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“But… then what of Azriel?” Neera asked. Penelope’s frown softened. “What of you two? Is everything okay?”

Penelope folded her arms as if guarding herself against sharing the truth.

“Pen?” Neera called, waiting for her to speak.

“The war is making me worried, Neera, that’s all,” Penelope answered. “And I am worried about my Master, yes, probably more than a maid should be.”

“Do you,” Neera shifted closer, and raised her head to look at Penelope. “Do you think that maybe you love him and that’s why you are fighting your feelings because you believe it isn’t supposed to be so?”

Penelope’s eyes grew so wide Neera was afraid they would pop out. She opened her mouth, gasped, and then, a loud laugh rang from her.

“Neera,” she hiccupped in between her laughs. “Stop! Riddle and joke time was long over.”

“But I wasn’t joking, Pen.”

.....

“Yes, yes you are,” Penelope laughed some more, used a finger to wipe the tear in her eye, and patted her aching stomach as the last of the laugh receded. She squared her shoulders and smiled at her best friend.

“No, I believe you are wrong,” she told Neera.

“Am I?” Neera was on her feet, indignation stinging her words. “Or are you just scared to admit it?”

“Why are you making what was just a sensual affair to be more than it is?” Penelope asked.

“Because you two are running around in circles when you both clearly have feelings for each other,” Neera said, exasperated. “Stop it already, Pen. You are both adults, and he wants you, but you turn him away. He is a demon, you are human, and is that such a bad thing?”

“It is not done, Neera.”

“And why?”

“Because you said it, we are different!” Penelope cried out. “I would grow old and die, and if he doesn’t die in the war, he keeps remaining the way he is for maybe hundreds of centuries more to come. And yes, you were human when the King fell for you, but you are a demon now, not all of us have the same fate that you did, Neera.”

Neera blinked. She realized her mistake by delving into her friend’s personal matter, which was a touchy subject for Penelope. Her best friend was red in the face, and Neera had been selfish to believe every love was meant to be chased, not pushed away. But Penelope had been right, there were too many factors she had to consider.

“Pen, I am sorry,” Neera apologized.

It was a knock that pulled both of their attention to the door. Penelope reached for her cleaning supplies as Zavian, Azriel, and Freya walked into the room. The conversation earlier must have hung its effect in the air because all three demons watched both her and Penelope carefully.

Neera was hoping none of their conversations had made their way to their ears.

“I have to leave,” Penelope said to no one in particular, and hurried to the door.

“Wait,” Azriel stopped her. He stepped forward, and to Neera, he said, “I would like Penelope to come back with me to my estate when I am leaving. I’ll bring her over anytime I come around, is that okay, your Majesty?”

Neera tried to gauge how Penelope felt about that, but she remembered their earlier conversation. Penelope had done so much for her already, and the one talk she could have had with her, she had ruined it trying to make sense of why someone would reject love.

But she was only laying it thick on Penelope because she wanted Zavian, the one that loved her in his every action, back into her life. And Penelope had that but was throwing it away. Neera had believed it was wrong, but she clearly hadn’t put herself in Penelope’s shoes.

“Yes, no problem,” Neera agreed. Penelope looked up at her, her expression unreadable, and Azriel shot her a concerned look.

“Go pack your things, Pen,” Azriel said.

Penelope nodded, and she bowed again before leaving the room.

“Okay,” Freya clapped once. “Now that all that drama is out of the way. Neera... or Lailah, I can’t decide if it is good to see you.”

“Freya…,” Zavian warned.

Neera studied her sister-in-law, seeing her for the first time since her recovery. Freya looked like she had healed a lot, and fast, but there was still a slowness to the movement of her arms that showed there were wounds that she couldn’t see.

“It is good to see you, Freya,” Neera smiled.

Freya, discomforted, cleared her throat.

“Is something wrong?” Neera asked them.

“No,” Zavian answered at the same time Freya answered “Yes.”

“Tell us, dear Queen,” Freya drawled after giving Zavian a pointed look. “How did you communicate with Lydia?”

Neera’s eyes shot to Zavian’s, then Azriel’s, and she wondered if Azriel’s choice to have Penelope back had to do with Freya’s question.

“They understand it wasn’t your fault, Neera,” Zavian said.

But why won’t you love me anymore if you know that? Neera wanted to ask him. The well of tears began to open, but she blinked her eyes, closing it off.

“Not entirely not, but that’s for another day,” Freya walked closer to her, and the Neera as a maid could remember how terrified she had been of the King’s sister whenever she was that close. But Neera had the bravery and strength of Lailah now, and she didn’t shrivel back into herself when Freya stopped a few inches away from her, an action meant to intimidate.

“Tell us,” Freya demanded.

“I have told Zavian, I met up with her…”