Page 96 of Broken Shadows

Samuel’s flat, gray eyes trail to Evie, the corners of his thin lips curling up like a caricature of a damned villain. “You brought humans. How intriguing. I’ve always wanted one as a pet.” He points a clawed finger at my love. “Maybe I’ll take this one. She’s feisty like her aunt.”

I shove Evie behind me before she can say a word, wanting her out of this vermin’s view. He doesn’t deserve to even look at her, to breathe the same air as her. “I’d like to see you try to take her from me.”

Gideon clears his throat, stepping between us as Samuel descends the last few stone steps. The demons have all but melded themselves into the wall, too afraid to make themselves seen but too intrigued to leave us. “We’re here to seeyourqueen,” Gideon intones.

Footsteps thump behind Samuel as Lazarus appears in his finest suit without a blue-black hair out of place as usual.

Ezra laughs and smacks Gideon’s arm. “And here she is.”

An unexpected, hearty laugh bubbles from my stomach and into my throat. I almost choke on my next words as I watch Lazarus turn a satisfying shade of pink. It’s so easy to get to him, but then, he’s the embodiment of pride and has the biggest ego out of us all.

Ezra glances over his shoulder at me and winks.

The muscle in Lazarus’s jaw feathers as he stares down at Ezra, murderous intent etched into every crease of his mouth. “Ever the joker, Brother. Let's see how long you’ll keep that smile on your face when Father learns you helped him.” He points at me.

Silas and Asher join the fold, their reddish-blonde hair reminiscent of our mother, except Silas’s is neatly trimmed short on the sides and long on top, while Asher’s shaggy strands fall in waves around his shoulders.

Asher leans against the dark, mahogany banister and sighs, looking bored already. Samuel likely ordered him down here the moment he learned of our return. “Father doesn’t even know—hey!” Asher shouts when Silas kicks him in the shin.

If Evie wasn’t here, surrounded by demons and princes, I’d be at each of their fucking throats by now. Instead, I glare at Samuel and growl, “Where is our father?”

A flicker of panic crosses his dead stare, and I know at that moment, even without Asher blurting it out, that Ezra and I were right. Lucifer doesn’t know the truth.

“He’s not available.”

“The Hell he’s not!” I shout back and Evie wraps her fingers around my wrists like manacles.

It’s Lazarus who approaches us first, closing the gap between us and them. He stands before Ezra and Gideon, and several paces in front of me, without a hint of fear. “None of us have seen him in a decade.”

I flick my gaze from him to Samuel. “Not even that piece of shit?”

“Father is in solitude,” Lazarus explains, deadpan. “He’s working on something important.”

“A ritual,” Samuel adds.

“Fucking bullshit.” I shake my head. “Where is he?”

Ezra pushes past Lazarus, whose aquamarine eyes narrow. “We’re going to him now.”

“Wait!” Samuel’s deep voice echoes around the cavernous foyer. “First, Evangeline wishes to speak with you.”

“Fine. Let’s get this over with,” I spit, but Lazarus holds out a hand when I try to pull Evie along.

“No humansorwitches.” He eyes Rosa, then Aiden, and finally Evie. “They can go to the East Wing while you see her.”

I tug her to my side, pulling her against my hip, my pulse racing at the thought of being separated from her, here of all places. “I’m not leaving her.”

“We won’t touch the witch,” Lazarus says with a grimace, his nostrils flaring as if the thought of my caring about Evie is the most disgusting thing he’s seen in years, despite Samuel standing right behind him.

Gideon steps back and stands between Aiden and Rosa. “You and Ezra go, Lorcan,” he says with wide, green eyes. “I’ll guard the East Wing.”

My throat dries. “No.”

Evie curls around to my front, and rests her head on my chest, her voice in our bond, soft and caressing my hard edges.Go deal with her and find out where your father is. I’ll be okay. I trust Gideon, and besides, I have my powers. After everything you’ve told me, it’ll be best not to provoke her in my presence.

I don’t give a fuck about her,I reply and wrap my arms around Evie, placing a kiss on the top of her head. Fuck, she smells so godsdamn good. I just want to hold her like this forever.

I know. I trust you. Now go. This is your chance. Manipulate her, just like you did before. Whatever you need to do to find out where Lucifer is.

---