Avernus || Book 1 ✔️

||White Lie||

A/N:

Hey guys! Merry Christmas 🎅 

I know I've been gone for a while but I'm back now. Updates are going to be more frequent and I have A LOT in store for you.

Stay tuned for the surprise!

illiteratehomebody

~

The auburn-haired girl was wide-eyed as I swung the door open, her hands full with what appeared to be clothes and a basket of other items.

I noticed her hesitate for a moment, and her head turn to where Azrael was sitting on what was now a neatly made bed.

He offered a slight nod which was enough for me to squeal and pull her into the bathroom.

"How have you been Astrid? Gosh, I've barely seen you!"

I was beaming as I rambled to the daemon, but she didn't seem particularly focused on what I was saying; in fact, it appeared that something else had caught her attention.

I furrowed my brows as I followed her line of sight, but when I realized where she was looking, a low hiss passed my lips and my hand flashed up to cover the side of my neck, right where Azrael had placed his mark.

Astrid's eyes were wide and quickly averted elsewhere when she realized what she'd been caught doing.

"I-I'm sorry Princess, I didn't mean to stare. I-I've just never seen one so fresh before."

I lowered my hand from my neck and frowned, a bit confused by my body's unusually aggressive response.

"It's alright. I'm just...sorry, I don't know why I reacted that way."

The maid still looked torn up about her actions and looked down at her basket.

"A mark is a very special gift between two souls. It's very disrespectful for another's eyes to linger... You were simply protecting the integrity of your gift."

Still frowning, I pondered on her statement; I didn't pay any mind as she shuffled around the bathroom, seemingly trying to get things in order so I could start getting ready.

"Hmm. What does a healed mark look like then?"

Astrid paused her ministrations to look up at Primrose; she had just pulled out a small bottle of what appeared to be hair cream from her overflowing basket.

"Um... on females, there's usually no visual tell—it basically disappears. The scent that remains is more important. It um, it lets unmated daemons know that your soul is bonded."

My eyes shone in interest as I eagerly soaked in the new information. I couldn't help but be a bit more curious.

"Do you...Do you have a mate? Oh! Wait, I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry."

Astrid paused her movements, withdrawing her hands from my hair. She appeared bashful for a moment.

"O-oh, um...well, no...I don't have a mate."

She resumed the gentle action of finger-combing my curls, separating them before coating them in the sweet-smelling substance.

"It's quite rare for servants to have one. We never really travel much, and we're not allowed to talk to castle guests, so..."

My stomach tightened in guilt. Here I was, basically flaunting my happiness in front of her, while she may never get the chance to experience such a thing.