"You two go have a shower if you want one. I'm going to tuck him in and delve into him as deeply and thoroughly as I can, then I'm having a bath. I'll be in the other room after that."
Michael pressed himself against my back. "Lil, I love you. He's okay. Let him rest."
I sighed and let my head fall back on Michael's shoulder. "I love you too, but you know I have to do this. I'd do it for either one of you."
"I know."
He pulled away and clapped Gabe on the shoulder. "Come on, let's go lay down. I'll magic the dirt off of both of us. I don't feel like a shower."
"Speak for yourself," Gabe said. "I'm trying out that giant bath.”
They shut the bedroom door and I tuned out their voices.
Hopping on the side of the bed, I did just as I told them I'd do, but I found nothing threatening about Luc's condition. He was in a deep sleep and his entire body felt tired. The magic had used every bit of energy he had. He probably needed a good meal, too. Even Fallen had to eat sometimes.
After fussing over him and tucking him in, I pulled his door closed and hit the bathroom.
I could've spent a lifetime in that bathtub. Even if I stretched out, my fingers and toes couldn't reach the edges. "I'm getting one of these in Hell when this is over," I whispered to nobody.
A bottle of liquid was the only soap in the room, so I squeezed some out and smelled it.
It smelled like honey. I lathered it up and found it delightfully soapy, so I used it to wash all over, then when I was sufficiently pruny, I stepped out of the water and wrapped myself in a large, plush towel.
Guilt about having a luxurious bath while Ariel was missing, Luc's powers were missing, and Luc was in the next room injured; threatened to weaken my knees.
I had no choice. We were stuck here overnight. Why couldn't I have a bath? Gritting my jaw against the emotions, I headed for the bed, then laid down next to Luc.
But sleep didn’t come.
Chapter Ten
Lilith
"I have searched every text." Cecilio shook his head sadly. "Mary helped me. We were up all night. We can find nothing to explain what went wrong, nor can we find an option for trying something new. I am sorry." He took my hand. "I know you are not evil. I still will always choose to keep my affairs separate from angels, but you are trying to do the right thing. Good luck with your problems and with your daughter."
We'd woken to Lucifer awake and aware, and much better, but he wasn't up to par, especially without his magic. He still had shadows under his eyes and walked slower than normal. "I feel like years were stolen from me."
He wasn't happy with Cecilio. The White Witch had made it seem like there was little danger to Lucifer, and though he hadn't been permanently damaged, he was injured. He didn't appreciate being kicked while he was down.
Cecilio had prepared breakfast for us and apologized many times, but Luc was stuck in his resentment. He always had been slow to forgive. After breakfast, we'd decided to set out for home and regroup. Try to find another path to finding Lucifer's magic.
All of our paths were growing shorter and shorter. We needed a new one.
As we turned away and Mary said one last goodbye. Cecilio made a sound that was somewhere between a whine and squeal. We all whirled around to look at him.
His eyes rolled back in his head and he swayed on his feet. Michael and Mary were closest to him and put their hands out to steady the witch. His hunter green aura pulsed and threads of black trickled through it. Those lines of darkness were not his own. Someone was connected to him, but who?
I continued studying him, trying to figure out who could get to him here, under all these wards and spells. It had taken Mary hours and hours to do it and she'd done it before.
He breathed heavily and turned his head until he looked directly at me."Queen. Mother. Help me. My soul breaks free. That which is dark cannot be in Purity. The flow will contain but woe to the world if my soul reaches the place where they wait."He sucked in a breath and his entire body quaked.
"Cecilio!" Mary yelled. She glanced at me. "Has he been possessed?" she asked.
"No." I stepped forward and peered into him, past his aura, delving as deeply as I could. "He's Prophesying." He was still himself, but someone had their aura weaved into his. They controlled his mouth, even as Cecilio fought them off.
"Let them speak, White Witch. We need to hear them." I used magic to push my words into his heart, so that hopefully, deep inside where Cecilio fought, he'd relax.
It worked a bit. He stopped shaking, at least.
