Lucifer turned away, busying himself with setting up everything he needed to take my power. Ice cold knowledge stabbed into my gut and twisted. If I didn’t do something soon, I was dead.
The doors opened and Lucifer turned his head. I recognized the general, one of Lucifer’s most powerful demons.
“Speak,” Lucifer hissed.
The general swallowed, but stood tall to give his report.
“We know where the artifact is,” he said. “Our people are ready to destroy it as soon as you give the word.”
Lucifer smiled. His eyes met mine, and the world receded around the edges.
He’d known. He’d known about the artifact this entire time. And now almost everyone I loved was trapped inside, along with thousands of other demons, dragons, and unseelie.
Stuck in the pocket realm with no warning that they were about to be trapped for eternity.
20
SAMAEL
Forty thousand men and women were at my back, all standing in formation, all ready for battle.
No one spoke.
Some of them shifted on their feet, likely attempting to release some of the adrenaline and fear that would be creeping up on them now.
Waiting was the worst part.
I trusted Bael—was keeping in regular contact with him. But knowing so many of my people were facing Lucifer’s army on his own territory…
I ground my teeth.
“What is taking so long?” Finvarra snarled under his breath.
A strange disquiet took up residence in my gut. I had made allowances for each step of this plan. But I’d kept the details very, very quiet. I wouldn’t risk another betrayal.
“Everything is going according to plan,” I said, not bothering to look at him. Guilt stabbed at me for what would happen soon, but I saw no other choice.
If Teremos was caught, we had others watching, ready to take over, to do whatever it took to get the candlestick holder where we needed it to be.
Lilith had managed to turn some of Lucifer’s most loyal people, instructing them to be ready to say the incantation if our people were unable to get the artifact close enough to Lucifer’s palace. This was the most dangerous part of our plan, and we’d prepared accordingly.
But it had been too long.
We were so close. So close to the palace, to Danica.
Bael knocked on my shields and I allowed him enough entrance to speak to me.
“Ah… boss, what’s going on?”
I could feel him, swinging his sword, fighting for his life, for the lives of his men.
“How close are we to the peak of the meteor shower?”
Silence. As if Bael was trying to find the right words.
“If this isn’t the peak, it must be soon. The sky is filled with shooting stars, lighting up everything in sight. The sun is about to set. It would be beautiful if it wasn’t such bad timing.”
Danica’s terror slammed into our bond, sweeping through me, until I could practically taste it on my tongue.
