11. Madelyne

eleven

Madelyne

" O kay, I love to read as much as the next book lover, but I need a break," I toss my current book, Herbal Remedies for Demonic Ailments , on the table before pushing out of my chair. The seats here are ridiculously comfortable but I need to move. Stretch my legs. I need to DO SOMETHING .

"I'm going cross eyed. It's been daaays and we're still no closer to finding a way to stop this." I pace the floor, avoiding eye contact with my three mates. I know they can feel my agitation in the bond, but that doesn't mean I want to talk about it. Or have them "fix" it.

“Maddy-” Belz starts but I walk away. I can't right now.

“I'm going for a walk,” I mutter as I leave my mates.

Hell, maybe I'll go for a fly.

My wings flutter at the thought of being able to soar through the skies again.

I really need to make more time for them

Like I always do whenever I venture out of the library, I head straight for Luc’s room. Something feels different as I walk into the closet. I can't tell what, but if something is different, maybe it's Luc. I rush to check on my grandfather, desperate to see a change in him.

I stop beside him and drop to my knees. He's still in the same spot he was when I found him days ago. He hasn't moved an inch. He's like a statue in his despair.

Tears silently fall down his frozen face. I feel like such a failure. I’m supposed to be some powerful demon. The next ruler of Hell. Yet I can’t even figure out how to help my grandfather deal with his intense emotions. I’m a fucking preschool teacher. I should know all about helping people process big feelings. I know this isn’t the same, but it doesn’t stop the imposter syndrome from setting in.

Oz is always telling me I can do literally anything I can think of with my powers. And he’s been proven right time and again. So why can’t I make Luc better?

I cup his cheek with my shaky hand and close my eyes. Come on magic. Do your thing. Fix him.

Nothing. This is pointless. Sighing, I drop my hand and look at Snowball. She looks at me as if she believes I can bring her master back from his comatose state and it kills me to keep disappointing her.

“We’re still working on it, Snow. I’m sorry, girl. I wish I could do something. But I just can’t.” I sniff away the unshed tears. I’ve never felt so useless. She bumps my thigh with her nose and I leave my pity party to scratch behind her ears. “You’re right. I think I just need a break. Watch over him. I’ll be back soon.” I kiss the top of her head before standing and leaving the room.

After I leave Luc’s quarters, I roam the palace halls mindlessly. My thoughts haven’t slowed since I was kidnapped—for the second time, for those keeping track. I’m hoping I’m just overthinking everything and once I give myself a break, the answer will come to me.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen before I spot one of my mates walking toward me. Of course, they would come looking for me. Looks like Zeph pulled the short straw.

“You didn’t have to come look for me. I was going to come back. Eventually ,” I mutter under my breath.

He arches a brow and opens his mouth, always ready with a smart comeback, but before he can say anything, his breath hitches and he starts sobbing loudly. Just like Riz and the other demons.

“Zeph!” I cry as I fly down the hall, Elphaba and Glinda flapping hard enough to propel me to him in time to catch him as his legs give out.

The moment my arms wrap around my mate’s familiar body, I realize I was wrong. It’s not Zeph. It’s his identical twin who hates me.

Elphaba and Glinda flutter to a stop as my feet settle firmly on the floor. Slowly, I lower us to a sitting position. I’m not a weakling or anything, but this demon is solid muscle. I know my strength enough to know I won’t be able to hold him up for long.

My skin must brush against his as I steady him because suddenly new emotions slam into me with such force, I’m left reeling. His anger is only overshadowed by his pain. It’s different than my mom and grandpa’s pain, and I can sense it’s from an old wound, but it’s got its hooks in him deep. So deep I wonder how he functions. It breaks my heart and I wish we had the kind of relationship where I could comfort him and he would welcome it. I can tell he needs it, but I doubt he’d appreciate it coming from me.

I hug him regardless. I can’t help it. My mate needs me. He may want to deny any connection we may have, but I can’t. I finally understand the pull of a mate bond. I don’t know what’s going on with him, but he doesn’t get to reject me without even knowing me.

I hold him as he cries tears that aren't his own, determined to save him not only from Luc, but whatever is holding him back. Something happened to turn him into this angry, wounded shell of a demon and I’m going to get to the bottom of it even if it means beating it out of him.

Zarreth

I almost turn away when I see her, but I get caught in her fucking snare. She’s so beautiful she can captivate even the most unwilling demon. Which I certainly am. I’ve made my disdain for her known. There’s no reason at all for me to stare at her as she walks the halls mumbling to herself.

Of fucking course, she notices me before I can pull my head out of my ass and run away.

“You didn’t have to come look for me. I was going to come back,” she grumbles.

Hmm trouble in paradise?

Just as I open my mouth to flay her with words meant to hurt, Luc’s familiar power slams into me. I don’t know what I did this time, to earn his ire, but I know instantly it’s Luc suffusing through my body. My breath hitches and tears pour from my eyes.

What the fuck kind of punishment is this?

“Zeph!” Maddy cries.

Yeah. wrong twin Sweetheart.

Arms wrap around my waist as my legs give out and she lowers us to the floor.

