Page 27

Chapter twenty-seven

O nce the gate had disappeared, I collapsed to the ground, spent. To my right, my mother’s familiar face smiled at me, smeared in red. She placed her hand on my shoulder and squeezed. I turned to my left, and there lay Talia, panting with exhaustion.

Her wicked smile appeared once again. She began to laugh, pushing herself from the floor and observing her surroundings. I watched as her white magic began to knit her new physical form together, creating a fresh body for her soul to inhabit. We had teleported straight back to where we had started … Lilith’s room.

A moment later, Deus appeared in a black and red cloud of smoke in front of me. His hands were on me before the shift had finished, wrapping me in his familiar embrace. I wrapped my arms around him, desperately needing his warmth.

“Father, I was so worried,” he said, finally pulling away to look down at me. His face tensed. “Why are you covered in blood? Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine. It isn’t mine,” I answered. “We had to fight our way home … per usual.”

He smiled, wiping something from my cheek. “I can’t wait until our days don’t consist of killing or getting splattered in something else’s liquids.”

I laughed, feeling Talia’s eyes on us. I turned to her as she studied Deus and me. Deus pulled me from the floor and then helped my mom stand to her feet. A moment later, the door flew open and Nonna, Thora, and Frankie rushed inside.

“Oh, thank Aradia,” Nonna exclaimed, pulling Mom and me into a hug. Thora and Frankie joined in.

“Could you have taken any longer?” Frankie exclaimed, hugging me so tightly I thought my ribs were going to crack.

“What are you talking about?” I asked. “We were only gone a few hours.”

“No, sweetheart,” answered Aunt Thora. “You two were gone for over a week.”

“What?” Annalise replied in disbelief.

“Has anything happened?” I asked, concerned about the time we had lost.

“No,” answered Nonna. “Everything is still silent.”

Lilith, G, and the other princes appeared from the doorway. Lilith went deathly still as she locked her gaze onto Talia. Talia’s eyebrow arched and she smirked.

“Hello Lilith,” Talia said in an alluring tone. Somehow, entering into this realm had changed her physical appearance. In Purgatory, Talia had been attractive even with the lack of food and sunlight the realm had offered. But now … now she was exquisite. The silver highlights in her hair caught the light, flowing through the most beautiful curls that framed her flawless face.

And her eyes … oh, those eyes glowed unnaturally, as if peering into golden honey swirling into a dark abyss. Her voice was seductive and soothing. I wanted to trust her. I wanted to please her .

I snapped myself out of the trance, pulling my eyes away from the blood-splattered witch. The others stood around the perimeter of the room, trying to assess the threat I had just released into the world.

“I know you,” Lilith said, looking at Talia with confusion. “How do I know you?”

Talia walked gracefully towards her. All eyes were on the newest member of our little gang, yet no one made a move. With a slow, elegant motion, Talia placed her middle finger onto Lilith’s head. The demon gasped as white light flared. Satan suddenly reappeared, launching towards his mate. Talia held up a hand, freezing him in place, rendering the demon prince powerless.

“Calm yourself, Wrath,” Talia said. “Your mate remains unharmed.” She released them both from her power. Satan’s hands were on Lilith in a second, checking her for injuries.

Lilith looked shocked, her eyes wide and her breathing heavy. Slowly, her gaze rose to Talia. Her shock turned to rage. In an instant, Lilith’s fist flew straight into Talia’s face.

Talia soared backwards, knocking into a table ten feet behind her. No one moved.

The strange woman stood, wiping the blood from her busted lip. A laugh slithered out of her as she refocused on Lilith. “Good to see you too, friend.”

“You psychotic bitch,” Lilith growled, coming face to face with her. “I am not your friend. You used me for your own means.”

Talia shrugged. “I had to assess the competition. Though, I’ve had many years to ponder my choices, and I am sorry for any pain I caused you. I recognize the errors I made and now stand ready to rectify the situation.”

“You stole my memories!” Lilith yelled.

“I ensured that you remained safe,” said Talia. “Lucifer never discovered your true identity or that of your mate, just as you asked. Plus, I had to make sure my plan was secure, and that you wouldn’t run back to your lover and ruin everything I had worked so hard to build.”

Lilith stared at nothing, seeming trapped in a memory. “Shit,” she whispered.

Talia smiled. “See, I wasn’t all bad.”

Lilith flashed her teeth. “There is nothing good in you. How can there be when you’re Lucifer’s mate?”

The words dropped onto me like a ton of bricks. Lucifer’s mate? I had freed Lucifer’s mate? That was why my power had recognized hers. When I had used her bones to finish the gate, that was what my power had called to: not Aradia’s magic, but Lucifers.

Deus placed himself in front of me, acting as a barricade. Levi did the same with Frankie. And, to my surprise, Belz stepped in front of Thora.

“What are you talking about?” Satan asked Lilith, coming to her side.

“Talia,” replied Lilith, “is Lucifer’s mate. She’s also the one who began the Obsidian coven. In the beginning, there was only one coven. They practice good magic—white magic. But then, once Talia completed the mating bond with Lucy, she turned on her own coven, converting half of them to Lucifer’s cause.”

Talia tilted her head. “Now, little demon, that’s not exactly how that story goes.”

