When I woke up the next night, I was alone except for Prince in bed beside me. At some point, Kol must've woken up and left me then Prince probably came out of hiding to join me. I pet him lovingly for a bit once I woke up.

I was still sore from the night before. When I moved the covers aside, a small amount of blood stained the sheet, speaking of my maidenhood being taken. As I moved, I still felt as though I could feel him inside me and it made me blush to think of.

I walked into the bathroom to find Vienna and Shan waiting to begin bathing me and after this, take me to the changing room to dress for the day... or rather night. When I headed to breakfast with Prince beside me, Gio was waiting outside my room to follow me as well. No one acted any different towards me and I didn't feel any different, except that every time my mind thought to the time I spent with Kol, a deep blush would flood my skin all over. And this was often.

I kept slapping my cheeks lightly to get a hold of myself. After breakfast, I asked the maids to find me fabric and thread so that I could practice my needlework as I used to back home. I'd decided to make Gio something as a gift for helping me. It wouldn't be much, but I thought a handkerchief with a picture of Prince on it would be just right to both punish and thank him equally. I laughed while beginning the task, glancing at Gio's form before adjusting my seating arrangement so he couldn't see what I was doing.

Kol didn't appear at dinner that night like I'd expected and unlike Niko, he didn't send any notice of why. The next couple of days were like this, until I felt myself beginning to feel ill. The exhaustion was taking hold and at the end of one night, I went to bed to find nightburn on my arm just under my wrist. I stared at it for a moment with a frown, looking around at the empty room besides Prince.

I looked at Prince and moved my arm to show him. "It's nightburn," I told him quietly, "If I don't get sunlight today, I might end up in a bad spot." Prince growled, biting onto my gown and attempted to get me to stand up. I understood why. The sun would be up quite soon, so now would be a good time to go. But...

"I haven't seen the Prince in many days." I told Prince, making him pause. "Does he not care if I die from nightburn? I thought... I thought he liked me better than before, but sometimes it feels like he likes me less now." Prince abruptly turned and disappeared into the shadows. Oh, had I made him lose interest in me, too? I was too tired to be upset. I lied on the bed with a frown.

An abrupt knock rapped on the door. There was only one person brave enough to touch Kol's bedroom door. And I didn't feel like seeing him at the moment.

"Lady Rin," Gio's voice called out, "Your beast is out here bothering me. He appears to want me to go to you. Can I come in?" I sighed.

"I'm fine. Ignore Prince," I said quietly. If I let the nightburn begin to take me, would Kol come then? Or would he remain away even after I've been taken completely? Did he really not like me after all? I felt like I was going crazy.

"Lady Rin, please come out," Gio insisted, before pausing, "If you don't, I will be forced to break in. Do you want me to be executed?" I sat up swiftly at his words. Then I sighed and made my way across the room to open the door with my arm held behind my back.

"Why is your beast so concerned for you?" Gio asked me, his eyes raking my body for signs of injuries. Prince had disappeared and reappeared behind me. He leapt up, his paw brushing the burn on my arm. The flame of fire had the worse effect. I cried out at the pain, ripping my arm away from Prince as the flames of the cool fire licked at my arm angrily.

Before I could even try to hide it, Gio had my wrist trapped in his grip.

"What's this black mark?" He asked me dangerously, "And why does it hurt when it's touched?"

"I-it's...," I hesitated, but then balled my captured hand into a fist and looked away, "It's nightburn. If I don't get sunlight for too long, I start to burn; like how you burn from the sun. Prince Nikolas usually comes to see me, to take me to the special room where I can be in sunlight, but he hasn't come this time."

I looked to Gio now. "Why hasn't he come?" I asked, heartbroken.

Gio suddenly looked vastly uncomfortable. He lifted a hand over his chin, rubbing it as though to comfort himself, and then answered with hesitation, "Well, Prince Nikolas is quite busy. I'm sure he's just been caught up in work..." It didn't sound very convincing.

"Anyway," Gio added, "I can take you to the room, so don't just depend on the Prince any longer, understood? When you need to go, I'll be here always to help you." I looked at him in surprise. Sure, he wasn't Kol or Niko, but I felt Gio was the only friend I had here at the Daemon castle. I smiled at him happily.

