Fighting.
Hope sprang anew in my chest, as I tried to reach for him. “You don’t have to do this, Son. No matter what he says—you don’t have to do it.” I babbled on, gentle reassurances to soothe my son, but something about that statement I’d offered thoughtlessly, rang a gong in my head.
No matter what he says… you don’t have to do it…
Lucifer stood to Gall’s right, his eyes flat and hooded. “Gall, that is anorder.”
No matter what he says… you don’thaveto do it…
Then a memory from just moments ago…“If you’re so certain, why not kill me yourself?” I snarled at the Fallen. “A true leader is willing to do his own dirty work.”
Gall’s gaze slid to Lucifer, who smiled.
Lucifer smiled at me. “What do you think I’m doing?”
Another scream sounded in the hall outside the room, and Jann snapped to look, then growled. He was about to run, but Lucifer called him to a halt with a single, snapped word.
“Knock Melek unconscious until his son can find his ballsack. You donothelp him kill. The kingwillrise, and hewilltake the power from Melek to rule his people. Are we understood?”
Jann nodded. Then he stepped back into the room, as Lucifer strode for the door.
“Neither of you leaves this room until he’s dead at Gall’s hand—and no whining, Gall. After all, you’ve already killed one father. Might as well make it a pair.”
I snarled against the cruelty of the comment, and Gall flinched. I couldn’t focus on that yet. Gall was still uncertain. Ihadto figure this out. My head spun with the questions, and hints of conclusions I was scared to draw. But I couldn’t resist a taunt as the Fallen stormed out.
“Tell my mate I send my love! I’ll be at her side soon.”
Lucifer halted, then turned on his heel to face me, his eyes a chilling picture of malice. “Oh no, I’ll give hermylove.And when you’re gone, I’ll kill your child, then give it to her over, and over, andover…”
His smile turned my stomach as he blinked out of sight.
Which was when it all clicked into place in my mind.
Hever had always said, Lucifer wasn’t God. He couldn’t be in two places at once.
He’d told me to fight on multiple fronts, to divide his attention and ability to apply power. But only tonight I was seeing the truelimitationof the Fallen.
Because he could have killed me a dozen times over—even before all of this. He could have killed me in the tent in the warcamp, when Yilan and I first bonded.
He could have killed us both, in the tower in Theynor.
He could have killed me out in the forest tonight—and again minutes ago when I was pinned on the floor at his feet—but he didn’t.
Because hecouldn’t?
…No matter what he says… you don’thaveto do it…
Resist,that voice from the Creator whispered again.Resist.
The picture unfolding in my head was so simple, and yet so complex, I was speechless. I desperately needed a moment to justthink.
As Gall faltered in front of me, then pulled himself up, I was still finding all the pieces of the puzzle.
“I can do it. I can do it, Jann!”
Jann strode towards us both. “Of course you can, Gall. But don’t worry. You leave him to me.”
I opened my mouth to tell my friend and my son what I’d figured out, to get their insight, but just as I inhaled, Jann’s jaw went tight. He swung the butt of his spear up so quickly, and Iwas so distracted, I couldn’t get a hand high enough to block it. It cracked the side of my head and I went down like a felled tree.
