Dedicated to @Uxnxkxnxoxwxn your comment was just what I needed.
The distinct feeling of being watched as I slept jolted me awake.
As I looked around the room, my eyes fell on the man sitting on my father's recliner. I moved too suddenly, rolling over on the couch and falling on the tiled floor with a yelp.
"Gods," Asmo mumbled. "The Underworld is doomed."
I looked around the living room from the floor. Azazeal still stood next to me. He didn't seem to have moved at all throughout the night. No one could get him to leave after the fight and he didn't seem to be a threat to anyone as long as no one made any threatening action.
The couch that Damien had been set on the night before was empty. The blanket that I placed on him was over the back of the couch.
"Where's Damien?"
"Relax," he sighed, exasperated. "He asked me for a change of clothes. He's upstairs taking a shower."
I stood up from the floor, sitting back down on the couch I had fallen off of. I placed my head in my hands. My head was pounding.
"Has anyone told you that you sleep a lot?"
I frowned in my hands.
"Like, a lot. I've been coming back all day waiting for you to wake up-"
I didn't know what it was about what he said that bothered me so much. "Seeing as how I just pulled the soul of a genocidal maniac out of your cousin's body, I think I earned a break, dick."
Asmo laughed and after several moments, he spoke again, "I need to reconvene the Council. I can't do it without your permission."
I sighed, tired. "Why do you need my permission?"
"You're Queen now."
I snorted. I couldn't hide the sarcasm in my voice. "Yeah. Okay."
He sighed in exasperation. "I need explicit permission from the Crown. An 'okay' is not enough." He didn't seem to understand what I really said okay to.
Asmodeus paused and looked me over. After a moment, he spoke again. "You are much more clever than I gave you credit for, Emylin."
I frowned.
"Here you are. Queen. On your own. Never having to marry anyone to do it."
"All right, now I need an explanation. What on earth are you talking about?"
Asmo gave a sly smile. "Damien knelt before you. Placed his fist over his heart. He pledged his loyalty to you. You are queen now. Even above him."
I shook my head as he continued.
"You are only equal to the other four queens in our realm. Beneath no one in the Underworld."
I raised an eyebrow as I stood. "If that's the case, then I need to talk to Damien. Come back later, after I've spoken to him."
He scoffed as he stood from his own chair. "You don't need him to make decisions."
I watched him. "What is it with you and going against him? You do realize I won't undermine him. If he says pigs can fly, I will take his side."
He took a deep breath through his nose. "I am not your enemy, Emylin." His voice was low, soft. "You killed that person last night."
I felt a slight twinge in my chest.
I killed him. Robyn begged me for mercy. He wanted me to release his soul and instead, I crushed it. I crushed his soul with my power. He ceased to exist.
