Chapter 581 - Mission

Newest Chapter on Highest Tier (July 2021)

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Vampire King Apollyon

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"Husband." Apollyon heard his wife call him for the hundredth time today, and he halted in front of their door at their luxurious suite to appease her—if this was really her. 

Apollyon frowned as he wondered if his judgment could be trusted last night.

After all, Lilith was weak from resisting the exorcism he did with her own conjurer, that demonic cult priestess, from the Spring Courts.

There was no way to tell when Lilith would come out.

Nevertheless, he remained calm and alert as he observed this lady's movement the whole time he was in her presence. 

He heard her wife's feet stomping the wooden panels of the stairs in annoyance as it creaked with every step.

Grimacing, Apollyon waited for her to reach the landing.

This time, he chose not to return to their room in an instant as he did earlier to get spare clothes for him and his wife while they dallied in the waterfalls.

After their discussion with Princess Sapphire, Apollyon left her at the tavern and returned to their rented room by himself.

He witnessed how her intense, calculating gaze scanned the people and her surroundings at Vinca Inn thoroughly.

It was either she behaved like it was the first time she saw them and was committing them to her memories, or she gave a nonchalant glimpse if she perceived it was unimportant.

Jaws clenched, Apollyon couldn't hide his anger and disappointment when there was no flash in recognition when he introduced her to the Vinca's Innkeeper.

As the middle-aged Fae glanced at him in visible confusion, he remembered how the cursed Faerie returned that same gaze to his wife, staring at her like she had gone mad for not recognizing him when she was the only one who turned the large frog back into his original form. 

That oblivious reaction was the last straw that broke the camel's back.

Everything in Apollyon agreed that this wasn't his wife, but there was still a part of him that wanted to refuse—to deny the truth.

How can he know for sure?

Hecate's herald told them at dawn that the Archdemon of Envy was getting stronger inside Luna's vessel.

Yes, little by little.

If Apollyon heard him correctly, the ghost promised that this wouldn't happen overnight.

Lilith would take her sweet, sweet time since the distinct dark energy was barely discernible.

Apollyon's onyx necklace containing the ground powder of the unicorn's horn wouldn't work, either.

He will just hurt himself since his Archdemon wife could also trigger it to sear his skin.

The forbidden spells might have failed to drive Lilith away, but at least it was fatal enough to make his wife hold the reins of their shared vessel for almost two months.

He considered it a  blessing— a miracle—from the misfortunes.

As far as he knew, Lilith was a fragile Archdemon than Luna.

There was no way in Hell that she could take over without a trick. 

Unless something happened during the meeting at the women's parlor that he didn't know of. 

"Apollyon. Is this how you are going to act? Like a f*cking child?" His wife's frustrated voice was pitched a bit higher right now as she got closer. "It was simply a jest that I want your sister gone! You have given me naughty gazes at the pool while we are there. I know you desired me because I saw it with my own two eyes."

Her tone abruptly changed when she whispered. "But then your loving expressions morphed into a mask, shutting completely with just a single word I said." She mewled.

It was softer than Apollyon's sensitive ears could barely pick it up.  "What have I done to set you off?"

He would have laughed in her face if he was facing her.

It was Lilith who was wearing a mask and not revealing her identity.

Yet, this time, she had changed tactics.

The change was drastic.

In the past, she was acting all desperate to connect with him like a lizard searching for water in the desert and pretending so hard to act like an affectionate wife. 

Before, she performed as a mercenary submissive with a hidden obsession, and currently, she was taking the role of a nonchalant, seductive Empress.

The latter persona was a bit similar to his wife, but it was unnatural.

Her reactions were off, sometimes.

But, her presence and personality weren't strong and distinct enough to identify her from Luna, but she could be holding back. 

Apollyon didn't want to confront her right away.

Maybe, this was Lilith's attempt to fool him by being slippery as a snake.

Inconsistent.

Blank as a page.

Formless as water.

Lilith can take her time to adjust with various masks around her, taking up new identities and experimenting with them so he couldn't pin her down.

Then, she would strike at a moment's weakness and take advantage of it.

"If you wanted to keep your sister there, then it's alright." She hiccuped. "I'm not forcing you  or her to obey a mere suggestion." 

Luna sounded like she was about to cry from her perceived rejection at the waterfalls, which made Apollyon's resolve waver a bit.

Apollyon acted like a jerk at the pool, and he did it on purpose.

What if he wasn't the problem then?

What if she was making him feel like a jerk when he wanted Princess Sapphire to be there as a buffer just in case she was the Archdemon of Envy?

Shoulders stiffening, Apollyon answered, "But, you already gave her the idea that you wanted her gone," 

"What was the point?" She whimpered, "The discussion was already over when you told her that you would discuss  this mission when Xerxes had recovered!"

He rubbed a hand over his face as his annoyance rose.

If this were the true Lilith, she would start crying louder, extend this drama downstairs and gain sympathy from the guests.

He was incredibly suspicious of her identity. 

There was another way to check that out except doing that and see her reaction.

"What do you think about the mission, Luna?"