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The heat of Hell vanishes along with Lucifer.
The pain is too much for me to bear.
I succumb to darkness.
34
Healing Touch
Riella
“Damnit,River.You’renot supposed to be the one who gets injured. I can’t heal you.” Storm links his fingers through his hair, staring down at River as he lies unconscious on his bed. Storm managed to bandage the deep cut across his chest, but the malevolent shards of Hell still cling to him, the brightness of the wound stirring something dark inside me.
My mind whirls every time I think about what happened. Lucifer should’ve never been able to step foot on this plane, and now he’s free of Hell. I never got to face Adriel either, and I’m not sure if I ever will as he hides behind the veil, his grace allowing him to remain in Heaven while I perish under his brother’s wrath. Twins. I can’t believe he is a twin. The Almighty had to have a plan, but they have both swayed from it. Lucifer was supposed to be the one to guide souls to help them grow, but he has destroyed everything. He punishes them and leaves them for all eternity.
“Your brother is strong, little hunter. Just give him some time.” Damien drapes his arm over Storm’s shoulders, the gesture of comfort warming me in a way I never expected.
Storm sighs. “I just feel like we don’t have any with Lucifer still out there.”
A tear slips onto my cheek, and I turn away from the two of them, heading to the living area. This is my fault. Had I been better prepared, he would’ve never been injured. He should’ve been my priority, but instead, all I could think about was destroying the incarnate of evil.
“My warrior, why are you crying? It...disturbs me.” Dagan sits with his feet propped up on the coffee table, leaning against the cushions with his hands resting on the back of his head.
I glower at him, flapping my wings to launch myself forward. The last person I want to see right now is another demon of Hell. “You did this on purpose, didn’t you?” I unsheathe my sword and point it at Dagan, my mind realizing that it could’ve been so easy for him to betray me. He manipulated me into allowing him to come into our home after all.
Dagan grabs my blade, grinding his teeth. Blood seeps from his palm as he cuts himself on the sharp edge, but he still doesn’t let go. “I do a lot of shitty things, but I would never fucking allow Lucifer to leave Hell on purpose. I think Adriel set us up. He is a watcher of humanity. I bet he is spying on us now. What better way to keep you occupied than unleashing Satan himself.”
I inhale a slow breath and ease my sword away from him, shielding it with my power. He’s right, and it takes everything in me to admit so. “I’m sorry. I was just so...River is hurt, and he’s our healer, which means there’s no one here to help him. I don’t have my angelic light anymore, and it pains me deeply to see him suffer.” My voice chokes with the words.
Dagan shudders, wincing as if he can feel my pain as his own. Pushing to his feet, he clenches his bleeding hand into a fist, igniting fire across his skin. Opening it, he shows off his healed palm. “Well, it is a good thing I’m here then, my warrior. You don’t have to be pure of soul to heal someone. We all have our specialties. And healing souls just to devour them over and over again is mine. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt him.”
I gape at him, wondering if I can even trust him with River. There’s no way Storm will allow him anywhere near his brother, but Storm was right about time. Every minute that passes with Lucifer on the earth plane is another minute closer to a full-blown war. Not just a war, but the apocalypse. This is what Adriel wanted all along. He wasn’t trying to prevent it. He wanted to start it, and he used me to do so.
I tighten my jaw, suppressing my anger, trying not to unleash the darkness inside me. “If you try anything—”
Dagan holds his hand up, pressing his fingers to my lips. “My queen, we have a deal, remember? I will not hurt your little...boy toy. I know you like him, and you find him necessary in your life. At least, temporarily. You’ll see that you don’t need him after you give me a chance. We will take down Lucifer together and claim our thrones. This is all meant to be.”
“Blasphemy. I will never take a throne beside you. I will return to Heaven. It is my fate and the reason I’m here. The Almighty chose me for this sacrifice so I can prove my worth. Adriel will fall next, and he will join you.” I cross my arms over my chest and turn toward the stairs.
I call Storm to change the wards, allowing Dagan into River’s room. Storm looks ready to attack Dagan, blaming him for his brother’s condition. Only River’s trust in me and our desperation will motivate him to change the wards.
“Dagan is going to heal River.” I try my best to remain expressionless, knowing that if I so much as frown, Storm will try to deny me. He will tell me no because he’ll think it’s something River won’t want. And he’s probably right. But sometimes we have to do things we don’t like for the sake of moving forward. River doesn’t deserve such pain. He might as well use Dagan if he’s going to be here. “Before you argue, I want you to understand how badly it kills me that he’s in this condition. I know that you don’t want this demon anywhere near him, but I won’t allow him to do anything but heal him. He knows I will send him back to Hell otherwise.”
Once access has been granted, and Storm returns to River’s side, I face Dagan. “Now, prove to me you are useful and help us.”
“As you wish, my queen. I’ll do whatever it takes to convince you. You do not belong to Heaven. You belong to me.” Dagan smirks at me and strolls ahead, leaving me standing speechless in the living area.
I wait for him to get up four steps before I rush after him, wanting to watch his every move to ensure he doesn’t betray us. A part of me also wants to make sure that Storm and Damien don’t attack him. They might after everything. But unfortunately, I still need Dagan. We need him. He is the only one who can summon someone of power.
I catch up to Dagan, pushing past him to enter River’s room first. I open my wings to create a wall between him and the others, holding my hands up. Dagan put us in this situation and they are rightfully angry. But I don’t think Dagan did it on purpose now. I was suspicious, but he has nothing to gain by allowing Lucifer free. If anything, he has more to lose.
Storm doesn’t respond, glancing from me to River lying unconscious on his bed. I know his mind and heart go to war over his pride. He doesn’t want to rely on anything he sees as evil, but he also hates that his brother is in this position. I’m sure a part of him blames himself for not fighting harder.
I bob my head and swivel to look at Dagan. “Be quick. Prove to me that you want to be a team. I won’t accept anything otherwise.”
Fire lights in Dagan’s eyes. “Like I said, my warrior. I will do what it takes.”
Straightening his back, Dagan strides past me, ignoring the death glare from Storm and Damien. I shuffle to them and wrap my arm over each of their shoulders, pulling them close enough to sandwich me between them. Feeling the heat of their bodies helps with my raging emotions. Every passing day gets harder and harder on my mental state as I begin losing myself to what makes humanity special. Being able to handle such light and dark amazes me, and mortals do so every day. They learn and grow from it, using it to help push them forward.
