Entirely untrue. There had been so many moments over the last few days where I had been a whisker away from tearing a portal right above her bed and just clambering through and covering her body with my own, of picking up exactly where we left off and fucking that horrified look right off her face.

“I dunno, Boss,” Beezle whined, and there was something in his tone that made my skin prickle. “There was this one demoness who looked … very tempting.”

“There is not a single being in this castle that could tempt me.”

“Well,” Hellen blurted from behind me, making me flinch. “It’s lucky that Father seems suddenly intent on making an attempt for a new heir, since you’re so underwhelmed by the offerings tonight.”

I turned, jostling a barrel-chested demon, who staggered, sloshing me head to toe with an entire keg of Demonade he’d somehow torn open and was guzzling from.

“Sorry, y’Highness!” he slurred, stumbling away and into a gaggle of squealing demonesses, who pounced on him.

Better him than me, I thought, shaking the brew from my dripping hair and turning disdainfully towards Hellen. “What are you blathering about?”

“Father is pursuing a demoness, which can only mean he wishes to get a child on her. He seems … single-minded, with this one, given his preference for males.”

“Interspecies males, at that,” I muttered, thinking about Alessio. “Have you nought to say about Father’s little human sex toy? I can’t imagine you approve, given the accusations you’ve been throwing my way of late.”

Hellen shook her head. “Father dragging a human minion to Hell to pleasure him is very different from …” She stilled, eyes narrowing as a breeze stirred the room. “Do not attempt to trick me into losing my temper and ruining the party, Junior! This is important! I thought you would be delighted to hear that Father seems determined to procreate once more. If he begets a male, you can go back to your gadabout ways, knowing there is another to rule in your stead!”

I swallowed, that thudding in my chest becoming a thundering. I forced my expression to remain neutral, even as my mind was whirring.

If you don’t have to rule Hell, you could be with⁠—

“Uh … Boss!” Beezle barked while Bub head-butted my leg urgently. “You know how we said there was a … a demoness, a tempting one?”

I frowned down at them. “Yes, what of it?”

“Well, you might wanna go see Daddy …”

“Junior …” Hellen warned. “If you interrupt Father while he’s getting psyched up to mate a female …”

“Now, Boss!” Beezle howled, and Bub actually bit me on the ankle.

“Home’s bones, you two!” I snapped, barely sparing Hellen a glance as I was propelled through the crowd by nipping Hell Hounds.

I bumped and jostled my way through demons, grunting in pain when a goat leg bone was lobbed right at my stomach.