Chapter 412: The Forgotten Past - VI

As the days passed, little by little, their conversations grew more personal, and the guarded walls they had each built around themselves began to crumble.

Without either of them quite realising it, the two strangers became good friends.

It was during one of their quiet evenings beneath Rhu’s sprawling branches that Hera finally trusted him with her secrets.

Looking over the stream, she confessed softly, "I didn’t just find Rhu... I grew her with my own powers."

Gavriel was not surprised, having long sensed her deep connection with the tree.

Resting his head against the trunk with his eyes closed, he murmured, "I figured."

Hera glanced at him and smiled before continuing, "Also... ever since I was a child, I could speak with plants and tame any beast I crossed paths with."

Gavriel responded with a quiet hum.

Hera leaned a little closer to him. "You don’t find it strange?"

A faint smile tugged at his lips. "I’ve always wondered how you managed to tame Ceri so easily. It seems your gift explains that."

Hera grew quiet for a moment. "There’s more..."

Gavriel waited silently, and she asked, "Promise me that you won’t tell anyone?"

He opened his eyes and turned towards her, finding a trace of worry in her expression.

Tilting his head slightly, he replied, "I’ve never breathed a word about you to anyone, Hera."

As she searched his face with her alluring ruby eyes, Gavriel added in a gentle tone, "I promise I won’t tell anyone. Every conversation you have with me stays with me."

Finding absolute sincerity in his gaze, Hera took a breath and confessed, "Sometimes... I can command other demons to submit to my will."

Gavriel’s eyes widened slightly at the revelation as she hurried on, "My parents made me swear never to tell a soul. They warned me the royal court would see me as a threat."

It was only then that Gavriel recognised the grave weight of her secret.

The ability to command souls was no ordinary gift.

In the wrong hands, it could become a power capable of bringing even the Underworld to its knees. If the royals discovered what Hera could do, they might regard her as a threat to the throne unless she became part of their family.

And if those plotting against the crown learned of her abilities, they might stop at nothing to exploit her for their own ambitions.

She was truly special in every sense... but that uniqueness could easily become a curse should word ever spread.

"Your parents were right, Hera," Gavriel said with concern lacing his voice. "You must keep this hidden from everyone."

He paused before adding, "And keep Ceri away from prying eyes as well. With rogue beasts crossing the borders, I don’t want anyone growing suspicious of you."

Hera pursed her lips at his warning, prompting him to ask, "I hope you haven’t already shared it with anyone else?"

"Apart from my parents, my friend Vorra knows," Hera admitted.

When Gavriel’s brows furrowed sharply, she quickly explained, "She accidentally walked into my chambers and spotted him. Ceri was about to attack her, so the command slipped from me, making them both submit. But she promised she would never tell anyone."

"Can you really trust her?" Gavriel asked, mindful of how cunning some demons could be.

"Yes, she has been my closest companion since childhood. She is an Archdemoness currently training to join the royal guard," Hera shared softly. "Though, deep down, she desperately hopes to be chosen as the Crown Prince’s destined mate. I wish that would come true for her."

Gavriel’s brows drew together. Even Bellarios, who had been idly chasing a glowing Hell butterfly nearby with Ceri, froze mid-flight, his tiny face twisting into a scowl.

"Why would you wish for something like that?" Gavriel asked.

Hera released a quiet sigh. "She has not had an easy life. Ever since her parents passed away and she came to live with us, people constantly compare her to me, making her feel inferior despite how hard she tries. She told me once that she saw the Crown Prince from afar years ago and has harboured feelings for him ever since. I simply want her to be happy."

Before she could continue, Gavriel reached out and grasped her hand firmly.

Hera blinked in surprise, her breath catching at his sudden touch. "W-what is wrong?"

Gavriel searched her eyes with an intense, unyielding gaze. "Don’t... don’t ever wish for such things."

Her heart skipped a beat at the gravity in his voice. "Why not?"

"Have you forgotten where we live? You must be careful what you wish for in the Underworld. We are beings forged from primordial dark matter, and the universe responds to our desires far more readily than you might think."

Hera frowned slightly. "But... isn’t that only true when you make a vow?"

"Vows carry binding magic, yes," Gavriel replied, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "But even an ordinary wish can manifest when it resonates with the universe." His fingers tightened ever so slightly around hers. "So don’t wish for him to be bound to someone else. It wouldn’t be right."

Hera studied him for a moment before letting out a soft chuckle. "You speak as though every passing wish a demon makes comes true. If that were the case, even the most wicked among us would have their desires granted."

"They do," Gavriel replied quietly. "Which is why unfortunate things still happen." He paused, his gaze lingering on hers. "And if he is destined for someone else, you shouldn’t wish to take that possibility away from him, either."

Unconsciously, his thumb brushed gentle circles against the sensitive skin of her wrist.

A flutter stirred in Hera’s chest, and warmth crept up her neck. Quickly averting her gaze, she whispered, "I understand. I won’t wish for it again."

Gavriel studied her for a quiet moment before suddenly asking, "What if it is you?"

Hera’s head snapped towards him, her eyes widening. "What?"

"Wouldn’t you like it if you were the Crown Prince’s destined mate?" Gavriel’s eyes searched her face closely, a rare hint of expectation gleaming in his gaze.

To his immediate disappointment, Hera’s expression fell.

She slipped her hand free from his grasp and drew her knees towards her chest before turning her gaze towards the stream. "I’m not interested."

Gavriel’s brows furrowed sharply. "Why not? Isn’t it a great honour to be the mate of the Crown Prince? It would make you the future Queen of the Underworld."

"The future queen..." Hera sighed. "Yes, that might be appealing to everyone else, but not to me." A faint blush crept across her cheeks as her voice dropped to a whisper. "What if I like someone else?"

"Do you?" Gavriel asked, struggling to keep his voice even.

"I don’t like having things forced upon me," Hera continued. "At first, I was determined to find my destined mate just to escape the betrothal my parents had arranged for me. But now..." Her gaze slowly drifted back to him as she hesitated before confessing, "I think I like someone else."

Both revelations struck Gavriel like a sudden thunderclap. "Are you betrothed to another?"

Hera let out a long sigh before finally telling him that Queen Lilith, a dear friend of her mother, Arabella, intended to arrange a marriage between Hera and her eldest son.

It shook Gavriel to his core as the dots finally connected in his mind.

"So... the banquet everyone has been talking about is yours?" he asked, struggling to conceal his surprise.

"Yes," Hera murmured, lowering her face towards her folded arms.