Princess of Hell

I made my way back through the Academy corridors, my mind still processing what had just happened with Valentina. The crystalline pathways sparkled beneath my feet as I climbed the stairs toward our dormitory, grateful for the familiar routine after such an unexpectedly intense confrontation.

When I pushed open our door, I found both Aria and Isabella waiting inside. Aria was sprawled across her bed, flipping through what looked like a catalogue of questionable magical items, while Isabella sat primly in the chair by our window, reading a leather-bound tome.

"Lily!" Aria bounced up immediately, tossing her catalogue aside. "Perfect timing. Isabella just got here."

Isabella looked up from her book, offering me one of her small, reserved smiles. "How was your break, Lily?"

I settled onto the edge of my bed, pulling one leg up beneath me. "It was decent. Mostly getting Faith acclimated to everything, but you already know about that situation."

"Still can't believe she's actually staying," Aria said, her eyes bright with curiosity. "A half-vampire, half-succubus hybrid attending the Academy? That's going to be interesting."

"Speaking of interesting," Isabella said, closing her book and setting it aside, "how did your conversation with Valentina go? Aria mentioned she'd been looking for you."

I felt my expression shift slightly. "Well, that's a story. Turns out Valentina saw us flying when we left for the rescue mission."

Both of my friends went completely still.

"What?" Aria's voice shot up several octaves.

"She saw—" Isabella began, then caught herself, glancing toward the door as if checking for eavesdroppers.

I held up a hand. "Relax, both of you. I've got it covered."

The tension in their shoulders eased slightly, but Aria still looked ready to pace a hole in the floor. "What exactly does 'covered' mean? Please tell me you didn't have to—"

"I told her the truth," I said simply. "About who I am. And I made it very clear what would happen if she decided to share that information with anyone else."

Isabella's eyebrows rose fractionally. "And she accepted this arrangement?"

"Oh, she accepted it all right." I couldn't help the slight smirk that crossed my face. "Actually, I learned something quite interesting about our dear Valentina in the process."

Aria perked up immediately, always eager for gossip. "What kind of something?"

I paused for dramatic effect, enjoying the way both of them leaned forward slightly. "Valentina loves being dominated."

"No way," Aria said flatly, her jaw dropping. "Seriously? Miss 'I'm-better-than-everyone' Morgenstern?"

"Apparently so."

Aria's eyes lit up with mischief, and I could practically see the wheels turning in her head. "Okay, you have to tell me everything. What did you do to her? Did you pin her against something? Use your tail? Oh, please tell me there was rope involved—"

"Aria," I interrupted, laughing despite myself. "I didn't go that far. I just grabbed her throat and made my point about keeping quiet."

Her face fell dramatically. "That's it? Lily, you're so boring sometimes."

I grinned, deciding to push her buttons a little. "Well, I was saving the really fun stuff for when the three of us can have fun with her together."

Aria's entire expression transformed, her eyes going wide with delight. "Now you're speaking my language! Oh, we could tie her up, maybe use some of those enchanted restraints from the Pleasure Dome, and—"

"Aria," Isabella said dryly, though I caught the faint amusement in her voice. "I believe Lily was joking."

I nodded, still grinning. "Definitely joking. Though honestly, given her reaction today, I'm not entirely sure she wouldn't be into it."

"The irony is quite striking," Isabella observed. "Someone who demands submission from others apparently craves it herself."

"Right?" I shook my head. "The whole thing was surreal. One moment she's threatening to expose me, the next she's practically melting when I grab her."

Aria flopped back onto her bed with an exaggerated sigh. "You two are no fun. Here I am, offering to help you explore the kinky possibilities of blackmail, and you're treating it like some kind of psychological study."

"We'll keep your offer in mind," I said, patting her leg. "For now, let's just be grateful the immediate crisis is handled."

I turned my attention back to Isabella, grateful for the chance to change the subject away from Aria's increasingly elaborate fantasies about what we could do to Valentina.

"So what brings you to our humble dormitory today, Isabella? Not that we don't enjoy your company."

Isabella's lips curved in the slightest of smiles, and she picked up her book again, smoothing her fingers over the leather cover. "Can't I simply visit my friends without requiring a specific agenda?"

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"Of course you can," I said, settling more comfortably on my bed. "But I know you well enough to recognize when there's more to a visit than just wanting to catch up."

Isabella's smile widened slightly, genuine warmth flickering in her ice-blue eyes. "It's flattering that you know me so well."

Aria perked up immediately, always eager to be involved in whatever scheme might be brewing. "So what can we help you with?"

"Actually," Isabella said, her gaze focusing on me specifically, "this is something only Lily can do."

Aria's face fell dramatically. "Why can't I help? I'm useful! I have skills!"

"You do," Isabella agreed diplomatically. "But this particular matter requires Lily to relay information to her parents about House Viridia."

I frowned. "Can't your parents just contact mine directly? They certainly have the means."

"No," Isabella shook her head. "My parents don't want to make any movements that might suggest they know something is happening. Any official communication between our houses right now could be interpreted as… suspicious."

"So what is it?" I asked, curiosity overriding my caution.

Isabella reached into her own spatial storage and withdrew a sealed letter, extending it toward me. "Simply put, House Viridia is planning to repeat their coup attempt by escalating tensions between the circles. The specifics are detailed in this letter."

