[BL] I Didn't Sign Up For This-Chapter 106: In Which Azryth Makes a Choice

Azryth stood in the throne room, power humming through him, the realm stable beneath his control.

And realized he didn’t want to stay here.

The throne was his. The realm was secure. Demons were cooperating, infrastructure repairs were underway, territorial disputes were being resolved through proper channels rather than violence.

Everything he’d worked toward for five hundred years.

And all he could think about was that Riven was three thousand miles away in Alaska, and the physical distance felt wrong in ways the binding couldn’t quite compensate for.

Spiritual phone calls were convenient. Being able to hear Riven’s voice across realms, feel his presence through the connection, maintain awareness of each other even when separated...it helped.

But it wasn’t the same as being in the same space, it wasn’t the same as seeing him, touching him, existing in the same physical reality rather than connected only through magic.

The binding pulsed quietly, Riven’s attention on something else at the moment. Training, probably. Or dealing with Void’s ongoing campaign to hiss at anyone who came within three feet of him.

Azryth made a decision.

*Riven.*

*Yeah?* Immediate response, attention shifting fully toward him through the connection.

*Can you tell Kelvin and Kade I need them in the infernal realm? Send word to Serra as well. She’s been handling the company, but I’ll need her in the infernal realm soon.*

Confusion rippled through the binding. *You’re delegating?*

*The realm needs competent administrators. I’d rather be with you.*

Something warm flooded through the binding, surprise mixing with satisfaction and what might have been embarrassment. *Oh.*

*You’re coming to Alaska?*

*As soon as I arrange things here.*

Relief and anticipation rippled through the connection. *How soon?*

*Two or three days. I need to brief them properly, establish protocols, and make sure the transition is stable.*

*I’ll tell them,* Riven said, and Azryth could feel him smiling through the binding. *Kelvin’s going to be insufferable about this, you know. He’ll consider running a realm a personal achievement.*

*He’s not wrong,* Azryth replied. *It is an achievement. Just one I’m willing to delegate so I don’t have to spend weeks separated from you.*

Warmth flooded through the binding, and Azryth felt Riven’s smile even across the distance.

*Two days,* Riven said. *I’ll be waiting.*

***

Kelvin and Kade arrived at the infernal palace within hours, stepping through a rift passage at the outer courtyard.

They looked travel-worn but alert, both of them pausing to take in the palace as they walked through corridors toward the throne room.

"It looks different," Kade observed quietly. "More stable."

"Less like reality’s about to tear apart," Kelvin agreed.

The throne room doors were open. They stepped inside, and both demons went still for a moment, assessing.

The obsidian walls no longer flickered with dimensional instability, the brass fixtures gleamed with proper maintenance rather than neglect, the infernal fire burned steady and controlled instead of wild and chaotic.

The throne itself radiated power in a way it hadn’t during the fight, properly claimed, properly bound to its lord.

Azryth stood near one of the administrative tables, reviewing documents. He looked up as they entered.

"Lord Azryth," Kelvin said, inclining his head with respect that seemed genuine. "Riven said you needed us."

"I do," Azryth said. "The infernal realm needs administrators. Demons who can handle day-to-day governance, territorial disputes, resource allocation, infrastructure maintenance. Demons I can trust not to abuse the position or let everything deteriorate the way Veyrith did."

Kade’s expression shifted to something interested. "You’re delegating."

"I’m ensuring the realm has proper leadership while I’m not physically present."

"And where will you be?" Kelvin asked, though his tone suggested he already knew the answer.

"With Riven. We’ll move between realms as needed, but I won’t be residing here full-time."

Kelvin and Kade exchanged glances.

"Demon lords don’t usually delegate their thrones," Kade pointed out.

"Demon lords also don’t usually bind themselves to wardens and help seal cosmic entities," Azryth replied. "I’m establishing new precedents."

Kelvin’s grin was sharp and approving. "When do we start?" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

***

The next two days were intensive.

Azryth walked them through everything. Administrative structures, territorial boundaries, dispute resolution protocols, resource management systems, emergency response procedures. Introduced them to key demons in the palace hierarchy, made it clear that Kelvin and Kade had his full authority to make decisions in his absence.

Established communication protocols so he could be reached if genuine emergencies arose, while making it equally clear that day-to-day matters were now their responsibility.

On the second day, while reviewing final transition documents in the administrative wing, Kade asked about Serra.

"Will she keep handling Valek Industries?"

"No. I sent word yesterday, she’ll arrive tomorrow to begin transition briefings. The three of you will share administrative duties, Kelvin handling territorial matters, Kade overseeing infrastructure and resources, Serra managing external relations and the company’s interface with the realm."

"Efficient division," Kelvin observed.

"It’s necessary. The realm has been neglected for centuries, fixing it will take coordinated effort."

By the third day, everything was arranged.

Kelvin and Kade were installed in administrative quarters, familiar with protocols, already handling minor disputes and resource allocations with the kind of competence Azryth had expected.

Serra would arrive within hours to complete the leadership structure.

The realm was stable.

Azryth was free to leave.

***

He used a standard rift passage to the nearest anchor point to the Aleutian Islands, a location on the Alaskan mainland, hours from the fortress by conventional transport but significantly closer than traveling from the infernal realm directly.

The coalition had arranged the rest. A vehicle waiting at the anchor point, driven by someone who asked no questions and maintained professional silence during the drive to the coast.

Then a boat, smaller vessel, designed for rough water, piloted by someone who knew these routes well enough to navigate them in weather that would have turned most people back.

The Aleutian Islands emerged from fog and mist like something from another world. Volcanic rock, steep cliffs, water that looked black under gray skies.

The Kael fortress sat on one of the outer islands, visible only once they’d rounded a particular cliff face. Stone structure built into the rock itself, warded so heavily Azryth could feel the protections even from the water.

Ancient magic, warden magic, the kind that had been maintained for generations.

The boat docked at a small pier that looked like it had been carved from the cliff. Azryth climbed out, feeling the wards assess him, recognize the binding, and permit entry.

A path led up through the rock, steep and deliberately difficult.

He followed it.

The fortress entrance was a door set into stone, simple and unadorned. It opened before he reached it.

Riven stood in the doorway.

He looked... good. Rested, despite only a few days of separation. Training had clearly agreed with him, there was something more settled in his posture, more confident in the way he held himself.

And the binding between them sang with proximity, the distance finally closed, both of them in the same physical space again after days of spiritual phone calls and emotional awareness across realms.

Riven’s expression did something complicated. Relief and satisfaction and something fiercer, something that looked like he’d been holding himself together through sheer will and had just been given permission to stop.

"You’re here," Riven said.

"I’m here," Azryth agreed.

And Riven crossed the space between them in three steps and wrapped his arms around him, holding on like he’d been barely keeping it together and finally didn’t have to anymore.

Azryth pulled him closer, one hand in Riven’s hair, the other at his back, feeling the solid reality of him after days of distance.

The binding settled into something complete, both of them present, physical, together.

"Don’t do that again," Riven said against his shoulder.

"Separate for days?"

"Yes."

"I don’t plan to."

"Good."

Then Void hissed from somewhere near Riven’s feet, apparently having opinions about Azryth’s hands on Riven.

Azryth looked down at the small black furball, at the purple-black eyes glaring at him with unmistakable hostility.

"It still hates me," he observed.

"It’ll adjust," Riven said, not moving from where he was pressed against Azryth. "Eventually."

Azryth seriously doubted that.

But Riven was here, solid and real and close enough to touch, and the realm was stable under competent administration, and they had time.

They had all the time they needed.