Rathiel closed the distance between us, his hands held out as though prepared to catch me should I fall.“Breathe, Lily.”
The sound of my name snapped me back to reality, but the weight of his revelation still pressed down on my chest, muddling my thoughts.A part of me simply refused to believe Rathiel.My father wouldneversend his most dangerous warriors after me.They werehisguard,hispeople,hisinner circle.In all my life, they’d never left his side.And now Rathiel wanted me to believe that Lucifer had sent themallhere?Just to kill me?
“You’re saying my father has sent his most fearsome after me?”Gremory, Zera, Gavrel, Tavira, Miriel, Ezrion, Calyx, Raelia… Their names flooded my mind like a curse.With each name came a face, and with each face came a wave of gut-wrenching dread.
These weren’t just soldiers—they were my father’s elite.I’d trained alongside them, fought beside them, and witnessed their sadistic skills firsthand.Their cruelty knew no bounds.They were ruthless and relentless.Alone, each of them was terrifying.But together, they were unstoppable.
The thought of Lucifer unleashing them on Earth with one single command… I wanted to vomit.
Rathiel stepped closer and touched my elbow, grounding me.“Their orders are not to return until you’re dead.That’s why I escaped Hell, Lily.To tell you that they’re already here, hunting you.I’m just grateful I found you first.”
I closed my eyes, forcing myself to breathe.“How?No one escapes Hell.”
“It wasn’t easy,” he admitted.“It took some help, but I couldn’tnotcome for you.Not when I heard what was happening.”
I opened my eyes and looked at him, my heart racing.“Why?”I asked, my voice louder, more forceful.“What changed?You were my father’s right-hand for millennia.The most dedicated of all his generals.And now you expect me to believe you’re no longer loyal to him?”
“That’s a conversation for another time,” he said, avoiding my question, his gaze steady but unreadable.“Right now, all you need to know is that I’m not on his side anymore.I came here to protect you, not to harm you.”
A bitter laugh escaped me before I could stop it.“How can I believe anything you say when you spent centuries at his side, when you won’t tell me why you’ve abandoned him?How am I supposed to trust you?”
His eyes darkened, but he didn’t move.“If you want to survive, you need me.”
I hated how right he was.I needed all the help I could get—I knew that.And having Rathiel at my side was far better than going at this alone.But was he truly my ally?He claimed he was, but that damn voice in my head reminded me that I’d once thought the same of Deidre, only to learn she’d been spying on me for my entire life.
“I have more questions,” I said.“And if you want me to trust you, then you need to be completely honest with me.No more evading, no more half-truths.”
His jaw clenched, but he eventually nodded.
I stepped into the living room and sat on the couch, needing a moment to gather myself.Purrgatory took advantage and crawled on my lap.Rathiel followed and took the chair across from me.
“Let’s start simple,” I said, trying to focus on the practical.“How did you find me?”Because however he’d done it, his brethren would likely use similar tactics.Best to prepare ourselves.
“It wasn’t difficult,” he admitted, his eyes flicking to my balcony window.“This city is big, but Hell is bigger.I’ve tracked many through harsher, more unforgiving terrain.”
I raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to elaborate.
He didn’t disappoint.“It took me a few days, but I picked up on your scent yesterday.Once I had that, it was just a matter of following the trail.It led me to this odd place called a coffee shop.”His mouth twitched in what might have been amusement.“Inside, there was a blonde woman who, after a little…persuasion, pointed me in your direction.”
I narrowed my eyes.“Persuasion?”Jazz knew better than to give up my location.But I had a feeling Rathiel’s ‘persuasion’ had less to do with charm and more to do with his supernatural abilities.He did have those vampiric hypnotic eyes, after all.I’d never personally experienced their full power, but I’d seen him use them on misbehaving hellspawn more than once.
“You tracked my scent?”I couldn’t keep the incredulity from my voice.
He nodded, unapologetic.“The city masked it.But you’re not untraceable.”His voice softened.“Not to me.”
I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady.“And I’m guessing you came through the portal at the Alberta Legislature Building?”
He quirked a brow.
I grabbed my phone and quickly searched for the building.After finding an online photo, I held it up for him to see.
He nodded after studying the image.“That’s the place.”
“Is that the only portal?”It terrified me to think there might be others scattered across the Earth.
“There are many portals between all the realms.But this is the only one I know of that’s currently working.”
I wish his words had brought me a measure of relief, but they didn’t.Just because he only knew of this one didn’t mean others hadn’t also opened.“Okay, so who unlocked this one?Deidre?”
