Page 97 of Pray for Scars

“Dad,” Mayhem begins, an edge to his voice. “What are you—”

Lazar cuts him off with a glare, then turns to me. “You thought I was the only unfaithful one?” He laughs, and it’s cold and cruel, hairs on the back of my arm standing on end. I know about his mistresses all too well.

“You said she would betaken care of...” Maddox stops speaking, and I see his veiny hands beneath the edges of his black robe clench as he stares at me, horror in his eyes, then his gaze slowly slides toher.

Mayhem drops Sid’s arm, and I might kill him for that if it gets her hurt. He takes a step away from her, down the stairs to the altar, leaving Sid alone and shaking, her arms wrapped around her body. She’s looking at me, and she isn’t looking for help.

She’s looking for a fucking explanation.

I don’t blame her. I need one, too.

Maverick heaves, and I hear him vomit all over the sanctuary floor. If this conversation means what I think it means…I’m going to be next.

“You see, Maverick, Sid Rain isn’t a Rain at all,” Lazar purrs. He pauses, savoring our silence. “She’s your sister.” He laughs. “You just now recognizing her, Maddox?”

I see Sid’s legs tremble in her sweats. I see her lips twist, as if she’s trying to hold back from saying something or getting sick. I see her slowly fall to her knees again. I hear Maverick groan.

Maddox says nothing. He just stares at Sid on her knees.

I clench the knife tighter, round on my father again, taking a step toward him. I enjoy the way he flinches at the sight of me.

“Explain,” I growl.

My father smiles. “Maverick isn’t the only one getting a surprise, Lucifer,” he says, and I feel my stomach tighten, the knife slippery in my hand as my palms start to sweat. My father steps toward me, even as the blood is still dripping from when I fucking cut him. “You’re not an only child, did you know?”

If it’s her…I swear to God if it’s her…I don’t think I’ll care. It won’t change one fucking thing. She’smine.And if that means we somehow share blood, well, fuck it.Even better.

But my father’s eyes flick to the right, not at Sid.

I exhale, but I don’t need to look.

I know what’s there.

“Jeremiah Rain is your brother.”

My legs start to shake. I shake my head, stepping back from my dad. “No.”

He smiles, takes a step toward me. “Yes.” He sighs, as if he’s disappointed. “We don’t usually save our bastard children, Lucifer.”

My blood runs cold. If I had knocked Sid up, it wouldn’t have mattered. I would have ruined her life.

At that moment, I hear her gasp. I turn to her at the same time as my father does. I glance at his palms out of the corner of my eye. TheX.

And then I hear Ezra say, “Oh,fuck,” and I see it at the exact same time he does.

Jeremiah Rain lifts his neck from the strange, upside down position it was in, hanging off the altar. His motions are jerky, eerie, and his eyes roll back the right way in his head.

I can’t look away. My legs feel numb, and my stomach flips.

Jeremiah swings his legs over the side of the altar, the white tunic slipping from his shoulder. His green eyes find mine.

Then my father. Who laughs.

Jeremiah smiles.

“Maverick,” I say quietly, my eyes on Jeremiah’s. “Don’t let him leave here alive.”

My father laughs again, shaking his head. But it’s Jeremiah who speaks, in a low, chilling voice: “Pulvis et umbra sumus.”