Page 114 of All's Hell That Ends Well

“This is not the topic of our discussion,” Azazel said with enviable calm. “You have summoned me here. Explain why.”

It was Metatron who answered. “What you have planned cannot be done.”

Along our bond, the spike in Azazel’s tension zipped like a bolt of electricity. “How so? There is no law forbidding Lucifer from abdicating.”

“That is not the issue.”

A muscle jumped in Azazel’s jaw, his frustration buzzing in my blood. “Then what is?”

“The Morningstar cannot be on Earth.”

“The conditions of the truce,” Azazel said, and I felt the way he restrained his anger and frustration through our connection, “are to be transferred to me as his successor, so even if I didn’t demand to amend that provision to allow me to step foot on Earth, Lucifer should be permitted to do so. He will no longer be King of Hell, won’t take part in politics, even ultimately surrendering his power to become human and live out his life onEarth. I would think that Heaven would rejoice that he will give up his might and authority.”

Metatron’s eyes glittered hard. “It is precisely his intent to stay on Earth long enough to become human that is the problem.” A beat of silence, then, “He cannot do that.”

I chewed my lip, watching the exchange nervously and with increasing foreboding. There was something here Metatron wasn’t saying, something important.

“And why is that?” Azazel asked with silken menace.

“That is none of your concern.”

Azazel bared his teeth. “I beg to differ.”

“I do not care,” Metatron said calmly. “It is all you need to know. He may not ever walk the earth as a human. We do not mind him stepping down and someone else ascending the throne, and as for your request to amend the truce, it is granted. You are free to visit Earth as much as you wish as the next King of Hell, but Lucifer must remain in Hell.”

I sucked in a breath, my heart plummeting. “You don’t understand.”

Metatron sent me a sharp look, and Shekinah regarded me with mild interest.

“It will destroy him,” I whispered.

“Zoe,” Azazel warned.

“No, they need to understand.” I glanced between the two powerful angels. “If we go back with this news, if we tell him that he is not allowed to live on Earth and become a human…” I swallowed hard. “I’m not sure he’d survive it, or anyone else for that matter. He’s barely hanging on by a thread. This—going to Earth and becoming human—is the one thing holding him together.”

“Why?” Metatron’s dark eyes seemed to drill into my soul.

“Zoe,” Azazel warned me again. “Don’t.”

I looked at him and shook my head. “They won’t understand the seriousness of it if I don’t tell them everything. It won’t make sense until they know.”

“Know what?” Metatron asked.

Azazel’s nostrils flared as he held my gaze for a moment, then he nodded.

I turned back to Metatron and Shekinah. “Lilith has been reborn. I found her. And Lucifer wants to join her on Earth and become human for her sake. He is ready to forgo his power and privilege, all because he wants to spare her another eternity living in Hell. He is doing this out of love, with a selflessness I’ve only heard of in stories. For the past eight years, after her death, he’s been only one step away from madness and despair. The only thing that has kept him going, that has kept him from giving in to his grief and destroying everything, was the sliver of hope that Lilith might be reincarnated as a human, and that he therefore might find her again and reclaim her.” I glanced between both of them, willing them to understand. “Thisis the reason he’s holding on. He won’t bring her to Hell again. He’s adamant about that. So, if he is not allowed to join her on Earth, he’ll truly never see her again and will have lost her forever. This time for real. And it will make him go ballistic.”

Into the weighted silence, Azazel said, “I agree with Zoe. If you send us back to him with a categorical no for him staying on Earth, there is no telling the consequences. He was unpredictable and volatile these past few years. He’s become a bit more stable recently, but only because the hope he’s been holding on to has solidified into the real chance of being with Lilith once more. If we take that away from him, I fear for the fate of the world. Not even the love he has for his daughter might be enough to keep him from disintegrating. He wrecked half of Hell after Lilith’s death, and that was after he nearly brought Armageddon to Earth—the impact of his devastationover losing her forever might just level the entire world without him meaning to.”

“Please,” I said. “Please let him go to Earth.”

A flicker of regret flitted over Metatron’s face, the first hint at him not being completely emotionally detached. “We cannot,” he said gravely.

“Why not?” I glared at him, half pleading, half in outrage. “Why?Surely his original beef with God can’t still be the reason? He won’t even be the Devil anymore; he won’t have any power or authority left! Why won’t you grant him this?”

Metatron sent me a dark look. “That is not for you to know. There is a valid reason for our decision, but it is of such a sensitive nature that not even the archangels are privy to it. We have kept this information a secret for eons, and I will not risk divulging it even under these circumstances, least of all to a random demon.”

“She is not,” Azazel said with a growl lacing his voice, “a random demon. She is my bonded mate and designated Queen of Hell. She will rule at my side, and she and I will be the parties Heaven will deal with in the future. If there is anyone besides me who is privileged to sensitive information that affects the realms, it is her.”

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