My blood chilled, and I fought the urge to shiver.”What do you mean?”
Michael shot up from his seat, slamming his hands down on the juror’s desk with wicked glee. “He means that you are going to serve as a warning, a cautionary tale to all guardians tempted to give in to the basic, primal urges of their beast.”
I swallowed hard, squaring my shoulders and holding my chin high. Whatever the punishment was, I could take it. “Fine. Whatever. Let’s just get it over with.”
My father’s expression contorted with pain, and that’s when I had to fight the rising nerves, fraying at the stress of all this madness. “Lucifer, My Son. You were once my brightest star.”
A numbness settled over my body, and I couldn’t bring myself to show any regret even though the taste of it was bitter on my tongue. “Sure. I’m a disappointment all over. What is the punishment for my ‘crimes?’”
“You will be banished.”
My jaw fell open, hope rising into my chest and lifting me from the pit of self-pity I’d almost thrown myself into. “Wait. That’s it?”
That was more a reward than a punishment. In fact, it was the best possible outcome of this whole thing. I would have bedded Eve a whole hell of a lot sooner if it meant winning my freedom. I could go beyond Eden, explore other parts of the Earth that no celestial had yet seen.
My father’s frown deepened. “You’re not being banished to Earth, My Son.”
“What do you mean? If I’m not being sent there, then where—” The words froze in my throat like a winter maelstrom had set inside my own body, freezing me over. There were only three places in all of existence. Paradise. Earth and the space beyond it. And the Underworld. The Underworld was the only place largely outside my father’s jurisdiction. Creatures like us dwelled there. They, too, were shifters with a human form, but the spirits they housed inside their bodies were not holy angelic spirits. They were ancient, dangerous monsters. Demons.
The Underworld and all its nine layers was a land of chaos ruled by the devil king. He governed not only the demon shifters native to that realm, but with the birth of mankind, Father planned on giving him charge of all the mortal souls that had led a sinful life as well.
“You want me to go there and become its king, don’t you?”
If my father was surprised by my guess, he didn’t show it. “The king now is a chaotic, uncontrollable beast. Subdue him, take his crown, and turn Hell into something a bit more respectable.”
“Wait, Father. You can’t be serious? You’re giving him a throne?” Michael whined with an indignant hiss.
“I’m not giving him anything as I have no control over that realm as it is. He must earn it to win back his place here.”
I curled my lip, sneering. “A realm of chaos, huh? Sounds like complete paradise compared to this rigged, fucked-up dystopia. Paradise, my ass! Who says I’ll ever leave once I claim the crown and rebuild Hell in my image?”
“Because you’ll be leaving something very important behind.”
“Like what?” I couldn’t imagine what I would be leaving behind. I didn’t give a shit about anything here. Not anymore. Well, maybe Raziel. But at the moment, I was very angry with her. I could go without seeing her a few eons while I cooled down.
“Your wings.”
16
The Silver City – Past
What?
Maybe I’d heard Him wrong. Because He couldn’t actually be suggesting to take away my wings. My wings were the thing that made me what I was. Without them, I would be stuck in my secondary form. My beast would be stuck inside me, my body a prison. I would lose most, if not all, of my abilities. Without them, I would be a sitting duck in Hell. Yes, surely I must have heard wrong.
But by the sickening grin of pure delight plastered on my twin’s features, I hadn’t heard wrong at all.
Raziel cleared her throat. “Father, this is a bit drastic of a punishment. Surely you could allow Lucifer to keep his wings if you expect him to defeat the devil king and claim his crown?” she argued in my favor.
“Drastic? This is pure insanity! You can’t take my wings. Especially not if you plan on sending me toHell. You might as well just take off my head.”
“A celestial is inherently more powerful than a demon, even without his wings. Claim the crown. Make your way up through Hell. Then make your way back to your mate. You have defiled her, so you will marry her. Once you do all these things, then you shall earn your wings back and claim Eve as your rightful true mate.”
“What?” Michael and I gasped at the same time.
“Father,” Michael continued, “you can’t be serious about giving him a chance to get his wings back. He shouldn’t be rewarded with a chance of redemption. He doesn’t deserve wings or a mate!”
“Father, this is ludicrous. I’m being punished for almost taking my mate, but my reward for weathering my punishment is giving her back to me?”
