"He threatened to kill you?" The Queen asked with doubtful eyes.
She immediately turned her gaze to Asmodeus.
He stopped drinking for a moment, gave a nod, and resumed.
Nyl’s gaze returned to Syndra, and she continued her retelling.
"He forced you to take him outside?"
Nyl gave another glance, and he another nod.
Throughout the entire detailed explanation, Nyl looked for confirmation each time, and Asmodeus gave it without fail.
It was only once Syndra’s tale brought them back to the present that Tariana started questioning the more bizarre parts.
"What do you mean by hijacked your magic?"
"Exactly that," Syndra answered. "I chose one location, which was the room in which Nyl stood at the time, and he hijacked my magic to change the location we were moved to."
"You said that he drained you of your energy," Tariana said with critical eyes. "That he drained the Incubi as well."
"He did." Syndra nodded. "That’s how he accumulated the energy to... Grow."
"I think you’re just confused." Tariana sighed. "He’s simply growing up fast. Succubi and Incubi cannot be drained."
"Yeah, except by him!"
The discussion between the two continued.
Asmodeus was happily enjoying another serving of milk, while Nyl was running her fingers through his hair, watching his face with a serene, peaceful smile.
"You believe me, right?" Syndra asked, turning to her Queen. "Right, Nyl?"
"You can’t seriously believe this, Nyl." Tariana sighed.
The Queen didn’t pay them any mind.
"Whatever it is," she said. "I always knew my child would be extraordinary."
Syndra pursed her lips.
"What about the one you brought with you, then?" Tariana scoffed. "Why wasn’t he drained?"
"Because Asmodeus wanted to keep it as a Pet," Syndra explained.
"As a Pet...? First of all, what is this Asmodeus thing? Last I heard, the child was to be named Asmodea."
"Yes, except if the child was to be born a male!"
"What are you even talking about?!"
Once again, the two turned towards their Queen.
"Do you like the name?" Nyl asked, hugging him tighter. "Asmodeus?"
"I do." He nodded.
"Then it’s settled." The Queen chuckled and laid a kiss on his neck, which sent goosebumps over his body.
"Just like that?" Tariana asked with a frown.
"We had already talked about it." Syndra bragged. "Nyl and I."
"Is that everything?" Nyl asked.
"Yes," Syndra answered.
The Queen’s eyes went to Asmodeus one final time.
"Everything happened as Syndra said," he said bluntly, honestly, and shamelessly.
Syndra’s shoulders collapsed in relief.
’Finally. Phew... She finally knows that none of this was my fault.’
Nyl glanced at her. "You and I will still be having a conversation later."
Syndra gulped, her relief immediately fading.
"But..." Nyl continued, "I understand that you were put in a difficult position."
Syndra stared for a moment before giving a nod.
Asmodeus emptied one final bottle. "Nyl."
"Yes, my love?"
"Do I have a room? One that’s mine?"
"Well, I thought the two of us would share a room for a while, so I didn’t have one prepared for you. We can get that started right now, though. If... If you want."
"I don’t mind." Asmodeus nodded. "We can share a room."
"Really?" Nyl’s eyes brightened, and she kissed his cheek while hugging him tightly. "Okay, let’s do that."
Asmodeus let his mother hug him to her heart’s desire before hopping off her lap.
"Syndra." He called.
"Yes?"
"Show me where my room is," Asmodeus said as he started walking. "Take me to it."
"I-I can take you there!" Nyl said.
"It’s okay." Asmodeus nodded. "Syndra can do it."
"Over twenty Incubi dying changes things," Tariana muttered. "We should probably discuss things."
"Right..." Nyl whispered, unable to take her eyes off her child. "Okay, fine."
The doors eventually closed behind the two.
"..." Syndra scratched her head. "Could you stop doing that?"
"Doing what?" Asmodeus asked, already walking.
"Throwing everything at me." She sighed.
"Why? You are reliable. Take it as a compliment."
’This little shit...!’
Asmodeus was glad to see that his Pet had remained at the exact same spot. Obedient and docile.
"Which way?" he asked.
"Right there." Syndra pointed with a sigh. "This entire floor is Nyl’s... And yours, I guess."
The two started walking.
"Tell me more about Malika."
Syndra glanced at him. "What do you want to know?"
"She’s another one of my sisters, right?"
"She is."
"Is she strong? What about her magic? You said she froze the bottles in time?"
"It’s her unique ability," Syndra explained. "Whatever she touches gets frozen in time. How long or how thoroughly something or someone is frozen depends on the target’s strength."
"Hm..." Asmodeus pursed his lips. "How does that feel? Being frozen in time?"
"I’m not sure. You’ll have to ask Malika. Or Naima." Syndra shrugged. "Naima is the most knowledgeable Succubus. Well, apart from that old hag... Anyway, this is Nyl’s room. Your room."
"Okay." Asmodeus pushed the door open. "Come find me in a bit. We’ll go see Malika or Naima."
"Ugh..." Syndra scratched her head in annoyance. "Ask if I’m busy first."
"Are you busy?"
"..." Sigh. "I’ll come get you in half an hour."
Asmodeus nodded, hopped into the room, pulled on the leash so the Incubus would enter as well, and closed the door behind him.
"What..." The Incubus gulped. "What do you want with me?"
"I’m keeping you as a Pet," Asmodeus answered while looking around the room.
"I got that part. I don’t understand why-"
His sentence was cut off as the whip tightened around his throat.
"I ask the questions." Asmodeus’s voice turned icy as he stepped closer. "Be a good boy and answer my questions."
The scared Incubus lowered its gaze to the ground and nodded.
"This." Asmodeus pulled his only piece of clothing up. "This is male anatomy, correct?"
The Incubus only raised its gaze for a moment. It went back to the ground. Nod.
"Ever since I grew, I’ve been feeling strange. Syndra, now Tariana, and even Nyl. What is that?"
"It must be... Nascent lust, maybe." The Incubus answered with a gulp.
"Nascent lust," Asmodeus repeated. "What is that?"
"Lust is the desire to..." The Incubus found it incredibly difficult to explain, since lust was such an innate, instinctive affair among Incubi. "The desire to... Do things. To females."
Asmodeus scratched his cheek. He didn’t get it at all.
"Talk plainly. Explain it thoroughly," Asmodeus ordered, and the Incubus did exactly that.