“The pocket realm?”
“As soon as I believe our army is ready here, I will step into the realm. The rest of our people are waiting inside, and it will be smuggled as close to the palace as possible. Finvarra is currently already waiting with the majority of our forces.”
I took a deep breath. The thought of him being stuck in that realm scared the shit out of me. Samael could likely feel just how terrified I was, because an invisible hand stroked my cheek.
I forced myself to inhale. Then exhale. Samael wouldn’t turn back now. At least we had this element of surprise. Lucifer would think he’d already won, would be preparing his army to march on our people.
“Promise me you’ll protect Evie.”I hadn’t expected him to attempt to keep her home. Evie would never have stayed behind.
“We’ll guard her with our lives. She’s been banned from entering the pocket realm. Everyone knows to keep an eye on her. Trust me to keep her safe, Danica. Now get out of there. You know what you need to do.”
I did. Slipping the ring into my mouth, I hit the sentries I knew were still loyal to Lucifer, the spots where our forces would end up trapped if I didn’t use the packages I’d left, carefully hidden.
Just the thought of using them made me nauseous. This was murder.
No, this is war.
It was both. And I didn’t have time to come to an understanding with myself about it. These actions would haunt my nightmares for the rest of my life, but I had to create these distractions, had to clear the way for our people.
I trembled as I checked the servants’ quarters. All evacuated. Good. The palace gates rose in front of me, a beacon of hope. I just had to slip past the guards, and I’d return once we’d taken down Lucifer’s people, my bondmate at my side.
I took a deep breath and strode toward the gates.
And straight into an invisible ward.
A ward so well-crafted that I hadn’t even felt it in front of me.
An alarm wailed, ripping through the air. Heads turned, guards aimed crossbows in my direction, and Lucifer appeared with his faithful Daimonion, by his side. The assassin held Yusilin in his arms, his eyes lit with pleasure at her fear.
Lucifer smiled in my direction. “I suggest you reveal yourself, granddaughter, or else watch this poor, innocent girl die.”
I hesitated. That poor innocent girl had been spying on me since I arrived. This could all be a trick. There was an empty space between the guard on the left and the gate. If I could crawl past him…
Daimonion pulled out a knife and slowly pulled the pointed tip down Yusilin’s face. Her skin split open and her expression went blank with terror.
I had to do this quickly. Couldn’t let Lucifer see exactly how I’d managed to hide from him. With a deep breath, I spat the ring into my hand and slipped it into my pocket, where I shoved it back onto my finger.
Lucifer gave me a satisfied smile. He gestured, and Daimonion shoved his knife into Yusilin’s chest, letting her slump to the ground. I launched myself at her, and the assassin caught my arm, his knife now at my face, the tip of his blade inches from my eye.
“I can cut out her eye,” he offered, and Lucifer shook his head.
“Not yet. The shock could disrupt the power transfer.”
Lovely.
Lucifer turned and walked away, and Daimonion dragged me after him until we were in the throne room, now empty.
“Close the doors,” Lucifer ordered, his voice echoing through the huge space. Daimonion dropped me, my bruised knees howling at me as I hit the ground. I barely noticed, my eyes on the long, wooden table that had been set up in the middle of the room. Restraints hung from the side of the table, and a single grimoire sat on top. Waiting.
Everything else had been cleared away.
My face went numb. I didn’t bother getting to my feet. I didn’t think my legs would be able to hold me.
BOOM
Daimonion went still next to me. Across the room, Lucifer glanced over his shoulder at me. “You dared—”
BOOM
