Page 11 of To Dwell in Shadows (Shadows of Aurelia #2)
A fter the dinner dishes were cleared away, Selene was more than ready to collapse into bed—any bed. She was about five seconds from curling up on the stone floor when Asmodeus finally bid them goodnight, and an imp escorted her and Sam to their suite.
The gothic beauty of their space was breathtaking.
Their chambers were comprised of a parlor, bathroom, and bedroom decorated in emerald and black tones.
Arched stained-glass windows lined one wall, depicting demons engaged in a courtly dance with skeletons.
A fire crackled in the ornate fireplace, and soft light glowed from sconces on the wall.
The furnishings were plush but unconventionally shaped.
The couch curved in the shape of a C, and several padded stools were scattered around the room—perhaps to accommodate those with cloven hooves.
The stained glass continued into the bedroom.
A huge four-poster bed sat in the center, draped in black velvet.
An elaborate vanity stood in one corner, and a matching chest of drawers in the other.
Selene noticed a set of glass doors near the bathroom that led to a balcony, but she was too tired to explore further .
Sam was still in the hall talking to someone about bringing them toiletries and clothes when Selene slumped onto the bed.
Watching Sam reunite with his parents had been one of the most beautiful moments Selene had ever witnessed. She felt honored to be part of it, and deeply grateful for the winding path that had brought them all to this point. That dinner, on the other hand…
A complete nightmare.
She could understand his parents’ desire to keep him close—of course she could.
But the pressure they had placed on him to assume leadership mere moments after his arrival felt manipulative.
She also hadn’t expected them to regard their relationship with such disdain.
A human , his mother had sneered, as if her son were mated to a diseased rat.
Guilt gnawed at her. It hurt to know they saw her at the center of their disappointment, the living symbol of Sam “failing” to fulfill his destiny.
Selene had harbored such high hopes of building a loving relationship with his parents, imagining they would see her as the human daughter they never had—a quirky but welcome outsider, just as she was regarded in Aurelia.
But so far, everyone, including Vanthee, seemed to wish she would just disappear.
Selene rubbed the back of her neck. Maybe his parents just needed some time.
It was a lot to take in all at once, and they were allowed to have mixed feelings.
Was it fair to judge their interaction by human standards—when they were anything but?
Once they got to know her, Selene was sure Sam’s parents would grow to care for her just as Brunie and Eldridge had.
When Sam finally came into the bedroom, he looked as exhausted as she felt.
“What a day, huh?” Selene said.
“Yes.” Sam sat on the bed beside her. “Father wants to take me fishing in the Swamps of Sanctuary tomorrow. It’s something we used to do when I was a boy.”
“That’s sweet. When are you going?”
“At dawn. His schedule is very busy for the remainder of the day. ”
“I bet.” Selene glanced through the balcony doors at the darkness beyond. “How do you tell when it’s morning here?”
“The sky changes from black to orange. The Underworld is warmed by fires that burn beneath the ground, not the sun. They ebb and flow like an ocean, creating times of darkness and light. You and Queen Thema might find it difficult to acclimate at first.”
“Interdimensional jet lag,” Selene said, yawning. She began changing into the nightgown she’d brought.
When they crawled under the covers, Selene nestled against Sam as she always did. He was quiet for a moment then said, “Selene, I’m sorry my mother wasn’t very welcoming to you today. The argument at dinner was completely unnecessary.”
“It’s all right,” she murmured. “It was a big day, and everyone had a lot of big feelings.”
“Yes. I will speak with them about it.”
“Don’t worry about it,” she said, already half-asleep. “It was an awkward beginning, but they just need to get to know me. I want you to enjoy the time we have here.”
“And I want us both to feel comfortable. I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen,” Sam replied. “Goodnight, my love.”
“Goodnight.”
Selene woke up the next day alone. The room was dark, but orange light shone through the stained-glass windows. Rubbing her eyes, she hoped she hadn’t slept so long that she’d committed some breach of royal etiquette.
