Syn

We stepped out of the elevator and the hostess of the restaurant greeted us. Useless, as she was. The place was empty with the exception of one party. "Mr. SinClaire," I heard her say. "If you'll follow me—"

I walked past her, pulling Queen along with me. "I can manage."

I had been here before. More than once. My father loved Italian food and tended to hold important meetings in one of the restaurant's private rooms. I'd sat in with him here and there and the restaurant owner and staff provided us with the utmost privacy and discretion.

I just never figured I'd ever be the topic of discussion at one of these. And unlike the other times, the restaurant was empty.

The change wasn't one I liked. It felt like I was steps away from being ambushed and my guard was immediately up. I felt Queen squeeze my hand a bit as I pushed open the door and I blew out a breath to relax.

I could hear the chatter of voices at first, but they came to a quiet as we opened the door. Everyone turned to us. My father stood up, a wide smile on his face as he clapped his hands together and walked over to us.

"Queen!" He said warmly, nearing us. "It's so good to see you. I—" He reached out for her hands and I moved forward, blocking him from her. It was petty, I knew that. But he didn't get to abandon the both of us and then welcome us with open arms like nothing happened. I looked down at him and he let out a huff. I could see him send her a small smile before looking back up at me. "I can't say hello to my daughter-in-law?"

"You could've said hello for ten days while she was in the hospital. But you didn't," I reminded him. I didn't know if Queen was going to side with me on this. She didn't exactly experience his betrayal like I had. If she did disagree with me though, she didn't make any moves to vocalize it. She stayed behind me and pride swelled in my chest. "You pestered me to show up for dinner and I'm here. Can we get on with it?"

He let out a sigh. "I wish you wouldn't think that I'm against you, Syn. I'm your father."

"My apologies. It tends to slip my mind when you act like everything but that." My eyes floated past him to the rest of the room and everyone's eyes were on us.

"Fine. Have it your way." He nodded before stepping back and turning toward the table. "Please introduce yourself to the panel."

"They know who I am. I don't care who they are."

He ran a hand through his hair in exasperation and gestured toward the table. "Let's take our seats then."
I walked toward the table and my father spoke up again. "Queen, you're with us. Syn, you're over there."

I scoffed. Of course, he separated us. "That's not happen—"

"Syn," I felt Queen's hand move to my forearm. "It's fine." I looked down at her and she nodded again, sure. "It's okay."

My jaw tightened when she gave me one more nod of assurance and let go of my hand. She followed my father to the opposite end of the table. I understood that she didn't want me to cause a scene, but he was poking at me.

The room was warm, an electric fireplace place burning to my left. Red curtains draped along the cream walls. I knew there were no windows behind them but my father must've added them for the dramatic flair.

I finally took the chance to look around at the layout he had for tonight and it was laughable, to say the least. It wasn't one large dining table. Tables were connected to create the formation of a square and the middle was empty. All three sides of the table were occupied, five people on each side.

Then there was one side, completely empty. The only empty seat resting behind the table. I immediately knew where this was going.  I walked over and picked up the single white name tag on the plate and looked at it.

Syn.

"Creative," I commended them all before crushing the paper in my fist and letting it fall. I took the seat. As if it didn't already feel like the entire world was against me, here was a visual representation.

Directly across me, my father pulled a chair open for Queen. She sat down, pulling it forward and Lucifer took the seat beside her. My mother sat on his other side, giving Queen a sad glance before looking at me.

I'm sorry, she mouthed and I sat back, tapping the armrest impatiently. Sorry wasn't going to cut it this time. I was at my withsend with accepting apologies from my parents. Their betrayal was such a regular occurrence that we could've scheduled regular weekly apology sessions and there would always be something to discuss.

I was over it.

On the other side of Queen, I saw a man. One that I didn't recognize and I didn't like that in the slightest. He looked away from me and glanced at Queen and something stirred in me. He needed to watch it. Seeing as I was already on edge, one wrong move and his blood would be splattered on the painting on the wall behind them.

My eyes moved to the table to the left and I saw the Underworld faction leaders. One by one.

The leader of the Witches.

Then werewolves.

Demons. Hades nodded at me in agreement and I returned it.

Humans...

And lastly the Vampires.

Drake.

He was the one closest to me. At least as close as ten feet could be anyway. He tilted a glass of whiskey in my direction as a greeting and I rolled my eyes. Just fucking great. If this night was designed to pilfer me to Hell and condemn me, he would be the first to the stage.

