But Raphael knew better.
Battle-weary from the first war, Lucifer longed for companionship and peace.
The night he’d gone to Nadia’s flat, he’d seen how deadly she could be in search of Luc. She’d only possessed a single-minded purpose to find him. Had they been left to their own devices, she’d never have turned feral. Nadia would be happily reading her ancient tomes and slaking Lucifer’s desire for love, leaving them all safer.
With an unhappy sigh, he secured Gabriel’s chains.
If Luc or Gabe decided to end Raphael’s life after this, they were well within their rights. His treachery didn’t deserve forgiveness.
“Why the long face, my son?”
Tears stung his eyes as he faced Mother. The sympathy she showed was a lead pipe to the midriff.
“My beautiful boy,” she said as she approached. With a soft sigh, she cupped his cheeks and tugged downward to touch her forehead to his. “Always so conflicted.”
“I just want the fighting to be over,” he confessed in a hoarse voice. “The strife…”
He drew back and shook his head. No longer was he a gangly youth needing her comforting embrace after getting his ass handed to him during a training session.
“You are merely following orders, Raphael. You must accept the hierarchy and not question what your father has planned.” Her tone held censure, as if she were annoyed at having to remind him of this again.
He bowed his head. “Of course, Mother. Apologies.”
She shot him a sharp look for his formal reply, then knelt beside Gabriel to smooth his hair back from his face.
“You and Michael inflicted unnecessary pain. It’s only right you should experience the same.”
His stomach clenched in preparation. The one thing Mother couldn’t abide was one foster son harming another outside the bounds of training.
With a wave of her hand, she delivered unto him all Gabriel must’ve felt.
Threefold.
Stars exploded behind his eyes as an invisible fist made short work of him. When he lay panting on the ground, Mother stepped over him to the chamber where Nadia slept.
Though Raphael’s eyes were rapidly swelling shut, he didn’t miss her concern for the woman. Was it frustration he’d heard in her sigh?
“Take Gabriel to the Kingdom,” she instructed, never removing her gaze from Nadia.
He curbed a groan as he struggled to rise. If he made a peep, his punishment would be worse. Complaining was futile. He’d been party to injuring Gabriel, and even at one-third his current pain level, the discomfort would have been great.
Bracing his legs, he hauled his brother up and over his shoulder, staggering once under the weight. Again, he clamped his jaw against a groan. When he was in the breezeway, he paused to catch his breath. Surely a lung was punctured?
“Put me down, fool. I can walk,” Gabriel growled.
“Has your vision returned?”
“Shadows. Just don’t let me crash into any walls.”
“For what it’s worth—” Raphael began.
“Save it. If my daughter is harmed due to your games, there will be no cave deep enough for you to hide. Understood?”
“Understood.” He had the urge to unlock Gabriel’s shackles and let him take immediate revenge. It would save him the headache and put an end to his misery.
“Did I hear Mother?”
“Yes,” he replied.
