Page 8

Chapter Eight

RATHIEL

I sat on my bedroll, back against the cave’s cool stone, absently sharpening my blade. The rhythmic scrape of steel on whetstone was steady and familiar. A habit from old battlefields where vigilance meant survival. It kept my hands and mind occupied.

Lily slept nearby—next to Eliza, Vol, and Purrgy—though rest didn’t seem to come easily. Even unconscious, her body remained tense, her fingers twitching as if anticipating a fight. Maybe she was. Hell wasn’t a friendly place at the best of times. Returning after ten years of freedom must have made it worse.

I watched her in my peripheral vision. A compulsion, I supposed, conditioned into me from so many years of worrying about her safety, too many nights keeping watch even when she didn’t realize I was there. And now we were back in the one place I’d never wanted her to return.

But I couldn’t lie to myself. She belonged here, even if I didn’t want to admit it.

The prophecy had always been vague. It spoke of Lucifer’s reckoning, how a child of his blood would rise up and bring him down. Lily had learned of it not long before escaping the palace and joining the rebellion, but I’d never put much stock in it. Too many uncertainties, too many variables. Lucifer had sired many celestials over the years, all of them long dead. Lily was the only one left standing, but that didn’t mean she would always be. He would try again. He always did.

But then she’d opened the gate.

For millennia, the seals had held, shut tight by Heaven’s decree. No fallen, not even Lucifer himself, had managed to open one. And he’d tried. Repeatedly.

I shouldn’t have been able to open the gate. Yes, it’d nearly killed me to do it, but it shouldn’t have been possible. Lucifer was stronger than me. There was no logical reason I should succeed where he had failed.

At first, I’d wondered if Heaven’s power might be weakening. And perhaps there was some truth to that. But after thousands of years, why now?

It was simple.

Because of Lily.

She was still young compared to the rest of us—still coming into her power. But she wasn’t just another celestial. She was the child of an angel and a fallen. A mix of both light and dark. According to the prophecy, she was the only one who could restore balance to Hell, to return it to its rightful state. Perhaps the gates were bound to that prophecy as well. Perhaps they were never meant to stay sealed forever. Perhaps they’d simply been waiting—for her.

And now, as she grew, the seals weakened. Not enough to break entirely. But enough for someone strong and reckless—a description that fit both me and Lucifer—to finally force their way through. It was excruciating and dangerous, but no longer impossible.

After millennia of failing, we’d done it.

Lily, on the other hand, had passed through completely unharmed. She’d said it’d felt like the gate was calling to her, welcoming her home. And she’d strolled right through.

Because this was all about her.

She wasn’t simply a player in the prophecy—she was the catalyst. The essence of Hell.

And I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.

I hadn’t joined the rebellion because of some ancient script. I’d fought for her, with her, because of who she was, not because of what some prophecy said she might become. And I certainly hadn’t wanted her to return here. Nor did I want her to face her father again. We’d already failed once, and the consequences had been catastrophic.

But now, after all I’d seen, I could no longer ignore the possibility. If the prophecy was true—if she truly was Lucifer’s reckoning—then this was where she belonged. Regardless of my personal feelings, of how much I wanted to keep her safe.

Sighing, I moved to the cave entrance and sat with my legs dangling over the edge. I barely felt Hell’s heat. In fact, I found it a relief after Earth’s biting cold.

Movement drew my attention, and my gaze shifted back to Lily. Her head tilted slightly, her brow furrowing as though her dreams had taken a darker turn. Then, with a soft exhale, her eyes fluttered open.

For a moment, she didn’t move. Her gaze held mine with quiet intensity. She didn’t look startled or groggy—just the kind of bone-deep exhaustion I recognized far too well.

Finally, she sat up and ran a hand through her tangled hair. Then she stood and walked toward me, her bare feet silent against the stone floor. She sat next to me at the cave’s edge, her shoulder lightly brushing my arm.

I shifted my gaze back to the fiery horizon. “You should be resting.”

She snorted. “Yeah, that’s not happening.”

I didn’t push. Sleep was never easy, especially in Hell.

For a while, we sat in silence, the heat pressing in. I catalogued the tension in her shoulders, the dark smudges beneath her eyes, and the way her lips pressed into a thin line.

“It’s this place,” she said finally, her tone quiet so not to disturb Eliza, Vol, or Purrgy. “I didn’t think I’d ever return. And now that I’m here, it’s like my brain won’t shut up. I don’t remember it feeling this way before. It’s like something is pulling at me, calling to me.”

Interesting choice of words. And perhaps more evidence strengthening the theory that she was the prophesied one.

“No rest for the wicked, huh?” she asked, her lips quirking in a grim smile.

I frowned. “You’re not wicked.”

She glanced at me and raised her brows. “Says the demonic vampire to Lucifer’s daughter. That’s rich.”

“You’re not wicked,” I emphasised. “Not even close.”

She held my gaze for a fraction too long before looking away. “If you say so.”

I knew that tone. Whatever thoughts were running through her head, she wasn’t ready to voice them. And I wasn’t about to force her to.

