We spectered to the Underworld immediately after I showered and changed. When I opened my empty closet, I realized that most of my clothes were still in the Underworld. Begrudgingly, I picked a sleeveless button down black dress in the back with a bright floral pattern. It was a special occasion, I told myself, if only because Damien was at last back.

Once we appeared in the Underworld, Oren led our small group down long corridors and doors until we came up against a large set of doors.

Oren turned towards us. "The Council is almost assembled. The Witnesses as well. I will open the doors as soon as the last lord arrives."

Oren turned to leave a room through the doors we came in, taking his Guard with him. Azazeal, Damien and I stood at the still closed large double doors.

Panic gripped me. "Now?" I turned to Damien. "We're doing this now?"

Damien looked at me apologetically. "I'm sorry, Em. It needs to be done as soon as possible." He sighed as he placed his hands on my shoulders. "I'm so sorry to burden you with this. I was desperate. I am afraid that he'll crawl his way back and harm you. Harm the Underworld." He presses his forehead against mine. "You are the only person I trust."

I looked at his eyes. "Why don't you want to take it back?"

He closed his eyes and I could have sworn I felt him shaking against me. "I don't trust that he's truly gone, Em. I-I don't feel like myself."

My heart squeezed. I shook my head placing my hands on his cheeks. "I know you Damien, I know the real you." I tried to search for the term. "I can feel your soul, I felt your energy while he possessed you and I feel it now." I remained strong. "He is gone. You are you. You are the man I fell in love with- this is you."

I heard a deep chuckle. "You fell in love with me." He didn't seem surprised. He said it with mild amusement.

A small laugh did escape my lips. "I guess it took me a while to realize it." I looked at him, determination in my voice. "I will give it back to you when you're ready," I whispered. "But you are you, Damien. I promise."

"Alteaza."

I turned to Oren as he called me. "They're ready for you."

I swallowed the panic starting to bubble in me. "O-okay."

Damien turned towards the doors, his hand perfectly still in my shaking one. "Whatever happens," he said softly. "Be strong. Stand your ground. They will test you, they will want to see you as undeserving of the crown and title." He leaned over to me, his breath tickling my ear. "Dark fae respect power, they crave it. You are the most powerful of us all now. Show them."

I pulled away, looking at his amethyst eyes. "Even you?"

He nodded slowly, placing a stray hair behind my ear. "Yes. Even me."

The double doors opened in front of us flooding the room with new light. My eyes adjusted quickly and as they did, a new sense of dread settled on me.

The room was immense. The high vaulted ceilings made everything in the room seem so much smaller. The wall to the right had windows from floor to ceiling bathing the room in sunshine. As I looked out the window, I could see the Ylee and the bustling city alive with movement.

The remaining ebony walls of the room were bare save for some statues and paintings that decorated some panels of the walls. A large red carpet went down the length of the room, leading up to a large table that took up most of the space. Men and women stood around the table, watching us intently as we entered.

I didn't recognize any of them except for two.

Asmodeus stood near the head of the table we approached.

Julian was further down the same table, arms crossed, his expression unreadable as his eyes followed us. I didn't know what to make of it and for the moment, didn't let it occupy my thoughts.

The table was the deepest black I'd ever seen. We stopped at the table in front of a cream-colored parchment with a quill next to it.

I read it over and recognized it as the 'official papers' Damien had spoken about. The text read a complicated lineage full of titles and names and all ended with my own name with the title 'Queen of the Underworld' next to it.

I tried not to show my panic again.

"Thank you all for meeting on such short notice."

"What is this all about, Alteazor?" One of the women spoke at the end of the table. She was dark-skinned, beautiful with delicate features. "Asmodeus gathered us with such short notice, telling us the Council had to reconvene - is everything all right?"

"I am no longer your Alteazor, Lady Sayri." He looked at me with such tenderness in his eyes it caught me by surprise. "Emylin is our new queen."

A small murmur erupted from the new men and women.

"I pledged my allegiance to her last night-"

A man spoke up in the back. "This is ridiculous. She must be a delicious lay for you to hand over the kingdom to her without marriage-"

Everyone moved at once.

I had the foresight to stop Julian from drawing his sword, to keep Damien from using his power like the night before and even keeping Oren from crossing the room. I did not anticipate anyone else to come to my defense and the one other that did took me most by surprise.