I took the parchment, noting the House Lilitu seal pressed into deep blue wax. Before I could examine it further, something else occurred to me.

"Speaking of letters," I said, "I bumped into Nyx today. She was in such a hurry that she didn't even notice dropping one."

Aria's eyes lit up with interest. "What was in it?"

"I didn't read it," I said automatically.

Aria stared at me like I'd grown a second head. "Well, you should. Finders keepers, right? It's not like you and Nyx are close or anything."

She paused, then her expression shifted to one of sudden understanding. "Oh! You were waiting to open it with us, weren't you? That's so sweet of you to include us in the gossip potential."

I felt heat rise in my cheeks as I realized what had actually happened. I'd been operating on human principles again—the instinct to return lost property rather than examine it for potential advantage or entertainment. Nyx would probably read my correspondence if our positions were reversed.

"You're right," I said, a bit embarrassed. "I suppose I did want to share the discovery with you both."

Isabella's lips twitched with what might have been amusement, and I had the distinct impression she'd figured out the truth—that I'd genuinely been planning to return the letter unopened until Aria pointed it out.

I reached into my spatial ring and withdrew Nyx's letter, the elegant script on the front still pristine despite its brief tumble to the corridor floor.

Aria rubbed her hands together with anticipation. "Oh, I can't wait to see what kind of juicy gossip we'll find. Maybe it's a love letter! Or blackmail material! Or—"

"There's only one way to find out," I said, carefully breaking the unfamiliar wax seal.

* * *

I carefully unfolded the parchment, still feeling a twinge of human guilt about reading someone else's correspondence. But adapting to demonic social norms was probably for the best. I made a mental note to burn all my own letters immediately after reading them from now on.

The letter's contents were surprisingly brief and cryptic:

Package ready for pickup. Tuesday, 3 PM. Usual location. Come alone as discussed.

—M

"That's it?" Aria peered over my shoulder, her voice laden with disappointment. "No scandalous secrets? No torrid love affairs? Just some boring pickup notice?"

"What do you think it could be?" I asked, handing the letter to Isabella for her examination.

Aria's eyes immediately lit up with mischief. "Oh, I have theories. Maybe it's some kind of exotic sex toy she ordered from the mortal realm. Or forbidden magical ingredients for love potions. Ooh, or maybe it's a collection of rare erotic literature from—"

"Textbooks," Isabella interrupted flatly, scanning the letter with her usual efficiency. "Given Nyx's personality, it's most likely academic materials. Probably special orders from some obscure publisher."

"You're no fun," Aria pouted. "Besides, if it were just textbooks, why all the secrecy? Why 'come alone as discussed'? That sounds deliciously suspicious to me."

"It sounds like standard academic transaction language," Isabella countered. "Some dealers prefer discrete exchanges to avoid questions about their inventory sources." She closed her book with a soft thud. "Honestly, I don't have time for academy drama lately. Between House politics and our surprisingly numerous adventures, I'm barely keeping up with my actual coursework."

I nodded, preparing to suggest we simply burn the letter, when Isabella added something that nearly made me drop the parchment.

"We should just return it to her after classes tomorrow."

I stared at Isabella in shock. "Return it? After we've broken the seal and read it?"

Isabella raised an eyebrow at my expression. "Of course. Why wouldn't we?"

My mind raced for a moment before the dots connected. In Hell, where there was no expectation of privacy for lost correspondence, Nyx wouldn't feel offended that we'd read her letter. In fact she'd probably thank us for finding it and might even be relieved we'd discovered it before someone with more malicious intent did.

"Right," I said, feeling the last vestiges of human privacy concepts fade away. "Returning it does seem like the best option."

Aria threw herself back on my bed dramatically. "You two are absolutely hopeless! Here we have a genuine mystery right in front of us, and you want to just hand it back like good little students."

She sat up suddenly, pointing at me with renewed enthusiasm. "But we could at least follow her after we return the letter! You know, just to make sure she's safe when she picks up her mysterious package."

I found myself considering the idea. It wasn't technically harmful, and if Nyx was involved in something dangerous, having backup nearby wouldn't hurt.

"Fine," I said. "We'll return the letter, and then we can… observe from a distance to ensure her safety."

"Now we're talking!" Aria bounced to her feet, grinning widely. "This is going to be so much better than sitting in Professor Scarlet's class pretending to pay attention so you don't get on her bad side."

Isabella sighed but didn't object, which I took as tacit agreement to our plan.

"Tuesday at 3 PM then," I said, tucking the letter safely back into my spatial ring. "We'll return this to Nyx tomorrow and then see what her 'usual location' turns out to be."

"Actually," I said, remembering the sealed letter Isabella had given me, "let's get your delivery sorted out first. I should get your message to my parents after classes today."

I pulled Isabella's letter from my spatial ring, checking the seal was still intact. "Do you two want to tag along?"

Aria's eyes practically sparkled with excitement. "Are you kidding? I'll never refuse another chance to visit the palace! The leisure wing alone is worth the trip, and don't even get me started on those gardens."

Isabella shook her head apologetically. "I can't. Partly because I might be monitored after recent events, and partly because I'm genuinely swamped with coursework." She gestured at the stack of books beside the bed she was sitting upon. "Mother's expectations haven't decreased just because Hell's political situation is heating up."

"Fair enough," I said, tucking the letter away safely. "Aria and I will handle it."