The Lure of the Devil (The Demons' Muse #4) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,28

nor the worlds on them. You did not bring life into existence. That means you're not a god. Just a very powerful midworlder."

I got the feeling they were leaving something out, and when I watched Nick, Luke, and Ron look at each other, I was sure of it. "What am I missing?" I demanded.

It was Ron who answered. "Angels believe that Ayala will destroy them. That the creature's need for aether to survive will be threatened by their way of life and the harvesting that they do. Due to its theorized power, they believe that there isn't enough life to sustain angelic civilization while the Ayala exists. That you're so insistent on locking them away? What is that if not destroying?"

"Is that wrong?" I asked, looking to Bel for some kind of support.

"No," he said, making no effort to make any exceptions.

"Sia," Sam said as he moved to hug my back. "It explains so much, but who cares? Does it really matter if you lock them away because you feel tied to the aether they're wasting? Is that any different from feeling tied to the lives they're wasting? Aether is life, sweetie. One and the same."

"Just more like before and after," I grumbled.

"No, even while we're alive, we use aether. It's only that harvesting it kills the holder. And who knows, maybe that's the part that bothers you? Because you seem fine when we ease the deaths of those who have no option. You can't stand the idea of us killing people who have long lives ahead of them, right? Maybe that's not just your morals but also some inherent resonance with what we're all made of?" His hand rubbed my shoulder. "Angels think Ayala is a monster. So be that monster, sweetie."

"Slaves think it's a savior," Luke added. "To them, the Ayala is more like Robin Hood. It will take from the angels and give to the midworlders."

"And the demons," Bel said. The other men in the room all glared at him, making Bel scoff. "What? I have heard about Ayala too. It will be the only thing stronger than the outworlders, and will destroy them. But this is our Muse. She will not destroy us. She will destroy Abaddon and Mammon. Not her legion."

All of this was seriously making me second-guess my plans to lock Angelis. I couldn't even explain why, but hearing that I was "destined" to do it made me want to push back. To not do it just to spite these theories they talked about. Never mind that I couldn't even imagine how they'd come up with such detailed descriptions of how I'd act.

"How would they know?" I asked on impulse. "This dominion who came up with the idea. How would he know that I'd do anything the way he thinks?"

"Behavioral analysis," Luke explained. "Sentients all react within certain ranges to certain stimuli. Males try to protect their breeding females. Groups protect their territory. Fear can cause either aggression or bolting. That's how. And the predictions about your reactions are based on the concept that you are in tune with aether in a way the rest of us can't comprehend. Almost like it's an extension of who you are."

"As if your very emotions can bend it," Nick added. "But, if Luke's right and you are this Ayala concept, then we need to be even more careful with your abilities. As a child, you were addicted to aether. We have to make sure that you don't use so much that it happens again. I still think the pain you experienced while pushing and receiving aether is something to be concerned about. Maybe you won't burn out, but could you fixate instead?"

All I could do was sigh because none of us had these answers. The question was if it really changed anything. Or maybe we were thinking about this the wrong way. They'd all focused on me destroying the outworlders. They'd almost ignored another part. One that they probably couldn't really understand, but which I latched onto like a lifeline.

"I'm supposed to be the savior of the midworlds, right?" I asked. "And nothing in these theories says that I destroy all outworlders. So, if I'm understanding this right, it means that both angels and demons just got a boss. No, that's not the right word..." I groaned, wracking my brain for the idea that I was looking for, to put it in a way they could understand. "Repercussions!" I finally said. "For y'all's entire existence, angels and