"I know." I sighed and removed the ward. "Uriel. Any chance you want to be a pal and give us the information you have?"
He didn't move a muscle.
"I thought not. Okay, then." Genevra watched me with wide, terrified eyes. She remembered the pain and probably had no idea it had all been in her head. After pressing a kiss to Gabe's cheek, I grabbed Genevra and took her to the living room.
"Just finished him," Michael said. Ezekiel's head was flopped back on the couch and his mouth wide open. A soft snore drifted from the back of his throat. "He's sound asleep."
"What did you do to him?" Genevra cried. "He's just a kid."
"Yeah, but you're not." I sat her beside him and loosened her upper body so she could touch him and see for herself he was fine. "How could you lead him into this?"
She didn't answer.
"He told us everything he knew," I said. "Listen to my voice, you'll know I speak the truth."
"You got into my head." She snarled at me like a feral cat. I nearly rolled my eyes. "You could be lying, and I'd never know it."
"Suit yourself," I said. "If you know anything more, now's the time to tell us."
Lucifer, who had been pacing the room, stopped in front of Genevra. "You're lucky I don't have my full powers," he growled. "Lilith isn't willing to harm your babe, but I would."
A bluff. I knew damn well he wouldn't. But of course, I didn't tell her that.
Michael put a hand on Luc's arm. "She's not going to talk. Let's just finish this."
Her eyes widened, and I realized she didn't know we were going to wipe their minds. She saw Ezekiel asleep, but not why or how. "Fine. Hand me the knife and we'll be done."
Michael stared at me but had sense enough not to look surprised at my words. Lucifer, catching on, let a purely evil smile spread across his face. "Let me do it." He didn't remove his gaze from Genevra's throat. "I enjoy it so much."
"Fine!" Genevra yelled. "Fine. I'll tell you, but Raphael will kill me if you don't help me hide afterward."
I cocked my head at her and pretended to consider. "All right. We can hide you. He's not the only one with other realms. Then, when he's captured or killed, you'll be free to make a new,purelife for yourselves and your babe."
She nodded frantically. "That... It sounds wonderful. I've wanted to break away from him for years."
Nudging Lucifer out of the way, I perched on the coffee table, knee to knee with Genevra. "Tell me." I shot Lucifer a little side-eye. "I understand difficult men."
He scoffed and even though I couldn't see him properly, I knew to my very soul that he rolled his eyes.
Genevra softened ever so slightly. "He wooed me at first," she said.
Sighing, I gave her a sympathetic look. "He's a charming man." Ugh. Raphael was a lech, but he was charismatic. That was true.
She nodded. "He had these beautiful plans. Of an Earth where humans aren't as tempted. Everyone would know God was real. All the different religions, they think they have different Gods, but it's all Him, you know?"
I nodded, knowing all too well. The religions that touted a one true Creator, they all had it right, but the devil was in the details.
Literally.
"Only the atheists, they're gaining a huge foothold," she said.
"Preaching to the choir," Michael said. "We do what we can to show them the Light, though."
Genevra's eyes lit up. "Then you understand where Raphael started. He wanted to expose Lucifer, Lilith, Abaddon. Show people what sin truly bought them. Is it worth it for an eternity of damnation?"
"Well, that's not exactly how it works," I said. “Souls didn't spend eternity in Abaddon. They either rehabbed and tried again, or they became demons. There was not an eternal damnation, per se.”
"Yes,weknow that, but the humans don't. He wanted to give them proof. He's been showing himself to humans for hundreds of years in different ways. He was trying to stay under the radar."
