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Chapter Fifteen

LILY

The moment Calyx lifted his hands like he was about to cup my cheeks, I took a quick step back and scoffed. “Not here, idiot. You think I want you crawling around in my head while we’re standing out in the open like this? That’s just asking for trouble.”

His gaze swept the barren wasteland, scanning the massive rock outcrop and the scorched and lifeless ground. He lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. “Fair enough. Where do you propose we go then? One would assume there aren’t many safe places in Hell for Lucifer’s greatest disappointment.”

I rolled my eyes. “Working really hard to make me like you, aren’t you?”

Calyx grinned. “I don’t need you to like me. I just need you to do as you promise.”

“The cave’s not an option,” Eliza said. “Unless we enjoy making camp next to a pile of dead hellspawn.”

“Hard pass,” I said.

“We just need to find another cave,” Rathiel said. “And I need to feed.”

I shot him a glance, noting the shadows starting to darken the underside of his eyes. He’d used his powers in the cave, and now he needed to replenish himself.

“I know of a few places we could go,” Calyx said.

“Oh, sure. Let’s let our enemy lead us to an enclosed space where his buddies can jump us,” Eliza muttered. “Remind me why we’re doing this again?”

I shot Eliza a wry look. “Because I have brain damage and make terrible life choices.”

A momentary silence fell over the group before Eliza snorted, then started laughing. “Well, glad you’re self-aware at least.”

Rathiel, however, didn’t look amused as he stared at Calyx. “We’re not going anywhere you suggest.”

“You wound me, brother,” Calyx said. Then he smiled brightly. “But fine. Lead the way.”

I sighed and turned back to Rathiel. “What do you want to do first? Feed or find somewhere safe?”

He seemed to consider his options. After a moment’s hesitation, he said, “I’m not going to leave you all here while I hunt.”

I gestured toward my shoulder, still freely bleeding. “Help yourself.”

He shook his head. “I will not take blood from you here. I won’t risk weakening you like that. We’ll find somewhere safe, and then I’ll feed.”

I could argue, but honestly, where would that get us? He wouldn’t bend, not on this. “All right then.”

His gaze turned toward the cliffs in the distance, his expression calculating. “There’s a network of caverns past those ridges. We used them before—back when we still had a rebellion.”

Calyx hummed. “And they’re still standing? Impressive.”

I ignored him. “Will they still be empty?”

“Only one way to find out,” he said.

I weighed our options. Staying out here was a death wish. And we couldn’t go back to the cave littered with corpses—not unless we wanted to deal with whatever creatures were attracted to the smell of blood.

Rathiel was right. The caverns were our best shot.

I nodded. “We head for the cliffs.”

Eliza groaned. “Great. More walking. I love that for us.”

“We could fly,” I suggested. “Me with Rathiel, you with Calyx?”

Hysterical laughter burst free of Eliza. “You’re kidding, right? No thank you. I’d rather walk for all eternity than let him fly me anywhere.”

I shared a glance with Rathiel, then shrugged. Once we all had our packs on, we started moving. Rathiel fell into step beside me and Calyx trailed behind, hands tucked behind his back. He was the picture of casual ease.

Vol scurried up to my shoulder. “Hey, Meat Sack,” he muttered, his tiny voice dripping with suspicion. “You sure about this?”

“Nope,” I muttered back.

He grimaced. “That’s reassuring.”

I almost smiled. Instead, I threw a glance over my shoulder at Calyx. He caught me looking and winked.

Yeah. This was a terrible idea.

The journey to the caverns was slow and brutal. The land sloped upward in a cruel incline, forcing us to climb over crumbling ledges and drag ourselves up unstable ridges that threatened to collapse beneath our weight. The ground was brittle in some places, sinking slightly underfoot, while in others, it was so hard packed it felt like walking on solid iron. No wind stirred the air, only the occasional tremor rumbling beneath the surface.

Eliza wiped at her forehead, her fingers coming away stained with dust. “If I have to climb one more of these death traps, I’m throwing myself into the nearest lava pit.”

I chuckled. “The offer to fly is still there.”

She huffed but kept walking. I guess that was my answer.

Calyx, the bastard, barely looked affected. He moved with the ease of someone who had never once struggled a day in his life, effortlessly keeping pace as though he were enjoying a casual stroll instead of trudging through Hell’s least hospitable terrain.

“This is fun,” he mused, hands tucked behind his back. “We should do this more often.”

Everyone ignored him and continued the trek.

By the time we reached the caverns, my legs ached and Eliza was slogging behind. But the entrance loomed before us, wide and deep, carved into the base of the ridges like a gaping wound.

“I’ll be happy if I never see another cave again,” Eliza griped.

I almost pointed out that this was only our second day, though it certainly felt like we’d been down here longer than that. And rebellions weren’t built on comfy settees with silk cushions and endless wine. But honestly? I agreed with Eliza. Ten years on Earth had raised my standard of living. I missed my bed, even with its broken springs and sagging mattress.

Rathiel stopped just outside the entrance, scanning the interior. His posture shifted, like he was preparing for the worst.

