Part 6! Enjoy!

"My Lord, to put it simply...your bank account is empty. We have no funds."

Sebastian leaned forward in his throne. "We have some funds."

"No," Laramie Hollyberry said stiffly, shaking the colorful beads of his abacus. "We have none. Zero. Zilch. Nothing. The Seelies have even seized my calculator, so I've been having to use an abacus like some sort of caveman!"

"We must have something!"

"We have nothing. You spent your father's entire fortune on leather pants and eyeliner, remember? And the Seelie Queen's loans all go towards affording the rent for this knock-off Gard." Laramie gestured to the magnificent throne room around them.

"How dare you," Sebastian snapped. "I'll have you know, Larry, those loans were hard earned. The Seelie Queen is a very demanding woman."

"I'm sure she is. But that doesn't change the fact that we can't afford the rent this month, or any more red gear."

Sebastian bit his thumbnail, but quickly stopped when he remembered that Valentine used to beat him for nail-biting. He rubbed his chin. "What do you suggest, Laramie?"

"Perhaps it's time you found a job, Master."

"A job? No. No. Mundanes have jobs, Laramie, not Lords of the Endarkened. This is my job."

"To be completely honest, Master, wreaking havoc upon the world is not exactly the most rewarding of occupations."

"We loot the Institutes, don't we?"

"Well," Laramie said flatly. "Yes, but we've been swamped with so much debt over these past few weeks that every time we raid an Institute, all of our spoils go towards repaying the angry demons and Downworlders you've swindled."

"Swindled is such a harsh word," Sebastian drawled. "I prefer the term 'outsmarted'. Don't you, little sister?" He turned to the gold and white throne beside him, where Clarissa sat wrapped in thick ropes. She flipped him off with some difficulty, as her hand was bound to her side. "Clarissa, please, you're in the presence of a princess!" Sebastian gestured to the playpen of human bones beside his own throne, where Lilith was happily playing with her favorite stuffed puppy.

"Master," Laramie said impatiently. "If you're not going to get a job, then at least end this hiatus we've been stuck in for the past week. Asmodeus is expecting the rent in a few days, and we have nothing to give him."

"Fine. We raid the New York Institute next."

Clary's eyes widened, and a muffled scream escaped her throat.

"Clarissa, no shrieking indoors," Sebastian scolded.

Clary spat out the gag and snarled, "Jace and the others will stop you! You don't stand a chance! All they have to do is—"

"What? Believe in themselves?" Sebastian cackled. "Amusing, really, Clarissa dear. Amatis!"

Silent as a shadow, Amatis emerged from behind Sebastian's throne. "Master."

He stifled a scream of shock and turned around in his throne. "A-Amatis, we invade London next. Start preparations."

"I thought we said New York?" Laramie piped up.

"I've changed my mind. Don't question me, Larry," Sebastian snapped.

"My name is not Larry."

"Whatever. Amatis, go."

"Yes, Master."

"And as for you," Sebastian turned to Lilith, who looked up from her stuffed toy to smile at her father. "It's naptime. Aren't you tired yet?"

She yawned.

"Of course you are. Come on, up." Sebastian scooped her into his arms. "Larry, do me a favor and carry Clarissa dear to my chambers, will you?"

Laramie shoved his abacus under his arm and sighed. "Yes, Master."

"Come, little princess." Sebastian crooned. "To bed."

"Don't you touch me, you creepy-ass—hey! Put me down!"

Laramie grunted, "This would be easier for both of us if you didn't struggle—ow! She kicked me!"

"Yes, she's fiery like that." Sebastian said nonchalantly. "Looks like I'm going to have to teach you some manners later tonight, Clarissa."

"Come near me and I swear I will rip you a new—"

"Ah-ah," Sebastian tutted. "No swearing in front of the princess."

"—butthole."

"How crude."

"Crude? I'll show you crude, you big—"

"Larry, take her away. She'll upset Lily with all that shrieking."

Laramie heaved Clary into his arms and carried her off kicking and screaming. Sebastian rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. "Hopefully one day she'll learn, Lily."

Lilith stared at him with a blank expression on her face, rosy cheeks quickly inflating and deflating as she sucked her thumb. Sebastian's chest twinged. How could such an innocent little lamb possibly have come from me and my sinful acts of lechery? He grazed her cheek with the crook of his finger. Lilith made a delighted sound and reached for him with both arms; they were short and chubby, like little sausages.

"I should take you to meet your grandmother Lilith someday," Sebastian mused. "I'm sure she'd simply adore you. Wouldn't you like that, Lily?"

Lilith blinked, and then broke into a gummy grin. "Ahh!"

"Yes, of course you would." Sebastian smoothed her fringe of pale hair. "Soon, Lily. Hush now. Go to sleep."

"Ah?"

"Ah," Sebastian echoed. "And soon you'll be talking. I suppose I shouldn't let you spend too much time around Aunt Clarissa; knowing her, your first word will probably be something along the lines of 'Shitbastian'."

"Shi-bastan!"

Sebastian's eyes widened. "Oh no."

"Shi-bastan!"

"No, Lily. Daddy. Say 'Daddy'!"

Lilith blinked. "Da…"

"Yes," Sebastian smiled. "Yes, that's it. You can do it, flower. Go on. Daddy."

"Da...da…"

"Daddy! Say Daddy!"

"Shi-bastan!"

Sebastian's jaw clenched. "Fuck."

Lilith clapped her hands. "Fu—"

"Don't you dare," Sebastian hissed. As if sensing her father's displeasure, Lilith quieted. Sebastian scowled. "You think you're real cute, don't you?"

Lilith giggled.

"You're not cute."

She reached out and touched his nose. Sebastian sucked in a sharp breath as his heart melted. "Cursed child. You've inherited all my charm."

She placed her tiny hand over his heart. "Da-dee."

Sebastian let out a very un-lordlike squeak.

"Da-dee!"

"I love you. You know that?" Sebastian brought his daughter close and pressed a kiss to her soft hair. "You might just be the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Lilith rested her head on his chest. "Da-dee."

He brought her small hand up to his lips and kissed it. "That's right. Daddy's got you."

Lilith yawned. "Shi-bastan."

He chuckled. "You're not going to grow out of that anytime soon, are you?"

She smacked her lips and her eyes fluttered closed. Sebastian adjusted the babe in his arms and started down the hallway, making sure to keep his footsteps quiet.