DANICA
It hurt to breathe. Whatever Lucifer had done to me had ripped at my insides, and I could no longer remember a time without pain. But since Lucifer was also groaning in pain instead of driving his power into me, I could now think well enough to function. To plan.
Lucifer shuddered and I let out a hoarse laugh. His pain pleased me on a deep, dark level.
I glanced out the window. I wasn’t sure how much time had passed while I was burning from the inside out, but the sky was lit with meteors, scorching the night sky.
I rolled my shoulders. There were worse things to see as I took my last breaths.
No. I couldn’t think like that. I climbed to my knees, my head spinning. Walking wasn’t possible, so I began to crawl.
“My home,” Lucifer raged as he stumbled to his feet. I glanced over my shoulder at him, but kept crawling, achingly slow. Each movement stabbed at my muscles like thousands of tiny knives.
Lucifer’s nose was bleeding, and I let out a rusty laugh. Looked like the plants were more connected to him than we’d imagined.
“I bet that hurt,” I managed to gasp out.
“The least you can do, granddaughter, is face your death with dignity,” he snarled.
Yeah, yeah.
Lucifer glanced out the window with a look of elation. The sun had set, and the night sky was lit up with radiant streams of light, streaking through the darkness. He advanced on me, raised his hands.
And began to chant once more.
Above the throne, the words carved into the wall blurred and changed.Do ut des.I give so that you might give.
I know. I get it.
It wasn’t therowan arrowI was supposed to keep hidden from all.
It was as if I was in slow motion as I crawled toward the table, where I was pretty sure the rowan arrow had fallen. The invisibility spell on the rowan was holding, so I could only hope I could manage to snatch up one of the pieces.
Lucifer laughed, and my body began burning from the inside out once more.I screamed, writhing on the ground. The last time I’d died, it had been almost peaceful at the end. My mom had been waiting for me.
This? This was what hell felt like.
Samael was linked tightly to me, and I felt his dread like it was my own. Something was very, very wrong.
“Please,” I said, reaching for the underworld again.
Lucifer laughed. He resumed his chanting, and the world began to dim at the edges.
The underworld showed me.
And I screamed.
Daimonion had found Vas.
Samael had gotten separated from him, and was fighting his way back, desperation and determination warring across his face. He moved like lightning, dodging and leaping, ducking and weaving as he roared at Vas tomove!
None of Lucifer’s people dared interfere with Daimonion’s kill. He stood a few feet from Vas, his own sword in his hand, a sick pleasure in his eyes.
My body began to turn cold once more, my power draining faster now. I held onto the underworld, unable to look away from Vas. My friend. The brother I’d never had.
His eyes were lit with retribution, his face covered in mud and blood. I smiled as he dropped his left shoulder. I knew that movement. He was leaving himself slightly open, practically daring Daimonion to attack. When he did, Vas would bury his sword in his gut. Then he’d finally take his head.
The assassin didn’t hesitate. Whatever had stilled his hand and left Vas breathing the night he slaughtered Vas’s parents…
