The Emperor's Concubine

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The blinding bright light disappears, revealing the royal palace halls in front of me. I look around, confused as to how I suddenly left the dining room.

Yet, one look and a chill rushes down my back.
The hallway glowing with a vibrant deep orange-red hue—black smoke fuming through the air as I realize the palace is ablaze. The pungent scent of ashes hits my nose, the sounds of screams and raging echoing of footsteps of people running.

Fear hits me—my body trembling at the sound of chaos that echoes from connecting halls.

"Cabel?" I call out, taken aback from the terrifying atmosphere.

Suddenly, a piercing scream rings through the hall.

Running towards the scream, I turn the corner to see a massacre of servants and knights. Their bodies cut and burned, my vision filled with red as I stare at the blood stained hall.

Unable to process my terror—I notice a maid who tries to crawl away from the fire. Running towards her, I reach out.

"A-Are you okay?" I exclaim, trying to take hold of her arm to pull her to safety.

Yet, my hand moves through her.
Jumping back surprised, I watch as she continues to move as if she can't see me.

"W-What's happening?" I stand, looking at my shaking hands.

In the distance, voices speak. Recognizing the deep voice of a man, I run towards the room. Turning the corner, I enter through a doorway—into a bedroom where Cabel stands ahead of me.
In front of him, the previous king and queen lay on the ground. Their shaking bodies cut multiple times from what appears to be wounds from a sword, I watch as they scramble on the ground to distance themselves from the emperor.

"C-Cabel -" I cut myself off, my hand reaching through his arm.

Trying to touch him, it's as if I'm a ghost.
My breathing grows heavy as I freeze where I stand, afraid of being unable to help anyone, afraid that no one can see me—until noticing the state his body's in.

His shirtless torso severely injured, blood dripping onto the ground from a large cut on the left side of his chest. Thick steel cuffs firmly locked around his wrists—the chains dangling from them broken.

Realizing what I'm witnessing, I take a step back from the emperor who appears a few younger. An overwhelming aura radiates through the room, seeming to suffocate everyone within the space, my legs begin to tremble as I watch him take a step towards the two on the ground before him.


"Y-You were supposed to be our gift." The king scowls, struggling to speak through the pain as he grasps his wounds.

The king coughs up blood, his arm severed, and his left eye shut as it blood drips from it.

"I am not your puppet." Cabel calmly speaks, his voice deep and low as he coldly glares down at his parents.

Suddenly, a group of knights enter the bedroom. Surrounding him from behind, Cabel simply scoffs as he languidly turns to see the last person enter—a man dressed in a detailed cream royal uniform.


"Cabel, enough! You aren't fit to run a kingdom!" The man shouts, wielding his sword.

A slight grin appears on Cabel's lips. The sight of his expression causing my body to grow cold as I look back at his heartless smile—his eyes that lack any emotion, only a vast and endless sea of ice.

"You might be right, I'm not fit to run a kingdom... However, I am fit to run an empire." The chilling words roll off his tongue—his lips curling into a subtle playful grin as he holds his head high.

The man's expression falters, a look of shock and disgust appearing in his glare.

"You can't serious, you'd be destroying the ties we have!" The man shouts.
"Why would the ties, they have, matter? Emperor Cabel has such a better ring than King Cabel, does it not?" Cabel chuckles, amused as he watches the knights around him hesitate.

Suddenly, he raises his arm.
His dark and icy eyes glow with an ominous light—his eyes that once appeared as rubies, now appearing as onyx black gems with an under glow of red.

The shadows at his feet begin to warp—abruptly shooting out of the darkness, spikes burst forth.
The spikes circled around the emperor, puncturing the knights that surround him in their chests and heads. Watching the men perish by his hands, Cabel's expression remains the same—apathetic, cold, and a chilling numbness beneath.

The man in the royal uniform stumbles, a horrified expression on his face as he takes a step back from the sight of the men killed in an instance.