Instead, I focused on the more pressing issue at hand. “We need to talk about the gate.”

Her expression changed in an instant—humour gone, walls up.

“You opened it,” I said. “Easily. Effortlessly.” I paused, letting my words sink in. “I’ve never seen that before. The first time your father tried, the gate threw him clear across the wasteland. But not you.”

Still no answer.

“Lily, we can’t ignore this.”

After a moment, she sighed. “I know. I’ve been thinking about it too.”

“I think we need to consider what this means.”

“It means I can open the gate and nothing more,” she sniped.

I turned my head to stare at her, but she refused to meet my gaze. That told me everything I needed to know. She’d formed her own opinions regarding this matter. And I could only imagine they aligned with mine, which was why she was avoiding discussing it.

“Do you remember the details of the prophecy?” she finally asked, her voice a mere whisper.

My eyes briefly closed. So, our thoughts did align then. “I do.”

Her mouth twisted. “I still remember the day I learned about it. It spoke of a celestial offspring who would restore Hell to its rightful state and bring an end to Lucifer’s tyrannical rule.” She rubbed her hands down her face. “I didn’t believe it referred to me. Who would believe such a thing about themselves? But now, I’m questioning everything. When I touched the gate, Rathiel, it felt right . Like the gate belonged to me. And while trying to sleep, I swear I could hear whispering in my head. Maybe it was just a dream, but there was this voice, telling me to take what belongs to me.”

She finally looked at me. “But how can the prophecy be about me? You told me we lost the war. If I’m really the one , then why did we lose?”

“I can’t answer that,” I said gruffly. “I don’t know.”

“Maybe we’re wrong? Maybe it isn’t me?”

I wanted to believe that, for her sake. But… “I don’t think it’s wrong.”

“You don’t?” she asked, her eyes widening. “Even after everything you said happened?”

“I’m more convinced now than I was last time.” Especially after hearing about this voice speaking to her in her dreams. If anything, that only confirmed my worst fears.

“Okay, well let’s say I really am the one. Lucifer’s special little usurper. Then what’s the plan? Because I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to go through any of this again. Losing my wings, my memories, my home, you—” She snapped her mouth closed and averted her gaze, as though she hadn’t meant to say that last bit.

I bit back my smile, knowing she wouldn’t appreciate me enjoying that slip up.

“And how exactly do we find anyone willing to help us? After our last disastrous attempt, they'd have to be the most foolish hellspawn alive to even consider it. And an army built on stupidity isn’t exactly a winning strategy. Lucifer proved that not even I—his daughter—could take him out. If anything, we likely strengthened his hold on Hell. Who would dare follow me after that?”

I opened my mouth to reassure her that we would find an army for her. Hellspawn were plentiful here, thanks to her father’s desire to create. So long as we could convince them to fight for us, we’d be fine.

But before I could speak, she said, “Maybe it would be best not to build an army.”

I frowned. “What?”

She stared out over the landscape beyond the cave. “You said we had an army last time. And clearly, we lost. I assume we made plans and strategized, because I wouldn’t lead any other way. We went to war with Lucifer, and he crushed us, yes?”

She shot me a glance, so I nodded.

“So what makes this time any different? Why would I expect us to win now if we failed last time?”

“Our numbers weren’t the problem,” I argued, though the words felt hollow. “It wasn’t just about the size of the rebellion. We didn’t fail because Lucifer’s forces outnumbered us. We failed because we got cocky. Because Lucifer let us win a few fights, lured us in, made us think we were invincible. Then he strolled onto the battlefield and decimated us. We underestimated him.”

“So, what’s to keep that from happening again?”

“We’ll prepare better this time.”

She shook her head, sucking her bottom lip into her mouth. Then, finally, she met my gaze. “I need to fight him by myself. No rebellion. No war. Just me versus him.”

Silence filled the cave. Then I said, “You can’t be serious.”

Her lips pressed together. “I am.”

“You don’t—” I bit back my words, forcing my tone to remain steady. “You don’t just fight Lucifer, Lily. He’s not someone you can challenge to a duel and hope for the best. He’s Lucifer . He’s been shaping this realm since we fell, manipulating it, bending it to his will. He is Hell.”

“But as we just discussed, I seem to have some power over Hell too. Maybe I can use that to my advantage.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, all in an attempt to hold back the fury—and fear—rising in me. “Lily.”

“Listen to me,” she said, her voice firm. “According to you, we built an army, we strategized, we fought like soldiers, and we lost. We lost everything , Rathiel. And if we do it that way again—if we rally hellspawn and try to take him in open war—we will lose again.”

I shook my head. “You don’t know that.”

She huffed a short, humourless laugh. “We can’t fight him the way we did before. And we sure as hell can’t fight him the way he wants us to. When he learns I’m back, he’ll expect us to do exactly what we did last time. We need to be smarter than him.”

I clenched my jaw so tightly I thought my teeth might crack. “And your solution is what? Marching up to his palace and challenging him to a duel? You think he’ll play fair? That he won’t rip you apart the second you stand in front of him?”