“There’s something moving around in there,” he said, his voice edged with hunger. “Wait here. I’ll go in first.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but one look at his face told me it wasn’t up for debate. He likely wanted to feed, and in private. I could understand that. I wouldn’t want an audience when devouring some hellbeasty.

“Fine,” I said. “But if you’re not back in five minutes, I’m coming in after you.”

He nodded, then stepped inside, vanishing into the darkness.

Eliza took his spot beside me. “What do you think is in there?”

Calyx leaned against a boulder, arms crossed, every inch of him radiating smug amusement. “Whatever it is, I hope it’s hungry.”

I shot him a look. “I volunteer you as a snack.”

He pressed a hand to his chest. “How magnanimous of you.”

I ignored him and turned back to the entrance. Hungry or not, I had a feeling the only one who would be feasting in there was Rathiel.

The seconds stretched, dragging out in the suffocating stillness. Until suddenly, we heard a pained roar—one that was very distinctly infernal in nature, not Rathiel.

Vol repositioned himself on my shoulder, his tiny claws digging into my shirt. “Guess he found something nasty in there.”

I didn’t answer. My focus stayed locked on the darkness, my fingers twitching at my sides. Waiting was always the worst part. The not knowing. The way your mind filled in the gaps with every worst-case scenario imaginable. How long did it take to kill and eat a hellbeast anyway?

Calyx must have noticed, because he drawled, “Miss him already?”

“Miss your head being attached to your body?” I snapped.

His grin widened. “Feisty.”

“If you’re gonna flirt,” Eliza said. “I’m walking into that cave myself.”

“Bold of you to assume this is flirting,” I muttered.

“I was talking about him,” she shot back, jerking a thumb at Calyx.

“I can’t help it. You’re all so fun to rile up.”

I gritted my teeth and silently counted to ten in my head. Of all my father’s fallen, Calyx had always been the most annoying, with his quips and supposed humor. How had I forgotten that? “Keep talking, and I’ll show you fun.”

Before he could respond, a sound echoed from within the cavern—a low scrape, followed by the faintest shift of movement.

I straightened instantly, my hand going to the hilt of my sword.

Rathiel stepped out of the darkness a moment later, his expression calm and a single splotch of blood staining his lips. Yup, he’d turned the resident hellbeast into a delectable meal. At least that was one thing we could check off our to-do list.

“It’s clear,” he announced.

“Well, it’s clear now ,” Calyx said, chuckling.

Again, everyone ignored him.

“Good,” I said. “Let’s get inside before something else finds us.”

I brushed past Calyx, stepping into the cavern first. He fell into step behind me, and as we disappeared into the shadows, his voice drifted through the dark. “If you wanted to get me alone so badly, darling, you could’ve just said so.”

Vol let out a long, suffering sigh. “Please let me kill him.”

We pressed deeper into the cavern, the heat of Hell peeling away as the stale, suffocating air swallowed us whole. The walls closed in at odd angles, forcing us to step carefully over broken ground and slick patches of obsidian-like stone. The deeper we went, the dimmer the light. The infernal glow that pulsed from the veins faded until we could barely see.

I scowled. I didn’t like the darkness pressing in. With a flick of my wrist, I conjured a steady orb of hellfire, its glow licking up my fingers before lifting into the air. The light stretched against the cavern walls, but it wasn’t enough. I sent another higher, letting it cling to the ceiling. One by one, more orbs followed, drifting to the farthest corners, casting the chamber in an eerie, smoldering glow. The darkness retreated, revealing the full expanse of the cavern.

Calyx strolled leisurely beside me, entirely too at ease. “Cozy little hole you’ve found. Can’t wait to see what else comes slithering out of the dark.”

Vol dug his claws into my shoulder. “I’m taking bets. Ten bucks says hellspawn, a blood fiend, and at least one creepy thing that shouldn’t exist.”

Rathiel inspected my glowing orbs with an inscrutable expression, then moved deeper in. “It’s defensible,” he announced. “No other entrances, so nothing can surround us. If we need to hold out, this is the best spot we’re going to find.”

I nodded, stepping farther inside and bringing my hellfire along to illuminate more of the cavern. The walls were rough, and deep grooves carved the stone, remnants of something that had scraped or clawed its way through at some point. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what.

Calyx wandered past me, inspecting the cavern with an idle sort of amusement, running his fingers over the grooves in the rock. “Might these belong to the creature you just dined on?”

Rathiel shot him a glare. “And?”

I rested my hand next to the claw marks and whistled. They were the size of my fingers. Whatever creature lived here had been massive. And Rathiel had clearly taken it down and fed off it without so much as a scratch. I glanced around, looking for the corpse, but Rathiel must have discarded it deeper in the cave, out of sight. I appreciated his consideration.

Calyx just grinned. “Hope it was tasty.”

I set my pack on the ground, then unstrapped Purrgy and handed the carrier to Eliza, who opened the zippered flap for him. He took one look around, then, with a long, plaintive meow, stepped out of his prison and started exploring.

Calyx stopped dead in his tracks and stared at my fluffy boy. “What is that ?”

