Page 44 of Her Demon Daddy
“Asmodeus didn’t intentionally set out to betray the King of his country! He is a decorated war general and a male of royal blood, and his bloodline is one of honor, of respect. He would never intentionally try to take the throne from his cousin! He led his battalion into battle to try to reach adistress signal! He was on his way tohelpsave his people,your…”I point at Vag’thimon. “People. When he was ambushed, watchingyourmen die all around him, he called on Oltyx!”
The crowd murmurs, and one demon shouts. “A disgrace!”
“Despicable, he can’t be trusted!”
“He did it for himself!”
“He has dishonored us all!”
“One never calls on a God!”
Vag’thimon smiles wider at the chaos in the courtroom but motions for them to quiet again. I’m thankful he’s letting me continue. If I can keep this up and reach my end point, there might be a chance of Asmodeus living through this nightmare.
I whip around and look at the angry mob behind me. They look disappointed and disgusted with me, probably wondering why ahumanof all creatures is on the floor making a defense argument right now.
“Yes,” I shout, throwing my hands over my head. “It is dishonorable to call among a God, especially in a moment of weakness, but Oltyx decided to answer his call! Would a God truly have entertained a request if they considered it disgraceful?”
The crowd remains silent, and some relief washes over me. I catch eyes with Asmodeus briefly, and he looks as shocked as the crowd at my statement. I can’t believe he didn’t think of this himself.
“You all know the Gods have more pride than that! How dare you disrespect them by deeming what is and what’s not honorable! That istheirchoice, not yours! Even more,” I chuckle. “Oltyx not only answered butgrantedhis request! He prepared an entire continent for him and his followers! He crafted a large castle, living quarters, food, and water for them all! It was almost as if it was planned before Asmodeus even summoned him! Also…” I glance at Asmodeus. “From my understanding, Oltyx was the one who put Asmodeus’ soldiers in a trance, which was the only way Asmodeus could convince them he was their true King! Doesn’t that seem suspicious to you? This was set up and put into motionforAsmodeus. All he did was take the opportunity! He didn’t intend to forge any of it!”
“This is true,” Drar'ran says as he steps out of the crowd. As they gasp and murmur amongst themselves. “And from what I’ve heard, a God has never granted a request like this before, at least not in my lifetime. We all know when Gods bestow blessings upon us who honor them, it is a sign of favor and support.”
“It was predestined to be this way!” Ti’lek shouts as he steps forward from the wall, his hands bound in chains. “We all know Gods can foresee farther than any of us. Oltyx must have known this would happen. he was prepared!”
I look back at Asmodeus,whose jaw can’t drop any further. He looks stunned, like an animal that has just crossed paths with a fierce hunter. Hope flows through me as I see the look on his face. If I was wrong about something, I don’t believe he would look as shocked if it didn't check out.
“But we have no proof Oltyx planned this,” a demon from the crowd shouts. “How can we question a God?”
“Why can’t we question them? Aren’t they powerful enough to handle our suspicions?” another responds, yelling from the other aisle.
“That’s disgraceful! Show loyalty to your Gods!”
“We have!”
I look at the crowd as the demons from Ikoth and Galmoleth battle each other. It seems the room is split in half regarding my argument, but it’s better than all of them jeering when Asmodeus first walked through the doors. It’s chaos. Everyone shouts their opinions and disregards the other side. If each of them had weapons, I have no doubt this would turn into a bloodbath quickly.
“How do we know any of this is true? Do we rely on demons that served Asmodeus? They could still be entranced!”
“My eyesight has returned, and I am back in my home country,” Drar'ran screams. “I have no reason to help nor defend him anymore!”
“Enough!” Vag’thimon bellows over the crowd.
The room silences immediately, and I turn around to see Vag’thimon step down from his throne, walking down two significant steps as he looks out into the crowd. I try to decipher his facial expression. The argument is good. It has to be enough. He can’t kill Asmodeus, everything I said was true, and half the room knows it.
I want to continue speaking, to keep rambling and making points to raise support from more of the crowd, but Vag’thimon is standing powerfully and firmly. I’ve started a debate among hundreds of demons about their Gods and the respect they deserve. I don’t need to push anyone further. What’s done is done, and ithasto be enough.
The drawn-out silence in the room is almost a living thing. It hangs over all of us like a thick mist over the meadows. I can barely breathe. It's so tense.
Vag’thimon smiles slyly and chuckles slightly as he looks at me. “It seems the human in our courtroom is quite the public speaker, a persuader of the ages.” He looks back at the crowd and raises his voice. “Regardless of the dissent she has managed to raise, the decision regarding my cousin’s punishment falls on me and me alone to make, and I have come to my final judgment.”
26
ASMODEUS
The awe runs through me more than the fear of dying. I look at Siara, partially turned to face Vag’thimon, and my throat closes up. I haven’t cried since I was a child, but it would be now if I were going to.
Siara, my wickedly intelligent, beautiful, and fiercely brave Siara, thank you,I think as my mouth hangs open, my jaw almost sore from being displaced for so long. I can’t stop staring at her. Even when Vag’thimon said he had made his decision, I barely cared. It was a whisper in the background, almost unintelligible to me.