Chapter 168
Annalise
The ceremony had begun.
I stood at the grand entrance of the obsidian hall, wrapped in a veil of crimson silk and betrayal. My fingers trembled as they clutched a bouquet of thorned black roses—roses that had been soaked in demon blood and preserved in dark magic. Even they seemed to whisper warnings, their petals pulsing faintly against my palms like heartbeats that didn’t belong to me.
A deafening roar of cheers echoed across the infernal palace grounds. The hall was bursting—millions of demons, nobles and soldiers, warlocks and ancient creatures of shadow, filled every tier of the balconies and staircases. Their chants blended into a monstrous symphony of loyalty, bloodlust, and celebration. Red fire bloomed in bursts above their heads. The scent of sulfur and b
