The Queen Who Fell

Evelyne's fingers hovered over the crystal, her heart pounding.

She could feel it pulsing—alive in a way no ordinary object should be. A whisper of magic curled around her fingertips, beckoning her to touch it, to unveil whatever secrets lay within.

Azrael watched her carefully, his golden eyes unreadable. "If you choose to see, there is no turning back."

His words sent a chill down her spine.

The last human queen.

What had happened to her?

Evelyne's fingers brushed the crystal.

The moment she made contact, a surge of power shot through her, and the world around her vanished.

Darkness swallowed her whole.

Then, a voice—soft, trembling.

"Please… I only wanted peace."

The world reformed around her.

Evelyne stood in the same throne room—but it was different. The air was heavy with tension, and torches flickered wildly, as if mirroring the unease in the chamber.

A woman knelt before the Demon King's throne.

She was human.

Golden hair spilled over her shoulders, her once-regal gown now torn and stained with soot. She was shaking, her emerald eyes brimming with fear.

And before her, on the throne, sat Azrael.

But he wasn't the same Azrael Evelyne knew.

This Azrael was younger, his features sharper, his presence darker.

His golden eyes burned with something raw—betrayal, fury, and a cold, ruthless resolve.

"You swore yourself to this kingdom," he said, his voice a deadly whisper.

The woman—the last queen—clutched the hem of her ruined gown. "I did not betray you," she choked out. "I only wanted to save my people."

Azrael leaned forward. "By conspiring with my enemies?"

Tears welled in the woman's eyes. "I did it for peace! I wanted to stop the bloodshed between our worlds."

Azrael's jaw tightened. "And yet, your secret letters found their way into the hands of those who sought my death."

Evelyne's stomach twisted.

Had this queen truly betrayed him? Or had she simply made the wrong move in a desperate attempt to protect her people?

The woman shook her head violently. "I didn't know! I swear, I didn't know they would use my words to—"

Azrael raised a hand, silencing her.

For a moment, the throne room was deathly still.

Then, in a voice colder than ice, he spoke.

"There is only one punishment for treason."

The queen's breath hitched.

"No," she whispered. "Azrael, please—"

Golden light flared in his palm.

The room erupted in a blinding explosion of magic.

Evelyne flinched.

When her vision cleared, the queen was lying motionless on the floor.

Her lifeless eyes stared at nothing.

Evelyne's heart pounded in her chest, nausea curling in her stomach.

She had expected cruelty from the past Demon King.

But Azrael—her Azrael—had been the one to strike her down.

The memory began to fade.

The last thing Evelyne saw was Azrael rising from his throne, his golden eyes devoid of emotion as he turned away from the fallen queen.

Then—

The vision shattered.

Evelyne gasped as reality slammed back into her.

She was back in the chamber, the crystal still warm beneath her fingertips.

Her legs felt weak. She staggered, and Azrael caught her by the wrist.

For a long moment, she couldn't speak.

The image of the queen's lifeless body burned into her mind.

She turned to Azrael, still breathless. "You killed her."

His fingers tightened around her wrist. "I gave her a choice," he said quietly. "She made the wrong one."

Evelyne wrenched herself free. "She just wanted peace."

Azrael's jaw tensed. "Peace does not come from betrayal."

Evelyne shook her head. "Then what does it come from? Fear? Bloodshed?"

Azrael exhaled slowly. "You asked for the truth. Now you have it."

She did.

And it terrified her.

Not because of what she had seen.

But because, deep down, a part of her understood his reasoning.

She stepped away from the pedestal, her pulse still racing. "Am I meant to end the same way?"

Azrael's gaze darkened. "That depends on you."

Evelyne clenched her fists. "If I ever betray you, will you kill me too?"

A long silence stretched between them.

Then—

Azrael stepped closer, his golden eyes burning into hers. "I don't know," he admitted.

His voice was softer now. Almost… dangerous.

Evelyne's breath caught.

She had never felt fear like this before.

Not because of the threat.

But because she had no idea where the lines of trust and deception truly lay in this place.

And because a part of her wasn't sure she wouldn't cross them herself.