Asmo had moved faster than it took for me to take a breath and before the man finished his sentence, Asmo slammed his head into the table so hard it rebounded. He used his knee to push the man's legs in, making him fall to the floor on his knees. He grabbed a fistful of the man's hair and pulled his head back, exposing his neck. With his free hand, he placed a dagger beneath the man's Adam's apple.

No one moved as Asmo hissed something in the man's ear.

Julian scoffed, taking a drink from the glass in his hand. I noticed he was the only one having anything to drink. "Court hasn't changed in the decades I haven't attended, I see."

Asmo looked up at him, "You'd have him talk to your queen in that way?"

Julian didn't look at him. He only looked at the glass as he placed it on the table in front of him. "Not at all. The man would be dead now if Emylin hadn't stopped me. At least you have some self-control."

"I only stopped long enough to hear him apologize."

The woman that had spoken earlier, sighed. "Alteaza, can you please ask him to stop?"

Be strong, I reminded myself. Stand your ground, Damien had said. I tilted my head, still watching the man as he writhed under Asmo's grip. "I haven't heard an apology." I could have sworn a saw Asmo's eyes gleam in satisfaction. "When he does, I'll consider it."

I heard Damien chuckle next to me. "It's only fair, Sayri."

Sayri sighed again. "I apologize on his behalf-"

I shook my head. "No." I looked at her delicate eyes. "I didn't put my life on the line to protect the Underworld and it's king just to be disrespected by someone who jumps to conclusions without facts."

Damien shrugged. "I'd question whether or not you'd want him on your council, Alteaza."

"Where would we get our entertainment then?" I smiled. "But I do think Asmodeus has the Council covered."

A small choked cough began from the pair at the end of the table.

I swallowed the disgust I suddenly felt. It's a game. Just a game. "Asmodeus, is he ready to speak?"

The man choked out a small apology before fully collapsing on the floor heaving large breaths.

Asmodeus stepped away, his heavy shoes pounding the floor as he made his way back to the head of the table, sheathing the small dagger as he did.

Damien cleared his throat. "There is a reason it's Emylin. We owe everything to her, she has saved us from a great danger. She will temporarily hold the title until such time when it is safe enough to return it to me."

I wondered how much information he would give. What did they understand 'safe enough' was?

"My Father held this Council in high regards," Damien said to them all. "We do not need your permission but we respect you enough to inform you of the decision. However, we will need you to keep your silence on this - the rest of the Underworld cannot know what transpired."

A man across the room nodded. "We understand that this decision was not made lightly. Any decision made is for the betterment of the Underworld."

"Good," Asmo said shortly. "Then let's begin."

The first to step forward was Oren followed by Elvina. They signed the document then turned the quill over to the next person who signed as well. I felt a heavier burden every time someone stepped forward and placed the quill to the paper. I swallowed the panic every time.

Julian was next. Instead of only signing, he placed his hand over the paper and the seal of Skryen appeared much in the same way I'd seen it done before.

He didn't even spare me a glance as he did.

As Julian made his way back, Asmo strode forward and took the quill from the well, placing it on the paper. He signed with a flourish then placed his hand over the paper in the same Julian had. A new seal appeared next to his long name.

He stepped back and Damien took his place.

He signed his name below everyone else's and had his own seal appear next to it.

He handed me the quill and, before I could change my mind, I signed my name below everyone else's, where indicated trying to hide my shaking hand. As soon as the pen left the paper, my middle finger on my right hand became heavier. I turned my hand over and watched the ring that suddenly appeared in the sunlight. The metal was pure black with intricate thorn like design etched around the delicate band.

The top of it stood one of the largest stones I'd ever seen. It was deep in color and reminded me of the colors of the throne. It was like raven feathers. As the light hit it, the colors would change across it throwing the familiar violet and turquoise.

And in the same way the throne had once, the stone sang to me, a sweet sound that instantly comforted me. It had to have been from the same place as the throne. Carved from the stone bed of the Ylee, Damien had one said.

Immediately, the paper disappeared from in front of us with little ceremony.

Damien appeared next to me taking the hand with the ring. I felt his lips against my ear, "Now everyone will see you as I always have, my queen."

