Page 77 of Wings of Darkness (Daughter of the Seven Circles #2)

“But I’m draining you each time I use my power.” It wasn’t a question. I already knew the answer and needed to voice the horrendous words out loud.

“As I’ve been draining you to survive in my coma state. ”

I whipped my head up. “But that’s okay! I’m okay with that! We’re going to kill Michael and save you. You just need to hang on for a couple more days.”

Her face tightened into her no-nonsense expression. “How many times have you needed Sam to save you from Divine Wasting?”

“That doesn’t matter. I’ve been fine since Lucifer has been giving you more energy.”

My mother jerked back as if I’d slapped her. “No, it’s not fine . I’m slowly killing you, and now your father too.”

“I’ll just stop using my powers. Then you can take more of our energy, and you’ll be okay until we can kill Michael,” I said, trying to convince her and myself.

“Lucy,” she said softly, pulling me close.

I resisted. I knew that tone.

It was the same tone she used when our dog ran away and never came back. The same one she used after I got sent to the principal’s office for punching the kids who mocked my eyes. She hadn’t scolded me then. Just held me and gently explained the way of the world.

“Listen to me.” She wrapped me in her warmth.

I breathed her in and squeezed my stinging eyes shut, keeping my arms by my side. I couldn’t hug her yet. I didn’t accept this.

“You are my greatest joy.” Her voice cracked.

“Stop!” I jerked back, quickly wiping the tears that had escaped. “This isn’t goodbye.”

But she continued, ignoring my outburst. “There’s a lot you still don’t know, and I can’t bear to tell you it all now.

But once I held you in my arms, I knew I had to do everything I could to keep you hidden, and I might’ve gone too far.

I know that now, and I’m so sorry for taking so much of your life away. ”

“Just stop,” I pleaded through the ache in my throat.

“I’m sorry, Lucille.”

My lip wobbled when a few tears trailed down her cheeks. My mom rarely cried in front of me. I could count on one hand how many times it had happened in the last twenty years. She always wanted to protect me from her pain—from everything.

“It’s okay.” And it was. Earth wasn’t all darkness and abuse. There had been joy, laughter, even wonder woven between all the suffering.

“But it’s not, sweetie. You deserved to grow, and I didn’t allow that because I was scared. I was so scared. I still am.”

“I forgive you for the past. But don’t you dare give up now.” She pulled me back against her chest and rocked me in her arms. “I’ll find Michael. Please, just hold on.”

“Sweetie, you have been through so much. You traveled through Elora and survived not only its inhabitants but also capture. You lived through Michael’s torture. You’ve persevered in Hell’s military. And not once have you given up on me or yourself.”

“I don’t know how to give up.”

She grasped my shoulders and pushed me back.

“Exactly. And I never want you to. Do you hear me? I never want you to give up on yourself.” She tilted her head, her eyes glassy as she touched my face.

“You are Lucille Chiara, my beautiful daughter, born from an Archangel and the King of Hell. You, my heart, are a warrior. A survivor . And I’m so proud of you. ”

A sob worked its way up my throat. I clenched my teeth, trying to stay strong for her, but I couldn’t stop the stream of fresh tears.

She brushed my cheeks, and I brushed hers.

“Mom, please,” I begged her.

“When you wake, I only ask two things of you.”

“No. You can ask me when we both wake up.”

She smiled through the gut-wrenching heartache I could see in her jade eyes.

“Tell the grouchy old male in the library that Saraqael wishes for him to stop being afraid and mentor you. Tell him—” She swallowed.

“Tell him you need to find Miriam at the beginning. Where this all started.” She glanced to the side, her chin lowered.

“When you find everything out, please don’t hate me, Lucille. ”

I tugged her back into a hug, unsure of what she was talking about. “I’d never hate you, Mom. Even after all the shit we’ve been through. I’d never hate you. I love you.”

She nodded against my shoulder before sitting back, her face sobered. “Second, you will use your Hellfire and Glory when you wake. You will use every ounce you have, and you will direct all of it at Lilith. Understand?”

I straightened. “No. I can’t. I’ll die if I take off my Ember Metal.”

“You won’t. Your Glory may be more suppressed, but Lilith’s blood runs through your veins.” She placed her hand over my heart, opening her mouth for the final blow, and I jerked back.

“I won’t kill you! You can’t ask me to kill you!” I screamed.

My mom sat quietly, patient and solemn. “A daughter does not sacrifice herself for a mother. You do not give up. Do you hear me? You will do this for me.”

“No. I’m staying here. ”

Her patient expression hardened—the same expression she got when she was training me.

“Dream-walking might not take as much power, but it still takes some.”

She might as well have taken a knife and shoved it in my heart; it probably would’ve hurt less.

“Why would you say that?”

“Because you need to wake up and fight. Lilith plans to kill you, steal your powers, and take over Hell. The fact that I’m still alive means Lucifer is giving me more energy than he should.

He is weakened, and if Lilith gains your powers and reaches Hell, she’ll be able to kill him. We can’t let that happen.”

“But she can’t escape her kingdom! Not with Lucifer’s ring binding her in place.”

My mom shook her head, that sympathy back in her eyes. “Do you know how that ring comes off?”

“Lucifer’s blood and death.”

She nodded. “You are his one and only blood child. An anomaly that has tipped the balance in the celestial world. Lilith is confident you are the answer to her cage.”

I swallowed and looked at the glowing veins in Damatha’s trees. “So what,” I spat, choking back my tears.

Her cold hand forced me to meet her gaze. “I know my daughter’s smarter than that. You know we can’t last in this dream. You know I’m dying. Just like you know when you wake up, you’ll need to use your powers.”

I clutched her hand, squeezing it in a death grip. “I can’t leave you. I won’t give you up. ”

“I understand.” She placed a soft kiss on my forehead, then stared straight into my soul. “I love you, Lucille. Never surrender, my warrior.” Her form dematerialized.

“No.” I reached for her fading image, desperate to hold her there. I couldn’t lose her—not now, not after everything. My hands passed through empty light, and then she was gone, the glow of the Celestrus vanishing with her. “No!” I screamed, jerking awake.

Reverberations vibrated through my body. I blinked open my eyes. And immediately wanted to close them again. I didn’t want this hellscape to be real.

But it was—and they were all about to die.