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Chapter 4: The Saint-Queen Arrives – And Asks for the Collar
Three days after Aetherion knelt, the gates of the Ninth Hell opened for a single figure.
No army. No glowing sword. Just Saint-Queen Elowen, barefoot in a plain gray cloak that looked like it had been slept in for those three days.
Her golden hair was tangled, eyes puffy and red-rimmed. She walked the obsidian bridge alone, steps slow but steady, like someone forcing herself forward.
The demons lining the path watched in stunned quiet. No catcalls. No jeers. Even the lesser imps shut up.
She reached the throne room threshold and stopped. Dropped to one knee not dramatically, just tiredly. In her hands she held the shattered remnants of Ascalon, melted and reforged into a crude metal band. Etched on the front in shaky script: PROPERTY OF DIRECTOR TANAKA – IF YOU'LL HAVE ME.
Beelzebub stood at my right, wings half-folded, collar humming softly. His tail twitched once when he saw her, then stilled. I could feel the jealousy rolling off him in waves.
I let the silence stretch. Watched her shoulders shake.
Finally I spoke. "Stand up, Elowen. You're not here to grovel in the doorway."
She rose slowly. Looked at me not defiant like before, but exhausted. "I haven't slept. Not really. Every time I close my eyes, I see your face in the mirror. Hear your voice telling him to make us remember fear. It won't stop."
I leaned forward on the throne. "And you think a collar will fix that?"
She swallowed. "I think... it might. Or at least make it mean something instead of just terror." She glanced at Beelzebub. "He wears yours. And he looks... at peace. I want that. Or something like it."
Beelzebub made a low sound in his throat half growl, half whine.
I shot him a look. "Easy."
He dropped his gaze instantly, fists clenched.
Elowen took a step closer. "I'm offering the continent of Light. All of it. Kingdoms, churches, souls whatever you want. In exchange, take me too. Collar me. Make the nightmares yours to control."
I stood. Walked down the steps until we were face-to-face.
"You're the undefeated champion of light. You spent centuries hunting my kind. Now you want to kneel?"
Her laugh was brittle. "I spent centuries thinking I was invincible. Turns out I wasn't. And the nightmares proved it." She held out the makeshift collar. "If you don't want it, I'll walk back across that bridge and keep suffering. But if you do... please."
I took the band from her. It was warm from her hands. Crude work, but honest.
Behind me, Beelzebub shifted. "Master.... "
"Quiet," I said softly. He froze.
I looked at Elowen. "This isn't a game. Once it's on, it's on. No take-backs. No holy redemption arc later."
"I know." Her voice cracked. "That's why I'm asking."
I circled her slowly not predatory, just taking my time. Trailed a finger along her collarbone, felt her shiver.
"You're shaking."
"Im Cold," she lied.
Baby this is hell, I chuckled.
I stopped in front of her again. Lifted her chin. "Look at him."
She did. Beelzebub met her eyes for a second, then looked away.
"He was the apocalypse," I said. "Now he's mine. Jealous?"
Beelzebub's jaw ticked.
Elowen whispered, "A little. Yeah."
I smiled. Snapped my fingers.
A new collar materialized. thinner than his, woven from black starlight and faint holy glow.
I fastened it around her throat myself. The moment it clicked, the last traces of her divine aura flickered out like dying embers.
She gasped. Knees buckled. I caught her elbow, steadied her.
"Easy."
She looked up at me, eyes wide. "It... stopped. The nightmares. Just like that."
"Good." I glanced at Beelzebub. "You two are going to have to learn to share."
He growled low, but didn't argue.
I stepped back. "Both of you. Follow me. On your knees."
Elowen hesitated one beat then dropped. Beelzebub followed without pause.
They crawled behind me down the corridor to the private chambers. No audience this time. Just us.
Doors closed.
Inside, I turned to them.
"Talk to me," I said. "No commands. Just talk."
Elowen spoke first, voice small. "I hated you. For what you made him do. But mostly... I hated feeling helpless."
Beelzebub muttered, "I hated her being here. Taking attention."
I sat on the edge of the bed. "And now?"
Elowen: "Now I just want the quiet in my head."
Beelzebub: "I want... to know I'm still first."
I laughed soft, real. "You're both ridiculous."
Pulled them closer. One on each side.
We talked for hours. About fear. About power. About what it felt like to finally choose who you kneel to.
Eventually words ran out.
Then I showed them.
Slowly. Carefully. No rush. Hands and mouths and quiet gasps. Jealous glances turning into shared looks. Collars glowing in sync.
When it was over, they curled against me
exhausted, marked, mine.
On the back of each collar, new faint engraving appeared:
ETERNAL
I traced them with my fingers.
"Rest," I said.
They did.
And for the first time, the throne room felt less like a battlefield and more like... something I could live with.