Page 105 of Alastair

“Of course I was right.”

I cut my eyes over to him.“Now’s not the time for arrogance.”

“You love my arrogance.”

“That’s debatable.”

“Why did you keep this from the council?” Michael asked in a hard tone. It took a lot to anger him. “It would’ve helped us during the first war. It could’ve prevented all of this!”

“Why?” Mephistopheles set his plate on the small table beside his chair and pushed to his feet, facing Michael. “I came before you and the council, fell to my hands and knees, and begged for your forgiveness. Uriel said if I gave valuable information, my plea for mercy would be considered. So I told you of Lucifer’s plan for the cursed sons. I told you the locations of his generals. And what mercy was given to me in exchange? You wanted to rip my head from my shoulders, but you settled for my wings instead. Then, I was banished here for all eternity.”

“A fair sentence considering your crimes,” Michael retorted with a slight snarl. “Itwasmerciful.”

“I’ve been here for thousands of years, Michael! At this point, I almost would’ve preferred for you to remove my head. At least then I wouldn’t have to endure this crushing loneliness in such a lifeless, desolate place.” His body shook with anger before he expelled a breath and forced himself to calm. “Which is why I will not help you. I’d rather you bend to Lucifer’s rule or burn. Both would be a fair sentence foryou.”

“Mephis,” I started. “He—”

“Don’t call me that.” Mephistopheles snapped his head toward me, his eyes glistening. “You and every angel in the heavens can fight and fight, but you’ll never beat Lucifer.”

“But isn’t that what you want?” Alastair asked. “Lucifer’s defeat? He convinced you to defect from the celestial realm and then betrayed you. He made you promises and broke them before casting you aside like you were nothing. So ask yourself which is greater: your anger toward the council… or your hatred of him?”

“Gods, you’re just like your father,” he said with a frustrated huff. “You know exactly what to say to persuade others to do what you want. But it won’t work on me, son of Azazel.” His amber eyes shifted back to me. “His charms have worked on you though. His scent is all over you. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.”

“Lazarus will not be cast out for falling in love,” Michael said. “I won’t allow it.”

“Yet, you waged war on those of us who only wished for the freedom to do the same.”

“Desiring love wasn’t the reason you defected. You craved power, just like Lucifer. The two of you plotted to conquer the human realm and the underworld. And when he chose to rule over both by himself, you came crawling back to us.”

Mephistopheles scowled. “If this is your attempt at convincing me to help you, you’re doing a piss-poor job.”

“Then allow me to try.” Kallias stepped forward. To not seem like a threat, he had left his xiphos behind, yet even still, every inch of him screamed warrior, from his cropped black hair to his piercing dark eyes and strong build.

“Go on.”

“I was born a Spartan. We’re taught to never surrender. Never beg. Yet…” Kallias dropped to one knee and bowed his head, lowering his gaze. “Here I am, kneeling before you and begging. Please help us.” His melancholic tone filled the air, an echo of his own pain. “My mate waits for me in the Elysian Fields. My only hope of seeing him again rests on us defeating Lucifer in this war. Uriel will not allow our souls to enter the celestial realm otherwise.”

“Your words move me,” Mephistopheles said, losing his bite from before. “Uriel’s grudge against your fathers has been unfairly passed to all of you. I was saddened the night Lazarus brought your soul here upon your death instead of the afterlife you deserved.”

The memory was fresh in my mind.

When Kallias died, his soul should’ve gone to the afterlife with his mate’s. But Uriel wouldn’t allow him to pass through the gates to the celestial realm.

“Throw his wretched soul in the fiery pit,”Uriel had told me. Emotionless, as if he were merely telling me to take out the trash.“That’s an order.”

Instead, I’d traveled to this realm, desperate.“Please,”I’d begged Mephistopheles.“Allow his soul to pass through the veil.”

“Why should I?”

“Because he doesn’t deserve to burn for the sins of his father.”

Alastair’s hand brushed mine, bringing me back from that dark place in my mind. Our eyes met, and the ice in my chest thawed a little.

“Will you help us?” Kallias asked, still kneeling.

“You ask much of me, Nephilim,” Mephistopheles said. “Helping you would be helping the council. And I’m petty enough to allow the world to fall into darkness before lifting a finger to help them.”

Raiden then knelt beside Kallias. “I’m beggin’ you too. You have every right to be pissed for what’s been done to you. So I’m not askin’ you to help the archangels who banished you here. I’m beggin’ you to helpus. Me and my brothers. We can’t do it without you.” His voice shook. “If you don’t, I don’t know if we’ll survive this war. And I can’t lose them. Any of them, their mates too. They’re my family.”