Lucifer looked nostalgic and forlorn for a fleeting second. I believed that in that nanosecond, he saw my mother in me. That was why he craved my presence—he longed for her—yet he resented my existence at the same time, as I was the child his queen had made with another powerful male.
The archdemon stared back at me with white-hot hatred. His nostrils fumed, and I breathed out frost.
Lucifer ignored everyone but fixed his unreadable yet formidable gaze on me a few seconds longer.
“Be careful, Celeste,” he said softly. “I’m watching you.”
“I know you are, dude,” I said.
The devil shook his head in disgust and vanished from the class in a flash of dazzlingly white light.
CHAPTER 15
The Demigod of Sky
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Thunder beat in myblood as we prowled through the secret underground passage in Hell. We’d see Rosebud soon. We’d bring her home and guard her with our every breath.
We’d never fail her again.
I’d been in stasis for millennia until my mate came and made me feel again. Because of her, I’d gained the ability to love deeply and addictively.
“Get a hold of yourself, Zak!” Paxton snapped.
At my emotional outburst, lightning had leaked from me, striking the passageway’s mossy stone walls.
I leashed my power. The lightning trailed off. Once the most leveled-headed demigod, I was now a volatile volcano.
Even Axel had better self-control than me at the present.
We couldn’t afford to let Lucifer get wind of us coming to Hell, and this secret passage was the only path we could travel undiscovered.
It wasn’t easy for the four of us to be in such a cramped space. In the past, none of us could stay in the same room without fighting and wounding each other. But we’d managed to share a mate in peace, and for her, we’d become a united front.
But it didn’t mean we were no longer territorial, volatile, and violent around each other.
“Where’s your prince, Pythius?” Héctor asked, trying to distract us.
“His Highness is attending to Lucifer,” said the Duke of Deception, “to keep his father’s eyes away from Princess Celeste. Also, he’s leading the investigation into the traitors who consorted with the former Queen of Hell and smuggled her bastard daughter out of the Void. As I’ve informed you, my prince has saved the princess several times.”
Héctor’s gloved hand lashed out, lifting the half-demon duke into the air. “Call my mate ‘bastard’ again.”