I frowned. “Lucifer didn’t tell you? We’reallhaving babies, Gall. You. Me. Jann. All of us—at least, according to him. He could be lying about that as well, I suppose. But I think… I think it’s something he needs to be true. I think he wants to raise our babies—just like I raised you. That’s why I wanted to see you safe and happy—all of us. Our mates. Our children… Gall, we’regoing to be fathers.” I locked eyes with him and let him see I held nothing back. “ I can tell you, there’s nothing in this world that’s made me prouder, than being your Papa,” I murmured.
Gall shivered. His hands clenched and unclenched on the weapon handle. He was starting to quiver. I stared right into his eyes and felt the love I had for him, and waited.
When he didn’t kill me, I spoke again. About how angry I’d been when I found him toddling around in a refuse pile, dirty and hungry and unattended. About how much I’d wanted to see Gault dead for rejecting him. About how proud I’d been of his heart—and how heartbroken I was by all the ways he’d been hurt. How I’d hoped he’d be strong like this so he could prove tohimselfthat he didn’t need to be ashamed. The way I’d been so happy for him when he met Istral, and it was so clear they were meant for each other.
“…I’ve loved you longer than I’ve loved anyone,” I said, clearing my throat. “That’s why I knew the moment I heard you stood against my claim, that I couldn’t hurt you, Gall. Because if it was a choice between losing my love for you, or losing the crown… I knew which I’d give up first.”
Gall sagged, and his eyes screwed up tight. “Stop,” he breathed.
I shook my head, blinking back tears of my own. “I’ll never leave you. I’ll never abandon you. And I know… Gall, I know that even if there’s a mistake today… I know you’ll never stop loving me, either. Either together, or apart, you’re going to end up fighting him.” I took a deep breath. “Resist, Gall.Resist.His only power is in the fear he uses to lead you. He’s persuading you of lies, and you’re the one taking the steps. Resist, and he’ll have no power. Do you understand what I’m saying?If you resist… he’s powerless.”
Gall stared. I waited.
In the quiet of this echoing chamber, the roar of battle rose from nearby hallways and corridors.The fight was coming to us.I needed to get him out of here. I needed to keep him safe, but if he wouldn’t believe me…
As the sounds of distant fighting and dying slowly encroached, I continued to wait. Gall continued to stare.
Then he blinked and met my eyes again. But he didn’t remove the blade.
The ringing sound I recognized as the shock of blades scraping each other, and a wordless shout, echoed somewhere in the palace.
“They’re coming,” I said hoarsely.
“Who?”
“The men fighting for Lucifer, and the ones fighting for me—against him—they’re fighting for their lives Gall. And half of them are yours. So… what are you going to lead them to?”
Gall's eyes widened… but he leaned a little harder on the axe and a second trickle of my blood joined the first.
47. Motive Matters
~ YILAN ~
Eventually, it became obvious that the Nephilim forces had been distracted by Gall’s call to hunt and their bloodthirst, so had arrived late to the fight against our allies. But, when they finally understood that their palace and king were under threat, they turned that bloodlust on us.
Thank God half of them were stumbling drunk.
I’d lost contact with Jann and Diadre. The palace was carnage. I’d taken more life in the past hour than I had in years before. The bloodbath tore me apart, even as it raised my hope.
Then, I reached for Melek as I drew closer to the banquet hall—assuming he’d be well gone, taking Gall out of the palace and away to safety. I’dhoped.Instead, my mate was in pain, and while he hadn’t been able to show me what was happening, I could sensean immense struggle.
Weary and afraid, I tried to fight my way to him—but frustratingly, my progress was slowed because I was once again losing power, only shrouding when absolutely necessary,because I was afraid it may fail me altogether—but something dire was occurring, and Melek was too consumed to show me. I needed to get to him, but was turned back again and again.
I wanted to weep. I wanted to fall into bed and sleep for a week. I wanted to throw my crown aside, grab up my mate and fly out of here, and let them all—
“You can’t solve this for them. But you can help. Don’t you dare give up.”
I gasped and whirled, my skin crawling when I found Hever standing behind me—how had he approached without me hearing him? My jaw had dropped—but very quickly, my anger rose into my throat.
“Where thefuckdo you get off trailing me and telling me—”
“Do you believe Istral’s power comes from Lucifer?”
I swallowed, taken off guard by the question. “I don’twantto believe that she’d… that he’s able to—”
“Of course it doesn’t,” he muttered gruffly. “Lucifer is powerful, but his power is sickness anddeath.It’s yet one more piece of bullshit Lucifer is using to convince you all—including Istral. He claims powerhe does not have.He is not the author of life—or even death. He was created with gifts and powers that arestaggering.Yet, he defied the purpose to which he was called. You see what comes of that kind of corruption. Whatever God does, Lucifer emulates—and twists. He cannot conceive of anything new. He cannot create. He can only take what already exists, and pervert it. Be it creatures… or souls. He claims Istral’s gift because he sensed it in her, and needed all of you to believe it came fromhimso she would not use it as she was intended.”
Hope rose in my chest like a wellspring. It allsoundedright. It soundedgood.But Hever was… disturbing.
