Queen Rae was not given to hosting lavish gatherings. She did not care for the company of other nobles, and had no desire to waste her time on empty courtesies and barbed conversations. Meetings with the Queen were coordinated by Advisor Xiang, an austere figure with a severe dislike for nonsense and frivolity. The castle's grand ballroom was summarily neglected in favor of more pragmatic spaces for many years, depriving demons of rank of a suitable stage to display their wealth and power.

The news of a grand celebration in the Queen's halls were therefore met with much excitement. Invitations were not scarce; every family of worth received a royal missive, and set to preparing appropriate attire and gifts with great haste. Within this larger pool of attendees, there were a handful who were awarded a greater honor: The opportunity to dine with the Queen, for all to see and envy.

These special invitations were awarded discreetly, during the ball itself. Shadow-guards flickered between finely-dressed figures. It was not clear who they approached until the time for the meal arrived and the glittering room came to order. The voice of the songstress, a beauty draped in silver robes and pearls, still curled in the air. It was a melancholy tune, but so sweetly sung that it was a joy to hear nonetheless.

Seats were not assigned in the grand hall, where most of the congregation was to be served. The demons in attendance nonetheless grouped naturally, following invisible rules of rank and partiality. Those with ambition and a smooth tongue talked their way into more powerful company. Most were content to discuss their betters with peers of the same rank, and so the seating arrangement was decided quickly and peacefully. Only one man appeared at odds with his lot.

Dominus Todd was a tall, severe demon of strong build and fiery temperament. As the eldest living member of an ancient lineage, he wielded great political power – power he did not hesitate to leverage against his nephew and ill-begotten master of the House of Todd whenever an opportunity arose. If it were not for the Queen's favor, Gabriel Todd would have long been relegated to some empty title in a remote territory far away from Hel's capital.

As it were, Dominus was feeling rather neglected himself.

"The Duke of Hollowground certainly looks pleased," a voice whispered in Dominus' ear.

Dominus slanted a narrow-eyed look at the High Table. The demons there were all known to him, and while some were more deserving than others, none compared to him in pedigree. The Duke of Hollowground was especially out of place. Into power but for a handful of generations, and already fat off the labor of others. Dominus did not bother to conceal his sneer.

"The useless coward is right at home with the lot of them. What poor taste," he said.

The demoness sitting beside him laughed charmingly. Dominus could not recall her name, nor did he wish to do so – she was but one among many lesser demons striving for his attention. Her identity was not low, and her charm was significant enough to earn her a seat at Dominus' side. Nonetheless, she held no interest beyond her willingness to serve as a mirror to Dominus' moods and thus please him with her words.

The same could not be spoken for the woman sitting at Dominus' right.

"Husband should take another look," Sha Nue said coldly.

Sha Nue was also known as Lady Todd, a position she had assumed in the same manner merchants of the kingdoms Above brokered new business ventures. The two of them were well-matched, and so they came together for the glory of their families. Dominus held no love for his wife. He did however value her council, knowing that her goals aligned with his own. When he looked toward the High Table again he did so carefully, taking note of all present. A startled chuckle left his lips.

"What does his lordship find so amusing?" the coquettish demoness asked.

Dominus turned away from her, effectively shunning her company. He sought Sha Nue's sly eyes instead.

"All seven of them, not one missing," he said, a glimmer of admiration in his voice. Investigating the matter so thoroughly would have required tremendous effort. The Queen had many faults, but no one could deny that she had surrounded herself with people of singular talent and loyalty.

"Husband chose wisely," Sha Nue said.

Dominus' mood soured. He recognized the demons gathered at the Queen's table and knew of their crime, because he had initially been part of their circle. It had been at his wife's urging that he forbore from going through with their plan. The humiliation of taking an oath of silence as punishment for bowing out of a highly dangerous operation was nearly unbearable, and led to one of the few true fights between Dominus and his wife. At present, Dominus could only nod tersely and avoid Sha Nue's eyes.

