Demonberry wine dribbled over my chin and spilled onto my sleeveless gown, but I didn’t stop guzzling it from the bottle to bother wiping the mess from my face. The magical sensation holding me in its thrall vanished. I set the bottle down, seriously contemplating throwing it across the table. Wrath gave me a smug grin.
He’d had a large, gilded table and two plush chairs brought into the weapons room. More thrones that weren’t thrones. Complete with metal serpents—not quite gold or silver, but in between—making up the outer rim of the seats.
Gold platters of fruits and desserts and whipped creams and rich, savory foods covered every inch of the cloth-covered table. Some dishes towered so high they toppled over, spilling onto the floor. It was a despicable waste.
I shook my head. “This is shameful.”
“The puppies will feast like royalty.”
“Puppies.” I snorted. “You mean those three-headed hellhounds?”
“Need I remind you that you asked for us to train. Stop avoiding the lesson.”
“Considering the fact I do not drink to excess, I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be learning from this little session. There must be something more useful you can teach me.”
“Allow me to try harder to prove the point.”
I should have known better than to assume the prince would take it easy on me during our training session the next night. He seemed to toy with lust, envy, wrath, and sloth the most, but tonight he exposed me to the sin of gluttony. Everything from my clothing, to the jewels I wore, to the rich meal we’d picked at, to the wine I drank spoke of overindulgence.
I had sent him a note, requesting our lessons to resume. After the assassination attempt, I was even more determined to protect myself from the demon princes. I was struggling to find the value in drinking wine to excess, and how that skill was going to aid my endeavors.
Wrath poured an enormous goblet and handed it to me. It was the third time he’d done so. And that wasn’t counting the two bottles of demonber
ry wine I’d already consumed over the last hour or two.
It was getting harder to fight off the demonic influence, or even sense that slight tingle that indicated magic was being used on me. I inhaled deeply, breathing through the wave of dizziness. I’d only ever gotten drunk on wine once before, but I recognized the signs.
“Drink this all as quickly as you can. Then pour another and do the same.”
His magic grazed the back of my senses. I gritted my teeth and focused on how annoyed I was. He grinned over a platter of chocolate-covered berries. Then his power overwhelmed me.
I held it at bay for another strained moment, then gulped down the goblet.
My head spun and my vision doubled. I swiped at my mouth, grinning like an idiot, and poured another drink. Wine sloshed from the goblet onto the floor. My silk slippers looked like I’d been traipsing through a murder scene, but I couldn’t care less.
The more he influenced me to drink, the more impossible it was becoming to concentrate on my free will. Which, through my drunken stupor, finally made sense.
His brothers could nudge me toward drinking, and in turn, a slow inebriation would make it nearly impossible to stave off their influence. The more out of control I became, the easier it would be for them to slip past my defenses. Wrath had a point after all.
He wasn’t just trying to have me fight off gluttony.
I pushed out of my seat and tripped my way over to the demon’s side of the table, the empty glass dangling from my fingertips. He’d had me dress in a long, extravagant silver gown made of silk. It was luxurious to the point of excess. I wore no undergarments and the material did not hide any part of my form. With the wine soaking through the front of the bodice, I might as well have been waltzing around naked. I doubted he’d planned for that.
Wrath hadn’t so much as dropped his gaze below my neckline. Ever the proper gentleman. At least when he wasn’t ripping out tongues or torturing would-be assassins to death.
Heavy strands of diamonds hung around my neck. There were so many in varying lengths, it felt as if I was carrying an extra five pounds around my throat. It was so excessive, even Envy would be appalled instead of jealous.
I leaned precariously over Wrath, my face close to his. I wanted to kiss him. Possibly break a bottle and stab him first. But then definitely kiss him.
“You’re getting me drunk on purpose.” I gave him what I thought was a saucy grin. “Naughty demon.”
“Being under the influence of alcohol or other substances will greatly reduce your ability to sense a prince of Hell’s magic. Especially Gluttony’s. He will push you to drink little by little until you lose control and he can take over.” His tone turned harsh. “You need to fight back.”
I was trying to pay attention to the lesson, but I was fascinated by the shape of his lips when he spoke. I reached over and touched them. He pressed them into a firm line.
“Emilia. Focus.”
“Oh, I promise I am. I am extremely focused at the moment. Enthralled. Or is it enchanted?” I drew my attention up. There were two of him, glowering. I blinked until only one annoyed demon remained. “Why haven’t you seduced me?”