I swung my head in the direction of the table to my right and I saw the previous faction leaders. The ones that held power during my father's rule. When Queen took over they were replaced and when I got back on the throne, I didn't see the need in changing anything. She did a good job.

My eyes finally made it to the spot where D sat and she waved at me enthusiastically. It had been a long time, but the excitement was misplaced. At least in here.

"We are here tonight because of the events that took place around last week on June third," my father spoke, glancing down at a stack of paper. "On the night of the full moon, we detected a resurrection spell taking place on Earth. Upon further investigation, we found out that the ritual was initiated on a property owned by you." He read off the address. "Do you own this property?"

"So this is a trial..." I said. Not a dinner. I could've skipped this bullshit.

"It's an assessment," the man beside Queen said. "Please comply."

I let out a breath and looked at my father. "I own the property. You know this."

"And it was on said property that Ms. Beverly died?" My father said, glancing at me.

"Sure." I nodded.

"So yes?"

"Correct," I replied, bored with the line of questioning.

"So you are admitting that she was dead?" He asked.

I knocked my knuckles on the armrest. "It's been established."

"Then you admit you are the one who resurrected her using forbidden magic?"

I shook my head. "No."

"There are consequences—" He paused and looked up at me. "What do you mean no?"

"I mean no," I repeated. "I do not admit that it was me."

"You are lying then?"

"I am not."

"Then was there someone else in the home?" he asked. "Besides you and the two dead bodies?"

I nodded. "Yes."

I heard people in the room break off into whispers and my father leaned forward. "Who?"

"I am not at liberty to say." I couldn't remember much of it either as the events of that night came back to me. A lot had happened. But it wasn't me.

"And you're saying it was them that performed the spell?"

'Yes." I nodded.

"You have to tell us who it was," the mystery man said.

"No, I don't," I said.

He sputtered, "By rule of the panel—"

"By rule of me, I will dictate what I will and will not say. You may proceed with the rest of your questions."

"So you're claiming another being...one we found no trace of...assisted you?" My father said.

"Yes."

"If we couldn't detect them then that means they were from the Upperworld," he said and I stilled, my eyes drifting to Queen. Her eyes were focused on the table, but I knew she was listening.

"Correct," I finally said and the room broke out once again into hushed whispers.

"Why would an upperworlder help you?" My father asked me. "You must've offered them something worthwhile and for a spell as lucrative as the one used, it had to be big. What did you give them?"

"Nothing that belongs to any of you," I finally said. "My private dealings with people are none of your business. So long as it's not to the detriment of the Underworld, there should be no problem."

"What did you give them, Syn?"

"What did you give God when he resurrected my mother two years ago?" I shot back and gasps floated throughout the room and I smiled. He wasn't the only one that could put someone on the spot. "What? Is he the only one allowed to collude with enemies in the name of love?"

"That was different," he gritted out, anger flaring in his eyes as he looked at me. "I had no other choice—"

"You think I did?" I asked him. "You don't think I'm capable of feeling that same desperation you felt? The only difference between the both of us is that I know what I gave...you still don't know, do you? You have no idea what he wants, yet you accepted. For all we know you're trying to gain back control of the Underworld just to serve it up to him on a silver platter."

"You know I would never do that."

"You wouldn't have a choice."

He let out a breath of frustration. "You're one to talk, Syn. You would give up the Underworld for her life if you got the chance."

"I would," I agreed. "But I'd give myself up first before that ever became a choice. I would die to protect my family and I would die for the Underworld. Can you say the same?"

"I can," he said.

"Then you would be a liar."

The old warlock from Luicfer's rule cleared his throat and spoke up. "We have spoken and come to the decision to hold a vote," he said. A vote? "Two legacies sit before us and according to ancient law, created by you," he gestured toward my father. "If there is a conflict of interest and the position of King of Hell is ever undecided, the faction leaders will vote."

"No," I immediately said. "There is no reason why my position should've ever been threatened anyway. All I've done is take a leave but I've been active with everything."

"That is true, but the nature of your leave has been made aware to us all. We all know about the drug abuse. And you cannot say that that alone doesn't hinder your ability to be the king we need, can you?"

Did he tell them? I let out a scoff and ran a hand through my hair. "And you think my father would be a better fit." Even high as a kite, I was a better king. By far.