"Okay," I agreed. Gio led me through the hall towards the room Kol had first taken me. I had thought it was a secret, but if even Gio knew of the place, something told me a lot of people probably knew about the place. It was more likely that because there were no more seraphim, they just stopped using the room, so no one ever showed up there.

Once in the dome room alone, Gio closed the door and opened the latch to the sunlight. When the light fell on me, I fell into a peaceful dream under it.

I dreamed of the day Sylvia Adara had given birth to my three best friends. I had been thirteen years old and lived a quiet life of studies with my father's attention. I'd heard many of the maids discussing their concerns that I would be unhappy to have the attention stolen from a new baby. But I was ecstatic since the beginning. There would be a child soon and I knew that child would be the greatest of friends, or rather my only friend.

However, Sylvia had three children. Their voices carried in the halls as a song of triplets crying out. Rory had been the first one I was allowed to carry in my arms. His wispy baby hair and large baby blue eyes were amazing to me. I was hypnotized and he was quiet in my arms. I carried Liza then Lupa next. And since then, I spent most of my time with at least one of them in my arms at any point. I snuck into their nursery at night and slept on the floor besides their cribs. I was truly and wholly in love.

I woke to the brush of fingers on my arm where the night burn had been. My mind immediately thought it was Kol who woke me, and I reached out silently to wrap my arms around his neck to have him help me to my feet. He stiffened, but then stood to help me only to stiffen further when my body was aligned snuggly against his.

He felt different from Kol, though, so I came to realize it must be Gio. I released him easily.

"Thank you, Sir Gio," I said with a yawn, wiping at my eyes sleepily, "I was dreaming about my sisters and brother. I miss them." I sighed unhappily and then looked up at Gio, who was still standing rather close to me.

"If I could reunite them with you, I would, My Lady," Gio said somberly. I smiled at his words brightly and he looked stunned for a moment.

"Thank you, Gio," I said sweetly, "But I definitely wouldn't want them to be here. Come, let's go spend a day doing boring stuff like usual!" I began to dance my way towards the bedroom. Only, when I arrived, Vienna and Shan looked overly excited.

"My Lady, we've received your gift for the Prince," Vienna said to me and I quickly pushed them both into the changing room without regards to the bath, leaving Gio alone in the hall. Vienna quickly moved towards the vanity table and pulled a small royal blue box from it. She held it out to me delicately.

I opened the box and lifted one of the cufflinks from it to inspect. It was made of gold, squared with a sapphire in the center surrounded by diamonds. I wanted Niko and Kol to think of me every time they looked at it; the sapphire like my human eyes and the gold like my seraphim eyes. The diamonds just finished in making it look suitable for a Prince. I was extremely happy.

I finished bathing, preparing for the day, and wondered when and how I would be able to give the gift to Kol. I specifically wanted to give it to Kol because he had been the one who gave me his blood after the assassination attempt. I knew I might have to wait until Niko was finished being in control, being that it had been quite some time.

As for Gio, I finished the handkerchief not long after receiving Prince Nikolas' gift. I wasn't the best at needlework, but it was still recognizable as Prince on the handkerchief so I felt quite proud of myself.  It was close to lunch, so I thought I might just go to lunch before giving Gio his gift.

I was in the hall headed towards lunch when I just couldn't wait anymore. I turned abruptly before Gio and he paused just as quickly, tilting his head.

"I have something for you. As thanks for saving me from the assassination attempt," I said to Gio, feeling suddenly shy. I reached for the handkerchief from my dress, folding it so Prince could be seen in all his glory. Then I held it out for Gio. "I was making this with you in mind."

Gio was frozen and didn't make to grab it.

"Ah, was I not supposed to do this," I asked uncertainly, lifting a hand to my lips nervously.

"It's fine," Gio suddenly said quickly, "No one has... made me a gift before. It's not daemon-like." I kept forgetting this was a world of monsters where small displays as gift giving were taken as a meaning for wanting something.

"I don't want anything for it," I said to him softly, before holding it out again. "I just wanted to give you something to remember me by, should there come a day when I'm not here any longer." Gio paused again, but this time he took the handkerchief in his hand to look at it.

"Ugh, it's Prince," Gio said with a sigh. I laughed, delighted by his reaction.

"It's both a punishment and a gift, see?" I pointed at Prince once more. Prince was probably the bane of Gio's existence in protecting me. The amount of times Gio prepared for Prince to attack me was too many for me to count. It probably was his number one stress.

