“I know. Father has never been good at making those in his employ feel appreciated. It’s a terrible character flaw.”
Lucifer was still frozen in place, seething. “But … he’s your father. Doesn’t that bother you?”
“Father.Pssh. You know what else he is to me? The man who killed my mother.” She shot Lucifer a murderous look. “He chose Hell over his own family. He fought his own mate to the death to seize control of Hell, to be the last fallen angel. Well, now it won’t be his domain at all. You understand why he must be disposed of. He’s of the old guard. It’s time to let a new generation take over.”
“I don’t know,” I said, nodding at the Ice Queen. “You keep questionable company.”
“And Father didn’t?”
“True. But how could anyone trust you after doing this to your own father?”
Abigail laughed. “The same way people trusted him after he killed the only other person he ever loved. If he could do that to her, he could double-cross anyone. No one ever trusts the Devil. It’s a prerequisite.”
“And yet I’ve never lied,” Lucifer said, sighing as he straightened. He smoothed down his shirt, amused as Abigail and the Ice Queen both started. “You can’t beat the Devil at chess if he can shift the rules at his whim.”
Abigail paled.
The Ice Queen drew herself up, lifting her arms, as if to launch another assault on him, but Lucifer snapped his fingers in her direction, and she stood as still as he had been a moment ago.
He approached the Ice Queen and circled her, looking her up and down. He regarded Abigail. “It appears I underestimated you.”
Abigail shrank back.
Lucifer put an arm on the Ice Queen’s shoulder and snapped the fingers of his other hand again.
Freya gasped beside me as she was free once more, falling to her knees.
The Ice Queen, also free, recoiled from Lucifer’s touch.
“Oh, come now,” Lucifer said, leering at her. “If you can’t take the heat….”
The Ice Queen grunted as her shoulder melted beneath Lucifer’s hand, like she was made of wax. Then her arm fell from her body.
“No,” she moaned, turning away from him as she continued to melt, her neck reducing to water, then the side of her face. She opened her mouth to scream, but her mouth collapsed in upon itself as water sloshed down over what remained of her body. Then the witch tipped over before melting into a puddle.
Lucifer wiped his hands, then smiled at me cheerfully. “Well, that was great fun!”
I lifted an eyebrow, exchanging a look with Freya. “Er, I suppose?”
A butterfly that seemed to be made of ice lifted from the puddle at Lucifer’s feet and attempted to dart away, but Lucifer snatched it out of the air before it could flee. He brought it close to his face. “My, you’ll make a fine soul for my collection. What do you think, Abigail? Perhaps in the Abominable Sands. She would be the only source of water there, forever shifting from water to vapor and back again, unable to freeze. Slurped up by the hungry mouths of the Blasphemers, then passing through them.” He sniffed. “Doesn’t that seem perfect for the witch?”
“Perfect,” Freya murmured uncertainly, lowering her swords. She sent me a look as if asking if we should intervene. But as far as I saw it, the Ice Queen was dangerous. She would have made millions suffer under her reign. Her punishment would be fitting.
Another butterfly rose from the puddle. It shimmered like oil on water. Lucifer reached out for it.
“Wait,” I said, throwing my hands up. My heart skipped as Lucifer did as I asked, his fingertips mere centimeters from the butterfly’s fragile-looking, ghostly wings. “He doesn’t belong here.”
Understanding flickered over Lucifer’s features. He regarded Auggie’s soul. He was even beautiful in that form, radiating warmth and goodness.
“Bah.” Lucifer waved a hand, and the butterfly floated directly to me, settling into my outstretched hands.
I stared down at it in awe, its glow warming my hands and face. It felt like I was holding home. I looked up at Lucifer. “Why?”
Lucifer’s lips twitched at the corners. “Because you’re correct. Saints don’t belong down here, Callum. They belong to …Him.” He scowled as he gestured heavenward. “Besides, saints have a tendency to be rather selfless, and thus, live short lives. There will come a day, very soon, when you will meet me at the crossroads once more, asking me to intervene. There, I will draw up a new contract for you.” He paused. “Just keep him in line until then. If he does begin to tip the balance, I will see to it that he can no longer do so.”
I believed that he was right, and felt unsure how to make sure his prediction didn’t come to pass.
Freya put a hand on my shoulder, gazing down at Auggie’s soul with interest.
