You’d kill me,I thought darkly.But obviously I wasn’t doing anything nefarious. I was saving people.Yourpeople.
A warm gust of air sent my hair rippling over my bare shoulders. I didn’t break Lucifer’s gaze to see who had joined us. I knew better than to look away from the predator in front of me.
Any weakness could forfeit my life.
“Don’t,” Melek said, clearly talking to the Hell Fae King. His single word held an edge to it, one that sounded a lot like fear.
That can’t be a good sign.
A rare flurry of desperation stirred in my gut, but I pushed it down before I did something stupid—like try to run.
Not that I could break free of Lucifer’s powers. Nor did I really have anywhere to go.
“Don’t what?” Lucifer asked him, his white teeth flashing with a cruel smile—one that appeared particularly wicked, thanks to the eerie light glittering off the lavalike palace walls.
“You need to calm down before you deliver a verdict,” Melek continued, ignoring the ominous tone that lingered from Lucifer’s reply. “Think about what this will do. Think aboutus.”
“Iamthinking about us,” Lucifer replied, anger deepening his tone. “I’m thinking about all of Hell Fae kind. Thesource. You know, the very power that she just tapped into andused.” A hint of magic warmed the air as he uttered that last word.
I flinched as the invisible binds around my wrists and ankles squeezed in response.
But I refused to cry out or make a sound.
Another disturbance in the air told me someone else had entered the room. Lucifer didn’t move, but his jaw flexed as Ajax and Az appeared in my peripheral vision.
Great. Everyone is here to watch my execution.My jaw tightened.Oh, and by the way, you’re all welcome for saving the Marsh Lands.
Ungrateful asshole fae.
“Bride casualties?” Lucifer asked, his question unexpected, as was his bored tone.
One minute, he was seething. The next, he was all business.
Because, apparently, his rage could be temporarily set aside for his precious brides—a title that no longer applied to me, thanks to Lucifer’s announcement in his club.
The mere memory of the incident renewed my rage, the burning emotion swiftly chasing away any residual fear I’d felt from Lucifer grabbing me and bringing me here.
Because how fucking dare he.
It wasn’t like I’d meant to touch his source the first time or the last time. I was literally just trying to survive in this hellish realm.
Hehad made the deal with my father that then forced me to be here. I had no interest in the Hell Fae Source or Lucifer’s powers. I simply wanted to go home.
But the damn book kept talking to me.
And that portal had been killing innocent brides.
What the fuck was I supposed to do? Sit down and watch while Lucifer made it worse?
No.
I’d realized what needed to happen, and I’d fixed it.
Thatwas not a response worthy of death or any other punishment. This bastard should be thanking me. Especially as I’d done it after he’d spent the evening ridiculing and shaming me with that damn chain dress.
Energy danced over my skin, the power belonging to Lucifer. Which would probably just infuriate him more, but I couldn’t control it.
All I could do was embrace it.
