As per Jay's orders, I had changed out of the dark dress which was now discarded somewhere at the back of my closet, well out of view, and wearing one of white silks and bright details instead.
I frowned, folding my legs underneath me from my spot on the bed as I picked at some of the silver threading which created delicate details in the skirt and caught the light a little as the sunrays filtered through the open windows, the sight making me slightly uncomfortable.
Niki sent me a nervous look before glancing around at the others again, and I immediately stopped, crossing my arms over my chest instead as I too regarded the angels who were now scattered across my room, each in their usual spot, either in chairs, lounges, leaning against the wall, or on the floor, leaning back on their arms.
I looked like them again. I looked so clean in the pristine layers of white that were wrapped around my body, too clean, I realized, once again remembering everything I had heard about our kind from the demons in the world below.
I looked too clean considering the betrayal I had so easily committed, the lies I had told the heirs to the Court of Deadly Sins.
The golden necklace felt heavy, suffocating, from its spot around my neck, the obsidian pendant warm against my chest from its spot beneath my dress, safely hidden away and out of sight.
"Considering the fact that none of you even considered going after me, rescuing me, I feel like I have the right to be angry," I said, and I knew that I was taking advantage of their guilt but I didn't care, "I still can't believe that you didn't even ask whether or not I was alright first," I mumbled, glaring at Sunoo, "I lied for you" I mocked, making a face at the son of Uriel.
"Are you?" Heeseung asked, getting my attention as I furrowed my brows a little and tilted my head in a silent question. Sunoo mumbled something under his breath which was undoubtedly far from chaste though I couldn't make out the words as Heeseung continued, "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
"Did they harm you in any way?" Sunghoon mumbled, though he stayed in his seat as he fumbled with his hands in his lap, looking much guiltier than the others, "Did they do anything-?"
"Where did you sleep?" Sunoo asked, and then all eyes were suddenly on me as I felt my cheeks heat up with embarrassment, my jaw going slack as I whipped my head back in his direction
"What is wrong with you?" I hissed, moving further back on the bed as I felt my cheeks burn fiercer as I tried to come up with a good answer, a good excuse to change the topic, "You're asking all of the wrong-" I began, but Sunoo caught me to it.
"I'll rephrase that," he said, sending me an almost knowing look as he said, "Who did you sleep with?"
And then I was suddenly on my feet, angry and embarrassed, no, mortified at how he had even found it in himself to ask that kind of question as I shot off the bed and made a run for the heir to the Court of Chastity, pushing at Jake as he got off his spot on the floor and blocked me.
"No," Sunoo gasped, eyes widening as he raised a hand to his mouth. He took a step backwards as if revolted by me, as if I was dirty, stained.
I bit my lip, clenching my fists at my sides as I frowed at the brunette, "What?" I exclaimed, raising my voice a little as I tried to push past Jake again, but he blocked with embarassingly little effort, "What did you think we did, huh?"
"You may be the son of Uriel but don't think for a second that I'm bying the innocent act, Sunoo," I growled, annoyed at how easily my flushed cheeks were giving away the fact that he had left me incredibly flustered at the question.
"I bet you're-" I said, pausing, not even knowing what to say, "I bet you're just as nasty as you make others out to be." It was weak, barely a comeback, but it was all that I could come up with, and Sunoo stayed silent.
I huffed, letting go of Jake, "All we did was sleep," I mumbled under my breath.
"So what happened?" Jungwon asked, looking curiously from his chair across the room, "Who was he?"
"Who was-?" I paused, "Ah, Hongjoong? No one special, just a demon."
"You're lying," Sunoo said almost matter-of-factly as he crossed his arms over his chest, innocent eyes wide with disbelief. "Listen, you're really testing me-" I began but Niki interrupted me before the two of us could start arguing again.
"Is he a part of the Court of Deadly Sins?" the youngest asked, tilting his head a little, "An heir?"
"He's uhm- he's just a part of the Court of Wrath," I said, choosing the opposing court to the son of Azrael without much thought, "The others-" I began, which seemingly caught Jay off-guard.
"Wait, others?"
"Of couse," Jake said, "The portal would obviously be in the palace, wouldn't it?" he asked, turning to me with a look of mixed disbelief and surprise, "Were you in the palace? Are all of them heirs to the courts, then?"
"Wait," I croaked, "Wait, let me speak-"
"Does that mean that he- that Hongjoong is-?" Sunghoon said, his words faltering slightly as he chuckled and shook his head as if the thought he had just been about to voice was too ridiculous to even mention, "No, he can't be. We'd be in so much trouble."
I frowned a little, confused and dizzy as I whipped around to face each angel as they took turns spouting unfinished sentences and unanswered questions, opening my mouth to protest, to say something, when Heeseung caught me to it.
"He's the son of Lilith," he said.
The room fell silent, almlost eerily so, as all eyes went to me. "That explains why the portal opened, the son of Raphael continued, turning to me as well, "That explains why you were able to-"
"Quiet!" I exclaimed, feeling increasingly panicked as I realized how dangerous the information they now possessed was. I took a deep breath, trying to ignore my quickening heartbeat, "You haven't let me get a single word in," I said, frowning a little, "How did you even manage to get that information by asking questions you didn't even get any answers to? I-"
"We have to kill him. We have to close the portal," he said, making my eyes widen as my jaw fell slack, "What? No-"
"He wronged you," Heeseung exclaimed, "He kidnapped you and you expect us to do nothing? He- he-" he gestured at me.
"He protected me, as a matter of fact," I retorted, "They have done nothing to-"
"Nothing?! The war, Dahlia, they-"
"Let me speak!" I boomed, clenching my fists at my sides, no longer annoyed but, rather, angry, almost unexplainably so, as I sent the son of Raphael a warning look.
"What proof do we have?" I challenged, "We have nothing to prove the crimes we have accused them of. And what about us? The war, you say? It takes two to tango, Heeseung, and I'm starting to think that the lack of violence on our side of the story seems a little too convenient."
I realized as I spoke that, for some reason, I wanted to defend the demons, having come to the realization that the things they had told me in Odeion held some truth in them, "We seem a little too good considering the fact that we won the far, don't you think? And did we? Did we win? If yes, that leaves their blood on our hands and not the other way around, you realize that, right?"
"But we have to protect our honor, your honor," Heeseung tried, frowning at me as if he was unsure whether or not he had heard correctly, "We have to-"
But I was having none of it, "No. I will be the next empress of Illenium which means that it's my word that goes, not yours," I said, aiming a finger at him.
"That portal stays open and you will do nothing in the likes of killing demons or destroying portals unless I say so or so help me if I'll have you locked up. You won't go down there, and you won't touch as much as a single hair on their heads until we discuss this further."
I could see it in his eyes; grey the colour of ash and steel, that he wanted to argue as he stared at me in mixed disbelief and restrained irritation, the look mirrored on the other angels' faces as well, but he bowed his head, staying silent.
It had been an order, not a warning.
"Good," I said, my voice slightly shaky as the full weight of my words suddenly settled over me, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go see mother and come up with some sort of story or excuse to save your asses. I'm beyond grateful that you covered for me, so-"
I turned to Sunoo who looked almost flustered at the sudden attention, "Now I'll do the same for you. I'll lie for you. That makes us equal," I said, glancing back at Heeseung one last time, "Don't make me regret it."