Page 129 of Broken Shadows

Before she leaves, I call out, “Where’s the fun in that?”

The ghost of her laugh lingers in the room after she walks out the door, leaving me alone to say goodbye to Gomez, who’s taken up permanent residence in my other room now that I spend most nights in Lorcan’s, which is ours now, I suppose. He prefers it that way, to be left to sleep without having to hear any sexcapades, while still spending the days with me. Although, occasionally, when Lorcan is sleeping, I’ll shadow walk across the castle and snuggle into bed with my little bat.

A light tapping sounds on the door, and I turn, thinking it’s Lorcan back from his meeting with Lucifer, when I’m instead greeted by the devil himself. “Evie, darling,” he says, arms wide open. Moving at inhuman speed, he wraps his arms around me, kissing me on the cheek before moving back a foot. “I was hoping I’d find you before you returned to the Human Realm.”

“I don’t want to go,” I admit, and his smile grows, deepening his smile lines.

“Excellent.” He presses his hands together, as if in prayer, then turns to look out over the balcony. “Because I do.”

My eyes almost bulge out of my head. “You want to go to the Human Realm?” I clarify, figuring I must have misunderstood.

“Yes.” He grips the stone and diverts his eyes from the landscape, probably tired of having looked at it in a million different ways. “Hell was my punishment for sins against my father. I was prideful then, and I wanted more from the position he’d given me.”

My head spins as he explains his backstory. Lucifer. I still can’t wrap my head around this being real sometimes and swear I’m going to wake up from the longest fever dream ever.

“Anyway,” he continues casually, as if he’s not explaining a story most humans would die to know the truth of, “relieved of my exalted position, I was to begin servitude here until the day my heart was without sin. I know now that no heart is without sin, not even an angel. I don’t want to go back to my family up there, not when I have my sons here, and my new daughter.” He smiles and tips a finger under my chin. “Which is why I am here. You wear darkness beautifully, better than any mortal I have known. Lorcan is my eldest and always was my most sensitive son.”

“Don’t let him hear you say that,” I tease, and he laughs.

“Lorcan was born to rule. He does it with a level head, and like you, he can handle the crushing darkness. I, however, am tired of it. I don’t wish to return to Heaven, even if I could, or stay in Hell. I am looking to retire, to go to the Human Realm and live a human experience. I was there when they were created, after all, but I never got to live amongst them. Punishing souls in Hell means I’ve been around the worst of them, mostly, but Rosa has told me of all the new and wonderful things there.” He pauses. “Besides, I am hoping to find my cinnamon roll recipe I lost some millennia ago in an old grimoire somewhere.”

Excitement brims in his eyes and I don’t have the heart to tell him it’s probably lost to the ages. Everyone needs hope, even,—especially—the devil.

“Are you saying you want Lorcan to reign over Hell?”

Threads of the universe swirl in the silver fabric of his eyes. “I’m saying I want you both to rule Hell. He, as King of Hell, taking my place and you, as Queen.”

My heart palpitates. A million questions caught in my throat as I choke on my response.

“Don’t answer now,” he says, lifting a finger. “Talk to your beloved first. Lorcan has not accepted the position yet. He believes you want to live out your mortal life.” His grin sparkles with knowing. “Although you and I both know that’s not true.”

“But I am mortal,” I splutter, finding my voice. “How can I rule over demons when my body is so vulnerable?”

He taps a finger against the ledge. “I never fully trusted Evangeline. There was something about her I couldn’t place, if I am honest, that I didn’t want to see. But I could see she was a liar, yet being loved by her was so refreshing and thrilling that I ignored all of that.” With a shrug, he says, “I’ve always had a thing for dominant women.”

My nose scrunches. “We all have psycho exes.”

He laughs again, and I’m not sure if he’s being polite or if he genuinely finds these quips funny. “Well, I could have made her immortal, but I didn’t for that reason. However, I do have the ability and have weighed your heart. I know you will not forsake Lorcan, or me. If you and Lorcan agree, I’ll feed you my blood and you won’t have to worry about mortality again.”

I cough, bringing my hand to my throat as the scratchy words reach my lips. “I want to be with Lorcan for an eternity. I also want to rule Hell,” I admit, surprised at how easy it is for me to throw my mortal life away. Then, I never had a good time as one. “I like it here and I see souls that can be saved, with some gentle nudging in the right direction. The ones that are too far gone, too dark? Well, I quite enjoy dishing out punishment to those deserving.”

“Wonderful.” He spins to leave but stops by Lorcan and my four-post bed, running his hand over the carved expressions in the wood of suffering. “You’ll make an excellent Queen, Evie Fallenmoore.”

That next evening, Rosa and Ezra decide to stay for the ceremony, and I’m glad to know I’ll have a mortal ally here with me. Aiden decided to stay with Gideon for some unknown reason, even after Lorcan removed his mark.

Gomez flaps his wings, a tiny, obsidian crown on his head attached with a little strap as he’s given the honorary title of prince of Hell by Lucifer.

Lorcan claps from the dais holding two thrones made of obsidian and bone, surrounded by tall pillars carved from the most intricate cravings. A ghostly mist creeps around the stone steps, thrones, and vaulted ceiling, illuminated by the purple glow of candlelight.

Rosa catches my eye from the intimate crowd swelling at the bottom of the dais. Her smile sparkles amongst the rest and I watch as Ezra stares, a look in his eye I’ve seen before and wonder: Does Rosa even know that Ezra’s falling for her?

Asher leans lazily against a statue of a mortal holding up a pillar, the marble figure appearing crushed under the weight. Beside him, Lazarus glares, arms crossed over his chest. Silas at least looks somewhat happy, or it’s an act. Either way, we’ll find out soon.

Ezra pushes two fingers in his mouth and whistles as Lorcan takes the center dais, kneeling in front of Lucifer.

I’m proud of you.I push the words through our bond as I watch the crown lower around his black locks.I’m so happy you admitted to wanting this. You deserve it.

Pride swells our bond, tightening it as if it’s a tangible thing.You are my eternity, My Little Witch.

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