And for the first time, I had no idea what to do.
16
DANICA
Islept for long enough that I met Samael in my dreams.
“Something’s wrong.” I said as soon as I saw his face.
His jaw tightened. “The seelie king is playing with us. He may not be directly allied with Lucifer, but he wants us out of the picture for when he wages his own war on Finvarra. The artifact was a trap, the location of it a way to waste our time. We will fight the seelie he has stationed in the area and then we will slaughter the bubaks and take the artifact. Wewillget the pocket realm, little witch. But it will take time.”
The expression on his face… he looked like someone had ripped his guts out and dropped them on the ground in front of him.
“It’s okay, Samael.”
“You don’t understand.”
“I do.” I swallowed, my hand shaking as I lifted it to his jaw. “There’s a chance you won’t make it before Lucifer takes my powers.”
I could feel his self-hatred down the bond. Could feel how much it was killing him that instead of our war being waged days before Lucifer could take my power…
“How close will it be?”
“Close. And the demons who fight for the artifact won’t be fresh for the battle against Lucifer.”
“Goddamn it. How is Lucifer constantly five steps ahead of us?”
Samael pulled me into his arms. “We’re chipping away at his defenses too, little witch. Your friend Meredith has made it incredibly difficult for Lucifer to bolster his forces with demons from our realm.”
I smiled at that. “She’s an asskicker. I always knew that about her. I spoke to Nacheran.”
Samael raised one eyebrow and I filled him in.
He grinned. “Do you know how long I’ve been working on swaying him to our side? You never cease to amaze me, witchling.”
“Iampretty fucking awesome.” My smile fell. “There’s something else you need to know. Lucifer has wyverns. Thousands of them.”
I filled Samael in on what I’d seen, the conditions the poor beasts had been kept in, the rage that had poured from each and every one of them.
By the time I was finished, his expression was grim.
“There had been rumors that he kept a stable of wyverns, but never would I have expected he had thousands of them.”
“We can’t lead our people into certain death,” I said, and Samael cupped my cheek in his huge hand. He was so warm against me. I turned my head and nuzzled his palm.
“It’s not quite that bad, little witch.” He tucked my hair behind my ear, his eyes serious. “I don’t want you to worry about this, Danica. You’re doing enough where you are. Focus on anything you can do, any further alliances you can create to get out of the palace if it gets too close. If I’m not there in time.”
I knew my demon. Knew how much it killed him to even think he wouldn’t save me. Thankfully, I’d grown up saving myself.
I smiled at him. “It’s going to be okay,” I told him. “I’ll see you in a few days. Right now, I need to go talk to my father.”
I’d learned how to wake myself up from dreamwalking with Samael. It was a handy skill to have, but I wasn’t looking forward to telling Agates that Lucifer had been quietly breeding thousands of wyverns all these years. Although hewouldbe pleased to learn about our new alliance with Nacheran.
“Be careful,” Samael brushed my hair back from my face, gently running his fingers down my cheek. “Look after my bondmate.”
I winked at him. “Only if you look after mine.”
I woke in my bed and immediately sat up, reaching for my robe. I would’ve given almost anything for a pair of comfortable pajamas, sweatpants, or even jeans.
