“Where do you think you’re going?”she demanded.“We aren’t finished here.”
I glared at her hand, then lifted my narrowed gaze to hers.“Take your hand off me.”
Eliza’s focus shot to Deidre’s lifeless body, then she quickly withdrew her hand.
“I can handle the truth, Lily,” she said.“You can trust me.”
“It’s not that simple,” I said, voice low.“If I tell you, it puts you in danger.More than you can imagine.The less you know about me, the safer you’ll be.I’m begging you, Eliza.Don’t dig into this.”Because she would regret it if she did.
Eliza’s expression darkened as she weighed my words.I thought she might press me further, but then she finally exhaled sharply, shaking her head in frustration.“Fine.But this isn’t over, Lily.I’m watching you.I don’t like secrets, and I sure as hell don’t like being kept in the dark.Sooner or later, I’ll figure out the truth.”
“You’ll wish you hadn’t,” I said, hoping it didn’t come down tomeorher.Because I knew who I’d pick.No questions asked.“Now, can we get out of here?I’d rather not stick around longer than we have to.”
With a reluctant sigh, Eliza reached into her pack and pulled out a plastic sheet, wrapping Deidre’s severed head before tucking it into a leather bag.“I’ll send someone to clean up the body later.We can’t be seen pulling a headless corpse out of a mine.”
Nodding, I cast one last glance at Deidre’s lifeless body before following Eliza out of the mine.But as we made our way to her car, unease twisted in my gut.Deidre was gone, but something told me my problems were only just beginning.
ChapterSix
I stepped into my apartment,where for once, sweet, blessed silence welcomed me, and closed the door behind me.
First order of business: boots off.I kicked them into a nearby corner with a satisfying thud.Next went my coat, toque, and gloves.I tossed them onto the floor without a second thought.And why not?It wasn’t like I had anyone to impress, other than my cat and imp—but they hardly cared.
Next on the docket: weapon care.Because I certainly couldn’t shower until all three weapons gleamed.I hauled my bag onto my small, wobbly, one-seater table, unzipped it, and pulled out my blades.Though mostly clean, they needed more than the quick wipe I’d given them back in the mine.Leaving a bloodied sword unattended, even one stained with the blood of a backstabbing ex-best friend, was just bad form.
I stared at the blades, the night’s event replaying in my mind, sharp and vivid.Deidre was dead.I’d killed her.For years, I’d fantasized about all the different ways I could end her life.And now that I had, I hoped she’d felt every agonizing inch of my blade carving her head from her neck.
On the downside, Lucifer now knew my location.And that couldn’t be good.Giving him what he wanted was always a mistake.I’d learned that lesson a long time ago.If he was this desperate to find me, there had to be a reason, and knowing my father, it wouldn’t be anything good.It never was.
Deidre had claimed he wanted to bring me home, but I wasn’t buying that for a second.She was a natural liar and trusting her was never a good idea.So, I had to consider other possibilities.And there weren’t many.
My father wasn’t exactly complex.Either he needed me to do something for him, or…and this honestly seemed the more plausible scenario, he wanted me dead.Considering who he was, I leaned toward the latter.As for why he’d want me dead, I could think of only one reason: the prophecy.My father would never allow me to destroy his kingdom, or him, for that matter.
I turned, about to head to the kitchen for my sword cleaning supplies, when Vol suddenly darted into my path with Purrgy gleefully chasing behind him.The imp clutched a tangled mess of yarn, his usual manic energy dialed up to an eleven.Strands clung to his miniature horns, looped around his shoulders, and trailed behind him like a colorful cape.Purrgy pounced on the trailing yarn, batting at it with his paws, his eyes wide with playful excitement.
“Lily!”Vol cried, his little voice high-pitched with exasperation.He gripped the strands tangled around his horns and pulled with all his strength, only for Purrgy to take another swipe at the dangling strands.“Help!I—I’m stuck.”
Though both mentally and physically exhausted, I laughed at the absurdity of this scene.“Lost a fight with one of my knitting projects, did ya?”
“Not funny!”he squeaked, tugging futilely at the yarn.Purrgy, oblivious to Vol’s plight, pounced again, and the imp toppled over.A series of impolite—albeit hilarious—curse words erupted from his dark lips.
Sighing, I crouched and slowly untangled the yarn from Vol’s horns, careful not to harm him.“How did you even manage this?”
Vol struggled to his feet and puffed out his chest.“I was making a nest,” he declared, as though I was an idiot for even daring to ask.“Then the furball decided it was playtime andattacked me!Not my fault your cat’s a menace!”
“Don’t dish it out if you can’t take it.”
Vol huffed, clearly displeased with my response.He shot me a withering glare before scuttling off, yarn still in hand, muttering under his breath about ungrateful humans and troublesome beasts.He continued to grumble about his “revenge” even as he disappeared behind the couch, Purrgy in tow.
I shook my head and headed into the kitchen, my thoughts circling back to the problem at hand.I saw two options: stay or go.If I left Edmonton, it would force Lucifer to resume his search.If I stayed, I’d have to face whatever he had planned for me head-on.
I grabbed my cleaning supplies and returned to my blades, wiping them clean.The thought of leaving the city didn’t sit right with me for a couple of reasons.The predominant one being that I didn’t run—from anything or anyone.Running meant abandoning the city and the people I’d come to care about.If Lucifer stepped foot in the city and I wasn’t around to stop him, he would obliterate it just to make a point.I didn’t want Hell encroaching on my life, but I also refused to sacrifice the million lives that lived here just to save my own skin.
So, no.I wouldn’t run.Not if it meant leaving others to face Lucifer in my stead.
He wasmyfather,myresponsibility,myburden.I refused to walk away and let him destroy everything that was good here.If he wanted me dead, he’d soon learn I wasn’t about to go down without a fight.Maybe I’d even take him out with me.
Of course, this was all conjecture until I learned why he was so hellbent on finding me.But one thing was clear: I was staying.For better or for worse.
