“Holy shit,” someone said.
I opened my eyes. Parts of Samael were a blackened ruin. He wasn’t breathing, but I could hear his heart beating in my ears. I leaned over and pressed my mouth to his, tilting his head back as I breathed for him.
Someone was pulling me away and I snarled as I smashed my fist into them.
Ag was shaking me. “Stop, stop and look what you’ve done you stupid girl.”
I followed his gaze to Samael’s arm.
There, amongst the charred skin, was an intricate gold mark. I knew without looking that it perfectly matched mine.
“You’ve killed yourself. When he goes, he’ll take you with him.”
“So be it.”
28
Danica
Isat by Samael’s bed, my leg up on another chair in front of me. Soon after the demons had found us, they’d knocked me out and sent me into surgery. Someone pushed my knee back into place, and Eldan healed my various wounds.
My ribs felt fine. My knee would need Eldan to work on it a few times over the next few days.
I’d woken up in a hospital bed, on the floor where Evie had her surgery, and threatened bloody murder until Eldan let me return to Samael’s rooms.
His fingertips were gone, his fingers crumbling into ash. His wings looked like someone had set fire to them.
I was mostly too scared to touch him. But I reached out one finger and gently ran it down his cheek. He was so cold.
“You’re not going to die. I’m going to fix this.”
Silence. Tears burned my eyes but I talked to him. Just in case he could hear me.
“They had to act tonight,” I murmured. “They knew Gloria was on the run and if your people found her, they’d torture their involvement out of her. I’m sorry. I’m so stupid, I’ve been three steps behind this whole time.”
Lucifer had made his first move. And I was the weapon he used to take Samael down.
“Danica?”
“Yeah?” I glanced over my shoulder. Vas hovered in the doorway, wearing mourning black. His dreamy brown eyes were sad, and he carried a canvas bag. He placed it on the chair next to me and I peered inside.
All of my weapons. And my utility belt. My throat tightened and I had to close my eyes.
Vas put his hand on my shoulder.
“We’re all here for you,” he said. “You’re not facing this alone.”
I opened my eyes. “Thanks.”
“We have some intel from our people in the underworld,” Vas said. “The human you pushed through the portal had enough power to make it across. Likely because he was training with the Mage Council. One of Lucifer’s generals killed him the moment he came through. He’d also had the Spell of Three performed on him. Lucifer is furious about the general’s death.”
“Wes.” If I’d had it in me to smile, that would’ve done it. “Lucifer probably ordered Gloria to spell most of the mages with the hope that if Samael killed at least one of them with his power, he’d go down with them.”
“Yes. But he obviously knows he can’t trust some of the demons closest to him. If he’d told his general about his agreement with Gloria, he wouldn’t have dared strike out at a human who came through the portal.”
I liked to imagine Lucifer paranoid and increasingly alone. It made my heart all aflutter.
“We need to spread the word. Every demon around needs to know that if Gloria is found, no one is to strike out at her with their power.” I sighed. “That goes for all of the mages too. Until Gloria’s dead, and her spell dead with her, any mages found to be traitors need to be locked away.”
