CHAPTER 0016

Freedom 

Days in the castle had become a blur of monotonous routines, one indistinguishable from the next. 

The vastness of this place, once intriguing and mysterious, now felt suffocating. Every grand hall, every gilded corridor, had become a prison. 

And the more time I spent alone, the more I realized that Lucifer was nowhere to be found. 

His absence weighed on me like a heavy shroud. I was left to wander these empty halls, a ghost of myself, with nothing but my thoughts for company.

My refuge became the library—a cavernous room filled with dusty old books that had once seemed so full of promise. 

I would spend hours there, curled up in one of the massive armchairs, trying to lose myself in stories of distant lands and forgotten times. But no matter how hard I tried, the words refused to hold my interest. 

They felt hollow, empty, just like everything else around me. Even the food I ate tasted like ash, and sleep was no longer a respite but a necessity I barely found solace in.

The emptiness gnawed at me. I felt abandoned, discarded, like a forgotten toy. 

Lucifer had promised me safety, a place in his world, but what good was safety if it meant being completely and utterly alone? The castle, with all its luxury and splendor, was nothing more than a gilded cage, and I was its captive. 

The man who had once made my heart race, who had stirred something deep and primal within me, was now a distant memory, replaced by a cold, calculating leader who seemed to have no time for anything—or anyone—other than his work.

It was during one of these long, desolate days that Asmodeus appeared. 

I was in the library, half-asleep over a book I couldn't even remember picking up. The sound of his footsteps echoed in the silence as he entered, his golden eyes glinting with that familiar mischief.

"Reading again? You really need to get out more, Venneca," he teased, though there was an unmistakable note of concern in his voice as he observed me. 

I looked up at him, forcing a weak smile. Asmodeus had become a frequent visitor lately, always checking in on me, making sure I wasn't entirely lost to despair.

I sighed, closing the book with a soft thud. "What else am I supposed to do, Asmodeus? Lucifer doesn't even know I exist anymore. I'm just…bored. So bored."

His smile widened, a spark of something devious in his eyes. "Well, I might have just the thing to cure that boredom. How about a little adventure? A party on Earth. What do you say?"

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of Earth. I haven't been back since… since everything had changed. 

The idea of leaving this cold, dark place, even for a night, was more tempting than I wanted to admit. "A party? But… how would we even get there? Lucifer—"

"Lucifer doesn't need to know," Asmodeus interrupted, his grin growing wider. 

"We can sneak out. I know you're dying to stretch those legs of yours and have some fun for once. What do you say?"

I hesitated, biting my lip as I weighed the risks. But the thought of escaping, even for just a few hours, was too alluring to resist. "Okay… let's do it."

The night air was crisp as Asmodeus and I slipped out of the castle, climbing out of my window and into the dark garden below. 

My heart raced with the thrill of sneaking out, the cool breeze brushing against my skin, making me feel alive for the first time in what felt like forever. 

It was exhilarating, like being a teenager again, defying curfew, and breaking all the rules.

Asmodeus led the way, his confidence infectious. Before I knew it, we were standing in the middle of a bustling party on Earth. 

The music was loud, the lights blinding, and the energy in the air was electric. It was everything I had been missing—life, excitement, freedom. 

People were dancing, laughing, drinking, and I found myself swept up in the chaos, letting go of all the tension and loneliness that had been weighing me down.

I didn't realize how much I had drunk until the world started to blur around the edges, the colors and sounds blending together in a dizzying whirl. 

Asmodeus was there, always by my side, his hand on my waist, guiding me through the crowd. 

He was different here, more relaxed, more playful, and I found myself drawn to him in a way I hadn't expected.

At some point, the space between us seemed to shrink, and before I knew it, his lips were dangerously close to mine. 

The air between us was thick with tension, and for a brief moment, I wondered if I wanted him to kiss me. 

But then, as the fog of alcohol cleared just enough, I shook my head, pulling back slightly. "Asmodeus, I can't… I see you as a friend," I murmured, my voice slurred but firm.

He sighed, the disappointment clear in his eyes, but he didn't push. 

Instead, he smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. "I understand, Venneca. I just… I want you to know that you deserve better. Lucifer… he's not what you think. He's ruthless, cruel… he doesn't care about anyone but himself."

His words pierced through the haze of alcohol, cutting deeper than I expected. 

"What are you saying?" I asked, my voice trembling as I tried to make sense of his words.

"I'm saying that Lucifer is lying to you. He doesn't love you, Venneca. He's just using you, like he uses everyone else. I've seen it time and time again. He's not capable of love. Not the way you deserve."

I stared at him, my heart aching with confusion and doubt. 

The thought had crossed my mind before, in my loneliest moments, but hearing it out loud… it hurt. More than I wanted to admit.

"Why did I even fall for him?" I whispered, more to myself than to Asmodeus, my voice barely audible over the music. 

The words felt like a betrayal, even though they were my own. How could I have been so blind? So foolish?

Asmodeus didn't answer, but the look in his eyes told me everything. He pitied me, and that was worse than anything he could have said. 

The night, which had started with so much promise, now felt heavy with regret and bitterness. 

I didn't know what to believe anymore, or who to trust. All I knew was that the man I had fallen for was slipping away from me, and I didn't know how to stop it.

As we made our way back to the castle, the thrill of the night had long since faded. 

I was left with a bitter taste in my mouth, the words of Asmodeus echoing in my mind. Maybe he was right. 

Maybe I was just another pawn in Lucifer's grand game, another piece to be used and discarded when no longer useful.

But even as the doubts crept in, a part of me still clung to the memory of the man who had made my heart race, who had made me feel alive in a way no one else ever had. 

I didn't want to believe that he didn't care, that he was incapable of love. 

But the more time passed, the harder it was to hold on to that hope.

As I climbed back into my window and returned to the emptiness of my room, the weight of it all pressed down on me. 

I curled up in bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing with thoughts of Lucifer, Asmodeus, and the future that seemed more uncertain than ever. 

And as I drifted off to sleep, one thought echoed in my mind, over and over.

Why did I even fall for him?

. . .