Haunted Wood Funhouse tricks

So he wanted Hela as his consort. Better not kill her then; not that it was likely anyway.
He had fought Hela before and knows her tricks, not that she didn't find them on Vengeance already.

"I have a Consort. It's not Serem." 
She has Vengeance's children.
Why wasn't it her?

She tilted her auds, listening for prying ears.
"When?"
They needed to do this tactically. If Hela wanted Serem to stay Vanity would have to coordinate her attack for the same time. Or vanity could go take Hela right now and make Valour General.
But then he wouldn't have proven himself worthy.