Page 118 of Not Today, Satan
“She told me it reminded her of you, so she couldn’t get rid of it.” Nate places his hands on my shoulders. “I don’t blame her.”
I turn around so I can slip my arms around his waist. “Thank you. I didn’t need your help, but I’m glad you’re here.”
“If you think about it, I saved the day with that ring.” He grins. “I’m kind of the hero of this story.”
I punch him lightly in the stomach. “Excuse me? Who had to break you out of Hell first so that you even got a story?”
“Fine.” He pulls me closer. “You can be the hero. It suits you more, anyway. I’m better at being the sidekick. You know, with kissing privileges.”
“Speaking of…” Leaning in, I give him a long kiss. His lips are soft, and I pull him closer, savoring the ocean smell drifting from his hair and the taste of the vanilla ice cream he’d had after dinner.
When we break apart, he sputters for a moment. “Well, that kiss was worth going to Hell and back for. Literally.”
I roll my eyes and poke his chest. “You’re such a dork.”
“But I’m your dork.”
Attero loudly clears his throat. I’d forgotten he was there, and I shoot him an apologetic glance. “Can we get on with it, Your Majesty? The sooner we get you on the throne, the sooner we can start cleaning this place up.”
I peer up at Nate, reluctance pressing into my shoulders. The more he comes back, the harder it is to let him go. I press my lips together. “I have to go to work now.”
The smile drops from his lips. “I know.”
Cocking my head, I shoot Atty a questioning look. He rolls his eyes, then nods. “But you can come if you want.”
Nate’s eyes light up. “Really?”
“For now.” I pat his chest. “But you can’t stay. I refuse to let you make my mother wonder what happened to you. And you’re going to college like we planned. You have an entire life ahead of you I fought very hard for you to keep.”
“Works for me.”
I flutter my wings and cry out as pain shoots through my back. I glance over my shoulder, and my stomach sinks. All that remains on one side where I once had a slew of gorgeous feathers is a bleeding stump. I have no way of knowing if it will grow back. Father’s never did. Nor did my mother’s. But I’m both of them and neither of them, so I’ll have to wait and see.
“I can’t fly,” I whisper.
Nate takes my hand and nods at the chariot, still askew across the bridge. He winks at me. “Yes you can.”
I grin at him as we slide into the golden chariot, me in the driver’s seat. The controls are a lot like the boat we took to Nix, and it’s not long before we’re in the air above Hell, soaring over the places that took us all that time on foot.
His breath catches as we pass the lake that used to be the ice castle. “Is that—?”
Taking his hand, I swallow and nod. “Ferus landed there, and I threw a fireball at him. It’s my fault. I’m sorry, Nate.”
His fingers tighten in mine. “It’s just a place, Devica. We’ll make lots of memories in many other places.”
“Promise?”
“To top Hell as a date spot? I can certainly try.”
He looks at me, and his lips spread into that familiar grin that makes my chest patter. I laugh. “The next one better be great.”
“You got it.”
We’re at Dominus too soon, and my smile drops.
This is really it. Nothing in the way of the throne but myself.
And I’ve gotten in my own way enough to last me a lifetime.
