Page 51 of Falling for Famine
I nearly gagged. My disgust was so strong it twisted my nonexistent stomach. Another tear threatened to fall, but I swallowed my anguish and steeled my nerves.
You’ve been through worse, Nomi. Don’t let him win.
And it was true. Because abuse took many forms. I refused to think about the ones that left marks no one could see. I refused to remember the nights I cried, sure it’d never stop and I’d never be safe or happy. But then he died and Felix and Mary took me in.
I’d seen the many faces of love. No amount of torture here could take that away from me. No matter what the Devil did to me, he could never take that love from me.
Ghost’s face was in my head as I stared back at my captor, expressionless, unfeeling, a perfectly stoic mask fitted into place. I wiped every emotion away and left nothing but bored apathy in their place. His amusement faded, and it was the closest I’d gotten to a win since coming here.
“Come,” he ordered.
Glacies flickered again, obviously annoyed with me. I tried not to look at it. Lucifer hadn’t once stared in my cutie’s direction, and if I did, it might mean whatever kept it cloaked would fail. I couldn’t risk it.
Hand out, he rose to his feet. I refused to take his hand. I got to my feet on my own terms. I’d dance the steps and move to his tune, but only until I had some idea of how to get the hell out of here. I had Felix to avenge and Ghost to return to.
I was confident that he’d be out looking for me. The quiet Horseman made it clear how much he needed me. He’d done everything he could to protect me. He might’ve not said thewords, but last night I felt it in my heart: Ghost cared about me the same way I cared about him.
Still, as powerful as he might be, I doubted even he could take on someone like the ruler of Hell. The thought that he might try only spurred me on to make it so he didn’t have to. I wouldn’t let another person I loved get hurt because of me.
With a little flick of my determined eyes at Glacies, I trailed after my captor and stayed vigilant. The more I learned, the more I could assess my situation and find a way out of it.
The long chamber he brought me to was divided by an obnoxiously long and wide black stone table. Instead of walls, fire. Instead of floor, glass over lava. All the aesthetic of Hell ever told. Fire and desolation and totally expected.
Lucifer made me take the seat next to his, and then one after another, other men with black-feathered wings appeared. Each one claimed a seat around the table, keeping space between them. I counted six, but I’d overheard one of them was absent because he’d tried to overthrow Lucifer.
By studying the faces of the rest, they all wanted to. No one at that table was interested in playing nice. They were all vying for a shot to run Hell. It was in their voice, in their body language, and sometimes right on their faces. I wasn’t sure why he’d keep, let alone entertain, other fallen angels hell-bent on his removal, but I got the sense that this was a normal day in Hell for Lucifer.
“Good to see all of you,” he said, standing, his amused eyes passing from one to the other. “As you know, after Astaroth’s betrayal, I did a little…research myself. And now I’ve found you all the queen you deserve.”
The faces around the table grew abrasive and vengeful, the farthest thing from supportive, but he carried on as if he didn’t notice. To outwit Ghost, I didn’t believe for a second this wasn’t all some elaborate ploy to put the other fallen angels, the ones he called the Fallen Brothers, in their place.
“Let me introduce you to Nomi, Counter Soul to Limos, and your new queen.” He gestured to me, and my gaze seared a path around the table, anger growing in my chest.
I didn’t speak as the men leered at me, practically undressing me with their eyes. I wouldn’t give any of them what they wanted. Nothing I said here held any sway or value. So, I’d take a page out of Ghost’s book; I’d observe and wait for the opportunity to escape to present itself.
One stood, angry, his light purple hair offsetting the darkness of his skin. “You have no need of a bride. Why bother, my King?”
As if he’d been waiting for the question, Lucifer stared at me. “Because her powers after death can only strengthen my position and give us an edge in the coming war with Heaven.”
My powers? What did that mean?
“War?” the others murmured.
I kept my face unreadable, but my curiosity was piqued.
Lucifer laughed, wholly entertained. “Yes. War. It’s coming, my brothers. Are you going to fight against me or by my side? Make your choice carefully. Astaroth already made his. Let his serve to guide yours.”
The collective silence spoke volumes. The threat of a war had given them all the same look. Unified them in a way I suspected was Lucifer’s goal. Nothing brought a bunch of bastards together quite like a common enemy.
“Tonight, I’ll bind her power to mine and we’ll ensure Hell doesn’t fall to Heaven’s agenda.”
Tonight?!
My heart gave one hard pang at the thought of being bound in any way to the creature who murdered Felix, who was evil incarnate. I didn’t have the time I needed. How was I supposed to escape after he bound us?
My thoughts raced, but I managed to keep it from my face. Glacies glowed in strobing beats again, dancing and moving around my face in urgency. No one saw it. The wisp was invisible to everyone but me.
Powers…
