Page 132 of Lucifer's Redemption

I surveyed the area as we walked forward. The crumbling walls and the cracked floors all held black ash; the entryway was completely dark as we edged towards the throne room. If Zeus was going to be dramatic about all of this, of course, he would sit upon his high and mighty throne to try to belittle us.

Angels stood sentry by the walls. They no longer displayed bright white wings; their attire was instead that of gray robes and pallid skin. As I saw Gabriel with the light faded from his once golden eyes, my fists clenched the dagger in its holster on my thigh. They had all succumbed to whatever evil Zeus let possess his body.

“I’m waiting!” The taunting began as soon as we entered. The strongest of the gods all were held in chains, securely bolted to the floor. My father, who was bound next to Zeus’ throne, was chained with both hands on the floor, hunched over. His red eyes blazed with fury as he fought to free himself from the shackles.

“Curse the Fates,” Ares growled. “What the fuck happened? Something isn’t right,” he whispered harshly. “Mariah, get out of here.”

Mariah, as stubborn as her mate shook her head. “Through thick and thin, my love.” Her hand reached for his squeezing it tightly.

“This feeling”—Poseidon clutched his heart—“I’ve felt it before. I know it.” Poseidon tried to retreat, but I pulled him closer to me by his arm.

“Where is Uriel?” Zeus waved his hand, standing. “This trial is regarding her parent’s treatment of her. I would expect her presence since she is the prime witness.” Zeus descended the throne, his blackened robes skimming each step.

“Why are they chained?” Vulcan spoke up. Holding his axe close to his chest, Zeus walked toward his son.

“My son.” His hand reached out to cup Vulcan’s cheek.

Vulcan ripped away from his touch and spat at his feet. “Hades is more of a father than you.”

Zeus’ eyes didn’t even acknowledge the statement, only chuckled as his attention went back to me. “I’m waiting,” Zeus hummed.

“And I want answers,” I growled. “Why is my father chained to your throne and why are all the gods being held against their will?”

Zeus stepped back, snapping his fingers. A light shone on the darkened corner of the room. My mother sat in a cage with Lilith in her arms.

“Luci,” she whispered, shaking her head. “Don’t bring her here,” she sniffed. “Don’t bring Uriel or it will be death—” Zeus hit the cage with a bolt of lightning, and the cage rattled shooting electricity up my mother’s body. Lilith screamed briefly at the intensity, but Mother’s scream didn’t falter.

“You bastard, leave my mate alone!” Father rattled the chains, dark smoke pooling down the stairs. “I’m going to rip you to pieces,” he hissed. Hair sprouted from my father’s back, but his shift was incomplete, he could not shift into his beastly hellhound with the restraints on his body.

“Time is wasting—”

Before Zeus could finish, I slung my arm behind my back to procure my specially forged sword. My hands heated as I wielded it channeling my power into the iron as I buried it into Zeus’ chest. Every bit of my power was concentrated, pouring into the hole of his heart.

Cracking a smile, Ares pulled his sword from his sheath only to be slung to the floor by a snap of Zeus’ finger. Darkened angels pulled Ares and Mariah away as my sword lodged firmly into Zeus’ gut. Vulcan, going for Zeus’ legs, was also pulled away by the sallow angles.

The angels’ eyes glazed over black, revealing they were not in control of their bodies as they wrestled with the strongest of the gods. Angered by my sword’s inability to be dislodged from Zeus, I let go, lengthening my claws and expanding my wings to their massive height. What was left of the light that hung in the room was obscured by the mass of my burning feathers hovering over the God of the Sky.

He calmly looked up at me as I floated over his body. My claws ripped through the air with a high-pitched whistle. Zeus caught my wrist mid-air as he rose above me. His hand was strong enough to crack my wrist, but not enough to stop the red plasma that ran through my veins from singeing his hands.

“My, my, what a strong one you are,” Zeus muttered. “Your power even exceeds that of your father,” he tutted. “I guess it isn’t so surprising though. You are the cause of the destruction of all the realms.” Growling, I pulled my hand away, but bindings of red lightning gripped my wrists. They were so heavy, that they dropped me to the floor with their weight.

“But not strong enough,” he chuckled. My wings sprawled across the floor. I heard my mother crying in the corner with Lilith clinging to her tightly. Heaving ragged breaths, I reviewed every plan that formed in my thoughts.

While Uriel slept in my arms, we thought, we planned for every possibility of what could happen with Zeus. He only carried so much power; he was just one god. If even three gods stood together, surely, we could easily take down one, even if he was the High God.

My father, strongest of all of the gods, now sat on his knees at Zeus’ feet. His fangs dripped with black acidic venom as he watched Zeus, his younger brother sit back on his throne. Zeus pushed his robes away, hitting my father in the face. He chuckled, dragging his index finger mindlessly on the arm of the chair. His unamused face had me seething. Poseidon was still standing beside me, doing nothing, paralyzed in fear.

Zeus rolled his eyes, flicking bits of electricity toward Poseidon’s way. “Such a scaredy-cat, aren’t you?” The dark angel, Gabriel, gripped his arms to pull him away. “Or maybe you are simply pathetic, like those creations of yours that couldn’t even make it up here?” Zeus laughed loudly with thick, black tears running down his face. He flung the tear toward Poseidon.

Poseidon growled, and his descending fangs reminded me of a shark. “You won’t get away with it,” Poseidon yelled. “Hurting them, hurting us, you won’t get away with any of it!”

Gabriel blinked his black eyes twice before his hand covered Poseidon’s mouth. All around the room, angels were covering gods that sat in chains on the floor. Hecate’s eyes brimmed with tears at the sight of this evil, this power, that was too powerful for even her to control.

“What the fuck happened to you?” I snapped. “What happened with being happy and ruling over the sky? Why do you have to go and fuck with people’s lives? What the hell happened to you?” I rattled the heavy bolts of electricity holding me down. “Uriel healed you of your burden. You should be fine!”

Zeus’ eyes narrowed, pounding the armrests. “Enough!” His body lay back on his throne. “Maybe I was tired of not having a mate; maybe I was ready for a change. I’m no longer the ‘lost god’ that takes orders from some woman who onlyseemsto have her life in order.”

Zeus’ hand waved, beckoning for a chained woman and angel to enter—Hera and Michael.

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