Nyxielle had fallen asleep before Asmodeus managed to leave.
Her little arms remained wrapped around his neck while he carried her through the children's palace, listening to the others arguing quietly about whether waking their sister would earn them punishment.
"Father."
Ardyn followed him towards the entrance.
Asmodeus glanced back. "Hm?"
"You'll come again?"
The question was simple enough that it shouldn't have hurt.
Yet it did.
Asmodeus looked down at Nyxielle sleeping against his shoulder, then towards the children gathered behind his eldest son.
"Yes."
This time, he wouldn't give them some vague promise about being less busy.
"I'll come back."
Ardyn stared at him for several seconds before finally nodding.
Only after Asmodeus crossed the garden did his expression change.
Beyond the palace walls waited reports, spies, disappearing ships and an emperor preparing to cross the sea for one of his dragons.
