The First and the Seventh.
Biggest brother…
Her irises held the rich, deep brown of the earth.
Littlest sister.
Saer growled in return but with greater authority, and she quieted.“Our master has created you.”Saer hesitated, recalling how his other kin referred to Lucifer—as Father.He.
Lucifer made a quiet noise, and it spurred Saer on before he could second-guess his words.“You belong to...him...wholly and completely.You are bound to protect, obey, honor, and put no others before him.If you are honored to be his and so understand and swear to follow these conditions, say as much.”
Kalia squinted her eyes as she computed the words.When she took too long for Saer’s liking, he snarled and snapped his teeth a breath from her face, earning a yelp with her immediate assent.“Yes, yes I agree!”
Saer huffed and jerked his chin in the direction of the corridors.“Find and join the others until you’re given orders.”He glanced over his shoulder at Errshek.“You, too.”
He swore Kalia shot him a mocking sneer before moving to comply—as slow as she pleased.Errshek joined her with a soft muttering under his breath.Saer couldn’t catch the words, but Kalia giggled in response.
Lucifer’s weak chuckle of delight hummed through the chamber.“Good, Saerkhanum.Where is my Neyuukhan?”
Saer warred with the pang of umbrage to hear Lucifer refer to Neyu as Its possession.
“Here, Father.”Neyu glided to them, close enough that she curled a wing around Saer, a hand on his forearm.Her honeyed voice vibrated through him.
Vexation slid away, replaced by the thrill of her nearness as he resisted the urge to lean into that touch.The pull hadn’t lessened through their time apart, the burning need to be near his perfect match.
Lucifer’s hooded eyes slid shut as though It couldn’t keep them open.“Tell me, what has Saerkhanum brought us?”
The demoness brushed her thumb along the groove of one of Saer’s forearm muscles.Their maker couldn’t have seen or noticed, but his heart tried to slam out of its ribcage as she slid her focus to Asheda’s spirit.“A glowing essence, Master.Saer holds it in place.”
She squeezed Saer’s arm, and he fought the polarizing urge to draw her closer as well as push her away out of fear for her wellbeing.
Lucifer exhaled, head lolling.“Bring it nearer, Saerkhanum.”So quiet, Saer barely heard the command.
Neyu moved, helping to turn Lucifer to sit and face them, shoulders and wings braced by the stone at Its back.Asheda’s spirit wavered as Saer shifted to present it within easy reach of their maker.
Lucifer ran Its quavering fingers along Asheda’s essence, up its side, then over its face.
Too much time passed.
Pride shut his eyes, brow pinched together.Asheda’s soul was not what his master needed.He’d be destroyed, subsumed—his promised punishment for failure.
A quiet and pleased hum rumbled in Lucifer’s throat.“Saerkhanum, you’ve exceeded my expectations.”
His eyes snapped open, capturing Neyu’s fretful gaze, warring with what he could only imagine was cautious relief.He dragged his attention back to their maker.
Lucifer regarded the soul with a ravenous gleam in Its eyes.Terrified and sickly appearing, Asheda’s form otherwise froze, paralyzed.Gazing upon the beautiful curve of his maker’s lips as It smiled, Saer knew it had all been worth it—the punishments, the time spent on the surface, the grueling trial and error.
He’d proven his place as First…and favored.
Lucifer mused, “What is different about this soul?”
Saer wondered the same thing since the moment he noted the discrepancy, and felt no closer to an answer.He groped for an answer within that nebulous instinct.“His essence felt different, Master.”
“Yes, my child, butwhy?” Lucifer’s brittle tone snapped, and Neyu’s breath caught.
Saer’s mind reeled.When had he first noticed the rightness of Asheda’s spirit?He grasped for words, anything that came to mind.“This soul has suffered more, Master.It has endured pain, grief, and trials which humans find agonizing and taxing to their bodies.”
“Suffered.”The fallen angel mused over the soul, eyes glinting.“Yes.”
