The demon ground his teeth, attempting to take it stoically. But unlike the slaves in Lucifer’s mines, he obviously wasn’t used to this kind of pain.
The screams started, and I shuddered, fighting not to slam my hands over my ears. Behind Lucifer, Pischiel sent me a warning look. I wanted to roll my eyes at him. It wasn’t as if I could escape Lucifer’s attention by being quiet. While my grandfather’s eyes gleamed with interest as he watched Namiros’s wings burn, I had no doubt he was aware of my every move.
The demon hit the ground, passing out. Disgust gleamed in Lucifer’s eyes. “Weak,” he said. Then he looked at me.
“Bring me the black witch,” he said, and Pischiel turned, relaying Lucifer’s orders.
We stood and stared at each other as we waited. I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing my terror.
A hint of a smile curved his mouth. “Why do I have a feeling you wouldn’t have screamed, granddaughter? It’s a shame you don’t have wings and I can’t test out that little theory.”
Ever since the first time I’d seen a demon, I’d longed for wings of my own. When I’d learned I was half demon, I’d been sad that I was missing whatever genes my father might have passed down.
This was the first time I was truly grateful that I would never fly.
Gloria stepped into the room. Despite everything she’d done, a hint of pity twisted in my gut. She may be a traitorous black witch who’d betrayed us, but she looked like someone’s grandma.
“Your majesty?” she croaked out. Her gaze flicked to me, and my heart pounded harder in my chest at the calculation in her eyes. My pity disappeared. Gloria was ready to try to save her own ass by telling Lucifer all about how she’d helped me.
“I tire of my granddaughter sneaking around. Take her memories once more. And make it hurt.”
Oh shit.
There was no way I was getting past the door. But there was a window to my left. I could make it out within a few steps.
Lucifer must have made some kind of gesture, because a guard stepped past Pischiel, advancing on me.
I backtracked, but it was no use. Another guard entered the room, approaching from the left side of the room. Blocking any chance I’d had to use the window.
Strong hands clamped around my arm. My elbow shot into the guard’s gut, and I was rewarded by a sharp inhale, but his hands merely tightened.
My eyes met Pischiel’s. For the first time, I saw something that might’ve been sympathy within them.
It was too fucking late for that.
Gloria swallowed. “I will need time, your majesty. My powers… they are not infinite, and I reinforced the spell not long ago.”
“And yet your reinforcementfailed.” Lucifer’s voice was as warm as honey. Uh oh.
Gloria began to tremble. “The bond…” she murmured, “It provides too much protection. Maybe if I had more Lethe water… Or perhaps if I could sacrifice another child. Something young…”
I stiffened, and the guard squeezed my arm harder. Gloria must have seen her fate in Lucifer’s eyes, because her expression turned ugly as she lifted her hand to point at me.
She was either about to curse me, or she was planning to tell Lucifer everything. And all my plans would be ruined.
My mind raced.
I could take the guard holding me. Stomp of my foot to his instep while my other hand slid down to his knife, tauntingly close to my right hand. Bury that knife in his gut and lunge toward Gloria.
Three steps.
I raised my right foot.
Then I froze.
Gloria was gasping. Blood slowly trickled down her neck and we all watched as the line spread across her throat, more blood pouring like a river from the wound.
I glanced at Lucifer. His eyes were shrewd as he watched Gloria die. He turned his head, and I shuddered as he examined me. There was no life in that gaze. He’d just slit her throat with a mere look. And he was considering slitting mine as well.
