Page 39 of Promised to the Demon King (The Demon Brides #1)

"You summoned me, my King?" Vivex bent a knee and bowed before the throne of Greed. His expression was much more challenging to decipher than typical.

Vivex noticed that days had gone by, but none of the Kings had called upon her. She hadn't seen it initially, but a few days before this summoning, she noticed that those around her had appeared to be pulling away.

Her informants and contacts have also stopped reaching out with tidbits about the Rings. Something was going on; she just couldn't figure out what it was.

Her knees began to ache with the weight pressing into the hard stone surface, and yet, she was forbidden to rise until the King before her granted it.

Bitterness filled her as she waited to be released from the uncomfortable, submissive position. Someday, she would make all these arrogant Kings bow before her.

"Vivex," Greed started. Her body twitched; he hadn't released her yet. Was he toying with her? She couldn't figure out why, but that sense of nervousness continued to build within her. He was—calm? Greed was never calm. He was up to something.

"My King," Vivex responded but was met with a growl, effectively silencing her.

"It has come to my attention that you have been consorting with many of my brothers. Are you deceiving your King, Vivex?" Although his voice was calm, an underlying threat was evident in his question.

"Of course not, my King." She answered without hesitation. She worked for the others, but Greed was the one who gave her the most. She needed to stay on his good side until she was ready to overthrow him.

Her words were met with another long, silent pause. She itched to raise her head and look at him. If she could trap him with her stare, she stood a chance of persuading his thoughts thanks to the necklace stolen from a long-deceased witch that Vivex betrayed deep within the pits.

It was how she could play the Kings against each other for as long as she had, but she needed to meet his eyes for it to work.

"My King, if I could just rise and speak." Vivex pushed.

A growl tore through the room.

"Privileges are earned and stripped away once traitorous behaviours are discovered."

A chill ran down her spine. There was no possible way he had discovered her true intent. She was careful. The Kings were all on shaky terms thanks to her careful and convincing interceptions. With her looks, the necklace and the herbs-- she had been infecting their minds and trust within their brotherly bond for as long as she had climbed from the pits and Asmodeus discovered her. He was the first to fall for her charms. The necklace gave her great control over the powerful male Demon Kings. There was no way they would've been able to see through its magical hold.

She'd driven a wedge so deep between that brotherly bond that they were too rocky to trust one another enough to compare stories. This had to be something else. If so, she could easily dismiss the rumours.

Unless—had they been manipulating her this entire time? No! It's simply not possible, she assured herself slightly. Her hand instinctively rose and clasped around the charm on the necklace. It was too powerful for them not to fall prey.

"My King," Vivex tried again. "I haven't betrayed you. I have been loyal to you, even under Asmodeus's rule. I gave you all the information you desired to undermine him and his Ring placement."

"Indeed." Greed stated matter-of-factly, which gave Vivex a brief glimpse of hope. "However, you also did the same with my other brothers, but to betray me. What say you to that?" Her glimpse of hope burned away to dust.

"No! That's not true. I have intentionally deceived and misled them. They approached me, but I would never consort with them against you, my King. I am only loyal to you, Mammon. No one else." She pleaded.

"You dare to stand by this claim, then? Even understanding the punishment of deceit and treason, Vivex?" he growled. Her body shook briefly.

She knew she was playing with fire and had no choice but to risk burning. There was no way he could possibly have confirmed this rumour without resolving his problems with his brother. There was no way the great and ever-arrogant Greed would do that. In his mind, he was too proud to concede the way Vivex spun the information, that Greed was wronged by them all.

"I do, my King." She knelt as proudly as she could, given the submissive poise she was rendered to remain within. She heard him scoff at her plead of innocence.

Greed stared down at the kneeling demoness who had managed to manipulate and control several of his brothers and him. They were the first-born Demons; they were better than the tricks of a minor Demoness, yet here she was, continuing to peddle her deceit.

It seemed as though they had lost focus on what was happening beneath their noses for too long in their attempt to strengthen their Rings. Or so they thought. They inadvertently weakened their stance by allowing a demoness like Vivex to infect their minds. Greed would not admit it out loud, but Asmodeus had the right idea. Demonesses were too ambitious standing next to a King; he should have exiled Vivex from his Ring after Asmodeus had. Instead, he was naive and arrogant to think that her betrayals towards Asmodeus would not happen to him just the same. Finding a loyal Demoness was incredibly rare. They started as sinful souls forced to fight and survive the pits of Despair and Darkness. If they did, they took on a form of demon or demoness. They learned to survive again among just as determined and angry demons. Hell was a constant state of survival and torture until you were claimed within a Ring. By that point, many were too caught up in the mindset of survival and take.

For centuries, he'd watched his brother Asmodeus go around and hand-pick trades and barter on souls and Demons. The other brothers used it as a mocking tool; none understood what he was doing. Begging for the scrapes of the broken.

Looking at the loyalty surrounding Asmodeus now and seeing the strength of his Ring, nearly tied with the constant top Ring, Pride, it was beginning to make sense.

Asmodeus saved and trained those broken souls, earning unwavering loyalty around him. He was a clever King. Not that Greed would ever admit that to him.

Instead of coveting the disloyal around Asmodeus, Greed should have seen the calculated workings of his brother much sooner.