"I see," Gio murmured before holding his hand out for mine. I laughed again, but then placed my hand in his gently. He lifted the back of my hand to his lips just briefly and said, "Thank you for the gift and punishment, My Lady."

"You're welcome, Sir Gio," I blushed at the contact despite the fact that I should be used to it by now. He released my hand and before I could say something further, Mr. Virgil suddenly appeared before us. Prince immediately growled at him and I said in a hushed voice, "Quiet, Prince."

Mr. Virgil cleared his throat. "Prince Nikolas would like to see Lady Corrine Adara and Sir Giovanni Aleron in the throne room. He's demanded the shadow daemon remain in the bedroom," Mr. Virgil stated briefly before taking his leave. I was immediately confused, mostly about why he asked for both Gio and I, and also demanded Prince stay in the bedroom. Then I was excited because I suddenly had a perfect opportunity to give him his present.

"Gio, let's go back to the room first so I can get Prince Nikolas' present," I said before beginning to head towards the room. When Gio didn't move for a moment, I paused. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, yes. I was just thinking the summon was peculiar," Gio responded before looking at me. "But if Lady Rin is there, it should be fine." I laughed at his words, and then began to race back to the room. I made Prince stay and grabbed the gift.

I had no idea where the throne room was, so I had to follow Gio wherever he led me. As we entered the throne room, I recognized it as being the room I'd gone to meet King Cyril the first time. Kol was sitting on the throne, his foot propped over the arm of the chair as he watched us enter. It felt... intimidating. On instinct, I held the box containing his gift behind my back as though afraid of showing it to him.

Gio bowed when we arrived, but I kept my eyes on Kol determinedly. My heart raced just from seeing him, but he seemed unbothered. Was something wrong... I couldn't tell.

"Are you not going to bow to a Prince, Lady Corrine?" Kol asked cruelly. Gio hadn't been allowed to look up yet, but I saw him tense beside me in surprise. I was looking at Kol further, trying to discern why he was upset, but decided he must just be in a mood. I bowed forward respectfully and held there.

"Giovanni, rise up," Kol said, ignoring me entirely. I gritted my teeth together, trying not to let myself get ahead of anything. I didn't know anything yet. "I have some questions to ask of you, Giovanni. Such as: Do you want to fuck my intended?"

A blush of embarrassment flooded over me at his question, but I still hadn't been allowed to rise.

"I do not, Prince Nikolas," Gio responded calmly.

"You seemed to like kissing her hand. Are you sure?" Kol asked, anger seething into his words. I finally knew why he was angry. He must've been nearby in the hallway and heard or saw me giving Gio his gift. I just had to convince him it wasn't what he thought. I tightened my grip on his gift.

"I'm sure, Prince Nikolas," Gio responded simply.

"Lady Corrine, you can rise," Kol said coolly.

I did as he said and immediately said, "Ko-Nikolas, you're just misund-"

"You can call me Prince Nikolas or Your Highness, Lady Corrine, take your pick," Kol said dangerously. His words hurt almost immediately. I looked away from him, not willing to show the pain in my face.

"I'd rather call you nothing at all," I said quietly.

"Is it true you gave your guard a handkerchief?" Kol asked me angrily, already knowing the answer. I didn't look at him, not willing to see the look on his face as he asked me such accusatory questions. I took a deep breath.

"I did," I answered shortly.

"Why?" Kol seethed dangerously.

"It was a thank you gift. Sir Gio... he's my friend," I tried to explain softly, but suddenly Kol was there with my face in his grip to force me to look at him.

"A friend? Gio? You have gotten close, have you?" Kol asked one after another before turning my face to look at Gio who stood expressionless and unresponsive. "That man right there, you think he's your friend?" Tears were beginning to build in my eyes. I'd never been treated so cruelly back home. I nodded in his grip. Gio was my friend.

"Okay," Kol decidedly released me before stepping back towards the throne. He sat down and looked at the both of us quietly for a moment. I lifted my hand to my lips, my nervousness showing itself once again. Why did he only stare at us?

After a bit of time, Kol finally sat up.

"Sir Giovanni, stand up here front and center," Kol commanded firmly. Gio didn't even hesitate. He stepped forward until he was before Kol and then stood waiting for whatever punishment he would be given. I didn't want to see any punishment, but I could only remain quiet. "Pull out your shadow blade."

