Page 57 of The Road to Hell

His expression blanked. “Desperately.”

I held his gaze, searching for any cracks, any hint of deception lurking beneath his words. But there was nothing. Just raw, unfiltered truth staring back at me.

I sure hoped my instincts weren’t betraying me. Because this? This was insanity. Even considering it was foolish. But then, wasn’t I desperate too?

I wanted my memories back. I wanted toknow. To finally understand everything Rathiel and I had been through. To have all the missing pieces, not just scattered fragments of who I used to be. I hated being an unfinished puzzle, waiting for someone else to decide when and how to put me back together. I wanted to be whole.Complete.

And Calyx wanted freedom. Neither of which we could gain without the other’s help. If we killed Lucifer, Calyx would be free. Win-win for us both.

He’d come here alone. No other fallen at his back, no hidden army waiting in the shadows. Just him, standing before two people who had every reason to kill him, knowing full well we might try. He had taken that risk anyway.

Maybe this was a trick. Maybe I was making the worst mistake of my life. But something in my gut told me I wasn’t. Something told me—for the first time—I could trust him.

Yeah. I was definitely insane.

“Fine. This is my price,” I told him. “You give me back my memories—allof them. And in return, you get a place at our side. I know you’re bound to Lucifer and can’t disobey him outright. But youhaveto help us when and where you can. We’ll keep you hidden, off his radar, for as long as possible. And then, when we win, you gain your freedom.”

“Agreed,” Calyx instantly said.

Rathiel’s hand shot out, grabbing my arm in a firm grip. “Lily. Think about what you’re asking.”

Ihadthought about it. And the more I did, the more I realized I didn’t have another option.

“I have to do this,” I said, my voice quieter but no less firm. Then I turned, leveling Calyx with a stare sharp enough to cut through bone. “But know this. If you do something to betray us—something youcancontrol—I will rip you apart, piece by piece, and feed what’s left to the hellcats. It’ll be slow, it’ll be messy, and you’ll still be conscious when they start gnawing on your entrails.” I tilted my head. “Are we clear?”

Calyx blinked at me. Then, to my absolute lack of surprise, he grinned. “Crystal, darling.”

Rathiel’s grip on my wrist flexed, his entire body wound so tight I thought he might snap. But I refused to back down.

I met Rathiel’s gaze head-on, unflinching.I need this.

For a long moment, he didn’t move. The tension between us stretched tight, a silent battle waged in a single look.

Then he let me go.

Calyx clapped his hands together. “Great. Now that that’s settled.” He took a slow step forward and gestured at me. “Let’s see what’s locked inside that head of yours.”

ChapterFifteen

LILY

The moment Calyx lifted his hands like he was about to cup my cheeks, I took a quick step back and scoffed. “Not here, idiot. You think I want you crawling around in my head while we’re standing out in the open like this? That’s just asking for trouble.”

His gaze swept the barren wasteland, scanning the massive rock outcrop and the scorched and lifeless ground. He lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. “Fair enough. Where do you propose we go then? One would assume there aren’t many safe places in Hell for Lucifer’s greatest disappointment.”

I rolled my eyes. “Working really hard to make me like you, aren’t you?”

Calyx grinned. “I don’t need you to like me. I just need you to do as you promise.”

“The cave’s not an option,” Eliza said. “Unless we enjoy making camp next to a pile of dead hellspawn.”

“Hard pass,” I said.

“We just need to find another cave,” Rathiel said. “And I need to feed.”

I shot him a glance, noting the shadows starting to darken the underside of his eyes. He’d used his powers in the cave, and now he needed to replenish himself.

“I know of a few places we could go,” Calyx said.

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