Page 216 of Crimson Promises
“You did the right thing.”
“Huh?” I turned to see Ben looking every bit the disheveled disaster I was sure I matched. His face had a slight green tinge to it.
“I know you didn’t want to give Lucifer the relic. Give him access to the kind of power that Haziel all but confirmed could be destructive in the hands of someone with sinister intentions. I can sense the guilt rolling through you.”
Was I feeling guilty? Yes. Not only for the reasons he thinks. I didn’t want to give Lucifer the relic. But I also wanted him to prove everyone wrong that he could do more, be more. Haziel warned we all had decisions to make, Lucifer included. My insides felt as tangled as a web of a fisherman’s knots.
I hung my head. “Right.”
“We had no choice. We would have kept it out of Lucifer's hands if we could've. There was no way we could have known that the task he would send us to complete would be to collect an archangel relic of all things. You shouldn’t have to handle his demands or be subjected to his manic ramblings.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “This is why I didn’t want to involve you, Aurora. This is between Lucifer and I.”
My eyes snapped up to meet his. “Excuse me?” The exhaustion, confusion, and sheer uncertainty flooded me like a freed dam. “I am the one that he plans on using as a weapon to start a war that happened before I was even born. Between two worlds I don’t belong to. I am already involved, Ben.” I threw my hands up in the air. “I have been doing nothing but trying to help, although each time I try to get my bearings, another one of your lies continues to be revealed at each turn. And this is the thanks I get? Fuck you.”
I tried to stomp off in the direction Lucifer went, but Ben’s arm circled my waist, keeping me in place.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I was wrong. All I want to do is protect you. It’s my instinct. It’s what I’ve done your entire life. You deserve to not have to deal with all of this.”
“You’re right. I don’t.” I pulled myself out of his grasp. “Regardless of what I want, I am here now and deserve a say in my future and what happens to me. I am no longer that little girl that needed protecting, Ben. You trained me and taught me how to use and wield my power. At some point, you will have to trust me to handle myself, or we won’t be able to work together. All that will do is push me away.”
“It goes against every instinct I have, but I will honor your wishes.”
“No more playing the sacrificial lamb. Understood?”
“Understood.”
I pivoted around the Observatory. "Where did Lucifer go?”
“Miss me, Little Star?” He sauntered out of the shadows. His suit was different. Instead of an ebony black, it was a midnight blue, so dark it could be mistaken for black. "Congratulations, Aurora," he purred, his voice dripping with honeyed temptation. "And to you as well, Bennett. You've completed the first task with commendable finesse."
I couldn’t help but feel a chill despite the warmth of his words. Lucifer was the master of artifice.
Ben stood, his brow subtly furrowed and his jaw tense. His eyes never left Lucifer.
Lucifer, ever the showman of his own dark circus, walked towards the bay of windows where the second waxing crescent moon appeared, his back to the vast skies of his realm, his figure casting a long, imposing shadow on the polished marble floor.
How long had we been in The Threshold of Whispers for?It had only felt like a few hours, but here, weeks seemed to have passed.
His eyes gleamed with a mixture of amusement and something far more sinister.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he declared with theatrical flair, spreading his arms wide, "we have a most spectacular act for the grand finale of this evening's performance."
The sardonic smile curving Lucifer’s lips read, "You've entered my world, and now, let the games truly begin."
My heart pounded in my chest as the atmosphere grew charged with anticipation.
"Behold," he continued, his voice a beguiling melody that drew our attention, "our dear Bennett, who shall perform a feat that will be deserving of redemption and forgiveness and will demonstrate the ultimate act one can give to those we claim to love—sacrifice.”
My throat tightened. I had known something was coming, but no amount of preparation could have steeled me for the weight of it. The last task almost broke Ben. There was a moment when he was so close to giving in to his anger and desire for retribution. I had been convinced he would stake the archangel. Ben had made enough sacrifices for me. He shouldn’t have to give any more of himself to ensure my freedom. But what was the alternative if he didn’t do this?
I could feel the bile rising in the back of my throat.
I wouldn’t get to graduate from ACU, I would never get the chance to go to another homecoming game, work in the archives, finally find a girlfriend I could confide in, and walk the stage at graduation. My dad. I had an entire life I would be leaving behind.
Lucifer's eyes flickered toward me, and I swore I saw a glimmer of something more than amusement in his gaze. It was a subtle shift, a fleeting glimpse. Was it a concern? Or was it merely another layer of his intricate game?
I began to speak, my voice trembling, "Lucifer, you can't expect Ben to?—"
But I was silenced by a raised finger, a gesture of command that halted me further. Lucifer's eyes bore into mine. “I respect you, Aurora. More than that, you intrigue me. As very few do. But do not continue to take that as permission to feel you have the authority to overstep me. This is a subtle reminder I will offer you only once. The next time, I will not be as kind.”