“Don’t worry about it,” I muttered. “Just know if you touch him, I will cut off both your hands and shove them so far up your ass, you’ll be shitting fingers for days.”

Everyone in the cave turned and stared at me.

“Colourful imagery,” Calyx commented. “But, noted. No touching the…orange, furry… thing .”

I drew a deep breath, then said, “Let’s get this over and done with.”

“Eager are we, darling?” Calyx said, chuckling.

Rathiel released a low growl.

“He’s doing it to piss you off,” I told Rathiel. “Ignore him.” Then I met Calyx’s gaze, my patience thinning. “Enough with the theatrics. Just tell me what to expect.”

Calyx tilted his head and studied me. “When I unlocked your one memory, you were asleep. Your subconscious was vulnerable. I fear you won’t comply as easily this time, seeing as how you’re aware of me. But, as they say, we won’t know until we try. I expect you’ll fight me. As you do everything. But it’ll be fun to crack you open. Wiggle my fingers in that demented head of yours.”

“Fucker,” I mumbled, which only seemed to amuse him further.

“But here’s the fun part,” he continued, tilting his head, pale eyes gleaming. “I have no idea how long this will take. Could be minutes, could be hours. And I certainly don’t know how you’ll respond. From what I’ve seen rummaging around in that lovely little head of yours, you’re missing a fair chunk of time. That’s not a simple wound to rip open. Sometimes, the mind—well, it doesn’t take too kindly to that kind of violation.” His grin widened. “Maybe you’ll be perfectly fine. Or maybe you’ll pass out. You might even claw my eyes out before I get past the first wall. Who’s to say? But I’m excited to find out.”

There was something wrong with his brain.

“So, what do you say? Let’s see who’s stronger—you or me?” he said.

Rathiel stepped up beside Calyx and clapped a heavy hand on his shoulder. “If she shows any signs of distress, you stop. Immediately.”

Calyx raised his hands in mock surrender. “Of course, brother. Wouldn’t dream of hurting her.”

Rathiel’s eye twitched like he was seconds from throttling him.

I squared my stance and centered myself. “Just do it already.”

Calyx tsked under his breath. “You should be careful what you wish for.”

I didn’t give him the satisfaction of a response. Instead, I just lifted my chin, daring him to get on with it.

Calyx sighed dramatically, then raised his hands again. “All right, darling. Try not to bite off your tongue.”

I barely had a second to brace myself before his fingertips met my temple.

A chill seeped into my skin, unnaturally cold—wrong in a way that wasn’t physical. It slithered deeper, spreading through my skull like ink bleeding through water. The cavern around me swayed as a strange pressure built inside my head.

It wasn’t pain. Not yet. But it wasn’t far off either.

A scraping sensation skittered across my mind, light at first—like fingers brushing against the edges of my consciousness. Testing. Searching.

Then, without warning, Calyx pushed deeper.

I sucked in a breath, my eyes closing as my body locked up. A foreign force— his force—slipped through the cracks of my mind. It wasn’t subtle nor gentle. It was like claws sinking into something that wasn’t meant to be touched, peeling back layers I hadn’t even known were there.

The pressure increased, a twisting pull, a forceful unearthing of something buried.

Distantly, I heard Rathiel say, his voice razor-edged, “Calyx.”

“Relax, brother,” he muttered, but his voice was thinner, strained. “She’s—damn it—she’s fighting me.”

I didn’t mean to. Hadn’t intended to put up any kind of resistance. But something inside me was fighting back, something deeper than instinct. It was so strong that even Calyx, the expert at tearing through minds, seemed unable to pry mine open.

I clenched my jaw, my hands fisting at my sides. My instincts screamed to shove him away, to sever whatever invasive thread he’d just spun between us.

But this was what I’d agreed to.

This was what I needed.

He pushed harder, the tendrils of his power gripping tighter around the unseen barricade in my mind, trying to wedge itself past whatever was keeping those memories locked away.

The resistance held.

Calyx murmured a low, thoughtful sound.

Heat burned along my skull as his presence wrenched against the invisible force in my mind.

“Lily, love,” he murmured, his voice uncharacteristically tight. “I really need you to stop fighting me.”

I wasn’t. At least, I didn’t think I was.

But whatever Rathiel had done—whatever magic had buried those memories—my mind wasn’t letting go without a fight. A ripple of something unseen coiled within my mind, curling around the edges of memories I couldn't quite reach. My breath hitched as the pressure built, creeping deeper, mounting into something almost unbearable.

Calyx let out a strained breath. “I can see them,” he said, voice tight. “The memories. They’re right there. But—shit—it’s like trying to dig through solid rock.”

His hand trembled against my skin.

I wasn’t the only one fighting now.

He shoved harder.

And then something in my mind cracked .

Calyx gave a satisfied sound. “Ah. There they are.”

An agonizing pulse shot through me.

His fingers twitched. “Brace yourself, darling?—”

An explosion ignited behind my eyes, like a thousand knives carving through my skull all at once. The last thing I heard was someone shouting my name.

Then the world went black.