“Did he?” His dry tone felt mocking.
“What’s going on there?”
“We were once as close as siblings. You might say brothers in arms. But then he betrayed me to save his own hide.”
“Betrayed? How?”
“Later, I shall tell you everything. For now, let us say goodbye to Dina and Raz.” He hesitated over the pronunciation of each name, as if he were about to say them differently.
Putting it down to his foreign accent, she nodded, and they joined the mourners. In the back of her mind, she remained aware of Luc’s vigilant stance, as if he were expecting trouble. She followed his gaze to Raphael a time or two, finding it odd how alike they were, yet also so different. Perhaps they served in the military together. It would explain the “brothers in arms” comment. Luc appeared very black-and-white in his thinking, more honorable somehow. Raphael seemed less linear in thought, more fun-loving and willing to go with the flow. It wasn’t hard to imagine him betraying Luc’s trust with shady behavior. Still, there was the moment of kindness in the bar, as if he genuinely cared when she’d expressed worry.
Glancing up, she met Luc’s contemplative gaze. She gave him a smile and forced herself to concentrate on the eulogy.
* * *
Inside, Lucifer was seething. That Raphael would dare show his face at Dinathial’s memorial was beyond infuriating. He didn’t presume to think his brother cared one whit for a lowly angel like Raziel, one who betrayed his kind by falling for one of Luc’s horde.
No, his presence meant to taunt, emphasizing Nadia’s vulnerability. Had Luc not escorted her, would she have been attacked? The question was confounding, considering Raphael could’ve hurt her at the library or the bar. Why hadn’t he?
After the eulogies were read and a tree for the couple had been planted, mourners gathered in small groups to converse. A few of his daemons were brave enough to approach.
“My lie?—”
He cut off the first with a warning glance.
“Dimitri, it’s good to see you again. I’m sad it’s under such horrific circumstances,” he said smoothly.
“Yes.” The curious man’s eyes darted between Nadia and him, lingering too long on her for Luc’s comfort. “Nadia, right? We met at Dina and Raz’s barbecue.”
“Did we?” Her brow furrowed as if trying to recall. “I’m sorry. There were so many people that night, I can’t recall them all.”
The daemon had lied, all to ingratiate himself with Nadia.
“Are you certain it was her?” Luc asked in a silky voice. “I’m positive Thamiel said those in his employ were off on assignment.”
Dimitri took the hint. “I must be thinking of someone else.”
Luc raised a brow in challenge.
“My lie—er, Mr. Heylel, how do you…” The daemon grew nervous under his stare and looked to his compatriots for support. But they’d abandoned him the instant Luc called Dimitri on his lie. “I’ve got to run.”
“Come by my office next week,” Luc said. “We’ve much to discuss.”
Other than to pale, the daemon remained composed. “Yes. I look forward to it.”
“As do I.”
“Nice to meet you, Nadia,” Dimitri mumbled before scrambling away.
“You put the fear of God into that man,” she said.
Luc coughed as he choked back a laugh.
“Why?” she asked, her eyes narrowed with curiosity and suspicion.
“He’s a worker at one of my plants. I’ve heard he is a compulsive liar who likes to lull women in under the pretense of familiarity.”
“Lull them in?” She frowned. “What does that mean?”
