Stolas groaned and slowly opened his eyes. He found himself staring at a pink stained glass ceiling dome decorated with crescent moons. Hanging from the dome was a golden mobile shaped like a sun. The rest of the ceiling looked like the night sky.

The world shifted into a clearer focus. Stolas sat up and wiped away the green remains of the absinthe he had gotten hungover on. He was still wearing the starry red cape and fancy dark suit he had worn with Blitzo at Asmodeus' club. Several striped Venus Fly Trap plants looked at Stolas in curiosity. He put his fingers to his aching head and wandered toward his vanity in his room. Stolas sighed with melancholy, black mascara dripping from his red eyes. With a finger, he knocked over his bottle of happy pills, took three, and popped them into his mouth.

Stolas then scrolled through his cellphone, looking at pictures of Blitzo. One pictured showed a grumpy looking Blitzo in Stolas' room. Another showed Blitzo's drawing of a brown horse with white wings. Another showed Blitzo in a tired, mad position in his horse hoodie near a starry curtain. The last picture showed Stolas smiling and posing with his collection of monstrous plants behind him. Blitzo glanced off to the side, looking bored and unhappy. Stolas then realized his mistakes.

"Blitzo…wasn't happy being with me," Stolas thought sadly. "I didn't consider his feelings. What have I done?"

Blitzo didn't want to fuck him, nor be with him. He had only wanted the grimoire to expand his business.

Yet Stolas wondered if there was a part of Blitzo that secretly longed for a friend and partner. Both of them felt lonely and lost, surrounded by a variety of people. Some were friendly, while others shunned them away and downright hated them. Stolas thought that his dates with Blitzo was the beginning of not only freedom from his daily struggles…but also a spark of true love and freedom.

And now it was gone.

He walked into the night air and paced back and forth near the double glass doors, which glowed pink and magenta in the light.

0 0 0

Octavia finished her cereal at the kitchen table, while listening to punk music from her earbuds. She rose to put her stuff away, then headed back toward her room. She was glad that her taxidermy books didn't judge her, at least.

"Octavia!" barked a voice.

Octavia took out her earbuds and saw her mother's face.

"The fuck do you want, now?"

"I just want to talk."

"Shove it," Octavia scoffed. "I'm not in the mood for your fucking monologues."

"But this is important, Octavia. It's not about etiquette or rules this time. It's about your father."

Octavia seethed and made her way out toward the balcony.

"He's been under a lot of stress, lately…"

"Gee I wonder why," Octavia deadpanned. "With you two constantly bickering, I'm not surprised."

Stella put a hand on Octavia's shoulder. "I know I haven't really been…the most attentive mother, but you know I'm only trying to do what's best for you in this hellhole."

"Neither of you know what's best for me."

"But you still love your parents, don't you?"

"Yes…"

"And I love you, too, Via. Your father however…not so much."

Octavia then turned to look at her. "What do you mean?"

"This may be hard to hear, but he really is a pathetic excuse of a father. We were forced to marry each other and every day I wish things were better."

"But why is he so sullen and nervous around you?" Octavia asked suspiciously. "If he's really pathetic, why do you constantly scream at him and argue every chance you get?"

Octavia's pink eyes narrowed, and Stella raised one brow.

"Don't think I'm not aware of certain things," Octavia said, arms folded. "I know you are a big part of the problem. Perhaps if you'd just fucking leave me and dad alone for once…"

Stella put her hands on her hips. "And let him be a bad influence on you and fuck around with more common imps? I know I may be very stern, but you have to trust me that I only want what's best for you and our family." She smirked. "Us ladies have to stick together, after all."

She stroked Octavia's shoulder and Octavia stepped back. "Still…that's no excuse for your behavior. How do I know you're just using me?"

"The real question is…" Stella's eyes glowed with menace. "How do you know your father's not doing the same?"

Octavia paused. "What?"

Stella scoffed. "Clueless as ever, I see."

"If you're fucking abusing him, tell me!"

"I may get angry, but I'd never resort to such uncouth behavior. But I've seen Stolas talk to himself at night. I've seen right through his innocent behaviors and now know he has more nefarious purposes…"

Stella widened her eyes in a tearful look. "The truth is, dear…Stolas doesn't really care for you."

"Bullshit," Octavia scoffed.

"It's true though. The only reason you were born is because you were raised to be a precautionary heir to the Goetia line. Stolas never really wanted any kids. The only things he cares about are money and screwing imps. Any kindness he has shown you is just a façade. He's the one who's abusing me in private."

"That can't be true…" Octavia breathed.

"And he's only been so withdrawn and flinchy around me because he doesn't want to admit the truth. Your dad not only hates you, but he's also burdened by your very existence!"

Tears began to well in Octavia's eyes. "What…why tell me now?"

"Stolas has been wanting a divorce for a while now. He wants…" Stella sniffed dramatically, "…to leave the palace and leave you behind."

Octavia's eyes widened. "My dad…doesn't really care for me? But…"

"But what? What is there left to do? Stolas can't wait for you to turn eighteen, because once you do, you won't be his problem anymore!"

Octavia gasped as more tears rolled down. "No, no, no, no. I can't fucking believe it."

A pause of dread.