Within the blink of an eye, Cabel suddenly appears before the man. His arm stabbed through the man's chest, blood pools at their feet.
Falling to the ground, my breath caught in my throat—I can only watch on as the man coughs up blood, his body growing limp as he falls towards Cabel.

"You... You'll live remembering all of this. How will that make you feel?" The man questions in a strained voice, struggling to breath.
"Did seeing what I was forced to experience for years—ever cross your mind?" Cabel questions, his voice deep and low as he meets the eyes of the man before him, "Did taking part in what I had to endure—every day, every week, every month—ever ruin a night of sleep for you?"
"Y-You would never understand. I-I did it for them. It was necessary!" The man shouts, his complexion going white.
"You should understand then, that this is necessary to me. Goodbye, brother." Cabel calmly speaks.

Tearing his arm away—ripping it out of his chest—I watch as his brother falls to the ground. His body limp, his eyes void of any life as he lies within a pool of his blood, the vibrant red spreading without urgency—patient and inevitable as it slowly grows larger.


"Syrus! No!" The queen screams a bloodcurdling sob as she watches her son lay lifeless.

Shaking off the dripping blood from his hand, Cabel slowly turns to look back at his parents.

"How could you! W-We protected you! We only wanted your powers to flourish!" The queen screams.

Her knees both sliced, sweat dripping down her forehead from the pain, she can only throw miscellaneous objects at the man who towers over them.
The king and queen both trapped as they lean against the foot of the bed, Cabel approaches them—unhurried, and lethargic.

"Protect me?" Cabel softly scoffs, his lips curling into an amused expression, "You wanted a monster for your own purposes—and I was treated as such. Instead of using me, why didn't you kill that brat yourselves?"
"S-She was sent to kill us! How could we risk getting close to a dangerous viper like her? You were meant to protect us!" The queen shouts, her cheeks flushed red with anger.
"Treating me as a scapegoat is too amusing, isn't it? I never wanted to involve myself... So, why did you include me?" He questions, his grin dropping as an apathetic look appears.
"Y-You were a gift to us—you were supposed to keep us safe!" The queen screams, her eyes manic as she speaks.
"I was not a gift. I was your son!" Cabel shouts, a manic laugh escaping his lips, "If I was meant to be dead, you should have left me as that, mother."

Grabbing the queen by her neck, Cabel lifts her off the floor. Her arms and legs swinging as she struggles to breathe—fighting to escape his grip.

Swiftly, his hand clenches—digging his fingers into her throat as he twists it to the side. The loud cracking of her bones rings in my ears. Her movements abruptly cease, her limbs dropping to her side.

Throwing her body to the ground, Cabel turns—his gaze focused on the king that calmly watches the scene.


"The throne you sit on will be bloodied and cursed. What you've done will only cause tragedy to follow you for the rest of your life." The king mutters in a calm tone as if accepting what's to come.
"I expect nothing less." Cabel lowly speaks.
"Will you be fearless on your day of judgement?" The king chuckles, glaring at the numb expression Cabel wears.
"I deserve everything that comes my way—just as you should."

Raising his hand, spikes erupt from the shadows beneath the king. Piercing through his chest, the king smiles—his eyes full of disdain as he looks back at Cabel.

The fire beginning to spread into the room, I watch as smoke engulfs the scene.
The king's body growing limp, I catch the brief expression on Cabel's face. The room covered with red, bodies spread throughout—he stands tall as his gaze lingers on his father.

Suddenly, a white light engulfs my sight. The fire spreading to surround the emperor, my eyes widened from the sight of the sorrowful grin on Cabel's lips as a tear falls from his emotionless eyes.


The scent of smoke and the nauseating scent of blood disappears as the scene vanishes before my eyes.


Opening my eyes, I gasp as I try to catch my breath—the fear causing my body to tremble as I recall what I watched.
Sitting up, I see that I'm back in the dining room chair—Cabel leaning against the window ledge as his eyes gaze outside. His arms crossed as he stands in a collected position as he thinks to himself, I question if this was the same man I saw in that scene.