"He's led us since the beginning of time," the demon beside the old man spoke up.

"Led you or kept you stagnant?" I asked. "He was entitled to rule as he pleased but you have to admit that the Underworld hasn't flourished like it has under me. I've done more in two years than he's done in a hundred."

"That time was spent trying to conquer Heaven," my father spoke up.

"Yes," I said. "In a war that you lost because you were too blinded by your daddy issues to see that the Underworld was in shambles. Instead of admitting defeat when hundreds of thousands of our people were being killed, you created and sent more."

"That's the cost of war," he reminded me. "You used to know this."

"It's the cost of ignorance," I said. "I only blindly followed it as your soldier."

Not son.

"So you condemn what he's done for us," the demon spoke again and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. His followers were loyal that was for sure.

"No," I said. "I don't. What worked for you all worked for you all but this is a new day and age. Children are being born in the Underworld," I finally said. "A hundred times more than the few that were here a few decades ago. The entire world is evolving and we are behind— if my father gets back on that throne, you are taking us back. The children here will grow up in a world of bloodshed and war. They will spend their lives preparing night and day— for years for a war they will lose! How can you want that for them?"

Everyone was silent at that, even my father. I didn't even mean to get so passionate, but I couldn't hold back. I had grown up under my father. I had seen firsthand where his priorities lie when his father and taking over Heaven was concerned. He would rather set the entirety of the Underworld on fire before waving the white flag. I used to be just like him until I realized there were more important things.

I despised everything the Heavens stood for, along with their leader, but I knew when to stand down. I had something to lose now.

My eyes made their way back to Queen and she had a smile on her face as she took a sip of water. I guess I did say the right thing.

I took my eyes away from her when the man beside her began to speak. "What I'm hearing is that you have no intention of taking down the Upperworld. Is that right?"

I sighed. "That's not right. One day, I fully intend to take over. But not like this," I said. "We need to work from within first. We need to rest— even God rested after everything he did and he created us. As much as I hate him, I'm not stupid enough to think I'm more powerful. If he needed a day— the Underworld is going to need at least a few years. Eventually, we can get there, but it's going to take time."

"Time is a luxury," the warlock spoke up, his lip curling into a bit of a smile.

"A luxury we have in abundance," I said. Time was all we had.

"And what about us?" The old human spoke up from his seat. "Some of us don't have that time. We'd like to be able to see something happen in our lifetime."

Humans. Probably the unluckiest of us all but it wasn't like we necessarily created them. They were Upperworld creatures. Some just happened to come over year after year and eventually ten became ten thousand and ten thousand became ten million. They needed a district leader of their own after that and the one speaking to me happened to be the first.

His replacement on my left side nodded in agreement and I spoke candidly. "I can't give you immortality."

"That is why we need to take over the Heavens," he said. "They have it. Humans, Angels, and Witches that reside in the Upperworld can live forever without ever having to die or give up their souls."

"Okay." I nodded, pointing to the wall closest. "Then go. I can create a portal for you to the Upperworld right now. Would you like me to?"

I stood up, walked over, and did just that. The portal glowed a bright red before turning the inky black. After a few moments, the light from the Upperworld began to peek through with golden rays and I turned back to everyone. "Whoever wants to go, feel free. I have never stopped you before and I won't stop you now- here's a free ticket." I held my hand out to it and the humans and witches looked at one another. "Eternal youth, sunshine, and a world without pain." Nobody moved. "No?"

That's what I thought.

I shut the portal and walked back to my seat. "You all don't want immortality. You want to live. You want passion, you want the danger, the pain...you don't want to live your life following a book— you want to write it. You don't have to follow a god, or you can follow all the ones to ever exist. We do not give a fuck- this is Hell. You stay because you want to feel alive...for as long...or as little time as you have left."

The man nodded slowly.

"I can't give you immortality without taking away the very parts of you that you'd like to preserve." Their souls. They could bargain with their souls if they wanted to, but none of them would. Nobody was entitled to reward without sacrifice. "I truthfully can't give you anything if you just asked, but you always have a choice. None of this is to say that in the future that won't change, but right now, you're the only ones that can determine how long your lives will last."

Or short. I could kill them, but that didn't seem like the appropriate time to slip in the threat.

The room fell silent at my words and I sat back down in the seat. The old warlock turned to my father. "Would you like to say anything before we vote?"

