“So, Dad broke a major Hell taboo teaching his kids that fighting style. The other princes didn’t teach their kids because they were worried they would use it to overthrow them. They could have just been decent parents. It’s going to twist some panties I’m teachingyou,but they will lose their fucking minds if they know I’m teachingthem.”
“What’s so important about this training style? There are different styles of martial arts depending on what country theycome from and those martial arts have different styles, too. Why is it such a big secret?” I asked.
“Angels are damned near indestructible and hard to kill. They are also insanely fast. If you’re an angel fighting another angel, you’d only be able to fight off one and you might take so many injuries, you lost, too. There are ways to disable an angel with pressure points that give you better odds. It all depends on who can trigger one first.
“Obviously, they don’t want that information getting out. They’ve all grown into power hungry, bitter ancients. They aren’t at the point they would use it against each other, even though they can’t stand each other anymore, because there’s not that many of them and they don’t know if the other angels would come for them again.”
“Wouldn’t the smarter thing be teaching their kids, too, so they can help?” I asked.
“You’d think that, but being divinely created doesn’t make them smart or good people.”
“Do these pressure points work on you and Sydney since you’re half angel?” Celix asked.
“Just the one between the wings when they are out, but Sydney doesn’t have to worry with that just yet.”
Which was actually a mind fuck I hadn’t had time to process yet, but moving on.
“When do we start?” I asked.
Because honestly, I had no intention of getting killed by an ancient celestial chicken just for being born. Like, fuck being the heir to Hell and the shitty laws here, I just wasn’t dying like that. I had plans to find three roommates and eat a lot of cheesecake when I became a senior citizen. Obviously, that plan was a little fucked since I was, apparently, immortal now, butin theory,I could have myGolden Girlsexperience in a few thousand years.
“After you eat. This is a whole new world. You need more calories once your magic comes in, but you need even more now that it’s trying to.”
“Hold up, are you saying I’ve got a free pass to eat what I want?”
“You’ll want to lay off once your wings come in, but isn’t it awesome?” Wrathhog said, holding out her fist.
I bumped it because best thing ever. Having a butler was still weird, but he poked his head in to tell us lunch was ready. We got off to follow, but he had to scurry off because someone was knocking at the front door.
Who was trip-trapping on my bridge when everyone I knew and liked in Hell was currently in this house?
Every single prince in Hell just decided to crash my lunch. I guess if there was one thing that could unite a feuding monarchy that was plotting to overthrow each other, it was a loud-mouthed woman. I guess it was the same in the mortal realm, too. I hope they didn’t try to burn me as a witch.
Satan was the tallest out of all of them. He winked at me over their heads. Abaddon just rolled his eyes and looked like he thought this was totally unnecessary. Asmodeus swooped forward like he was going to kiss me on the cheek. I threw up a hand because absolutely not.
“Why are you here?”
“I was just thinking we got off on the wrong foot and we didn’t properly welcome you to Hell. It’s not safe for your kind anywhere else and we shouldn’t drive you off.”
I mean, that was exactly the right thing to say, but I wasn’t an idiot and his concern didn’t reach his eyes. His eyes were cold and calculating. He was trying to figure out how to play me. Let him try. He didn’t know me or my tells like Mom did.
“You were very mean to me before,” I sulked.
Nero poked me.
“We were just surprised, that’s all. Lucifer has been adamant about not siring any more children after his son was brutally murdered.”
“Well, he disappeared before I was born and Mom never talked about him, so I couldn’t tell you where he is. It’s kind of a sore subject. And then his siblings weren’t welcoming to meat all.”
Nero poked me again. What was with all the poking? Asmodeus gave me another smile that never reached his eyes.
“I figured we could change that over a family lunch.”
“Sure.”
Nero held me back as they all went to the dining room.
“You can’t play an angel, Sydney. At least, not yet. They can read minds. Wrathhog has to teach you how to shield your thoughts. They don’t usually bother listening to the rest of us, but they check if each other has dropped their shields because they don’t trust each other.”
