Gall dropped to sit on a bench just a few feet away. There were tears on his cheeks, and he hugged himself, rocking, with his hands tucked around his sides. No knives. No blades. No halberds… just my son. Confused, and scared, and cheeks heated with humiliation.
“Gall…” I hurried to his side, knelt next to him, one hand on his head and pulled him to me. He resisted at first, twisting in my arms, but I didn’t let him go. “I’ve got you. We can do this. Together. We’ll get her back. And you’ll be agreatfather.”
“I won’t. I’ll get it all wrong—”
“Stop. Please. Don’t let fear drive you to that darkness. The power Lucifer holds over you is only by deception. We’ll fight together. I’ll show you.”
“Are you certain of that?”
The voice was cold, hard, and saturatedin contempt.
I whirled back to my feet, putting myself between Gall and Lucifer, looking for Yilan, reaching for her but… but she…
Where was she?
Terrified, because Lucifer was here, I reached for her through the link.
‘He can’t see me, Melek. I shrouded. I don’t know how long I can hold it. This shadow is only dim, but he can’t see me. He looked, and he’s angry. He thinks I got away.’
I swallowed hard and faced Lucifer.
Lucifer smiled an ugly, malevolent grin, as if he’d heard my thoughts. Then, he prowled towards me, like a cat toying with a mouse.
49. Careful What You Wish For
SOUNDTRACK:Steamboundby HexMouth
~ MELEK ~
Gall sucked in and shot to his feet. I put a hand back to soothe him, to give him something solid to ground him. “Don’t worry,” I said softly. “Just resist. That’s all you have to do, Gall.”
“My ears were burning, I believe my name was mentioned?” Lucifer said lightly, but his eyes glittered like precious jewels.
“No one asked you here. No one wants you here. You weren’t invited, and you aren’t welcome. Leave.”
Gall tensed behind me and Lucifer smiled. “I believe my grandson is quite eager for me to be close… because he knows I hold something precious to him—and that if he strays, I won’t give it back.” Every syllable spoken casually, but enunciated so the consonants were clipped and bitten off.
“Leave.”
The Fallen arched one brow, and regarded me like I was a joke he’d heard before, but still enjoyed.
“Such a preacher,” he said softly. “Such a pretty, pretty speech—and yet… so much fear in your life, Melek. So many moments of ugliness and darkness. So muchdeath.”
I nodded. “My life has been full of them all. But if I’m wrong, then you can kill me right now. Please. Go ahead.”
I felt the clench of Yilan’s fear through the bond, as I opened my arms and offered my chest to Lucifer, who had stopped just out of arm’s reach.
Lucifer’s eyes remained gold, but shone black with the purest hatred I’d ever had cause to witness. It prickled my skin, and made my knees quiver—but I didn’t back down. I couldn’t. I knew it.
He tipped his head, those eyes locked on mine. “Pride comes before a fall, Melek. Step very carefully—or you may get exactly what you fear.”
He didn’t touch me.
Barely breathing, I turned my back to Lucifer and looked at Gall, who’d been staring in horror at the Fallen, but now turned to me.
“I love you, Son. I’ll never kill you. I’ll never ask you to kill another soul. No matter what. I know we can find Istral. I know we can keep your baby safe. So, don’t listen to him. Because if he could have killed me before now, he would have. He’s been lying about this since the dawn of time and—”
“Kill him.” The words were low, dark, andseething.
