Page 40 of How to Accidentally Become the Devil

“Okay, but let me grab Luc. We'll meet you in her room. Maybe he can help,” Belz offers.

“Good idea. Now that he’s back to normal, he should be able to fix her by himself. He is the devil after all. There’s nothing he can’t do, right?” Maddy asks hopefully.

Belz steps away from her and much like Maddy moments ago he is now magically dressed in fresh clothes.

He didn’t even have to speak..

“Yes, as far as I know he can do almost anything,Amica Mea. Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out.” He kisses the top of her head and her shoulders sag as an invisible weight lifts from them.

“Thank you, Belz,” she murmurs.

“Always, Love.” Smoke envelopes his legs and his face lights up. “Hell yes. It worked!” he cheers as it spreads up his body until we can’t see him any more, his voice fading as he disappears.

“No way! Can I do that?” Zeph gasps.

“I don’t know. Get dressed and meet us in Mom’s room and you’ll find out,” Maddy teases before disappearing as well.

“Tell me that’s another spanking,” I ask Oz.

“Oh, definitely,” he agrees darkly.

When we pop—still can’t believe that’s a thing I can do—into Zo’s room, Maddy is standing over her next to her chair. The scene is identical to last night when we were here with one exception. The determination on Maddy’s face.

Belz and Luc appear in Zo’s sitting room and Luc rushes to his daughter’s side. He cups the side of her face and kisses her forehead. “Wake up,Filia,” he murmurs.

The room collectively holds our breath as we wait for her to wake up like Luc did. We wait. And we wait. But it never happens.

“Why didn’t that work? That should have worked,” Luc mutters to himself. “Zofina Danica.Wake. Up.Now,” he commands.

I’ve seen him use his power like this before, and with how attuned I am to his power, I should feel it when he forces his power on her. But I don’t. It’s as if they’re just words spoken. They hold no power like they should.

What the hell is happening?

Luc seems to be thinking the same thing. I’ve never seen such a bewildered expression on his face. He stares at his hands as if assessing the power through them. Suddenly his eyes widen and his jaw slightly opens.

“So this is why,” he murmurs.

By the looks on everyone’s face, no one understands what he’s saying.

His head snaps up and looks at Maddy. “You have everything you need to bring her back to us. The power is within you. Never doubt yourself. There isnothingyou can’t do,” he says. “You’ll be a great queen, Madelyne.”

“Queen? No. That’s not happening. You’re here. You’re fine. There’s no need for me to take over anything.You’rethe devil. Notme. Not for a very long time. You still have too much to teach me.”

Luc gives her a soft smile. “You’ll figure it out. You’ve got these assholes to help you. Between the four of them, they know everything I could think to teach you.”

“But-”

“You’re going to do amazing things,Neptis. I’m already proud of you. You’re the ruler Hell deserves. Besides, now that I’m not in charge around here, I’m free to leave. I have some business to attend to earthside. Apparently I have new mates.” He arches his brow.

“I won’t apologize.” Maddy lifts her chin.

“Good. Never apologize for doing the right thing. Now,think. What are you going to do to fix her? How did you fix me?”

“By bonding you to your mates. But I already tried that with Mom. It didn’t work.”

“So maybe she’s already bonded and they’re too far away for the mate magic to work like it did on me.”

Maddy’s eyes widen. “I have to get my dad! How do I bring him here?”

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