“Bullshit,” Lilith snapped back. “I’ve lived a long time in multiple realms, and you are as crazy as they come. Lucifer’s equal in every way.”

“I would say superior in some things,” Talia replied.

“Apparently the pride transferred over,” mumbled Mammon .

“Shut up,” whispered Gor, elbowing him in the side. Talia smiled, examining the princes one by one.

“You are just as he described,” she said, with something like endearment in her voice.

“What are you talking about?” asked Belz.

“Lucifer told me about you,” she answered. “Each of you. I wanted to meet you, but he wouldn’t hear of it. That didn’t stop him from sharing stories, though.” She paused, studying Belz for a moment in silence. “Gluttony. The peacemaker in the family. Dashing and dapper while shifting into the sly fox when needed, able to talk anyone into anything.”

She turned her attention to Mammon. “The greedy one. More playful and sarcastic than the rest. Luc warned me never to bet against you or play you in a game of cards. You like to use that brilliant smile to distract you opponents when you take them for all they’re worth.”

She focused on Levi. “The jealous brother, always coveting what others, have yet loyal to a fault. Never feeling like he was enough, like he could make a difference. Yet out of all of them, you are the most honorable. Then, there is Satan, Lucifer’s most loyal pet. Little did he know you were playing the long game. You have a mind for games and strategic planning. You may appear to be a brute on the outside, but inside, you have the biggest heart.” She smiled, looking at Lilith. “I saw that firsthand when it came to his love for you.

“Then, there’s the little brother, Gor. Though you carry the mantal of sloth, you are not inattentive. I actually found you all those years ago, roaming the deserts of Egypt. Lucifer never saw you as a threat, but I saw his error in that assessment very quickly. You, little brother, are the most calculative and conniving of them all. Without the need to be hasty, time allotted you the gift of knowledge. I watched as you sat back and studied all that was around you, including your brothers. Silence, sometimes, is the most dangerous weapon of them all.”

Finally, she turned to Deus. “The beloved one,” she said sarcastically. “Oh, how Luc, adored you. He spoke of you as a father speaks of his first born. How strong and powerful you are. How entrancing and captivating it was to be in your presence, to sit at the same table and listen to you spin tales of your travels and your … exhibitions. Out of everyone, your betrayal cut him the deepest. You broke his heart.”

“Lucifer never had a heart,” replied Deus.

“Oh, but he did,” she said, looking to the floor. “For a time, at least.”

“You said you would tell your story once you were freed,” I reminded her. “You’re free, so start talking.”

There was heaviness in her eyes. “As promised, I will tell my tale. But first, is there a stream nearby where I may bathe?”

Mammon huffed. “Stream?”

“Yes,” she replied, head held high. “I presume water is still accessible, since it is a necessity to life?”

“We have showers now,” said Frankie.

Talia walked over to my family, taking notice of each of them. She looked back at me and smiled. “You have strong roots to our magic, little tribrid,” she said. She approached Gor and Giana, stopping in front of G. She leaned in, seeming to sniff her. She pulled her head back instantly. “You wreck of death, child.”

“Well, dying will do that to you,” G replied.

Talia looked back to me. “You brought her back from Hell?”

“I did,” I replied.

Talia laughed. “That’s breaking the rules. I am surprised Di didn’t strike you dead on the spot. ”

“Di?” whispered Deus.

“Aradia,” I explained. “They were supposedly friends.”

Talia looked back at G and then Gor. “You owe your brother’s mate quiet a handsome price,” she said to Gor.

“What are you talking about?” snarled Gor.

“You don’t know?” She paused, seeming to enjoy the suspense. “Didn’t you ever ask why you ended up in Hell instead of heaven?” she said to G. Giana didn’t respond. Talia leaned into her ear. “Those who are mated to princes of Hell don’t get to walk through the pearly gates. Our souls are created from the darkest parts of Hell, destined to return there once our earthly lives cease to exist.”

Giana and Gor stared at each other, Talia’s revelation still sinking in. “My … mate?” Gor said softly.

“Hold on just a second,” interjected Belz, taking a step forward. “How, in the matter of a month, have we gone from no mated princes of Hell, to now four of us miraculously finding our other halves?”

“Have you not been paying attention?” Talia replied, seeming annoyed. “Satan and Lilith were first, which occurred thousands of years ago. Then, Luc and me. Now, Asmodeus and Belphegor. Though, Sloth was never supposed to know his mate. Princess Lust took it upon herself to play God. I am sure your Father is thrilled by that new development.”

“What do you mean?” asked G.

“You were never meant to find your mate,” explained Talia. “Just because you are mated, doesn’t guarantee you will end up together. Father needed vessels to split the magic in two, creating a balance. The two halves won’t always be reunited. You outsmarted fate, little witch. Now, can someone please direct me to a location where I can bathe? ”

“I will,” G said eagerly.

“We will,” Gor corrected her, still staring at Giana as if seeing her for the first time. A part of my heart swelled at their love.

“It’s called a shower now,” Giana explained. “I think you’ll prefer it to a stream or lake.”

“Thank you, sister,” Talia said, nodding to her with a small smile.

“When you have bathed and eaten,” Nonna said, “Gor and Giana will direct you to my rooms, where you will tell us your story.”

Talia looked at Nonna with heavy eyes. “As you wish, elder,” she replied, and followed G out the door.