thoughts to him. 'She might be used to talking to herself when she was alone in her room. I think some people do that.'

'I could not hear anything from the inside.' Apollyon thought.

'That is the mystery.' Luna told Apollyon as more furniture, and antique ornaments took form. 'This entire floor is protected with Fae Magic. But it's a little dark… sinister.'

'I sense something strange about my mother. I can't say it's something demonic or evil.'

'Something else had your mother under protection.' Luna agreed. 'I just couldn't figure out where it came from.'

'What is she doing right now?'

'I think she was preening herself, admiring her own damned reflection in the mirror.'

'You know what the legends say. Mirrors can also be a conduit to speak to the gods.' Apollyon told her. 'Mirrors can be portals to the Spiritual Realm. A high Priestess can summon an evil spirit or trap them In there with the right ritual, We can probably summon an Archdemon with that.'

Her lips parted in surprise.

This must be why Luna was afraid of mirrors.

'Or an Archdemon. But your mother does not have access to Archdemon Magic and I would have known right away if there was some demonic activity around her.' Luna smelled the aroma of scented candles, but no candles were lit inside the chamber. Frown lines marred her forehead. 'Maybe, she just loves herself too much as a way to recover her identity.'

'She thinks she lost them to other people's influence when she was a bit young and naive.' Apollyon stepped forward as he caressed his fingers on her back, urging her to step aside so he could watch as well.

Luna answered. 'I think there is no harm in that.'

'All I can tell is that this woman had no sense of responsibility for her own life. She disgusts--'

Luna's mind blanked abruptly that she hadn't caught her husband's words.

Her heart was beating fast when her spying eye caught a quick movement on the other side.

As her eyes wandered the furniture, Princess Ourania's form disappeared as darkness came like a thick velvet curtain covering her sight.

Something peeked at her through the other side of the keyhole.

It was an eye of solid black without distinction between pupil, iris and white, appearing like a ragged hole—an endless void.