CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
Damiel couldn't sleep.
The pleasure of sleep had been replaced by thoughts of his next cours of action. He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the far corner of his room, his mind occupied by one particular problem.
The hardest part was making everyone believe Reyna was nothing more than his slave.
He wanted her to remain unsuspected by the Fallen Angel, but to achieve that, everyone around them had to believe it too. He couldn't afford to have anyone question his treatment of her or suspect that she held any importance to him.
There was only one way he could think of accomplishing that.
He hated the idea, but it was the only option he could come up with.
Azaelth stirred within him, clearly uncomfortable.
'I have no choice here. If I continue treating her the way I used to, it won't be long before it discovers who she really is'. Damielresponded.
Azaelth didn't seem pleased with the idea, but it offered only one response.
'Don't do too much' . Damiel didn't understand why Azealth seemed to care for Reyna.
Damiel sighed and lay back against his bed.
The night passed quicker than he wanted. He had never wished for a day to arrive more slowly than he wished for this one.
He could hear the opening and closing of doors, the whispers of servants exchanging gossip, and the occasional chirping of birds outside his window. He could even hear Inez assigning duties to the servants as they hurried away to begin their work.
He was already dressed before the first break of dawn.
A knock sounded at his door.
"Enter."
Kael stepped inside, there was something different about Damiel's presence, but kael didn't dwell much on it.
"We're ready, Commander. The reports of yesterday's events have been prepared, and everyone is at the hall waiting for your arrival."
Damiel nodded.
"Good."
Reyna would have to wait for now. He still needed to make the ancient demon believe he was in control. He couldn't afford to let his thoughts wander. He needed to concentrate.
He rose from the bed and walked towards the door.
The grand hall was already filled when Damiel arrived.
The moment he stepped through the enormous doors, the atmosphere shifted.
A coldness settled over the hall, spreading through the gathering like an approaching storm. It was not unusual for Damiel to carry an intimidating presence wherever he went. His reputation alone was enough to silence a room. Yet today, there was something different about him.
His face remained as cold and expressionless as ever, but the air surrounding him felt heavier, almost suffocating. Even those accustomed to his presence found themselves watching him more carefully.
"Welcome, Commander," one of the generals greeted.
"Welcome, Prince Damiel," several elders followed.
Damiel offered no response.
He walked past them and took his seat, his silver eyes briefly sweeping across the gathering before settling ahead.
An elder rose from his seat.
"Your Highness, we were summoned at your request. What is the urgent matter that required us to gather so early?"
Damiel faced them.
It was not the time to dwell on what he had done that morning. He had made his decision, and whatever discomfort it brought him would have to wait. There were matters far more pressing than his personal feelings.
He needed to focus.
"Yesterday," he began, his voice cutting through the hall, "we commenced an investigation into the ancient demon. Here's what we discovered."
Damiel started as every eye turned towards him.
"To ensure that the interrogation could not be questioned or disputed, I had several generals and guards present as witnesses. We began by questioning the demons who had left and returned to Avalon on the day of my departure and arrival. Two demons caught my attention. A farmer and a trader."
He paused briefly.
"The farmer's exact words were, 'He's not like us. He's here.'"
A strange silence followed.
Several people shifted in their seats, exchanging uneasy glances.
"Before we could proceed further with the interrogation, he died. A black substance emerged from his mouth and dissolved into the ground before we could examine it."
"Was it poison?" one of the elders asked.
"No. It was not. Whatever it was, it is not something found in Avalon."
Uneasy murmurs spread through the hall.
"And the second?" King Eldron asked.
Attention shifted back to Damiel.
"The trader. We did not get to interrogate the trader."
"Did he die like that as well?" an elder asked.
"No. We spoke, but not to him."
Confusion spread across the gathering.
"What do you mean?" A veteran general asked.
"How can you speak to someone without speaking to them?" An elder asked
Damiel's expression remained unchanged.
"We spoke to the ancient demon himself."
The hall erupted.
"What?"
"Are you certain?"
"How is that possible?"
Damiel waited until the noise subsided.
"To put it simply, the trader was possessed."
"That's impossible!" Prince Arkes exclaimed.
Vaelor and Queen Alvira nodded in agreement, their expressions reflecting their disbelief.
"It's true," one of the generals interrupted, who was present at the investigation said.
"We were there."
Several others who had witnessed the interrogation rose to their feet, confirming Damiel's account.
The shock was visible to all, possession.
Kael stepped forward with the reports from the previous day's events.
"With Your Majesty's permission, I will read the official account of the interrogation."
King Eldron gave a slight nod.
Kael unfolded the document and began reading.
He recounted the events exactly as they had occurred, from the moment the trader was brought before Damiel to the creature's appearance and the exchange that followed.
As he continued, the expressions around the hall moved from shock, disbelief, fear,and discomfort.
Others listened with growing apprehension. When Kael reached the part where the possessed trader tore off his own head, several demons gasped.
Those who had witnessed it the previous day could not help recalling the gruesome sight. Disgust twisted their faces, while others grew deathly pale.
Even King Eldron's expression darkened.
When Kael finished, the king turned towards Damiel, as he seemed to notice something from the report.
"What did he mean when he said he would use you as the key to find the KEY?"
Damiel leaned back slightly.
"A diversion, it was a means to distract me from pursuing him directly, "
"A key within Avalon?" one of the elders repeated thoughtfully.
"And what exactly is this key supposed to open?" Queen Alvira asked.
"Perhaps you could ask it yourself," Damiel replied, turning his cold gaze towards Queen Alvira. "It shouldn't be difficult. You both seem to think alike."
Queen Alvira's fingers curled into a fist against the armrest of her chair.
"How dare you—"
"Moving on," Damiel interrupted, his attention already returning to the council. "We proceeded to investigate how the two demons gained entry into Avalon. The guards stationed at the northern watchtower during that period were summoned for questioning."
The hall's attention remained fixed on him, so absorbed were they in his report that they didn't noticed the anger building on the queen's face.
"Our investigation revealed that one of the watchtower guards had allowed both men to pass without conducting the required inspection. He was familiar with both the farmer and trader and trusted them enough to overlook the regulations."
"Where is the guard now?" King Eldron asked.
"He has been dealt with." Everyone present understood immediately.
Damiel continued without pause.
"During the interrogation, we also established that the farmer had brought another demon into the capital. We believe that demon was the ancient one."
A general leaned forward.
"And the trader?"
"He was reportedly carrying an object when he entered Avalon. Based on the information gathered during the investigation, we believe it may have been a weapon."
"A weapon?" one of the generals repeated, his brows drawing together. "So the creature not only managed to enter our capital, but brought a weapon with it?"
"Hmm." Came Damiel reply.
The general exchanged a troubled glance with his colleagues.
"Then what is your next move, Your Highness?"
Damiel's thoughts briefly returned to the discussion he had held with Kael, Roan and Zaiel the previous night.
"We will continue investigating the object the trader brought into Avalon. I want to know exactly what it is, where it was taken and what purpose it serves. If the ancient demon went to the trouble of bringing it into the capital, then it is undoubtedly important."
The elders nodded, while the generals appeared to consider the implications.
"Keep the council informed if anything further comes to light," King Eldron instructed.
Damiel gave a brief nod.
"Hmm."
He rose from his seat and turned towards the exit.
His men immediately fell into step behind him.
Next, Reyna.