My heart leaped again at his insistence Yilan was pregnant. But Lucifer was namedThe Prince of Liesfor a reason.
Still, he’d been true about Jann.
None of it mattered if he slit my throat, so I pushed the hope and the fear to the corner of my heart, and faced him down.
I said nothing, and did nothing. Because, as if a dear friend whispered in my ear, a voice in my headinsistedthat I remember toresist.
Lucifer stared at me. His features grew colder, but he offered no other outward reaction to my silence.
“Listen very carefully, Melek. I chose to bring you here in case we could worktogether.I offer you everything you would ever need in this world. You’d stop being a thorn in your son’s side,fighting for a crown you never wanted in the first place—correct? Wouldn’t that be so much better? You get everything you want, and your mate and baby stay safe. I dream of the stock you would stud…”
He smiled and licked his lips and my stomach turned.
“Of course, if you continue to play this game,” Lucifer said lightly, “your time has come.Hertime has come. When I’m done humbling you, I’ll walk out that door to her. She can’t hide from me—I see through the shroud. Her talent for shadow walking comes from me. Feeds me.Serves me.”
I was uneasy for a flash, but then…He lies,the voice in my head insisted.Resist.
I tried to swallow—difficult to do with my head craned back—but it couldn’t be true, because Yilan had drawn away from Lucifer as they were approaching, and Lucifer was here with me. I didn’t believe he’d willingly leave her behind after knocking me senseless. So that had to mean he hadn’t seen her.
Right?
Resist.
Lucifer’s gaze flared with anger, but his expression didn’t change. Without warning, he released my chin. My head dropped and my chin hit the stone so hard my teeth clacked. With a simple command, the pressure on my back disappeared and Lucifer retreated, beckoning Gall forward.
I scrambled to my feet—trying desperately not to sway, though my head spun—and tugged at my leathers, preparing to fight.
Of course, all my weapons had been removed.
Then, Gall came to stand right at my toes, lookingdownon me—which was impossible. He’d been an inch shorter than me for years. However, now… now I raised my chin slightly to meet my son’s eyes.
“Gall—”
“Don’t talk to me.”
Gall’s ears were red—a sign of distress.
I tried to calm him. “You don’t have to worry. I’m not going to hurt you—I won’t even fight—”
One moment Lucifer was halfway across the floor, staring at me, the next he stood at Gall’s shoulder, his head turned to whisper in Gall’s ear, while his eyes stayed on me.
The longer that fucker whispered, the more I saw my sonshift.His eyes glowed. His body swelled.
Then I caught the words.
“…no more indulging him. He needs to die—he’s your only rival. With him out of the way, the others fall to you like pawns on a chessboard.”
I saw the flicker of uncertainty in Gall’s eyes, and my heart pinched—my son had neverquitebeen able to remember which piece on the board traveled in which way.
“…This is your moment, Gall. It’s all yours.He’syours.”
“If you’re so certain, why not kill me yourself?” I snarled at the Fallen. “A true leader does his own dirty work.”
Gall’s gaze slid to Lucifer, who smiled.
Lucifer smiled at me. “What do you think I’m doing?”
I expected him to step up to me—with further threats, or yet another blow to drop me. But to my surprise, instead he turned back to Gall. All warmth and humor on his face evaporated, leaving only the cold, cunning Fallen to face my son, who began to sweat.
