“Now, if you want the curse broken, you can do your little ritual and hope—it might work.” He shrugged, as I would to a child who’d proposed something preposterous. “Or… I can make you free.”
“Then do it,” I said darkly.
Lucifer’s smile grew smug. “Give me what I want, and I will.”
“What? What have you asked, that I haven’t already given?”
To the eye, Lucifer looked leaner than me—it gave the illusion that he was much taller. But in truth, he only looked down a couple of inches on me. Yet, when he leaned down, hands locked on my forearms, he pinned me into the chair as surely as chains. His eyes blazed with unholy light, and his smile was wicked.
“Give me the last pieces of your soul that remain loyal toherand your friends—those shrouded corners of your heart that don’t respond to my call. Offer them up, and you may askanythingof me, and I’ll give it.”
I knew I couldn’t back down. Couldn’t look away. Couldn’t let him scare me—but inside, I quivered at thatimmortal,hungry stare.
“No part of me retreats when you call,” I muttered. “I’ve done everything you’ve ever asked of me. I’ve made myself yourslave, I’ve lied to everyone I ever cared about, and I’ve fought for—
“Surrender.”
“Excuse me?”
Lucifer leaned in until those horrendous eyes filled my view. “Surrender, Jann.Submit.Bend your will. Make me king of your soul, and I will make your soulsing.”
I squirmed. “You already are king… aren’t you? You can sing of Gall’s power all you want, I’m not stupid. I see that the true authority is yours, whether the others do or not. So…my liege,what lack remains?”
Lucifer’s eyes narrowed. “You think you’re clever, Jann. Among mortals, you are. But don’t let yourself believe you’lleveroutsmart me. I am Lucifer.I stood in defiance, beforeGod Himself.You think I need anythingfrom you, to succeed in this world? You think you haveanypower that would outstrip mine?”
“No, I don’t, which is why the request confuses me. What is it you need from me, that you don’t already have? What can I give that you don’t already possess?”
His fingers on my arms began to burn. “Is it possible my leashed dog truly doesn’t yet understand my authority?” he asked quietly. Then he lifted one hand to stroke the side of my face with a single finger, right alongside my eye. “The thing you’ll learn the more powerful you become, is that gold only brings wealth. However wealth, in its fullness, will buy you anyfleshyou choose. And thus, the world opens to you like an oyster.
“Glut yourself on its pearls, Jann. Reap the rewards of your work. Then, when you’re stuffed full, and yet somehow left hollow, look me in the eye and ask me that question again. Because you’ll know the answer to your soul.”
Then, he patted my cheek, and all fire went out of him. He stepped back, let me go, and walked casually back to his drink at the side of the room. “If you must learn by mistake, go about it quickly, because I weary of teaching you… and your mate will soon grow heavy with the life of your babe.”
I couldn’t pinpoint why the hair on the back of my neck stood up, until Lucifer took another sip from his goblet, then turned to face me again, smiling. “I could takethatfrom you as well,” he said with casual grace. “From both of you. Likethat.”He snapped the fingers of his free hand, his eyes avid on mine. “By no greater effort than my will.”
I was stunned to silence, my every worst nightmare screaming to life in my head—either by my own imagination, or because he inserted the visions. I didn’t know which it was, but in the few silent seconds, I watched Diadre die, bloodied and in pain, bleeding out, screaming, and clutching the limp body of our child—
“Your will is your greatest asset, Jann. Your greatest power. Even God wants it. Remember that.”
“I—”
He took one more sip from that cup then disappeared, leaving me sitting there, still frozen with fear, my heart pounding.
What the fuck?
What. The actual. Fuck?!
I don’t know how long I sat there, head spinning and heart threatening to slam through my ribs. But at some point, I pushed to my feet and staggered into the palace halls.
I could see no way out. No way through. No other choice than tolisten.
There was nowhere we could run that Lucifer couldn’t find us—I’d already seen that in the course of my life. Though there’d been months, even years, where he never appeared, every time I’d started to think I’d left his reach, or slipped below his notice, he would reappear. He wasn’t bound by a physical body, and there was nothing we could do to end his reign. Literally nothing. He wasimmortal.I wasn’t even sure he bled. If he did, it wasn’t lifeblood.
That vision of my mate, torn and bleeding, dying, rose in my head again, and I panicked.
When I made it to my chambers, Caelan wasn’t there, which was a relief. I stumbled into the bedchamber where Diadre lay sleeping, and dropped into the chair, head in my shaking hands.
I’d tried to be quiet, but she awoke. Her voice was sleepy.
