Page 124 of All's Hell That Ends Well

“Okay,” I said and massaged my forehead with one hand. “So, what are the next steps? I imagine we’ll have to announce that you’re abdicating and Azazel is taking over?—”

“I already did.”

I stared wide-eyed at Lucifer, my hand slowly sinking down to my lap.

Azazel cleared his throat. “Pardon?”

Lucifer picked up a glass of amrit and swirled the golden liquid. “I sent an official letter to the archdemons a few days ago informing them of my abdication and naming you both”—he pointed at Azazel with the glass, then at me—“as my successors, and since my word is law, you are now king and queen.” He sipped from the drink and then held it up in a toast. “Congratulations, Your Graces.”

I was so utterly shocked I couldn’t even breathe. Azazel appeared equally speechless, his power frozen in surprise.

So that was why the demons here in the palace had greeted us the way they had—as the highest-ranking demons in all of Hell. It also explained the confusion of that one staff member when Azazel had asked him where thekingwas. That poor dude had to have been so bewildered, seeing as the king had been standing right in front of him.

“Opting for dignified royal silence, I see,” Lucifer said with a smirk at our continued speechlessness. “That is a good start.”

“You didn’t tell them in a meeting?” Azazel asked eventually, his voice still holding a note of shock.

Lucifer made a condescending sound. “I do not need their permission, nor do I seek it. It’s not as if they have a say in these matters anyway. And if I never have to see their faces again in one of those bloody meetings, it will be too soon. Present company and Daevi excepted.” He took a sip from the amrit and added in a murmur, “Iamlooking forward to not having to manage their bickering quarrels anymore.”

I shook my head to clear it and then asked, “Shouldn’t there be…I don’t know, an official event or something? Like a coronation, or inauguration?”

Lucifer waved that away and stood. “We don’t have a tradition for this. There has never been a change in leadership to warrant a coronation ceremony or the likes of it. But if you wish for one, you may organize it. Have Daevi crown you for allI care.” He gave us both alook. “You’re king and queen now. You make the bloody rules.” Rolling up his sleeves, he jerked his head at Azazel. “Take off your shirt.”

“The fact that we’re related aside,” Azazel drawled, “no, thank you. I’m not interested.”

Lucifer scoffed. “Fine. I don’t mind punching a hole through your tunic, then.”

“Excuse me, what?” I interjected, leaning forward on the couch.

Lucifer’s black gaze slide to me as he opened the buttons on his own shirt. “Do you not remember how you received that spark of hers inside you?”

“Whoa!” I rose from my seat, dislodging the hellcat in the process, which tumbled to the couch with a hiss of protest. Holding up my hands, I pinned Lucifer with a hard look. “Wait a minute! You’re going to play whack-a-mole with your chest and his to give him the power?”

“There is not exactly a manual for this,” Lucifer said between gritted teeth. “What Lilith did was a novelty, something not even I had ever heard of. There is no other precedent for a transfer of power, at least not for an internal one. I can pass the magical bonds of authority over demons or territory to someone else with nary a word, as I did with you recently, but this here is different. For the transfer of an essence, I know of no other way than what she did when she gave you her spark.”

My stomach turned at the thought of him actually ripping this power out of himself. Literally. And while I wouldn’t be the one getting a fist shoved up the chest cavity this time, I had to witness it happen to Azazel, and I honestly couldn’t say which was worse.

“But…do you have to do this now?” I wrung my hands, glancing at Azazel, who’d also gotten to his feet, and then back at Lucifer. “Why not wait a little?—”

“For what?” Lucifer’s eyes flashed. “Do you need a public invitation? Or would you like to prepare yourself with some kitten yoga or whatever it is humans do these days?”

“I wouldn’t say no to a kitten right now,” I murmured.

Ignoring my comment, Lucifer plowed on. “No, we will do this now. I have done my waiting. This is the last thing that stands between me and seeing her again, and so help me Hell, I will rip every last shred of that deathly power out of my soul to be free to go to her.” He bared his teeth, his energy an arctic breeze in the air. “Right the fuck now.”

I caught Azazel’s gaze, worry squeezing my chest. His expression unperturbed, he gave me a nod, then grabbed the hem of his tunic and pulled it up and over his head in that effortless, masculine way that never failed to make me sigh in appreciation. His muscles rippled as he tossed the shirt to the side and straightened his shoulders, exuding nothing but virile strength.

Lifting his chin, he looked at Lucifer. “I’m ready.”

“All right.” Lucifer shook out his hands, cranked his neck, and then took a deep breath. Without further ado, he rammed one fist into his own chest.

I’d thought I was prepared for it. The moment he’d mentioned the whole ripping-out thing, it had brought up the traumatic memories of when Lilith had done it to herself. I’d mentally steeled myself for seeing it happen, trying to put up a brave front.

The reality of it turned my stomach to the point where I almost retched. Doubling over, I grabbed hold of the couch armrest to steady myself.

God-fucking-dammit, I should look away.

But when I closed my eyes, the squishing, squelching sounds of Lucifer rooting around in his own chest—apparently trying toisolate and gather up all that power—became only louder, and my brain supplied the visuals for it anyway.

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