Gio hesitated, but only for a moment. In a breath of a second, Gio lifted his hand and a massive blade shrouded in shadows appeared in his grip. I'd only seen it once before when he was saving me from the assassination attempt. It was amazing to see under better lighting. It looked too heavy to hold, but Gio kept a grip on it easily.

"Kill Lady Corrine," Kol commanded of Gio. I went cold at his command.

"Your Majesty?" Gio asked as though he hadn't heard correctly.

"Use your blade and strike down Lady Corrine. Now," Kol demanded furiously. My heart had stopped and I felt as though my spirit had left me. I was frozen where I stood, not based on the faith that Gio wouldn't kill me, no. I just knew I couldn't get away if I tried and I was suddenly terrified.

"Your Majesty, she's your intended. You asked me to protect her-" Gio began, but Kol interrupted.

"Either kill my intended as I've commanded or die of treason," Kol snarled seethingly.

My voice was lost. I couldn't even plead for my life. Gio clenched his hand tighter on his blade and made a noise of frustration.

"As you wish, Prince Nikolas," Gio growled angrily, turning to face me. He looked into my face and then looked away when seeing my expression of pure terror. My grip was tight on Kol's gift as Gio shifted how he held his blade. And then I dropped it when Gio abruptly began to run towards me.

I didn't see my life flash before my eyes. I did see the faces of my family smiling at me. I wanted to close my eyes, but I only watched as Gio advanced forward. He lifted his blade upwards, and then swung it down to strike me on the center of my head.

"STOP," A voice cried out from behind Gio. In just a millisecond, Gio stopped his blade just an inch from my face, the force behind it whipping my hair and clothes wildly around me. My tear filled eyes were glowing golden from terror. Gio dissipated the blade from before me and I lost use of my legs, falling to my knees while struggling to breathe.

Niko was suddenly there, pulling me to him in a protective hug. Once I realized it had been Niko to stop Gio, not Kol and not Gio himself, I began to sob. I sobbed so loudly that it tore painfully throughout me. And when I thought I couldn't sob louder, I did.

"H-he was... y-you were g-going to," I sobbed more in Niko's arms.

"I knew I'd change my mind," Niko said to me, trying to hide his meaning despite his panic, "It's not an excuse, but I knew I'd stop it. Even if I didn't change my mind, I would've stopped it. I swear it, Rin. I swear." I continued to sob. Even if Niko was right, I knew the real reason Kol had done that. He wanted to show Gio wasn't my friend; that he was a command away from killing me. I had no one. No one.

Niko lifted me from the ground and carried me to the throne before sitting down and holding me close in his arms. My sobs quieted into morose and pitiful cries as I clung to Niko's form for comfort like I were just a child. And then my cries silenced into small sniffles occasionally.

I heard movement and peeked over Niko's arm to see Sir Gio reaching for the blue box I'd dropped on the ground. He approached Niko carefully and I looked up to see a look of fury on Niko's face. It was a look I'd never witnessed myself on Niko. Kol, perhaps, but not Niko.

"The Lady dropped this," Sir Gio stated before holding it up close enough for Niko to take from him. For a moment, Niko only glared at him, but then he reached for the box sharply before looking at it with a hint of curiosity. Then he lowered it without further interest before glaring at Sir Gio further.

"Sir Giovanni, I want you to make a new vow to me," Niko demanded sharply.

"As you wish," Sir Gio stated stiffly.

"Vow to me that you will never raise blade or hand or anything else in ill intent to harm my intended, even should I order it in the future," Niko commanded, his anger still loud in his words, but I understood why he couldn't do anything to Sir Gio. He had ordered him to kill me. Even if it was Kol, both Kol and Niko was the same person to Gio.

"I vow to never harm Lady Corrine, even if you order me to," Gio pledged on his knee sincerely. It didn't make me any less afraid of him. He'd already shown that he followed Prince Nikolas' orders. We were never friends. That was clear the moment he'd turned to strike me down with his shadow blade.

"Leave," Niko ordered firmly. Gio hesitated.

"Do you wish me to escort the lady back to her room?" He asked uncertainly.

"Leave. Just you. Don't make me say it again," Niko demanded coolly.