Once, during a Thanksgiving visit to her ex-boyfriend’s family, she’d accidentally slept in until 9:30 a.m.—a grave offense to his grandmother, who expected her to rise by six to help with the cooking.
The resulting nickname, Lazybones, had stuck for the remainder of the visit.
Selene could only imagine how Sam’s mother might react to an even more egregious faux pas .
Selene slipped out of bed and opened the balcony doors to take her first real look at the Underworld.
The orange sky was streaked with purple and pink, like a watercolor painting.
A range of ominous black mountains rose in the distance, surrounded by jagged peaks and ridges.
A river snaked through the land below, but there were no trees, plants, or vegetation to speak of.
This was truly a realm of stone and shadow.
Judging by the clusters of turrets and spires visible below, their suite sat high within the palace.
The sound of a door opening drew Selene’s attention away from the view.
An imp hovered in the parlor, staring at her with an inscrutable expression.
The creature was about the size of a two-year-old child.
Its ears were long and pointed, and the pinkness of its skin looked more like an infected wound than a spring flower.
Its pear-shaped body gave Selene the impression it might be female, though she had no idea whether imps even had genders.
“Awake,” the imp croaked, flapping wings that resembled peeling leather.
“Yes, I’m awake. Are you here to help me?”
The imp nodded once.
“I’m Selene. What’s your name?”
“Prickles.” The imp gestured impatiently to a pile of dresses spread across the couch beside a tray of food.
“Is all that for me?”
Prickles nodded again.
“Thank you,” Selene said, sitting on the couch. She glanced at the imp, who hovered in place, peering at her.
Selene frowned. Was this imp something like a lady-in-waiting? Or simply a servant delivering her breakfast? “Prickles, what is your role here?”
“Imp.”
“Yes, but what are your duties?”
“To serve.”
“Just me? Or do you serve others, too? ”
Prickles blinked then said, “Guests.”
“I see. Thank you.” Selene took a drink from the mug on the tray and immediately coughed. It tasted like the bitterest of coffee mixed with a hefty glug of hot sauce. “What is this?”
“Morning drink.”
“Okay, wow. That’ll certainly wake you up.” She sputtered again and asked, “Do you know if there’s anything I’m supposed to be doing today? Any appointments I’m expected at?”
The imp cocked her head, looking confused.
Selene tried rephrasing. “Are the king and queen expecting to see me today? To share a meal, or talk, or anything like that?”
“King is fishing. Queen is with sister. No one mention you.”
“Got it,” Selene said, feeling half relieved and half stung by the rebuff. “Is it all right if I explore the castle on my own then? I mean, is it safe?”
Prickles shrugged. After a few seconds of silent staring, the imp asked, “Dismissed?”
“Of course. You’re dismissed. Thank you for helping me, Prickles.”
The imp flew off, leaving Selene alone once more. She looked through each of the dresses, all of which resembled something a wicked sorceress might wear. Finally, she settled on a wine-colored velvet number with lace panels across the bodice.
Selene smoothed the velvet and smiled wistfully. The dress reminded her of the costume her sister Cass had worn as a vampire queen for her third-grade Halloween parade. Cass’s twin, Evan, had dressed as Dracula and the two of them had been absolutely adorable together.
If only Cass could see me now.
The grief and regret Selene always felt when thinking of her sister were magnified in that moment.
It wasn’t just the ache of missing Cass—it was the weight of everything she couldn’t share.
In moments like this, she longed for her sister’s presence to laugh with, to vent to, to marvel with at how completely insane her life had become.
Cass would’ve had some snarky, perfectly timed, snarky comment about the Underworld’s formal dinners that would’ve made it all feel a little more manageable.
Evan had taken the news of her departure relatively well when Selene told the family she was moving out of Nashville to live “off the grid” in some obscure eco-village.
But Cass could tell Selene’s cover story didn’t add up.
It hurt to imagine her sister lying awake at night, wondering what had really happened.
Selene resolved that once their visit to the Underworld was over, she would return to Gaia and tell Cass everything. No more lies. No more secrets. Her sister deserved the truth—even if she wouldn’t believe it.