between his voice, “if a bit dangerous.” He shrugged. “But doable. Get in, slip away, grab the soul, get out.”
Dizziness threatened to creep in from the sides, the ominous shadow of what he wasn’t yet saying encroaching on my mind.
“And then I received this.”
A note appeared in his hand. He held it out to me.
I took it with trembling fingers. Unfolding it, I squinted at the script I could barely make out in the dark. “A little light,” I whispered.
The tapestry behind me went up in fresh flames, casting an orange glow over the paper.
My dearest grandson,
I am delighted you have chosen to grace us with your presence at this year’s commemoration of the Fall from Heaven. I am looking forward to seeing you again. — L
PS: Please make sure to bring along your new pet. I cannot wait to make her acquaintance.
Dread spread inside me on icy claws, chilling me down to my soul. My breathing flattened, as if someone had dropped a boulder on my chest.
“I had every intention,” he ground out, “to leave you out of this. The very last place I want to take you is that hellforsaken palace. He hasn’t shown an interest in me in over a millennium, and I thought—” He clenched his jaw so hard, the planes of his face seemed to rearrange themselves. “I didn’t think my RSVP would draw any attention. There will be close to a thousand demons in attendance—I should have been conveniently anonymous.” His voice dropped to a growl. “But he noticed. He noticed, and with him personally requesting your presence, I have no other choice. I can’t back out, and I can’t leave you here.” He lifted his head and met my gaze for the first time since I entered the room. The flicker of violent lightning in his eyes revealed a glimpse at the unmitigated rage he’d let loose on the room earlier. “You’re going to accompany me to the Fall Festival, and you’re going to meet Lucifer.”
The room spun. Or maybe that was my head. I grabbed his shoulder for purchase, dizziness a buzz in my veins.
“I have no idea,” he continued in a low voice, “what he intends to do, but whatever it is, we’ll get through it, and then we’ll grab your father’s soul and get out of there.”
My eyes widened. “You’re still planning to go through with it?”
His energy was an electric hum in the air, his tone lethally soft. “If I am to enter that palace to face that wretched fucker again—and drag you there with me—I will damn well not waste the opportunity to steal a soul right from under his nose.”
I sucked in air, light-headed. “Okay,” I wheezed.
He leveled a stare at me that raised the hairs on my arms with its intensity. “You are not to leave my side. Ever. When I slip away to get your father’s soul, you’re coming with me, because I sure as fuck will not let you out of my sight for even one minute. Not at his court.”
All I could do was nod. I didn’t really trust myself to speak.
“The festival takes place in two weeks,” Azazel continued. “You will need to step up your combat training routine.”
Like that would make a difference should I face a demon attacker. I’d be mincemeat in under a minute.
His gaze was calculating as he studied me. “No one will expect you to be trained even a little, so whatever defensive skill you can show may buy you a few crucial seconds. Like I said, you will not leave my side, and a moment’s delay on the part of an attacker could help me defend you.” The hint of a wry smile touched his mouth. “And you’ll need to strengthen your mental shields again.”
Dammit.
The enormity of the situation hit me then. The sheer danger and impossibility of it. We were going to infiltrate Lucifer’s palace to get my father’s soul out. While I was numb with grief, Azazel had been planning this, plotting to go back into his own personal nightmare…for me. So I’d be happy again.
With my hand still on his cheek, I went down on my knees in front of him so our faces were level. I kissed him gently, my breath trembling, all my layers unraveled and raw before him. Holding his stormy gaze, I swallowed hard, found my voice and whispered, “Thank you.”
A week after the ill-fated note from Lucifer arrived, Azmodea blazed into the training ring where Azazel and I