In the corner of his eye, he notices my movement. Turning to face me with a solemn look—a subtle sense of disappointment within his eyes.

"Is your curiosity satisfied?" He asks, his tone composed.
"W-What happened? What was that?"
"It was a memory transfer. The ability lets one experience another's past, just as if you were there."
"Why?... Why did you share it with me?"
"You asked how I ascended to the throne, so I showed you."
"W-What... What happened to you? Why did you kill them?" I nervously question, trying to process the events I saw.

Pausing, a pitiful smile appears on his lips—one that expresses a self-mocking tone.

"I was born dead." He says in a detached tone.

Taken aback by his response, I can only tighten my lips closed as I try to process his words.

"I was a stillborn... Unable to accept letting their child pass, they used black magic in order to gain something from my birth. They performed a ritual to bring me back to life, asking a demon to lends its powers to a vessel—in return the demon takes the soul of a sacrifice. They wanted an undefeatable soldier—one who could give immortality and protect them from any danger."

Removing his vest, Cabel stands up straight as he slowly removes his tie. Taking a step towards me, he begins to unbutton his shirt.

"The moment my powers appeared, they tortured me, performed rituals, and drank my blood for immortality. I wasn't their child—I was only a tool." A sorrowful smile appears on his lips as his eyes meet my stare, "What'll never be heard in rumours is how the day I took the throne—I was chained and locked away for a final ritual."

Removing his shirt, my heart drops as I look at his toned torso.

A large scar running down the left side of his chest, curving to end in the middle of his abdomen. Recalling the memory transfer—his torso drenched in blood, a deep cut in the same location. Covering his arms, shoulders, and ribs, my eyes well with tears as I notice multiple faints scars from smaller cuts.

"They cut me repeatedly, taking my blood to consume. As I grew up, they aged, meaning my blood didn't give them immortality. I was ordered to do an unthinkable act, but when I rebelled—they decided I had to be put down. They retrained me, cut into me as I laid awake, and tried to remove my heart. They believed since my blood didn't work, consuming my heart would provide immortality to them."

Buttoning his shirt up, he softly chuckles as if mocking his cruel childhood.

"Just as I felt them grip my heart—my powers fully awakened. I broke free and killed everyone involved with any ritual, and everyone that turned a blind eye to what my parents had done. My powers healed my wounds, but left scars as if to remind me of what I am—a demon."

I stand up, remembering the cuffs around his wrists.

"Then, when you found me... Is that why you spared my life?" I ask, recalling the heavy weight of the shackles that once bound me.

Pausing for a moment, Cabel softly nods.

"How foolish I was. I saw myself in you, and couldn't take your life when it seemed those rulers wanted to do the same."
"The takeover... You destroyed kingdoms and families... Was it because they were involved with the rituals?"

Giving another soft nod, Cabel keeps his eyes on the ground.

"Then, my parents... They were involved?" I whisper, nauseous at the truth.
"Nobles were invited to try the immortal wine, and your parents lapped up my blood as if it was a delicacy. I remember every face that partook in those parties and decided to wipe out every single blood line involved... But you were different. The state you were in, made me question if you experienced terrible things like me—or even worse things than I could ever imagine. The thought of killing you, made me realize I would only be the same as my parents."

Too shocked to speak, all I can do is stare at Cabel—trying to process his words and story. Feeling as if I'm falling into a dazed state as my mind is lost with the memory I saw, he flashes a woeful smile. Standing straight as he fixes his clothes, he steps closer towards me.

Buttoning the last clip of his vest, he tilts his head as he analyzes my face.

"We won't meet again after today." He softly speaks, a melancholy look in his gaze.

My eyes widen from his words, trying to understand the pained expression beneath his composed smile.

"You know the truth, and from your expression—it's clear you're disgusted by the truth." He softly chuckles, forcing himself to suppress his sadness.

Frozen in shock by his story, it takes a moment for me to realize that his gentle fingers have touched my cheek, lightly gliding to caress my ear. His gaze seeming to mistake my shock for disdain, suddenly his touch disappears.

