Page 87 of Lucifer's Redemption

"To protect you!" she yelled. "All of it was just to protect you!"

A sting in my heart: lie. What was she hiding?

"And your reputation!" I snapped as the thought came to me. "Everyone knows you work alongside Zeus, and you practically run the show! Now Zeus is angry that you went behind his back and didn't tell him about me!" I screamed. "You will go to prison, and you aren't even sorry for what you did!"

"To protect you!" she yelled again.

Another sting.

"I can detect lies, Mother," I whispered. Mother shook her head in disbelief.

Was she lying to herself this whole time? Claiming she was protecting me, when deep in her heart, she wanted to protect herself, too?

Guilt—I could feel the guilt radiating off her, but that didn't calm me.

Heat flushed through my body. It only reminded me of when Luci would get angry. I was experiencing what he feels all too well. My wings flapped harshly, the wind pushed the covers off the bed. Mother's teary eyes looked at me; it didn't faze me.

She kept me from my mate. We could have met so much sooner; we could have helped each other grow.

"Those plants…" I spoke again. "You've tried so hard to have another baby, but those plants kept you infertile." Mom's face paled. "Or were you too busy to think about that when you made me water them every day? The properties of those plants not only stunted my growth and power but also made those who live in the same home unable to grow theirs. A child could not grow within your womb."

A silent tear ran down my face. As much as I wanted my mom to suffer for what she did—keeping from my mate, the lies, the ulterior motives she wasn't aware of—I could see her heart break, and it broke mine. My hand went to her shoulder, resting on the partially visible form she had. I could feel her guilt just as I did Zeus. She was sorry.

I felt the warmth build in my hand as I pulled the guilt from my mom’s body until she slumped over on the bed, now lying across from me. Looking at my hand, it felt heavy, just as it did with Zeus until it disappeared entirely.

Her eyes looked heavy as they blinked slowly, staring out the window that she could now see.

"I think there is a phrase that humans like to say…" I muttered so she could hear. "It goes: 'Karma is a bitch.’" I bit my tongue at the foul word. Mom winced, holding her stomach as she cried.

"I forgive you. I don't think I can stomach holding onto anger." A tear left my cheek. Sitting next to the bed, Mom sat up trying to hold me. My head leaned to her shoulder, feeling the gentle breeze the apparition left on my skin. I may forgive her, but I will never forget. Our relationship was now tainted. It will never be what it was ever again.

"I'm going to find the evil hunting you, Uriel. I came here to see if it was Lucifer. He is the only god with whom I am not familiar." The breeze became tighter as I shook my head.

"Luci isn't the evil." I leaned away from her.

"How can you be so sure? He is the God of Destruction; he could destroy all the worlds in an instant. He is just trying to get close to you!" I giggled, holding my hand to my mouth.

Luci could never do that, not with me by his side.

"Lucifer is my mate, Mom."

Chapter 35

Uriel

"Your…What?"Mom'sdeathlysilence after each separated word made me cower. I had some courage before, but this was another side of Mom I had not seen. Her eyes darkened as she tried to grip the sheets beside me. "How do you know this? He's lying!" she spat.

"He is my mate!" I sat back up angrily to defend him. "I feel the tingles when we touch. I'm drawn to him. I love him. He is everything to me that Dad is to you" Mom sighed, slouching over herself.

"This day keeps getting better and better," she uttered. I knew that was a lie without having to feel it through my chest.

Was she that upset that I found my mate? How rude of her to think such a thing: to try to be angry about something so special that she and Dad had together and want to deny me it. My heart twisted in my chest. Did she not care for me or my feelings on any matter whatsoever?

Harsh banging at the door had us both whip our heads at an ungodly speed. "Uriel!" It was Luci and Cerberus was scratching at the door, again. "Open up, Sweetheart, or I will break it down!"

Luci was not kidding. I didn't feel one twitch of pain on that statement.

"Mom, turn yourself in. It will only make things worse if you run away," I whispered to her. The banging continued, now echoing through the room.

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