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The last drops of my anger faded at that realization. I pinched the bridge of my nose, frustrated with my own soft heart.
Sariel chuckled, rubbing a hand down my spine as I sulked.
21
BACK TO HELL
SARIEL
When my stomach growled, Barimuz left us, promising to return with something to eat. Aria had looked downright scandalized at the sound; I knew that was the only reason he even deemed me worthy of food.
It was weird being alone with her after so long alone in the cage, but I tried not to let her see how disoriented I was, despite showering.
Neither of us spoke, even when Barimuz reappeared with food and decided to stay with us while we ate.
It was just… awkward. Like we didn’t know what to say to one another—or that we didn’t want to have a conversation where someone else could listen in. Either the Archdemon knew that, or he really was just trying to make sure we didn’t do anything insane, like try to escape Hell.
When I glanced at him, and he smirked back at me, I could only assume it was the former.
“Lucifer hopes you enjoy your dinner. He also wanted me to let you know that he has stopped adjusting time now that the two of you are reunited.”
So every minute here was costing us valuable time above.Perfect.
“Whenever you are ready to accept his offer, he will be more than happy to send you back up.”
From the deadened way he said it, either he was as horrified by the thought of my mate being stuck down here as I was, or he’d been ordered to repeat it back word for word. Every interaction I’d ever had with him was being psychoanalyzed now, even though I hated to do it.
“We’ll never accept it, so he’ll have to come up with something else to bargain for,” I told him, and his horned head tilted in acknowledgment.
When he didn’t poof away to deliver the message, I returned to my soup. He’d mumbled something about ensuring I didn’t overeat now that I had been released, else I’d waste the meal, but it was surprisingly good for being made in the literal pits of Hell.
It wasn’t until we’d finished eating and exhaustion slowly settled into us that things got weird.
Everything happened in a flurry—there was a ripping sound, then shouts and curses as blinding lights flashed across the room.
Aria let out a strangled noise as we both leaped to our feet, trying to put some space between us and the light.
I didn’t even think before trying to get between Aria and the perceived threat, my wolf pressing to the forefront. When I bumped into Barimuz—who was also trying to protect my mate, apparently—a snarl tore out of me.
He adjusted swiftly enough that I could almost convince myself I’d imagined it, instead stepping between me and the lights as they began to dim.
“Holy Hell,” Johnny’s voice breathed out, soundingwrecked, while Reese visibly wretched.
I eyed our sick calvary with a small smirk threatening to pull onto my face. Even Marilyn has a hand over her mouth, eyes shut, so clearly willing the feeling away that it almost made me laugh. Auren was, predictably, the only one unbothered by whatever had just happened, and he stepped forwards to address Barimuz.
“I believe you have my family. I’ve come to retrieve them.”
If I didn’t know better, that calm drawl would have been a bit offensive.
Atlan made a sound of disagreement, but Kiran dug an elbow into the man, quieting him. I’d thought I’d been happy to see Auren when he was revealed to be alive, but this? This was pure, unadulteratedjoy.
“Lucifer…” Barimuz paused, head cocking.
I abruptly registered that he was probably reviewing whatexactlyhe’d been told to do. With the new knowledge that he was a thrall to Lucifer’s will, I was hyperaware of every move the Archdemon made, as well as everything he said.
Hope started to unfurl in my chest despite my best efforts to keep it down. It was way more likely that we would all be trapped now rather than the Resistance successfully retrieving us.
“...didn’t order you to keep us here,” Aria breathed in realization, then laughed almost hysterically.
