“We must have fucked him into silence,” Elvor teases with a grin, and I shake my head.
“What now?” I ask, shrugging my shoulders.
“Whatever you desire,” he replies.
What do I desire?
“I think the angels need to know they picked the wrong fucking girl to be their pawn,” I say, thinking back to Beelzebub and how I can truly prove I belong here. That I’m a part of this family and have a rightful place in Hell.
Mischief and excitement take over Elvor’s face as he cups my cheeks and kisses me roughly.
If you had asked me when I first came to Hell what my intentions were, they would have been a stark contrast to what they are now.
I might not be able to fully trust myself, but I’m finding maybe I should trust the judgment of those around me.
It’s time to finally embrace being the Princess of Hell and wreak havoc on anyone who thought they could take advantage of me.
* * *
This family dinner is different from the others. There’s no tension or animosity rolling around in my stomach. I realize that everyone at this table is a part of my circle and that I need to trust them; I need to believe in something. And what I believe in are the demons sitting at this table plotting out our next move alongside me.
I have a seat at the table. My thoughts matter, and I’m a big part in resolving this conflict.
“This war has been inevitable. The animosity has only grown in the last few centuries. Truly, your actions are not the first that have ignited this war,” my father informs, his hand taking Lilith’s on top of the table.
Lilith shrugs and takes a sip of her drink. “To be fair, they kidnapped me first, so they started it.”
“Ripping out two top-tier angel hearts did not go unnoticed. But they were still hoping they could use Mara against me. Now that they no longer have that as an option, they’re scrambling,” Lucifer says, looking at me. I nod my head dutifully. I don’t want anyone doubting the line I’m towing.
There’s no more debating in my head or plotting. I’ve chosen a side, and I’m sticking to it.
“I believe the angels wanted us at that location. I think it was a test,” Toth inserts, not looking in my direction.
I suppose maybe I broke the spell he was under and set him free when I told him to forget what happened between us.
“How so?” Lucifer asks.
“There are pieces of that evening that are missing,” Toth snarls, shooting me a glare. “But they were openly discussing where they were headed to torture a demon in my presence. They wanted us at that warehouse. I suspect it was to test Mara’s abilities. They were all lower-tier angels. I didn’t recognize a single one, and their fighting abilities were unimpressive.” He looks at me when he says unimpressive, and it makes me want to shrivel up and die.
But I sit there with a blank face. “They were hardly a challenge for me. I should be on the front lines,” I state. Suddenly, that has everyone’s attention.
Everyone looks at me, and my father taps his chin as he contemplates my words. “She’s right,” he agrees.
You could hear a pin drop in the room. Judd looks like he wants to throw up, Elvor looks proud, and Toth looks confused.
“I assume you three will continue to be by her side during battle?” Lucifer inquires.
“I don’t know if that is the best idea, my lord,” Toth comments.
“Are you stating you can’t or won’t keep my daughter, your princess, safe?” my dad questions. I want to wince but hold it in.
“If Toth doesn’t want to fight alongside me, he shouldn’t be forced to,” I say, trying to stay calm. I try not to put any type of compulsion into my words.
There’s still this desire for Toth that I can’t extinguish, this need to make him mine, but the only way it would be suitable for him to belong to me is if it’s his own choice. Judd and Elvor might not care about what I am or what I tell them to do, but Toth does. I know it deep down in my internally suffering soul.
“She can fight. She’s gifted. I’m not arguing that,” Toth says.
“Then what are you arguing about?” Lucifer responds.
