Page 30 of The Road to Hell

“Our numbers weren’t the problem,” I argued, though the words felt hollow. “It wasn’t just about the size of the rebellion. We didn’t fail because Lucifer’s forces outnumbered us. We failed because we got cocky. Because Luciferletus win a few fights, lured us in, made us think we were invincible. Then he strolled onto the battlefield and decimated us. We underestimated him.”

“So, what’s to keep that from happening again?”

“We’ll prepare better this time.”

She shook her head, sucking her bottom lip into her mouth. Then, finally, she met my gaze. “I need to fight him by myself. No rebellion. No war. Just me versus him.”

Silence filled the cave. Then I said, “You can’t be serious.”

Her lips pressed together. “I am.”

“You don’t—” I bit back my words, forcing my tone to remain steady. “You don’t justfightLucifer, Lily. He’s not someone you can challenge to a duel and hope for the best. He’sLucifer. He’s been shaping this realm since we fell, manipulating it, bending it to his will. HeisHell.”

“But as we just discussed, I seem to have some power over Hell too. Maybe I can use that to my advantage.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, all in an attempt to hold back the fury—and fear—rising in me. “Lily.”

“Listen to me,” she said, her voice firm. “According to you, we built an army, we strategized, we fought like soldiers, and we lost. We losteverything, Rathiel. And if we do it that way again—if we rally hellspawn and try to take him in open war—we will lose again.”

I shook my head. “You don’t know that.”

She huffed a short, humourless laugh. “We can’t fight him the way we did before. And we sure as hell can’t fight him the wayhewants us to. When he learns I’m back, he’ll expect us to do exactly what we did last time. We need to be smarter than him.”

I clenched my jaw so tightly I thought my teeth might crack. “And your solution is what? Marching up to his palace and challenging him to a duel? You think he’ll play fair? That he won’t rip you apart the second you stand in front of him?”

“Of course not,” she said. “I wouldn’t announce my plan to him. Or my intent to kill him. I need to strike first. Before he can come up with a plan. The last thing he would expect was for me to bust into his palace and kill him in his sleep.”

I took a slow breath, forcing myself to stay calm. But damn it, I wanted to wring her neck. “You think you can justassassinateLucifer?”

“I think we have a better chance of taking him down if he doesn’t see us coming,” she corrected. “If we go in quiet. If wehunthim instead of him hunting us.”

I couldn’t hold back the bitter laugh that tore from my throat. “This is insane.You’reinsane if you think that would work. Have you forgotten how he surrounds himself with hellspawn?”

“Haveyouforgotten the fallen aren’t in his palace right now? He’s vulnerable.”

“He’snevervulnerable, Lily! That’s the damn point!”

“We need to think outside the box and keep him on his toes. He won’t expect a sneak attack. I can do this.”

It was the calm in her voice that set me off. The quiet, steady way she spoke, as if she had alreadydecidedthis was the only way.

My control snapped.

“Lily, that isn’t a plan—that’s fucking suicide! You wouldn’t make it five steps into the palace without being spotted.”

“I’ve snuck in and out of that palace so many times, Rath. Or have you forgotten that? I can control the shadows, hide myself in plain sight. I just need to make it to his chambers?—”

“And then what? Stab him in the heart?” I rose to my feet, chest heaving. “Do you think you could even do that? Just stab your father in cold blood? And what if your shadows fail? What if someone sees you? There won’t beanyonethere to save you!”

“Rathiel…” she murmured, standing up next to me.

“No, Lily. The last time you faced him,aloneI might add, hecrushedyou. You don’t remember the fight, but I do. You didn’t stand a fucking chance. And if you think your shadows will protect you inhispresence, you’re mad! I’ve seen him steal your powers from you. I’ve seen him use them against you. You can’t possibly think you’ll succeed by yourself when an entire rebellion failed. Not to mention, it’s been ten years since that fight with your father. Yes, you fought a few hellspawn and killed Zera, but that’s child’s play compared to Lucifer!”

She flinched but lifted her chin in defiance.

“You don’t know that Ican’tdo it,” she shot back.

I took a step toward her. “Idoknow that. I saw it firsthand.”

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