Page 94 of Hidden Sacrifice
“Congratulations,” Lucifer yelled out, causing another renewed wave of excitement to ring out in the hall.
“Was that the ceremony?”I whispered out into all my boys’ minds. I looked to either side of me, but no one seemed able to answer. My gaze turned back to Lucifer to await clarification.
“The feast will commence immediately,” Lucifer said once the noise quieted again, sending out yet another round of excitement. This time, demons talked animatedly to each other as they began to turn and shuffle from the room.
Lucifer turned his gaze on me before I felt his presence glide across my shield, requesting my audience.
“What exactly is the point of a marriage ceremony if it was just you talking to the demons for all of thirty seconds?”I asked.
“Drama. Entertainment. Positioning. Promising.”His voice sounded like a purr inside me, happy, content, and wanting to force that feeling on me.
“The prophecy you spoke of?”I asked, wondering if I would even be able to get answers out of him today. Lucifer was acting stranger than usual.
“Oh, Treasure, don’t you know how prophecies work? You can’t understand them until it is too late, unless you need to understand them to fulfill them. You will have your answers when you need them. But come and enjoy your celebration. Tonight is my gift to you.”
I only barely restrained rolling my eyes as his answers failed to inform me of anything. I was ready to get the feast over with and hopefully end the night with Fachnan eliminated. At least as a threat.
When the hall was empty except for Lucifer and his guards, Jasper signaled that it was time for us to turn and leave. We quickly moved into the defensive formation and headed down the halls in silence. I could hear the click of my shoes as they bounced off the walls and echoed back to me.
I stopped, pulling Jax and Jace to a halt. Justice stumbled, nearly walking into us as Jasper continued for a moment before noticing.
“Was that weird for demons?” I asked, not being able to wrap my head around the pointless show they just called a wedding.
“Demons don’t usually have ceremonies. Just register the union if they wish to keep the demon from being available for procreation rights in arena matches. That’s all a marriage is for demons,” Jasper answered.
“I’m just trying to piece together how Lucifer is tied up in all of this. He hasn’t seemed himself these past two days. I’m worried someone might have him under their control or something,” I whispered to the group.
“I don’t know who would be powerful enough to do that, but for safety, let’s assume no one is on our side,” Jax said, in his normal flat tone as he straightened up, looking ready for a fight.
* * *
Walking into the hall for the feast took my breath away. Any lingering disappointment over the jarring ceremony was washed away when my eyes swept over the magical room. Hell provides indeed.
The room was open to the air with thousands of natural fairy lights twirling and dancing against the back glow of the rings of Hell. A live band of demons played softly in one corner near the staircase, where a table was set for all the elites. Five empty spaces stared back at us, directing us on where to go.
The common demons were arranged at small tables that stretched so far back that I couldn’t even count how many rows there were. I wondered what the demons in the furthest rows back could see and hear or if they were left with enjoying the reactions of those poised better than themselves.
We made our way to our seats, filling them in the same order we stood before Lucifer as he married us. I sat in the dead center of the table, looking down into a sea of demons with a black crown and red paint across my face.
A strange sensation washed over me. I didn’t feel like Morrigan, Hell’s Princess; I felt like the fucking queen.
Hell served the food automatically, depositing the pink drink I enjoyed so much at the first feast.
“Oh,” Justice exclaimed, looking at my drink with excitement. “Hell gave you a Plague Doctor; it must like you today.”
I looked back at the faintly bubbling pink drink. “This is called a Plague Doctor?”
“Yup. It’s lethal to a quarter of the demons who drink it. Rips the soul right out the body as it explodes.” Justice’s eyes got wide as he brought his hands together before thrusting them outwards. “BOOM!” He howled in laughter.
I looked back to my drink again suspiciously. Hell had been telling me right from the start that this is where I belonged. I refused to believe that all the hands fate must have touched to get me here at this moment were for nothing. I nodded, taking a deep sip of the drink. It was still impossible to describe but made my body hum with an energy unlike any other poison did.
“Fuck, that was hot, Fox,” Justice said, licking his lips. I noticed the other boys staring at me, their mouths agape.
“I’ve had one already. I knew it doesn’t explode me,” I explained.
Relief flooded through the group while Justice deflated slightly. None of my mates were served food from Hell. Jace had a glass of blood in front of him. The blood filled by Hell was like animal blood, providing vampires just enough to take the edge of thirst off and supply a small amount of power. The jars of demon blood Aggie had given us were far more powerful.
My gaze traveled up and down the line of elite demons around us. I recognized Jasper’s mom a few demons down from us. Her purple skin shimmered in iridescence while her stark white hair was fixed in an elaborate updo. She caught me staring and gave me a slight wave. I was reasonably sure she was not Fachnan, as her wings were still in place while the rest of her body seemed healthily formed.