But Gio instead persisted, much unlike himself. "Your Majesty, you've asked me to protect your intended and to ignore your orders to prevent her harm. It is with this in mind that I feel she is not safe under your care during this moment," Gio explained with such a boldness that I seriously wondered how he had survived around Niko and Kol this entire time. I could feel Niko tensing with only building anger, failing to consider Gio's point of view; the Prince had ordered my death only moments ago.

"Sir Gio," I interjected before Niko said anything involving punishment or death. I felt less brave than my actions, so I snuggled deeper into Niko's arms as I peeked at Gio with reddened yet now blue eyes. "I'm fine here with the Prince. Just... listen to him like you always do and go." There was a sting to my words that hurt even me, but I wouldn't forget the image of his blade inches from my face so easily.

Gio bowed without a word, turned, and strode from the room with an air of anger about him. After he was gone, I was painfully aware of how alone Niko and I were. There were no guards or servants around him; probably ordered by Kol because he knew I might reveal what I was based on his plans. Either way, I didn't feel nervous. Instead, I grasped Niko's shirt in my hand, resting my head against his chest and inhaling his familiar scent comfortably.

"Did you really drop this?" Niko's voice rumbled curiously. I opened my eyes to see the blue box in his hand. It was clearly a gift, but there was no way for Niko to know it was for him and Kol.

"I did," I admitted honestly. I teared up thinking about the failed plan to give the gift to Kol once I'd next saw him. What if Niko thought the gift was for Gio, as well? What if Niko got jealous or angry and tried to order some frightening punishment? Or worse... what if I gave the gift, and he reacted just as Lady Aurora hoped for?

"Would you get mad i-if I said it was a gift?" I asked Niko honestly. He looked from my pale face to the box and then back again.

"For Giovanni?" He assumed the worse. I blushed, shaking my head no.

"For Kol and... and for you. For both of you, from me," I told him breathlessly; afraid of his reaction. "I brought it to give to Kol, as thanks for saving me during the assassination attempt, but then... He... I couldn't give it to him. I heard you might rip my heart out for giving a gift-"

"Absolutely not," Niko declined the notion firmly, but then he smiled with sudden satisfaction. "I would love to open this in Kol's stead. He'll be heated. Come, Rin. Say to me, 'Kol, this is your own fault for being an asshole.'" I laughed at his request, amused entirely.

"No, I wouldn't say that," I answered, laughing further at the idea. "But you can open it. That'll be punishment enough." I shifted so I was lying further against his chest and less on his arm. Niko used his free hands to open the box, peering at the cuff links within.

"Hmmm," Niko mused as he inspected them.

"It's not much...," I said uncertainly.

"It reminds me of you," He suddenly concluded, picking one out to look at close, "Your eyes; blue and gold. And your skin when you glow white." He pointed to the diamonds. There was a sudden hunger in his gaze and I tensed among it, recalling Kol and I and our night of passion.

"Do you like it?" I asked absently.

"Yes," He answered immediately. I was instantly pleased; entirely warm to the touch.

"I heard that when you give a gift, you can receive a wish," I said, teasingly pushing my luck. Niko looked amused as he placed the cufflink safely back into the gift box. He turned to look at me curiously, but also wary.

"Really? What's your wish, then?" He asked.

"I'll ask later," I decided, after seeing how wary he seemed. Plus, a thousand wishes had crossed my mind at his request. Kiss me. Touch me. Do to me what Kol does. I definitely was not brave enough to ask such scandalous actions from Niko so openly.

"Fine. Later," Niko seemed quite suspicious now, but he decided to leave it alone. "Have you had lunch yet?" I had been on my way to lunch when I had given Gio his handkerchief and ended up at the throne room where I was now. I shook my head mutely.

"Then let's have lunch together. After that, I'll have the maids fetch more fabric. You can stay with me while I work and make me a better handkerchief than you made Sir Giovanni. Deal?" Niko proposed the idea as though it would be something I wouldn't enjoy. However, spending the whole night with Niko, even while he worked, sounded like a dream to me. I smiled brightly.

"Deal!" I leapt from Niko's arms, spinning around before reaching for his hand excitedly. "Are you coming? Let's go; I'm hungry." Niko stood and grasped my hand in his gently before leading me towards the door behind the throne where King Cyril had taken me before.

