Secrets And Sins Part 3: Happy ever after

Chapter 32

**Sorry for the late update... 32 is extra long just to make up for it :P  Let me know what you guys think!**

~Lilith~

Lilith knocked tiredly on the door in front of her. The sun was hardly peaking over the horizon; it was so early, but she barely noticed. She hadn't slept a wink after Mary had left, and knowing what she had to do today, she doubted there would be much in the way of sleep tonight.

"My Queen! Good morning!" Bael boomed as soon as he threw open the door.

He moved to hug her, but Lilith raised a hand before he could, "Do NOT. You know the rule."

Bael pouted, "No touching unless I have permission." He dropped his eyes to the floor with an ashamed expression, "Sorry that I forgot yesterday... I was just excited to see you."

Lilith sighed, "I know, Bael." She reached out to pat his arm, "Let me in. We, ahh... we need to talk."

"Okay!" The demon smiled widely, excitement back with full force, and stepped aside.

Lilith walked in only for her mouth to fall open in horror. Bael had utterly and completely trashed his room. Large strips of fabric from the bed and mountains of feathers from what was left of the pillows were strewn across the floor. The small table was overturned, one leg looking suspiciously like it had been chewed off and every single draw from the empty dresser had been pulled out to lie haphazardly around the room.

What the fuck?!

She rounded on him, "What the hell happened in here?!"

"I was trying to understand how the tiny sun works..." Bael tried to explain, bashful expression back in place.

"The tiny..." Lilith spotted a lightbulb and a mess of wires at the foot of the bed. "Oh, the lamp." Her gaze rose to the torn up bed covers. "What happened to the bed then?"

"I couldn't get comfortable..."

"I..." Lilith turned to stare at him incredulously, more questions on the tip of her tongue, before shaking her head, that wasn't why she was here, "You know what? Never mind."

Obviously glad to be changing the subject, Bael exhaled in relief, "What did you want to talk about?"

"Um..." She faltered under his innocent gaze, "It's about us... our marriage..."

Tilting his head, Bael waited for her to continue, but Lilith didn't really know how to tell him. It wasn't lost on her how bad this was. She'd cheated on him, even if their marriage was political rather than born out of love, Lilith had been completely unfaithful to Bael when he had only ever been kind.

I'm a terrible person.

With a groan Lilith sat down on the edge of the destroyed bed and buried her face in her hands. The self-hatred that she had fought for so long crept out of the shadows of her mind, trying to drag her down into a darkness she'd avoided for so long. She wished Mary was here to chase away the heartache like she always did, her belief in Lilith had always been steadfast. Until now.

The bed dipped on Lilith's right.

"Is it because of her?"

"What?" Lilith snapped her head up, Bael was watching her with a sympathetic expression and twirling a sharpened piece of wood, the missing table leg, around in his fingers. "How did you...?"

He shrugged. "The dark-skinned warrior is your mate, right?"

"I... I..." She was flabbergasted.

"It's easy to see how much you care about her." The demon went on, "Your eyes never stray far from her when she's around. You look at her like she hung the stars in the sky..." Lilith blushed, Bael gave her a little smile, "Don't be embarrassed my Queen, she is a fine specimen for a mate, though..." His face dropped a little, "... she certainly doesn't seem to like me very much."