Briskly walking past me towards the doors, I turn to look behind—realizing his hand is already reaching out for the doorknob.

My cheek and ear still ticklish from his featherlight touch, I realize how strong his absence is. Refusing to have my silence mistaken, I run towards him.

Just as his hand reaches the doorknob, I tightly wrap my arms around him from behind. Broken out of my daze, I realize tears are falling from my eyes.
His body flinches, surprised by my actions.

"Let go." He speaks, his hand trying to release my arms from him.

I shake my head, holding firmly onto him as I try to gather my words through my sobs.

"I-I can't do that." I whisper.
"What I did was terrifying, wasn't it?"
"I... I was afraid... But I can't bring myself to hate you or think less of you, because you saved me. Even if it was because you saw yourself in me, you've been nothing but kind to me." I stammer, trying to stop my tears.
"I'm sure you think I'm kind because you're stuck in my palace against your will."

I shake my head again.

"N-No. You've never hurt me, you never forced me to meet with you, and you saved me when I was in trouble... I was scared of what I saw, but I can't judge you for doing what you needed to do to survive."

The memory of Micheal comes to mind—the sight of him above me as he ripped my dress, the fear that overtook me. His rough hands that hurt me, and the coldness in his eyes burned into memory.
The haunting memory soon silences as I think about the emperor. The cautious movements of his to ensure I wasn't scared, the gentle touches as if I were a fragile treasure, the warm gaze his eyes always held—and the fact that he kept his distance when he thought I was afraid of him.

"You went through so much pain alone... How could I be afraid of you when you treat me preciously? Why would I think you're cruel when you spared me and continue to be considerate to me?"

I hold onto him tighter, worried he'll leave as I feel the loneliness that surrounds him.

"You're too naive if you think I'm not cruel." He softly speaks, his voice growing quieter.
"Maybe I am... But what I know, is that your past won't affect how I think of the you that's in front of me now."

Cabel pauses, looking at the door unsure of what to do. His body tensing as he listens to my words, his grip on the handle tightens as he thinks to himself for a moment.

"Forgive me for speaking out, but your past was filled with torture and cruelness—yet who you are right now, is someone who feels pity. Who doesn't act in ways to hurt innocent people... I know you've killed many people in your life, but the future can be different. You don't need to follow the assumptions that you're a demon, and you don't need to resort to killing anymore. But, if you do have to execute more people in the future... I'll still accept you."

His body stiffens at my words.

"I'll accept you in the hopes that you'll realize, there's no need for all the bloodshed anymore. I'll be there for you, so you don't have to carry the burden alone. I know how painful and heavy the past can be... So please, rely on me when it's too much, talk to me, just please don't think that I hate you for what you've done." I quietly plead, uncontrollably crying as I rest my forehead on his back.

My heart aching as I think about what he experienced, my tears refuse to stop. My body trembling as I hold him, a moment passes until Cabel releases his hold on the door knob.

His hands gently touch my arms, unravelling them from his waist. Turning around, I notice the subtle pained expression he wears. Hesitating for a moment, he softly wipes my tears with the back of his finger. His ruby eyes watching my reaction, his brows furrowed in a pained expression as he quickly pulls me into him.

Burying my face into his neck, his arms wrap around me in a tight embrace. My arms hanging around his neck, I rest my hands firmly on his back as I feel the subtle tremble of his body.

Sensing his relief upon hearing my words, I take soft breaths to stop crying. Remaining in his arms, his body warm to the touch—I lean into him further as I adjust.
Breaking the silence, he gently adjusts as well—leaning his chin against my head.

"You've never hugged me before." He lightly chuckles, his hand lightly caressing my back.

Realizing my actions, my face grows warm from embarrassment at his words. Hiding my expression, I burrow my face into his chest.

"You seemed like you needed it." I whisper, hugging him tighter.
"Thank you..." He replies in a soft voice as if confirming my words to be true.

Embracing each other for a moment, we silently stay as we are—his hand gently petting my hair, he closes his eyes as he leans against me.