Page 135 of All's Hell That Ends Well

And before I could even try to unleash my death power again to hit him, he rushed forward and rammed a dagger into my chest.

I jerked, pain lancing me, and then my mind slipped into darkness.

When I came to,the first thing I noticed was the jeering and hooting of hundreds of voices, echoing in a vast room. I opened my eyes and blinked against the light until my sight had adjusted.

I was lying on a dais, looking out over the enormous throne room, at the magnificent pillars carved with scenes from demon history holding up the high ceiling—and at the space in front of the dais packed with demons. Some of them were kneeling, but most stood, and I realized the former must be the subjugatedwarriors of Lucifer, Azazel, and Daevi, surrounded by the invading archdemons’ soldiers.

They cheered again, and I glanced to the side, where other figures stood on the dais. Ashtaroth, Baal, Samael, and four more demons.

When Ashtaroth stepped back a little, I saw what had been hidden from my view—Lucifer, alive. I almost sobbed with relief.

He looked badly beaten up, bleeding from several injuries—which had to be fresh to not have healed already—and he was currently on his knees, with his wings out.

Or rather, one wing.

The other one rested in Ashtaroth’s hands, dripping blood onto the floor. She waved it in triumph for a moment, which had more cheers erupting from the crowd, and then gave it to one of the four demons lingering nearby.

My heart stuttered in my chest as she closed the distance to Lucifer again, laying one hand on his shoulder. The fingers of her other hand wrapped around the remaining wing, low at the base where it emerged from the back. With a mighty yank, she tore the wing off.

Lucifer jerked and grunted, but not a single scream passed his lips. His face a study in controlled rage, he took the torture with impressive stoicism.

Me, though? My stomach turned and wanted to throw up what meager content it held. I must have made a retching sound despite my best efforts to contain it, because Ashtaroth glanced over.

“Ah,” she said, her red lips pulling into a pleased smile. “She’s awake. Splendid. Here.” She handed the freshly ripped-off wing to Baal, who didn’t look affronted that she’d just treated him like her assistant.

Did that mean she’d won and he’d submitted to her? And where were the other two archdemons? I scanned the dais andthe surrounding area but didn’t spot them anywhere. I had a feeling they wouldn’t miss this spectacle, so the fact that they weren’t here spoke volumes of what had probably happened to them.

During my survey of the dais, I’d noticed Azazel lying next to me, still asleep, though the blade had been removed from his chest, too. He should be waking any moment now. I sat up, my hands still shackled in front of my body, and scooted closer to him.

“So good of you to join us in the land of the conscious,” Ashtaroth purred and sauntered over to me. “I’ve been having fun with our dear Lucifer in the meantime, but I am eager to finish this. And it wouldn’t do to cut off your heads while you’re knocked out, now would it? No”—she leaned down and grabbed my chin in a bruising grip—“I want both of you to see the blade swinging for your neck. I want you to realize the moment of your death before you dissolve into nothing.”

That cold power inside me pulsed. It felt like the icy breath of some mighty creature from before the spawning of light and life.

“You can’t kill us,” I choked out, dread numbing my arms and legs. “Youmustn’t.”

“Oh,” she said with false sweetness, “and why is that?”

I had to warn her. “Because we carry the power of death in us, and when you kill us, it will be unleashed and destroy lifeeverywhere.”

She paused briefly before a laugh erupted out of her. “Oh, that’s precious. You get extra points for being creative, though it won’t save your neck.”

“No, it’s the truth.” I wrung my hands and lowered my voice so my words would reach only her. “Lucifer used to carry this power, but he transferred it to Azazel and me.” And then I gave her a quick recap of the entire story, because she had tounderstand.

When I finished, she glared down at me with a haughty expression. “I hate to admit it, but you do make a good demon. That talent for lying and manipulation would have taken you far. Pity you have to die for me to take the throne.”

No. My shoulders slumped. If she didn’t believe me?—

Power streamed into me, and I gasped. Beside me, Azazel stirred, coming out of unconsciousness.

“Perfect,” Ashtaroth said. “Now that you’re both awake, we can begin.”

With a flourish, she turned to the crowd, who’d been watching with eager eyes.

“It is time!” Ashtaroth raised both her hands, her face glowing with excitement, her voice projecting strong and loud across the throne room. “You are about to witness the first ousting of rulers of Hell, and the dawn of a new age. Long have we withered in the shadow of a king whose sentimental attachment to ahumanhas denied us the fulfillment of our true potential. Those days areover. I will lead us into a new world order, one where we rule supreme over humans, no longer bound by arbitrary restrictions.”

Fear gripped me tight, and I turned to look at Azazel, who’d sat up as well. He met my gaze with the same concern shining in his eyes that had seized my heart.

Ashtaroth now waved her hand at Samael. “It is thanks to the ingenious work of my dear son that we could capitalize on the weaknesses of our former king. He made sure to sabotage the lines of communication and the security outposts to pave the way for our armies to advance on the palace. His efforts will be royally rewarded.” She smiled at Samael, who stood up straighter with the kind of smug expression on his face that I wanted to remove with a shovel.

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