Free Web NovelChapter 36: Chapter 36 - Ungodly desires
Virgil set off for the church, his meeting with Lilith postponed for another day.
The wedding could not yet come. He was so close to guiding Lilith to the right path, and this was the perfect moment to place the church in power.
"Arrange a gathering with the nobles. Their support must be secured," Virgil commanded his followers. "And find me a maid who can slip close to Princess Lilith. She will carry my message."
"High Priest, is Her Highness truly suited for you? Princess Lilith has always been reckless and defiant of the church. She is not a woman of virtue," one follower dared to say.
Virgil looked over his shoulder. "Her Highness can be fixed. I was close, so very close. If not for His Grace shattering the castle, she would already be mine and purified. She shall be changed. Do not question the will of God."
He looked ahead, Lilith’s face rising in his mind once more to tempt him. To make him question his faith.
Princess Lilith had always been dangerous, scorning his prayers, rejecting his hand. Yet the fire inside her drew him closer. It was a fire that must be extinguished.
Lilith was vile, but she belonged to him alone. He had invested too much time and devotion into reshaping her to allow Cassian to steal her away. freeweɓnøvel.com
"His late Majesty ignored me when I named myself as her rightful husband. He would not listen, and now God has punished him. We must act quickly, before His wrath consumes this kingdom," Virgil said, leading his followers back into the safety of the church.
Meanwhile, Cassian walked with Eric back to his bedchamber.
"For now, it’s good you didn’t tie yourself to the church. You don’t need their blessing to marry the princess. Power already lies in your hands," Eric said. Still, he worried.
If the priests whispered to the townsfolk of the chaos that might follow this union, then the townspeople might be against it as well.
"We don’t need their poison spreading through the streets. Virgil will have to die," Cassian said coldly, knowing how much the priest craved power. "The church is his weapon. He’s tried to wield it before."
"In that other life you spoke of? Did he succeed?" Eric asked, his voice uneasy. "Virgil with more power and more followers is a scary thought. That man is already too eerie to face."
"I lived away from the castle, so only small tales reached me, but he tried to marry Princess Thalia to bridge the gap between the castle and the church. George didn’t allow it, as the princess was already promised to a neighbouring kingdom," Cassian recounted the past.
"Had Lilith been in the castle, her father might have considered making her a pawn to escape the pressure Virgil placed on him. I need to write all of it down," Cassian said, rubbing his temple.
It slowly started to feel as though the memories of his other life were fading away. To keep Lilith safe, Cassian needed to remember every threat, every war, and every disaster from that life.
"Whatever you write, keep it protected. If it falls into the wrong hands, you’ll be in trouble. If Virgil knew that you were granted a second chance to change your ending, I wonder if he would believe you, or deny it because it wasn’t he who experienced such power," Eric wondered.
"Why don’t any of his followers question why God only speaks through him? Anyone else who claims to know God’s plans is called a witch and hanged. That man is trouble," Eric said, certain Virgil wouldn’t be easy to kill.
The church’s influence spread thin and wide throughout the kingdom.
"He will be dealt with. He will go to the nobles to convince them not to attend the wedding. Even if they do not agree with the union, the wedding will happen. There are churches not under Virgil’s control. Get a priest from there," Cassian ordered Eric.
"And if they do not want to come?"
"Then take one. A sword pointed at their face will convince them," Cassian said.
"You want me to threaten an innocent priest? Are you mad?" Eric exclaimed, his voice bouncing off the stone walls. "Virgil is one thing, because that bastard is evil, but an innocent priest is another story. You haven’t even told me how I die. What if God accelerates it?"
"You were alive by the time Lilith and I died." Cassian threw Eric a bone. "Now, find me a priest unless you wish to give your life to the cloth and conduct our wedding yourself."
"No, thank you. Your wedding is in a day, and I would have too much to repent for before I could wear a robe. I never told you the story-"
"And I don’t want to hear it," Cassian quickly shut down Eric’s storytelling. "Inform me right away of my mother’s arrival. I must have a word with her before she meets with Lilith."
"Oh, yes. That should be entertaining. You have to face your mother after not telling her of your plans. I recall your mother had a great interest in who you would wed. Then you go off and pick your bride alone," Eric said, certain the reunion would be met with drama.
"My mother will understand. Her main focus was finding me a wife. As long as I am married, she won’t care who the woman is. They must meet alone so no one can get in their ears about each other," Cassian said, knowing exactly who he needed to keep away.
"I wish you luck. Her Highness isn’t the kind of woman to take disrespect, nor will she bend to anyone. You will be placed in a difficult position if she is at odds with the relatives you care for. Would she poison them?" Eric wondered, tapping a finger against his cheek.
"She would," Cassian responded with great certainty. "Which is why they must get along. I am going to see Lilith to speak of our wedding. Keep an eye on Virgil and his followers."