"Virgil," Niko called and the door was opened by Mr. Virgil who had been waiting beyond it. Niko lifted his free hand to hold out the gift I'd given to him for Mr. Virgil to take. The man took it with a look of utter confusion. "Put this is my main bedchamber. And Virgil, be careful. That's a gift from my intended."

I felt a sudden flutter of delight within me at his words. When Niko turned to glance at me, I lifted my fingers to my lips and shyly ducked my head in response. He chuckled, pulling my arm under his to clasp my hand in a way that forced me to stand closer to him. I let him lead me into the hall. I was immediately drawn to the portraits of daemons, but Niko gave no time to pause as he led me to the dining room specifically for the royals.

The servants were already preparing the room for us as though they'd known we were coming all along. Or maybe they were just that quick. I sat at the table first and Niko sat where King Cyril had sat before. A glass was merely placed before Niko while I was presented with a large dish of various items.

Once the servants were done, I looked to Niko, who hadn't touched his glass.

"Is that blood?" I asked what I had been curious about since day one. Niko didn't look surprised by my question. He probably recalled my questions when we'd first met.

"Yes," He replied simply.

"Is that primarily how you get blood here, as a royal?" I inquired curiously, "Or do you ever... um... do you ever take it from someone personally?" I lost my courage, but Niko didn't look as though he wanted to help me with my line of questioning.

"Leave us," Niko ordered abruptly, making me jump in surprise. Was I in trouble yet again? The servants left the room without further direction and only when we were clearly alone did Niko turn to me, "I don't feed off of humans. Kol prefers it. I can live without blood, actually."

Niko abruptly reached across to grasp one of the fruit on my plate and brought it to his own lips to bite into. I stared openly with surprise. I didn't know a lot about daemons, but I did know that they did not eat human foods. I wasn't sure how they would react if they did try it, but something told me they would not have just no reaction at all.

"When I am me, I can eat regular food," Niko admitted honestly.

"And silver... you have no reaction to silver, correct?" I recalled my thoughts when I'd found Kol downstairs wrapped in silver. He'd say Niko had done it to him, but I couldn't understand how he would've been able to touch the silver much less drape himself in it.

"You catch on quick, Rin," Niko answered, clasping his fists and leaning his elbow on the table before resting his chin on them. His attention was entirely on me as he told me his secrets.

"But why?" I finally asked the real question.

"I don't know. I'm assuming it's the same reason Kol and I share the same body. We're almost two different creatures with far different minds, except that I still have the physical attributes of a daemon: the fangs, the claws, and the strength," Niko told me openly. Then he held his hand out to the side, reaching for something in the distance with a frown. "I can not summon a daemon blade, though. And on that note..."

He turned his gaze back on me with a frown.

"Can you not summon your seraph blade?" He asked me curiously.

I paused. "Seraph blade? Is it... like the shadow blade?"

Niko nodded, "Except it's imbued with the power of the Light Realm. But I'm sure no one has told you about the Light and Dark Realm." I recalled my conversation with Gio, when he'd told me about where Prince had come from, the same place Daemons came from; the Dark Realm.

"What's the Light and Dark Realm?" I braved to ask, hoping Niko would remain open to answering my questions. And he certainly seemed to be in the mood to do so. Perhaps he was feeling guilty for how Kol had treated me...

"The world we reside in now used to consist of humans only. When the Division was created, it created a rift of power that ripped open the Light and Dark Realms; the Light opening over Numa and the Dark over Seola. After the Realms were opened, the power of the Division died down, and the Realms remained on their own. Seraphim came from the Light Realm and they lived peacefully among humans. Daemons came from the Dark Realm, and the humans of Seola were devoured," Niko spoke as though this were something daemons were taught in school from the very beginning.

"But I wasn't from the Light Realm. My father said my mother gave birth to me in Numa, in his own house," I said with confusion.

"And I was born here in Seola by my mother, too. But we are still of the Realms. In order to be born, your spirit is sent from the Realm and to your Earthly form, and that is how we are created here," Niko explained to me about my origin that not even my own father knew of. I looked at my own hands curiously. Was I really from another Realm on top of everything else?

"Well, I don't know how to even begin to summon a Seraph blade," I told him, hiding my hands as though afraid a blade would appear just at the mention of it.

