The underworld felt my instant denial, and I felt it begin to drift away.
“No. Come back. It’s a deal. If, on the slim chance I live, it’s a deal.”
That was all I needed to say.
Power roared through the other end of the bond, and the world dimmed at the edges of my vision as I felt Samael’s shock.
Felt him get to his feet with a jubilant roar.
Felt him lift one hand and kill every single enemy in the palace gardens.
Lucifer’s army dropped their weapons, immediately kneeling. Our people didn’t stop killing until Samael took to the skies.
“No more,” he ordered, and his voice boomed across the battlefield. He turned his gaze to the wyverns who weren’t trapped, who were aiming for the soldiers fighting below, the beasts still out of their minds with bloodlust. Sorrow crossed his face, but with a tilt of Samael’s head, they turned to ash.
I must have passed out, because the next time I opened my eyes, he was in the throne room with me, his hand cupping my face.
His expression was frantic, fear like I’d never seen in his eyes.
Oh yeah. That arrow was still in my chest.
“You let… me think… you were trapped… for eternity. You son of a bitch.”
His gaze took in my sorry state, and then he climbed to his feet. I instantly missed the feel of his hot hand on my cheek. I wanted to feel his skin on mine as I died. He must have felt that longing, because he hushed me.
“Soon, little witch.”
He turned to Lucifer, who was still choking and writhing. Even after the rowan arrow, the black books, he was still holding on.
Samael looked at me, a question in his eyes, and my gaze met Lucifer’s.
“Please,” Lucifer said.
He’d turned Kyla into a shadow of herself. He killed my father. Then he killed Keigan. He slaughtered Samael’s family. The people I loved wouldn’t be safe until he was dead.
And yet, some small part of me mourned for the grandfather he’d pretended to be when he was playing with me. When he stole my memories.
I pushed that away with a choked laugh. “I knew you’d beg in the end,” I managed to get out. If I could kill him myself, I would. But it only seemed fair that Samael get his vengeance after all these years. “Mors vincit omnia,” I mumbled. “Death always wins, motherfucker.”
Samael nodded at me and sliced his sword down, beheading Lucifer in one stroke. Then he lifted his hand, engulfing both parts of my grandfather in demon fire.
I was the one who screamed. My chest burned and burned, until I would have done anything, given anything for the pain to stop.
Samael dropped onto his knees next to me. I was dimly aware of demons pouring into the throne room, our people crowding around us, likely so they could say goodbye.
Evie was suddenly next to me on my other side, breath hitching as her hot tears rained down on my face.
“Please don’t leave me, Dani,” she begged.
I opened my mouth to tell her that I wasn’t, but another scream tore free from my throat.
Samael roared for a healer, then buried his face in my neck.
The arrow twisted again and I lost consciousness.
When I came back, the rowan arrow was still twisting, but I was surrounded by healers, Eldan holding my hand.
“My God,” he breathed, and I forced myself to look. Forced myself to stay conscious as the arrow pushed its way out of my chest.
