“I’d imagined you would learn your lesson within the first two decades, but you obviously have far too much of your mother’s blood,” Lucifer told Agates. “Goodbye, son.”
“No,” I screamed, my throat raw. My father’s expression twisted as I bucked against Daimonion’s hold, but I didn’t have a chance against the assassin. “Dad, please,” I gasped out, and Lucifer clicked his fingers.
Flames ripped up my father’s body, engulfing his feet first. But his gaze was alight with pure love, his expression tender. He refused to show Lucifer an ounce of his pain, keeping his eyes on me the whole time. “Love you,” he gasped out.
And then he was gone.
All sounds became a dull hum.
I couldn’t feel my limbs.
My father clutching my hand, hope and wonder on his face as we had our first conversation.
His face when he talked about my mother, about how much he’d loved her.
The pride in his eyes when he looked at me.
Gone.
He was gone.
The sound of my heart pounding was all I could hear as numbness spread throughout my body.
The numbness broke, and I broke with it, screaming my rage.
Distantly, I was aware of Lucifer frowning at me, as if I was causing a scene. He stepped closer, and I ignored him, the entirety of my focus on the ashes in that cell. All that remained of my father’s body.
I watched as if from a distance as I slammed my head back into Daimonion’s face, shoved an elbow into his gut. His dagger was in my hand before I was aware of it, and I snarled as I thrust it into his stomach.
He grunted. Surprise lit up his face. But the dagger disappeared, stolen by Lucifer’s power as he pulled me away.
“I hope you learned your lesson,” he smiled down at me.
“I’m going to enjoy it,” I said, my lips numb.
“You’re going to enjoy what, granddaughter?”
I met his eyes. “I’m going to enjoy it when I kill you.”
It was the first time I’d seen surprise in his eyes, although it was quickly followed by his usual bored amusement. But I’d caught the glimmer of disquiet.
His hand swung toward my face, and everything went black.
* * *
SAMAEL
Bodies lay strewn on the ground. Lilith rampaged across the battlefield, and I let out a low growl as her hand lit up with demon fire.
“No powers,” I let my voice carry over the grassy plain and watched as that power winked out, and she threw a knife instead, the seelie who’d attempted to cut her down, falling to his knees. He choked, blood pouring from his throat, and Lilith glanced at me over her shoulder and winked.
I sighed, swinging my sword and beheading a seelie who lunged at me. My power itched to break free, and I ruthlessly tamped it down. I needed to save every drop of it for our battle. We all did.
Even though I would be powerless when I first arrived in the underworld, I had no plans to stay that way.
Our wards, however, were necessary. I gave another seelie a sharp smile as he threw his power toward me, only for it to hit my ward. It dented that ward, and I absently shored that section up, striding toward the seelie, who paled.
His king had left him here to die. He’d known his people didn’t stand a chance, but every minute we spent in this part of his realm was delaying us. While my people weren’t actively using their powers to fight, shielding still took energy, still drained them.
