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“I will,” I promise. For what it’s worth. The chances of any of us escaping this place are nonexistent. I know if I have the chance to destroy Lucifer, I have to take it. And what are the chances of us being anywhere near the mirror.

Then I just sit, holding her hand, feeling totally useless as the life drains from her. I see the moment when it’s gone. And I don’t try to hold the tears back anymore. Grimlet pushes himself up and crawls into my lap and together we sob for well…everything.

I become aware of a low rumbling roar in the background, and I sit up straight. It’s getting louder, building in intensity until it’s a roar filling the room with a single word over and over. “No!”

Behind me the door is flung open. I get to my feet, Grimlet scrambling onto my shoulder and clinging to my hair. I can feel him shaking. For all his bravado, he’s as scared as I am. That makes me stand a little straighter.

Lucifer looms in the doorway. I remind myself that he’s my father, but right now, he’s all devil. His face is contorted with…rage? What’s he got to be angry about? He killed her. But I have a strange idea he doesn’t see it that way.

“She’s gone,” he roars. “How can she be gone? That was not her decision to make. She’s mine.”

Ignoring me, he stalks past and crashes to his knees beside the cot bed. He hauls her into his arms, dragging her to his chest, and burying his face in her hair. “Ravenna, come back to me. I did not give you permission to die. You are mine. Come back. Ravenna!”

I’m not sure how long we stay like that. My tears have dried up, and I surreptitiously wipe my face and give a sniff. I’ve got a strange idea that what comes next is not going to be good. And I need to survive.

Finally, he releases his hold on my dead mother and rises to his feet. He turns slowly to face us, and his expression is blank, but his eyes burn. He looks me up and down and I don’t think he likes what he sees.

“This is your fault. You were the cause of what she did. She betrayed me for you. She promised to love me forever and then she chose you.” He takes a step closer, and my skin goes icy, sweat pouring down my spine. Fear holds me frozen. I’ve never seen such evil, such malice, radiating from anyone before. “You will pay for this,” he says softly. “You and everyone and everything you care about will pay. For a long time.”

That doesn’t sound good. Grimlet whimpers in my ear. I’m betting right now that he’s wishing he wasn’t my friend.

Lucifer grabs my shoulder, spins me around and hurls me out of the door. I hit the ground hard, and everything goes dark for a moment, stars flashing behind my eyes. Maybe I should just stay here, and he’ll forget me.

Not a chance.

A second later, his booted foot kicks me in the ribs and pain explodes inside me. And again. I bite my lip to stop the scream escaping as the coppery taste of blood floods my mouth. I push myself up a little, bracing for the next kick. It doesn’t come.

I open my eyes and spit the blood from my mouth, just as a hand reaches down and grabs the pendant from around my neck. I feel it cut my skin as the chain is yanked hard until it snaps.

Shit. I needed that.

I raise my eyes expecting Lucifer to be standing before me.

But it isn’t Lucifer’s finger my amber pendant is dangling from.

Holy crap.

I didn’t see this coming.

Chapter 46

Every Hero Has a Breaking Point

“Stop!” Hecate shouts.

For a second I think she’s talking to me. But no, she’s talking to the devil standing right behind me, no doubt just about to break a few more of my ribs.

What the fuck is going on?

“You promised she wouldn’t be hurt,” Hecate says. And she’s talking to my father. About me. What does that even mean?

Too much has happened and obviously my brain has given up functioning from the overload. I need to reboot. Otherwise I suspect it might explode. And then who’s going to save the world?

I think I might be bordering on hysterical and who could blame me?

I’ve paused halfway up, balancing on my hands and feet—a sort of plank position. I’m actually scared to move, because I know it’s going to hurt. But I can’t stay here forever. Taking a deep breath, I get onto my knees and then slowly stand. A small scream escapes me before I clamp my lips together. Fresh sweat breaks out on my forehead. I clutch my arm around my ribs and take a slow breath, trying to hold them together. Then another, keeping each breath shallow.

When I’m sure I’m not going to pass out, I slowly turn my head and take stock. Grimlet is still attached to my shoulder, but he’s quiet, sort of pretending not to be there. Lucifer is behind me. He’s backed away a little and is leaning against the wall, arms folded across his chest, eyes glittering with residual rage.