Up on the platform, Duke Hollowground was no longer smiling. The man sat unnaturally still, but his eyes darted every which way, as if seeking an exit. There was naturally none to be found. The High Table was suspended above the ballroom floor, inaccessible other than a single, narrow staircase. Dominus amused himself by contemplated whether Hollowground would do something as foolish as attempt to rush the steps in a bid to leave. Watching the portly demon totter down the dainty crystal steps would certainly be entertaining.

Hollowground's companions fared no better, although they hid their discomposure with greater aplomb. They recognized each other, naturally, and knew in their hearts that their being called to such a prominent place did not promise good things.

The seat at the head of the table was empty. The Queen had yet to arrive, but Advisor Xiang was present to oversee the assembled men and women. He paced the raised platform slowly, watching over the seven lords gathered there with jade eyes.

"Do you suppose," Dominus began, speaking to Sha Nue.

A commotion stole his attention. The unknown demoness seating at Dominus' side rose in a hurry, bowing almost double as she gestured for a newcomer to take her place.

"Thank you kindly, Lady Elvira," Queen Rae said.

Sha Nue rose to her feet. Dominus followed suit with a moment's delay, joining the rest of the hall as they paid respect to the Queen of Hel.

"Sit, beloved subjects," the Queen bid. "It is time."

Dominus retook his seat. He was conscious of the Queen's presence at his side, his usual discontent suppressed by trepidation. The Queen was a powerful demon – far more powerful than Dominus, loath as he was to admit to the fact. Tradition and instinct both demanded that he thread with care.

The hall had fallen silent. Not a clink of cutlery could be heard as those in attendance split their attention between the Queen and the table hung above their heads. Many had envied the seven lords seated there. The eyes that fell on the High Table now were filled with malice and thinly veiled glee.

"You know your guilt. How do you plead?" the Queen asked.

There was an uproar at last. The accused lords shouted over each other, asking about their crime, denying wrong-doing, demanding evidence and decrying their humiliation.

"Advisor Xiang," the Queen said. Her voice cut through the babble like a sword through fat.

Advisor Xiang came to the mouth of the staircase. He produced a scroll from his sleeve, which he unrolled with great ceremony and read without inflection or pause.

"For the high crime of conspiring to open a passage to the Kingdoms Above..." the record began.

Listed were dates, names, and evidence so clear it was as if the Queen had been present all along, peering over the accused's shoulders. Quiet murmurs broke throughout the hall.

"Hel bears a heavy crown," the Queen began once Advisor Xiang was through. She sat leisurely in her seat, as at ease as if she were dining alone. "Our neighbors honor us with rich tributes, because we stand as their defense against the dangers of the Desolate Lands and the Worlds Above. Imagine their anger, if they were to learn that there are some amongst us willing to conspire with our enemies for personal gain."

The Queen turned her eyes to the High Table, pinning all there still.

"You are guilty of treason. The punishment will fit the crime."

It did not take long for the accused lords to gather themselves, and attempt a defense. The Queen no longer paid them any heed. Advisor Xiang, too, did not appear interested in curbing the commotion. The man descended the staircase leading to the ballroom proper. At the bottom, he yielded way for someone else, bowing his head in passing.

Dominus narrowed his eyes.

The songstress made her way up the crystal steps slowly. Her robes were too rich for a mere entertainer, and her bearing was as regal as that of any noble. The thin smile on her red lips sent shivers up Dominus' spine.

There was one seat still empty, at the head of the table. The songstress took it as if it were hers by right. She looked at each of the lords present in turn, body coiled still.

"I will not stand for this – this –" one of the lords cried out, banging at the table as he rose, as if to leave.

"You will find seven golden cups at the center of the table," the Queen interrupted, unmoved. "They contain lethal poison. If you choose to drink, you will pay for your crime fully and We will be satisfied."