My father cleared his throat and stood up."I'll start with this; Syn, I am beyond proud of the leader you've become. You speak of change and revolution against me..." He laughed a bit. "You remind me of a younger me before I was banished from Heaven. Although, unlike my father, I would never cast you away for disagreeing with me. But I do disagree with you." He looked away from me and directed his next words toward the room. "What the Underworld needs is power."

"Power can only be gained by having power," I shot back. And compared to Heaven, we had hardly any.

"And we get that power by preparing for war," he told me. "I stepped away from the throne when my son died. I believed I was no longer emotionally equipped to handle it, but he's back. And I am healed. I was wrong to step away even though I left it in more than capable hands..." He smiled down at Queen before looking back up. "The Underworld and Hell belongs to me and one day when he shows me he is ready, I will rightfully pass it back down to my son."

When he shows me...

I scoffed.

"Well, let us vote then," the warlock said. "As the grand presiding warlock, in the event of a tie, I will consider both sides and make a decision."

I rolled my eyes at that one. He'd obviously vote for Lucifer.

"Both legacies of faction leaders will participate in this vote." He looked across at the table where Drake and Hades sat with everyone else and I could practically feel the Underworld being snatched from my hands.

I was outnumbered.

"As there are nine voters...Gregory." He looked at the man sitting next to Queen. "You will make number ten."

Definitely outnumbered.

Fuck this.

I rubbed my temples, a headache brewing and the warlock continued. "Per Underworld customs, the vote will be shown by a raise of hands. Those of you who'd like for Lucifer to be reinstated as King of Hell, please keep your hands down. Those of you who'd like for Syn to remain, raise them. Please cast your votes."

I didn't want to look, but I forced myself to.

The first hand up was Hades's.

One.

Then the Leader of the Witches beside him.

Two.

Then the young Human Leader on my left.

Three.

Shit...

In my peripheral, I saw the hand of the old, brittle human man I had argued with a moment ago shoot up and I nodded to myself. Four. I appreciated his vote, but I had still lost.

My eyes shut, a life where I wasn't King flashing through my head and it pained me. I had Queen so I knew I'd survive. But this was what I was born to do. Kids had dreams and aspirations...I had Hell. I lived and breathed Hell. The fire coursed through my veins and if I wasn't King, I didn't know who I was—

"And we are tied," I heard the warlock's voice and my head immediately snapped up. My eyes did a quick survey of the room to see where the extra vote had come from and they landed on Drake's. His hand hung lazily in the air like it pained him to vote for me, but he did. It counted.

I almost wanted to celebrate until I realized what a tie meant.

"Now, I am going to be the deciding factor," the warlock spoke up again and I blew out a breath. He had served my father for over fifty years and I had hardly spoken to him for more than five minutes. This wasn't even a fifty-fifty anymore. I didn't need to sit here for this loss.

My eyes landed on Queen and I gestured toward the door. I wanted to leave. I moved to stand up but she shook her head, making me halt my movements. I furrowed my brows at her in confusion and her eyes pleaded with me. My shoulders slumped at that and I sat back. Did she really need to hear it from his mouth that I was losing the one place that ever meant anything to me?

"As a warlock at my age," he continued. "I've been gifted with the power of sight— I have visions of a future far ahead where the Underworld becomes the place it's always been destined to be. But there is no victory without sacrifice," he said, alluding to my father's ideology and I closed my eyes.

Fuck.

"I see a war coming. A war between the Heavens and Hell unlike one we've ever seen before. I see a small light at the end of that tunnel where we are capable of being victorious and in that light, I see one true ruler. The Underworld is the very fiber of who he is and I trust with all my soul that he is the only one who can truly accomplish everything everyone in this room wishes for."

The moment I saw my father smile at the warlock I knew that this was beyond my control. I only wished he'd stop with the load of bullshit and just spit it out.

"I will vote like the other members." He held a hand straight out. "If my hand is raised when the long hand on the clock reaches twelve, Syn will be King. If I lower it, then I've chosen Lucifer."

Everyone else besides me looked past me to the clock on the wall. The only place I wanted to look at was Queen. I needed the strength and the moment his hand would drop, I knew there was nowhere else I'd be able to get it from. The tension in the room grew as they waited and I let out a shaky breath.

Queen must've sensed my distress because her eyes connected with mine. In that space and time where our eyes locked, I was able to shut out everyone else in the room.

Nothing else matters.

꧁꧂