Page 54 of Trust the Fall

“Damn it,” Luke roars. “I should’ve known he’d bail.”

“Where did he go?” I ask, drawing Luke’s attention.

He closes his eyes, appearing to concentrate, but his face quickly morphs into stony acceptance. “I can’t locate him.”

“Yvette,” Julian barks. “I know she’s behind this.”

Luke nods. “She’s here in Hell, masking him.”

“I have access to a witch just as powerful. One of her sisters, Shante,” Julian says.

“Zeke, Leeanna, and Michael, take Julian and Lawrence back to Earth. Prepare your angels for battle. Once we uncover where Nolda is hiding out with his army, we’ll attack.”

“I won’t leave until the matter of Victoria is settled,” Michael snaps. “The reapers must be made aware⁠—”

“What about the reapers?” River asks, with narrowed eyes.

“Enough!” Luke roars. “My throne is the most pressing matter. We deal with the traitors in this castle before anything else.”

Luke’s outburst has more to do with him not wanting to alert an oblivious River to whom they believe me to be.

“Not yet, love. Not yet,” he says, proving that yet again, he can’t stay out of my head.

I want to chastise him, but now isn’t the time. Not in front of these demons and Lilith. They need to see that Lucifer is every bit the ruler he’s meant to be.

“I must insist,” Michael continues, not backing down despite Luke’s hostility.

“This is my domain, Michael, and it’s time for you to leave.”

Luke snaps his finger and Michael disappears.

“What did you do?” Leeanna seethes. “Where is Michael?”

“He’s on solid ground, back on Earth. You’ll be joining him shortly.”

Law pipes up. “I’m in search of a portal to the Fae world. If you’d allow me passage, I’ll happily join your cause.”

“The Fae kingdom isn’t somewhere you want to traipse around, Bellamy. You’ll find yourself dead if you set one foot there.”

“It’s a risk I must take,” Law says, resolutely.

“Please, Luke. They’ve been nothing but kind to me, and his reasons for seeking the Fae world could prove helpful to your war.”

Luke’s eyes narrow on Law, but he relents. “I’ll give you safe passage, if you’ll help with the small conflict ahead.”

“It would be my honor.”

Luke nods before turning back to Julian and the remaining angels. “Go find your witch. I’ll summon you all when it’s time.” He snaps his fingers and Zeke, Leanna, and Julian disappear.

“Demons, line up behind me. Take no prisoners. Any who sided with Nolda die. Understood?”

More hurrahs and stomping sound off, and Luke’s hand raises into the air to silence them.

Luke turns to me. “This shouldn’t be a hard battle. If Nolda left, he took all the higher demons with him. All that remain are low demons and easily killed. You don’t need to join this fight, Victoria.”

“I might not need to, but I’m going to.”

“They’re in the throne room, Satan. Abdiel and Bumalin are holding the traitors for disposal.”