Gall flinched and turned to Lucifer, pleading in his eyes.
“Don’t listen to him, Gall,” I urged. “He hasn’t brought you anything but pain and fear.”
I didn’t even see the Fallen move. One moment Gall sat on the bench, and Lucifer stood two paces from him. The next, Gall cried out, bent backwards over the thick tabletop behind him, Lucifer’s hand clamped on his neck, pushing him back so hard he flailed and his face went red.
“I am finished with the games. I gave you a task and you failed me.Me.Your only remaining family, Gall,” he said with a dark glance towards me. “If you want to have a life and a family, there’s only one way forward.Together.Without me, you’re nothing. Without me you’restupid.Without me all these people—including thispretendfather—run rings around you and use you and treat you like a child. I never treated you like a child, I treated you like the king you were made to be.”
Gall spluttered, gripping Lucifer’s wrist. But the Fallen didn’t release him, so he couldn’t speak.
“Let him go.”
Lucifer didn’t stop. He leaned over Gall so their noses almost touched. “I can give it all to you. The entire world. Not only the Neph—every nation. They’llallchant your name. No more idiot. No more pity. No more smirks behind your back—because right now, they all laugh, Gall. You know that. They all look at you, and remember the idiot that you were. And they don’t give two shits about you. ButIdo.”
Gall’s eyes slid sideways to find me. I shook my head, praying Lucifer let him get some air.
“I’ve proved that I’m loyal. Over and over again,” I said hoarsely. “You know that. I love you, Gall. I’ll help you. And I’dnevercall you an idiot. Stop listening to him. He can’t kill you. He can only make you afraid.”
“Ah, such noble passions—but fuck all reality.”
Gall shook his head. Lucifer raged on, eyes black.
“Remain, Gall. Remain and be king. Remain and be my grandson, the heir to my throne—I gave you power. I gave youmen!True followers, bound to your crown, remember? Deny me now, and I willdestroyyou and your family. Or… perhaps not?” Lucifer’s tone was thoughtful, almost playful, as if the idea had only occurred to him in that moment. I hissed at his cruelty. “That baby she carries ismineanyway.Oh, don’t get sad eyes,Gall. I was going to let you raise him. It’s quite comical that you thought you could father a child. I wanted you to believe that. Knew it would give you joy—that was my gift to you, Gall. But if you plan to defy me, what’s the point?” he hissed. “You want truth? There’s no seed in you. No spawn. I let you believe it, soshewouldn’t be embarrassed, and wouldn’t have to tell others it was me who impregnated her.”
Gall struggled, his face turning purple and his eyes wide, teeth bared. Hefought.
“It’s not true, Gall!” I shouted. “Youlovedyour mate. You two—”
“He thrust himself on a helpless human woman. She needed to be shown what true pleasure was.”
“It’s not true!”
Gall fought, whipping his head back and forth, clawing at Lucifer’s arm, though the Fallen didn’t seem to struggle to hold him.
“Resist, Gall! Not with your body.Deny him in your heart!You love. You give. You’re thoughtful andgood.He can’t stand that you have value without him. It’s killing him.Resist.”
“She’s afraid you’ll be angry, Gall. I promised to keep her secrets, but… oh well. Whoops. I suppose I’ve let it all out now, haven’t I? Perhaps that is for the best. You seem to enjoy the idea of adoption,” Lucifer drawled, cutting his eyes to me.
Gall twisted and flopped like a fish on the end of a line, but he couldn’t loosen Lucifer’s grip. For a moment I wavered—was it possible Lucifercouldkill him? Had I been wrong?
Fear sang through my body, and I turned to look for Yilan, to reach for her—only to find Lucifer staring at me, smiling, that avid hunger on his face.
The truth smacked me between the eyes, and I stepped right into his space, pressing myself against the arm that held my son breathless. “Let him answer you. If you’re so strong and sopowerful, if you’re soright,let him answer you. Take your hands off him youFallen fuck.”
I shoved him once, like a child in play, but Lucifer hissed, jerking away from my touch so his hand came off Gall’s throat, who bent forward, sucking open-mouthed at the air, wheezing.
Lucifer snarled, standing toe-to-toe with me. “Touch me once more, and sign your own death warrant,General.”
“The day I die won’t be decided byyou.Leave. Now.”
Lucifer smiled again and shook his head. “You poor, misguided,idioticman. Can’t you see? I can be anywhere, at any time, and you can’t—”
“Leave!”Gall rasped, his voice harsh and ragged.
Lucifer jerked. His head snapped towards Gall, and his eyes went black as night. “Listen,piglet,if you ever want to see—”
“Leave us alone! Leaveme!GO!” Gall screamed so hard his head trembled.
Lucifer snarled, his voice almost as ragged as Gall’s. “You’ll regret this, you stupid little shit—”