"And if we do not?" another lord asked after a pause.

"If you do not, and your crimes are proven true as recorded, your Houses and seven generations of your family will be ground to dust."

The lord who had spoken stared at the Queen, aghast. She was an older demon, old enough for her age to show in her face and the gray in her hair. After a long moment, she reached for one of the golden cups.

"Lady Fei!" one of her companions shouted in anger.

Lady Fei drank. She slumped in her chair soon thereafter, gone so quickly it made even the most coldblooded demons in the room uneasy.

One by one, the remaining lords took their due. Lady Fei had already decided all of their fates – her death was as good as an admission, and the record Advisor Xiang read was too thorough to allow them any chance of survival. They could, however, protect their House and lineage in death. It was the only bargain they could hope to secure.

Only Duke Hollowground remained. The man watched his companions die one by one, eyes growing rounder in fright. Dominus watched him with much interest. He saw the precise moment the man snapped and ran for the stairs, overturning his chair and tripping over one of the dead lords in his haste.

Dominus did not see the songstress move.

Duke Hollowground paused with a foot on the highest step. His body still strained forward, hands shaking at his sides.

His head was swallowed by a monster's jaws, long teeth cinched tight around his neck.

It was the songstress, Dominus realized distantly. Still the same beautiful face, only split from ear to ear and swollen grotesquely. A wrench of her teeth solved all of Duke Hollowground's worries. The man's body remained frozen for a moment, then tumbled forward, gushing viscous blood as it rolled down the stairs.

The songstress' neck rolled back into her body. She had not moved otherwise, and now passed dainty fingers over her bloody mouth. Her pupils were slitted when she looked to the Queen.

"It iss done," she said.

"As promised," Queen Rae responded. To the room, she introduced, "Lady Bai Suzhen is an envoy of the Seventh Kingdom. She was tasked to oversee Our punishment."

The Queen said nothing more. The serpent envoy paid no attention to the curious glances thrown her way, and chose to take her supper where she sat. The dead lords remained as they were for the duration of the meal. Duke Hollowground's decapitated body drew not a few disgusted looks.

"You knew," Dominus said.

They were in their carriage, just he and Sha Nue. It was late. The roads were quiet this far out of the palace, and dark. The lantern inside the cabin swayed gently with the motion of the wheels.

It had been a long night. Small talk was not Dominus' forte, and he did not enjoy being forced into pleasantries with the Queen – especially not while she looked him over like a beast she was considering for either purchase or slaughter.

Sha Nue hummed in agreement. She was busy writing a missive of some sort, using her own blood rather than ink. The message would not be visible to anyone not of her bloodline.

"Was your family employed in the Queen's investigation?" Dominus pressed.

They paused at a crossroad. A gentle tap at the bottom of the carriage had Sha Nue bending to open a hidden trap door. Dominus watched a small, furry creature poke its head through the opening. It had no eyes, but its bulbous nose seemed sufficient in directing its attention. Sha Nue recovered a letter from the creature's collar, and attached her own in its place with practiced movements. She then fed the creature a squirming burbee and sent it on its way.

The carriage resumed its steady pace. Dominus resigned himself to the silence, unsurprised at Sha Nue's refusal to answer his inquiry. Her family performed a very specific sort of service. Their clientele was often the kind whose name could not be spoken casually.

"Seek out your nephew and reconcile," Sha Nue said.

Dominus harrumphed. This, too, was an old argument between them. "Gabriel is a lazy, capricious brat. What use is he to me?"

Sha Nue looked at him. She was a beautiful woman, but her upbringing had deadened her face of all traces of emotion. Conversing with her was a bit like talking with a statue, only a statue would likely not win arguments as often.

"Gabriel Todd is master of your House, whether you wish to acknowledge the fact or not. He is also favored by the Queen. Lines are being drawn again, Dominus; I trust you will choose wisely this time, as well."

Dominus ground his teeth.

Case and point.