I watched Julian take a long drink from his glass again from across the table.

"So when should we be back for the party?"

I frowned at the man that spoke. Of all the questions that I expected, I didn't expect that one. "Party?"

Julian sighed, annoyance laced in his voice. "Nope, nothing has changed."

Damien let out his own small sigh, letting my hand go. "Yes, of course. A party. Traditionally, we have parties to commemorate such milestones."

I shook my head. "All you ever do is party, isn't it?"

Most of those that I knew sheepishly shrugged their shoulders.

I shrugged my own shoulders. "I guess a party isn't a terrible idea -"

Oren spoke up, "I will have the right people available to you to prepare for it."

I nodded. "Thank you, Oren."

Asmo looked up at the men and women at the end of the table. "The Council is dismissed."

All at once the Council, including the man from before, bowed their heads and instantly disappeared.

Damien let out a long breath with a laugh. "Behold, your people, Em."

I rolled my eyes. "Are they always such douches?"

Damien shook his head. "Not all."

Julian snorted. "No, just the majority of those in court."

Asmo crossed his arms. "Next time, I will rip his tongue out."

I shook my head. "Isn't that a bit extreme?"

Everyone in the room responded in unison, "No."

I swallowed. "O-Okay, right. Not extreme at all." I cleared my throat, placing my hands on my cheeks. "Now, what? Other than plan for a party."

"For one thing," Julian said. "We have unfinished business in Skryen."

I nodded. Right, my parents.

Damien ran his hand over his face. "There's the fallout of Robyn's actions."

I swallowed. "Like?"

"The secret meetings, what he said to you as he -" He paused. "When you two fought."

I couldn't remember. "What did he say?"

He took a breath, leaning against the table as he tended to do. He crossed his arms. "He said he didn't care if 'they' needed you alive for their plan to work."

"Who is 'they'?"

Damien shook his head. "I wish I knew." He looked at Oren. "Do you know?"

Oren shook his head. "He made sure that we were kept in the dark. He made us swear on our life to keep the secrets. He was very careful about the way he worded his bargains."

I covered my face with my hands. I just wanted this to be over. I needed this to be over. The panic I'd been holding back was bubbling again threatening to spill over.

"We don't have enough information on that for now," Julian said firmly. "We should conduct interviews with everyone involved. For now, Emylin has something more pertinent in Skryen."

I dropped my hands. "Yes, right." I turned to the group. "I think I need to go alone."

Damien raised an eyebrow.

I shrugged. "The last time my parents saw you, you were attacking them. I need to talk to them first. I need to make them understand what happened."

Damien slowly nodded. "Of course."

I walked to him, taking his hand. "Will you be all right while I'm gone?"

Damien gave a small smile, he leaned forward and placed a kiss on my forehead. "I will be fine."

I walked to Julian and as I did Azazeal walked to me.

I shook my head. "Oh, no. You're going to scare the crap out of them. Azazeal, you need to stay here." I looked at Damien and smiled. "Protect Damien."

Damien rolled his eyes. "That is hardly necessary."

I laughed. "Annoying, isn't it?"

Oren stepped forward. "I insist you take the Guard with you."

I'd forgotten I'd have guards now to follow my every move. I shook my head. "No. I'm going to have a hard enough time explaining everything up to this point to them. I can't add royal bodyguards." I looked at Julian. "I'll be safe. Skryen is safe."

Julian only nodded.

I looked at Oren. "Besides, I think your and the Guard's time will be better used trying to find out what Robyn was up to." I looked at Asmo. "You too, Asmo."

Asmo's lips quirked ever so slightly. "She's already acting like a queen."

Damien straightened slightly, I could see the satisfaction on his face. "No one else is as worthy."

Asmo scoffed. "Except you picked up the first dark fae you came across to be your queen last time -"

Damien rolled his eyes. "Gods, will you give it a rest?" It seemed like it was a continuation of a previous conversation. "Circumstances were very different, Asmo."

Slowly, I stepped back, taking Julian's hand as he extended it towards me. "I think we should leave now."

Julian laughed right before we spectered. "As my queen demands."

[A/N]: Thank you so much again for your support! Especially you, once-silent-readers, you've been coming out of the woodwork with your votes and comments lately and I absolutely adore you for it.

You are all amazing!