"I'll leave you alone to think about it," Stella said, pulling her into a hug. "Stolas is inevitably going to leave. But I promise, I will make my amends and keep looking after you. I've only wanted you to live as normal of a life one can live in a royal family. I hope you'll forgive me someday."

"Okay, mom," Octavia cried. "Just…leave me alone."

They separated and Octavia raced out of sight, head in her hands.

After Octavia vanished, Stella smirked. "How pathetic."

0 0 0

Stolas sang his lament out loud, tears welling in his eyes as he wandered into his library.

"Out in a cage
You show your age
Your sweetness has run foul

Without a change, you're lost, exhausted
By your time on stage

Then you walked into my room
And light sparks in the dark
Life was suddenly thrilling and new

What's between you and I
Just a comfortable lie
I'm the fool who believes when you look in my eyes"

Stolas grabbed another fancy book titled "Asmodeus King of Lust", flipped through the pages and stopped on a page on Asmodean crystals. The text was written in runes.

"Asmodean Crystals: Bestowed to mainly succubi and incubi by the king of sin and lust – these crystals allow access to the mortal realm."
"My hellborn in possession of a registered crystal may be granted portal summons."
"It is common practice to have the crystal paired with another object of convenience."
"Jewelry is the most popular option."
"This writing in runes shit was fun at first but I know I am definitely not doing this right. I should be spending more time with my friends and family."

Stolas dropped the open book on his bed. He imagined a teal Asmodean crystal soaring though the air like a shooting star, lighting up Blitzo's silhouette beside him. His mascara ran like black tears down his face as he sang.

"Prince, all alone, upon your throne
Your power is so frail
You raise your voice
You have no choice
Inside your gilded jail"

Stolas' voice cracked as he reached his hand toward the red starry sky in vain. Two bushes of flowers sat in crown-shaped holders.

"The fuck are you doing?!" called Stella's voice from behind him.

"Reflecting," Stolas replied, still staring straight ahead.

"Well, stop!" Stella demanded as she walked toward him. "It's annoying to hear you screeching your silly woes all the time!"

"Why are you still here?" Stolas demanded, turning around. "You leave with Via on weekends but then you stay around the house despite everything."

"I like tormenting you," Stella smirked, holding out a finger. "I want to keep reminding you of what you did."

"I know what I did!" Stolas yelled, leaning his face in. "I would feel bad if I hurt you, but we both know I didn't do that. You and I were arranged for one reason; to birth a precautionary heir to the Goetia family, nothing more. I tried so many years to make it comfortable for us; to have this family, but it was never enough. The only reason I have endured your constant insults and cruelty was for that girl to have a normal life. I cannot do this anymore. I want you out. Now!"

Stella looked taken aback. "What do you mean, out?"

Rage flowed through Stolas, no longer contained inside. "I mean out! Out of this palace, out of my life! We are getting the divorce!"

Stella's eyes twitched in fury. "How dare you?!"

She stomped forward, pointing at him and Stolas shrank backwards, hands in front of him.

Stella spat, "What do you think the rest of the Goetia family will think? Andrealphus…"

Stella raised her hand to slap him…only for Stolas to grip her arm, blocking her attack. For so many years, he had endured her horrible abuse. But anger and newfound courage had now enabled Stolas to stand up for himself.

"I don't care what your arrogant brother thinks!" Stolas fired back. "And the only thing the Goetia family wanted from our marriage is already seventeen, so it's over! I'm DONE!"

Stella briefly stared wide eyed in surprise at Stolas' sudden defiance. Then she glared and pulled her hand away from his grip.

"Fine," Stella scoffed. "I have no desire to stay in the place of a traitorous embarrassment. You have fallen from what little grace you had, and I know…"

She smirked evilly… "…you'll pay for it."

Stella stomped off, leaving Stolas alone.

Stolas sighed, hand briefly over his face as he looked forlornly at the sky, his cape making a dark fan-shape near the ground. Another shooting star zoomed through the sky.

"I wish things didn't have to end like this," he thought.

From behind a wall, a figure gasped softly, shaking. Tears rolled down Octavia's face. She had overheard the whole argument between her parents.

"I can't fucking believe it," she thought. "They are getting a divorce. Now I'll be left all alone."

She wiped away her tears and raced back inside. She walked into Stolas' library and stared at Stolas' grimoire, the one that allowed the imps to travel to Earth. "If only there was something that could help me…some sort of spell in the grimoire or one of these books…" she thought. Looking down at the open book on the bed, she spotted the page on Asmodean crystals.

"Access to the Living World?" she thought. Octavia pondered over her future responsibilities as part of the Goetia family and maintaining the cosmos. She had her suspicions that Stella and Andrealphus had sinister plans to aid in her father's further fall. But if Stella was right and her father didn't really love her…who could she really trust?

Octavia was still a lonely, antisocial, young teen. She could do magic easily, but she felt far from ready when it came to taking on her father's role. If she couldn't fully trust her mother or her father or that imp pal of Stolas'…she'd have to go on alone.

Octavia could fulfill her predestined role… or alternatively, she could perhaps start a new life somewhere else. An independent life away from her parents…or at least somewhere where she could take time to reflect. A place to figure out her true divine purpose, aside from being an heir.

She examined the grimoire again.

A look of pain and determination was set in Octavia's pink eyes.

She knew what she had to do.