“Of course not,” she said. “I wouldn’t announce my plan to him. Or my intent to kill him. I need to strike first. Before he can come up with a plan. The last thing he would expect was for me to bust into his palace and kill him in his sleep.”

I took a slow breath, forcing myself to stay calm. But damn it, I wanted to wring her neck. “You think you can just assassinate Lucifer?”

“I think we have a better chance of taking him down if he doesn’t see us coming,” she corrected. “If we go in quiet. If we hunt him instead of him hunting us.”

I couldn’t hold back the bitter laugh that tore from my throat. “This is insane. You’re insane if you think that would work. Have you forgotten how he surrounds himself with hellspawn?”

“Have you forgotten the fallen aren’t in his palace right now? He’s vulnerable.”

“He’s never vulnerable, Lily! That’s the damn point!”

“We need to think outside the box and keep him on his toes. He won’t expect a sneak attack. I can do this.”

It was the calm in her voice that set me off. The quiet, steady way she spoke, as if she had already decided this was the only way.

My control snapped.

“Lily, that isn’t a plan—that’s fucking suicide! You wouldn’t make it five steps into the palace without being spotted.”

“I’ve snuck in and out of that palace so many times, Rath. Or have you forgotten that? I can control the shadows, hide myself in plain sight. I just need to make it to his chambers?—”

“And then what? Stab him in the heart?” I rose to my feet, chest heaving. “Do you think you could even do that? Just stab your father in cold blood? And what if your shadows fail? What if someone sees you? There won’t be anyone there to save you!”

“Rathiel…” she murmured, standing up next to me.

“No, Lily. The last time you faced him, alone I might add, he crushed you. You don’t remember the fight, but I do. You didn’t stand a fucking chance. And if you think your shadows will protect you in his presence, you’re mad! I’ve seen him steal your powers from you. I’ve seen him use them against you. You can’t possibly think you’ll succeed by yourself when an entire rebellion failed. Not to mention, it’s been ten years since that fight with your father. Yes, you fought a few hellspawn and killed Zera, but that’s child’s play compared to Lucifer!”

She flinched but lifted her chin in defiance.

“You don’t know that I can’t do it,” she shot back.

I took a step toward her. “I do know that. I saw it firsthand.”

Silence.

Her jaw tightened, but she didn’t look away.

“If I had known this was your idiotic plan, I never would’ve agreed to come here,” I bit out. “I never would’ve let you step one foot in Hell.”

“I’m done letting others die for me,” she said, her voice low. “Maybe the prophecy is right. Maybe it isn’t. But one way or another, I will kill my father. This is my fight. And you have no right to dictate to me how I fight it.”

“ Your fight,” I repeated, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. “You actually think this is just your battle? That you’re the only one with stakes in this?”

Her shoulders stiffened, and I took a step closer, refusing to let her retreat. “I know you don’t want to hear it, but the prophecy, the gate—it all points to you. You are not expendable. And you don’t get to throw your life away just because you’re afraid of losing again.”

Her eyes flared with anger, but I caught the hint of pain underneath. “Afraid?” she snapped. “And just what exactly do you think I’m afraid of losing? I’ve already lost everything, Rathiel.”

Her comment was meant to disarm me, but I refused to let it.

“You’re out of your damn mind,” I growled. When she didn’t answer, I grabbed her hands and held them, squeezing tightly. “You can do this, Lily. You can lead the rebellion, fight the war—but not like this. This isn’t a plan, it’s a death sentence. I won’t stand here and watch you throw yourself into the fire just because you think you have to do it alone. That’s not leadership. That’s not victory. That’s just stupidity .”

Her fingers twitched in my grip, but she didn’t pull away. “I don’t see another option.”

“Then look harder ,” I snarled.

She yanked her hands free. “This is my choice.”

“It’s a bad one.”

“It’s mine to make,” she snapped.

I raked a hand through my hair, barely resisting the urge to put my fist through the rock wall. “You don’t even remember how he fights, Lily. You don’t remember how he broke you.” The words came out harsher than I meant them to, but I didn’t care. She needed to hear this. “I do. I remember everything. And I sure as hell won’t stand here and pretend this is anything other than a damn suicide mission.”

Her lips parted, and for a brief moment, I thought I saw hesitation. Doubt.

Then she squared her shoulders, lifting her chin. “I don’t need your permission, Rathiel.”

My jaw clenched. “And I don’t need to stand here and listen to this insanity.”

Silence stretched between us, thick with tension and anger. I forced myself to breathe, to shove down the sheer rage burning through me. I hadn’t felt this furious in a long, long time.

A quiet cough broke the standoff.

I turned my head, only to find Eliza propped up on her elbows, watching us with wide eyes. Next to her, Vol sat cross-legged on her bedroll, tail flicking as he chewed on a piece of dried meat. Both of them had clearly been listening for a while.

“I can’t fucking do this right now,” I muttered.

I stepped toward the cave entrance, the heat slamming into me the moment I moved out into the open. If I stayed, I might do something I regretted, like wringing her neck. Unfurling my wings, I pushed off the rock face. I cut through the thick, smoky air as I launched into the sky.