Greed was thankful that their parents had stepped in when they did. It forced him and his brothers to reveal everything, and they all quickly discovered that Vivex was using the same lines and stories to keep them from growing close. She was successfully dividing the Rings and bringing on a war that neither of the brothers truly wanted to have. They were stronger together.

She had no loyalties, and because of that, they did not desire to lighten her sentencing after the Judgment was given.

"Mammon, you know I love only you. I am loyal to only you. Please, allow me to rise and look upon your handsome face. You will see the sincerity in my heart when I do." Vivex broke him from his thoughts with her deceitful tongue.

"Is that because of that charm you wear around your neck?" Wrath's voice behind her spiked her heart with instant fear and panic.

No! she thought. This couldn't be happening. She'd worked too hard to keep them away from one another. The great war was just on the horizon between the Rings.

Breaking protocol, Vivex gasped as she snapped her head around to confirm that not only was Wrath standing behind her, but Envy was also standing there alongside him. Neither of the Kings looked pleased or impressed to see her.

This isn't good, she thought as her mind scrambled to develop a convincing story.

"Okay, I must confess. Your brother Asmodeus has been threatening my life, and if--" she started.

"Enough!" Wrath roared, causing her body to tremble. Envy reached down and yanked the necklace from around her neck.

"We will no longer be fooled by your charms, Temptress!" Envy sneered, throwing the necklace to the ground, shattering the charm.

"Noooo!" Vivex screamed, leaping to the broken charm. It was irreparable. She was doomed. Without it, she could not seduce the mighty Kings any longer.

"It is now time to face Judgment, Vivex." Greed's chilling voice brought her attention back to him. The smile on his face was horrifying, and she began to panic. How did she get out of this? Her mind was filled with equal doubt and determination.

"Mammon, please. Don't believe their lies. They are merely jealous of what you can attain, unlike weaker Kings like them. You are strong where they are not. Don't let them get between us and what we seek to obtain." Vivex threw herself to his feet for extra measure, but he remained unmoved by her pleas.

"Enough! I am aware of all the lies and trouble you've been creating. Who seconds the demand for Judgment?" He calls out to his enraged brothers.

"I second the request for judgment." Wrath growled, his fists clenched. His eyes burned into hers with absolute fury.

"I third the request for judgment!" Envy took a step forward. Usually, he would be too beautiful to hold such a fierce and terrifying sneer expression, but his glare made her gulp. He was thirsty for the moment of sentencing. Judgment of collective Kings was rare.

"No, please. You can't do this."

"We, the three demon Kings, Greed,"

"Envy," Envy confirmed.

"Wrath," Wrath confirmed.

"Call upon the Demon Lord of Judgment, created by Supreme King Lucifer himself. The Supreme ruler over punishment and torture to claim the soul of the minor Demoness, Vivex. She has been deemed a traitor to four of the seven Rings of Hell, and for this, she shall never return." Greed continued the summoning ritual. Vivex paled; Judgment was undeniable and inescapable if accepted.

"Please, no. You can't do this to me. You have all benefited from my assistance. Please." genuine tears and panic filled her. This wasn't her attempt to manipulate them any longer; she was terrified of Judgment. Every Demon and Demoness was.

The throne room filled with smoke and a low rumbling growl. The scent of sulphur and brimstone filled their lungs, and the three Kings bent their heads ever so slightly to display their most profound respect for the arrival of Judgment.

"Nooooo! Please!" Vivex crawled across the floor and clung to Envy's leg. He was the most sympathetic of the brothers, the softest one.

Unfortunately for Vivex, he saw through her attempts and shook her off his leg with a snarl.

"I, Supreme Lord of Judgment, have seen this soul's crimes before thee. I accept this sentenced soul. Come!" His voice was unrecognizable as a man. He was too beastly to take form before them. The brothers have only heard of his reputation and stories from their parents of the great Lord. Other than their parents, Judgment was the only being within Hell to ever receive a bent neck from the Kings. His position within Hell was of great importance. He took claim over unsalvagable and disreputable souls that upset the balance. Only Judgment can burn a soul to ashes, condemning them to never be reborn.

As hard as Vivex begged and pleaded, the Kings turned their backs on her individually. She was shunned and sentenced. Her screams while Judgment took hold over her body brought a smile to each of the King's faces.

The scent of sulphur and brimstone faded, and the smoke within the room cleared. They were gone. Returned to the deepest, darkest part of Hell. Only Lucifer himself knew of the location. Not that anyone would ever wish to venture into Judgments domain. There was no escape other than the Supreme Rulers.

"Wow! I aspire to bring a genuine terror to the hearts of others as Judgment does." Wrath borderline fangirling at the sight they had just witnessed.

The brothers shared a laugh. "Only you would find the inspiration within what just happened." Envy teased as he rolled his eyes.

"Brothers," Greed called to order, drawing the attention back to him. "Let us learn from this and focus on repairing the damage. On my part, I was wrong." The two brothers before him shared a wide-eyed expression. Greed never admits his faults.

"Thank you for that, brother." Envy was the first to respond. "As was I."

Collectively, the brothers agreed and shook hands. They would never allow a female to play them against one another again.

They also realized it was time to consider settling down with their own Queens. The demoness did not manipulate Pride, Gluttony or Sloth, and the reason for this was apparent. The charm Vivex had only tempts the unclaimed.

This realization also made Greed realize that Asmodeus had created a perfect hybrid—perhaps too perfect for him.

She would be happier with him instead.