For if Cassian succeeded, if he truly became the Consort of the Supreme Lord, then all of them would be forced to bow to him. A human. A creature they considered undeserving. The thought alone was intolerable to them. And so, they began to plot. To scheme. To tear him down before he rose too high.
Even the concubines themselves knew that Cassian's chances were slim. The Supreme Lord had never shown any interest in choosing a consort again. He was said to despise the very title. The wound of betrayal from centuries ago had never healed, and the shadow of it hung over the entire demon realm.
Everyone knew the story: long ago, the Supreme Lord's own consort had betrayed him. No one knew exactly how or why, but the act was so devastating that the Supreme Lord had withdrawn into slumber, taking the other Demon Kings with him. Together, they sealed the demon realm behind an unbreakable barrier, cutting it off from all other worlds.