I haven’t let anyone touch me since Luc let me go. I’ve felt so much resentment and self loathing, I couldn’t stomach the thought of anyone touching me.

Of course, now, I don’t have much say in the matter. Which only serves to piss me off more. Until her arms tighten around me, squeezing me in a tight hug.

She thinks I’m my brother, her mate. Of course, she’d try to comfort him.

I haven’t felt comfort in decades. I forgot how good it feels. As tears slide down my cheeks, I let myself soak up her compassion even if it’s not for me .

Something shifts when I stop fighting. Stop pretending I don’t feel the mate bond pulling us together and just give in to the solace her touch brings me. My body heats where we’re touching and the warmth seeps into me until I feel it spreading, chasing the chill of Luc’s power until all I feel is Maddy’s fire.

“I’ll fix this, Zarreth. I promise,” she whispers, shocking the hell out of me.

She knows it’s me.

My tears dry and I tip my head back, looking at her in awe.

How did she do that? No one is more powerful than Lucifer.

I slowly sit up, pulling away from her. “What the fuck was that about?”

Her eyes widen and her mouth drops.

I arch a brow. “Might want to close that pouty mouth before you swallow a fly, Sweetheart .”

She scowls at me before her face morphs back to shock. “You’re okay.”

“Shouldn’t I be?”

“Well, you were just sobbing like a baby, so no,” she snarks.

Damn her mouth. Why do I suddenly want to kiss it?

“Yeah, care to explain that?” I already know it was Luc, but I want to know what she knows. And more importantly, if she’ll even tell me.

“Turns out Luc’s not taking the revelation that his kids killed his mate too well. He’s currently in some sort of comatose state in his closet while his powers are making random demons cry.” She shrugs like it’s no big deal. Just another day in Hell.

“You’re telling me, Lucifer has lost control of his powers? And you’re acting like everything is fine?”

“No, I’m not acting like everything is fine! God, you’re such an asshole . I’ve been doing everything I can to try to fix it. I put a ward up to contain his unruly magic to his closet. That’s been working while we search his library for something to help.”

“Well, it’s not working anymore, is it?” I know I’m being a dick, but all this is too much. I don’t know what she did to me, but I’m clinging to the self-preservation devices I’ve relied on these past few years. Even if I’m starting to forget why they were so necessary.

“Right. You’re welcome. Asshole ,” she huffs before standing and walking away.

Fuck.

“Wait! Maddy, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean that.” I groan. “I was being a dick. Thank you. You could have left me like that once you realized I wasn’t Zeph.”

“Why would I do that? I’m not the one that hates you .”

“Fair. But for what it’s worth… I don’t think I hate you either.”

Her eyes widen.

“Come on. We gotta find Belz and let him know you can stop this. Reverse whatever Luc’s doing.” I change the subject. I need time to examine my feelings before we go down that road.

“Ummm. No, I can’t,” she scoffs.

“Hate to break it to ya, kid, but you just did. I could feel your power overpowering Luc’s. Your light snuffed out his dark,” I whisper.

“Okay. But I don’t know how I did it,” she mutters.

“How do you do anything?” I shrug. “I’m not exactly in the loop on these things. I’m not on Team Maddy .”

I swear she murmurs you could be and my heart constricts.

She doesn’t say anything else, and neither do I ask, smoke curls up my legs until I can’t see in front of me. When it clears, we’re in Luc’s library. Belz and Oz are in a heated argument that comes to an abrupt end when they notice us.

“You were with him , Princess?” Oz raises a brow at Maddy before narrowing his eyes at me.

“The ward must be failing. I saw Zar in the hall when he started crying like the others.”

Three heads cock as brows furrow in confusion.

“He looks okay to me,” Zeph says.

“Well, he wasn’t ten minutes ago. You think I’m lying?” She glares at my twin and her wings flutter angrily behind her.

“Of course not, Angel.”

“So you figured it out. You know how to fix Luc,” Belz interrupts.

“Not exactly…” She grimaces and I roll my eyes. How can someone so powerful be so fucking clueless?

“Your mate’s not the brightest bulb in the drawer,” I drawl, unperturbed by the growls and snarls thrown my way at the unnecessary comment. “Luc’s power latched onto me and damn near brought me to my knees. Luckily, the fairy princess here caught me before I could eat the floor.”

“You’re welcome, by the way. I know there was a thank you in there somewhere.” Maddy glares as she crosses her arms.

Why is she so fucking sexy?

“If that’s what you heard.” I shrug. Her eye twitches and Oz clenches his fist like he’s seconds away from decking me. I couldn’t say why I’m being so antagonistic, but I haven’t felt anything other than self-loathing for so long, this lightness in my chest is foreign and slightly uncomfortable.

“ Anyway … She touched me and I felt her power overwhelm Luc’s. So yes. She can fix him. Doesn’t mean she knows how . Just that she’s capable. ”

“When she attempted the same thing with Riz it didn't work. Why would it work on you but not on Riz? None of this makes any sense,” Belz growls, pulling at his hair in frustration.

“Maybe it's because they're mates?” Zephs face lights up as if he's having an epiphany.

“She's not my fucking mate.” My snide remark is obviously the last straw because Oz charges me.