Page 120 of Not Today, Satan
“No.” He swallows, and his entire body visibly shakes. “She’s gone.”
The room spins around me, and my knees buckle. I sink into one of the chairs, and he drops beside me. My voice sounds like it comes from someone far away. “Gone? Nate, tell me everything.”
“I was sleeping, and I heard a noise. Like a banging in the hall. Then I heard your mom scream. I ran to her room and saw a man standing over her bed. He had his back to me, so I couldn’t see what he looked like. I only know he was tall and big. And dressed all in black. Then he spoke and his voice… Devica, it felt like my veins froze when I heard him. Suddenly, I couldn’t even move.”
My entire body goes numb as I realize who he’s talking about. There’s only one person I know who can do that to humans. “Father.”
Nate nods. “I tried to move, tried to help her. I swear. But it was like fear bolted my feet to the floor.”
“It’s one of the ways he exerts his power,” I whisper. Blood pounds against my ears, loud enough that it blocks out my own voice. “So people will listen. It’s probably why my mom didn’t run, either.” I lick my dry lips. “Then what happened?”
“Sata—your dad—said something about going home. About how she would be his key into Paris, or something like that. Then he picked her up and jumped out the window. I couldn’t stop him.”
He takes a breath. “Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe the devil has a hankering for a croissant and he wants your mom to come? You know? Get the romance back?”
“That doesn’t make any sense. Wait. Paris?” I furrow my brow before my stomach drops, all thoughts of baths and bloodwine seeping out of me. “Nate, did he maybe say ‘Paradise’?”
Nate looks at the floor. “Maybe. That would make more sense than my croissant theory. What do you think that means?”
The blood retreats to my feet, and my fingers turn to ice. I jump out of the chair and pace the front of the room, my thoughts racing. Father’s had one goal for as long as I’ve known him. For as long as he’s ruled this place. But it seemed not only improbable, it was absolutely impossible. A suicide mission for anyone—anyone except a demon who has nothing left to lose.
I knew I heard him scream when his wings hit the fire. It wasn’t my imagination. He felt it. He knew he’d lost them for good.
“Devica?” Nate peers up at me. “You’re paler than usual. What’s going on?”
“I can’t believe he’s going to do it,” I whisper. “But he is. Father’s going to use my mom to break back into Paradise. He’s always been pissed about them kicking him out, but he swore he’d go back someday. And he needs an angel to help him get there.”’
Nate furrows his brows. “But your mom’s not an angel anymore, right? She lost her wings.”
“She did.” I wrap my arms around myself, piecing together what few stories of her first home my mother told me. “But she’d still have angel blood, which might get her in undetected. And she’d know her way around.”
“Damn.” Nate leans back in his chair. “I swear I tried to stop him, Dev. It was a good half hour before I could move again. I grabbed the emergency ring and came right here.”
I kneel in front of him and take his hand. His fingers are ice-cold and as pale as my own. “You did the right thing,” I say. “You were trapped under Father’s power. It’s not your fault. But we can’t leave her with him. We have to help her.”
He stands and pulls me up with him, searching my face. “Okay, but how?”
I glance around the throne room. I’ve finally settled enough here for it to feel like home. Leave it to my father to rip that from me as well.
“I’m going after him.”
I call out for Attero, who’s waiting outside the door, as usual.
“Yes, Devica?” Atty asks.
I release Nate and rub my hands together to try to get some warmth back in them. Now’s not the time to let my body become paralyzed with fear. “I need you to take over for me a bit. I have somewhere I have to go.”
“Of course.” He bows, then sees the look on my face and frowns. “Is everything okay, Dev?”
“Not really.” I march up to my throne and grab the sword propped beside it. “Apparently, my father thought it would be a good idea to kidnap my mom and try to get back into Paradise. Can’t my family be normal for once?”
“What?” Attero’s face pales. “He can’t do that.”
“I know.” I jam my sword into the sheath at my side. “That’s why I’m going to stop him.”
Atty runs up the stairs and takes my hand. “No, Dev, you don’t get it. This isn’t just about your mom. Demons… We can’t be in heaven. If your dad tries to get back there, the entire universe is going to crumble.”
“What does that mean?”
