“You need to get to Samael,” I told him.
“I’m not leaving you here alone.”
“Lucifer will kill you. Please, get to Samael. He’ll know how to use your powers, where to put you in the front lines. He knows you’re bonded to us.”
I pulled away in time to see the desolation on Pischiel’s face. Even though Lucifer was evil, the underking was still the closest thing he’d had to a father. He was turning traitor against his own people.
“I can’t imagine how hard this is,” I murmured. “But thank you.”
“You made me stop hoping and start acting. I may hate you for it, but I’ll get over it.” He attempted a smile. “Get moving.”
I nodded. “Don’t fuck around, Pischiel. Get the hell out of here.” I slipped the ring off my finger and offered it to him. “This will get you past the sentries.”
He shook his head. “Even if I was enough of a coward to leave you undefended, your bondmate would make my death last for days if he learned I took that ring. Use it and get to the spell for your cuff, Danica. Lucifer made me search your rooms, so I hid it under my bed. I couldn’t risk being caught with it if someone knew I was visiting you down here.”
“Thank you.”
“What’s your plan?” he asked.
“Blow some shit up. Find my bondmate. Kill my Grandfather.”
He shook his head at me, then glanced at Kyla and handed me the keys. “So you can get her out later.”
If she was able to heal. I nodded, and he stalked toward the stairs.
“Danica.”
Keigan’s voice was low. I attempted to tune him out, but I couldn’t. I turned, running my gaze over him. “You look like hell.”
A faint smile. “I’m not the only one.” He sighed. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I know it doesn’t mean anything to you, but I’m sorry. Being a part of your life, being your friend, even under false pretenses… you taught me how wrong I was to hate paranormals. Taught me that there was much, much more to life than trying to even the playing field for humans.”
I stared at him. “What you did, I don’t know if I can ever forgive you.”
“I know.”
There was nothing else to say.
My father’s words ran through my head.
“It sounds like he was the closest thing you had to a father as an adult. I can hate what he did, but still feel gratitude for the way he was there for you. People aren’t merely black or white, Danica. Even my father was once both.”
I stepped forward and slipped the key into the lock, turning them until the cell door opened. “Get gone.”
His eyes were wide with shock, but a dull pride quickly replaced it. Pride in me. “Why?” he asked quietly.
“No one deserves to rot down here. Even you.”
“Thank you.”
We didn’t hug it out or anything. He merely nodded at me and walked toward the stairs, his shoulders hunched.
I couldn’t help myself. I went to Kyla’s cage, where she was crumpled next to the bars. And I stroked the edge of her soft fur. “I know you can come back,” I whispered. I could barely reach her, couldn’t feel if she still had a pulse. Didn’t know if she was unconscious or…
I refused to entertain the thought. “I’ll be back for you,” I swore. “I’ll make sure you get out of here.”
Even if she was all wolf. Even if Nathaniel wanted to put her down. I’d never allow him to. She could roam in the forest here, wild and free for the rest of her life.
Tears dripped down my cheeks and I forced myself to my feet. Then I slipped the ring into my mouth and slowly crept upstairs.