"What of the other abilities Seraphim have?" He asked me curiously. When I tilted my head with confusion, he laughed. "You know you don't have just weaknesses. Let's see..." Niko lifted his eyes as though trying to remember old texts.

"Seraphim feed off of sunlight. They can summon Seraph blades, which hold the strength of the sun in them. Daemon's shadow blade holds the nightburn towards Seraphim as balance. Many daemons can shade themselves, like how your shadow daemon does. And the biggest ability a seraphim can have is... transference," Niko explained, looking to me to see if any of this sounded recognizable, "Transference is when a Seraph transfers energy or injuries from themselves to another being or vice versa. You would think this would be a large advantage, but Seraphim are notorious for taking people's injuries rather than ridding themselves of their own."

I thought about all the times my siblings had harmed themselves while playing and how often I'd wished I could take away their pain. No transference had ever happened when it came to me. And no seraph blade had ever been produced.

"Maybe I just have the weaknesses only," I sighed unhappily. Niko chuckled.

"Don't worry. I can't summon a shadow blade or shade myself, but Kol can do both. That and my abilities towards silver and food make him mock me as being nearly human," Niko consoled me sweetly, "And for all you know, you just haven't been taught on how to do any of it. I don't know how Seraphim used to teach their young, so I wish I could help, but I may not be able to. I'll have Gio-"

"No," I interrupted quickly, tightening my grip on my spoon fearfully.

Niko's face turned into one of a more serious nature at my reaction to Gio's name, but he didn't push it further. I finished eating in silence, my hands trembling at first before calming down over some time. Once I was nearly done, I finally spoke again.

"May I look at the portraits after we leave here?" I asked Niko politely, trying to sound most innocent.

"You want to see my mother, the Queen," Niko guessed and correctly. I smiled sheepishly and Niko sighed, "I don't see why not." I finished eating, feeling please. Once we were done with lunch, I let Niko lead me down the hall slowly to peer at the portraits carefully.

"Will you be up there one day?" I asked in a hushed voice.

"All Kings and Queens are placed on the wall," Niko confirmed without concern of being loud. I peered at all the faces, more so than I expected. I frowned, confused. Niko glanced at me and saw my expression. "What is it?"

"Oh, I was wondering why there's so many... being that you're immortal beings. Wouldn't you live a long life and have fewer leaders?" I asked curiously.

"Many of the Daemon Kings and Queens are still alive," Niko answered before he began to point at them, "You can call them extended family. Unfortunately, not everyone wants to spend their immortal life with the responsibilities of a King or Queen. That's why King Cyril is pushing for me to become King. He isn't planning on dying anytime soon, but it's just tradition."

I looked on at the portraits and began to notice I could recognize a few from the banquet where I'd been attacked. I continued to walk past, spotting King Cyril, and continued further when I paused. Niko stopped beside me, looking at me expectantly. I was looking at a portrait of a woman who looked in many places strikingly like Niko himself. It was in her eyes, her cheeks, and while I thought the hair came from King Cyril, I knew now the Queen held much darker tones more fitting. In fact, looking at the Queen, I couldn't see many resemblances to the King from Niko except for learned expressions.

"This is your mother," I said more than asked, looking to Niko with delight, "You look a lot like her."

"I've been told," He replied with amusement, "Her name was Queen Octavia. She died after giving birth to me." I was startled by his statement and immediately responded.

"Mine, too," I said, lifting my hand to my chest, though I failed to mention it was due to a daemon attack. I blushed from embarrassment, but then turned back to the portrait, looking at every line of her existence. My heart was beginning to ache as I looked at the portrait. I stared with determination, something whispering in my soul as I did so.

"Why are you crying?" Niko asked softly, "It was decades ago. I'm okay."

"Oh," I said in surprise, lifting my hand to wipe away the stray tears. What had my soul been whispering that caused such an ache? I glanced at the portrait again. Right. "I have no portrait of my mother, so I wondered what she looked like."

"I'm sure she looked exactly like you," Niko replied, pulling me to him in a gentle hug. I wanted to cry just for being embraced, but I withheld my tears. Niko held me for a moment until I felt nothing more than a joy at being close to him. Then he called out to a nearby servant, "Bring needlework supplies to my office for Lady Corrine."

I giggled in his grasp.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked.

"I'm ready," I replied happily.

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Music: Clasio x Rosenfeld- What Am I Doing Wrong?