Chapter 23

Twenty-Three

Esau knew he wasn't watching Gideon passionately kissing Lucifer. It had to be a nightmare he was trapped inside. After hours of sneaking through claustrophobic tunnels and wading through a sea of lost souls attempting to drag them down into the mire, what else could it be? He wanted to wake from it and return to a world that wasn't royally fucked up.

He watched as Joaquin and the other witches fought against their holds. Esau attempted but failed to move a single fraction of an inch. The only thing he could move were his eyes and brow. That wasn't much help to him.

Closing his eyes, he pleaded with his abuela for help. Generations of witches in his ancestry had died with his grandmother. Nothing had passed to him, except for the sight. Joaquin always joked about his witch blood, saying he might have powers he never realized. If only that was true.

Itis true.

Esau gasped inwardly at the sound of his grandmother's voice.

I leave you alone for a few days and this is the mess you get into? Oh, mijo.

Esau ground his teeth. How about helping me?

You don't need me. You are part of a triad, a human of witch descent. Tap into the power in your blood and break free.

Esau rolled his eyes inwardly. How?

Love.

Love? What the literal hell are you talking about?

When she didn't answer him, he screamed within, frustrations mounting. Tap into my power with love? What does that mean? He opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was Joaquin, clawing out of the spell Lucifer had used. Love. I love Joaquin.I love him with all my heart and soul. His gaze flipped to where Gideon kissed Lucifer.

Did he love Gideon?

The spark was there… but… now? After he protected the demon. And now Lucifer?

Esau stared at his mate, lip-locked with the demon. He offered himself to Lucifer to protect us. He was willing to damn himself to save us all. Is that not love?

Cassius broke from Lucifer's clutches and fell to the floor. He sputtered and coughed, red faced from lack of air. Lucifer's hands slowly rose to Gideon's face, but stopped as they wrapped around their mate's neck.

"Gideon," Cassius said hoarsely. "He's inside… Lucifer's… mind."

Esau's eyes widened, heart thundering. He closed his eyes again and willed all his strength and power to Gideon.

I give it all to him.

Suddenly, Esau was freed.

Whipping his eyes open, he found himself in another room, not the throne room. An all-black one. Gideon stood a few feet from him, standing in front of Lucifer's throne, where the demon sat, glaring. Sweeping the room with his gaze, Esau found there was no one else.

No Joaquin. No Cassius.

What he did find was a silver dagger in one hand. The silver hilt was intricately carved and fit his palm as if it had been made for him.

Lifting his gaze to the throne, he frowned. Where were they?

Cassius' words whispered in his ears. He's inside… Lucifer's… mind.

Esau stared a moment, blood turning to ice.

Oh fuck.

Am I dead? This has got to be a nightmare. He contemplated slapping his face to wake himself up, only…

What if it wasn't a nightmare?

The reality was almost more alarming. What good would he do against Lucifer? He was a human. Without powers.

His hand warmed, the feel of cold steel in his grip reminding him he wasn't completely powerless. Somehow, he'd managed to break through and enter the demon's mind, too. He was there for a reason, and he couldn't lose sight of that. Esau's gaze washed over Gideon's back, knowing in that instant he'd give his life to save their mate's. After summoning every ounce of strength he had, he carefully approached, terror pulsing in his veins.

Esau might die, but he wouldn't go down without a fight.

If it would save Gideon.

Slowly, he crept, praying to whatever gods might be listening that Lucifer didn't notice. Luckily, Cassius had outfitted them all in all black before entering the backdoor into Hell, so he blended into the floor and walls. He'd learned a thing or two about stalking one's prey after watching Joaquin hunt all those years, so he moved low to the floor, prowling on all fours.

The closer he moved, the more he could hear of their conversation.

"I willfind a way in," Gideon murmured. "All I need is a tiny crack inside your mind and I will bust through your defenses."

Esau warmed at the bravery in their little witch's voice.

"Try as you might," Lucifer said. "You will not break through this layer of defense. Even if you did—which is impossible—there are more layers just like this one to follow."

The dagger warmed in Esau's hand, as if it reminded him it was there.

A crack. Gideon needed a crack. He weighed the dagger in his hand. He'd do his best to slice open a goddamned gaping hole. Just another demon, right? He'd killed hundreds before.

Lucifer was no different. One more evil bastard who needed to die.

As he drew up behind Gideon, he lifted the dagger seconds before he yanked their mate out of the way and plunged the dagger into the center of Lucifer's chest. The demon roared, capturing Esau's wrist with one hand. Lucifer had a metal vise-like grip, squeezing until Esau feared his bones would snap like twigs. Gideon surged forward, shoving more weight on the hilt of the blade, and it sank deeper.

Lucifer released his hold slightly before Esau's bones were crushed.

"How?"Before the demon could get its answer, it shattered into a million pieces.

Gideon spun to face Esau. Their little witch flung himself into his arms, squeezing with the strength of two men. He leaned back. "I second Lucifer's question. How?"

"No idea," Esau said. "I was suddenly here with this dagger in my hand." He lifted it, the blade glinting in the light he saw no source for. "I heard you say you needed a crack?"

"Fuck!" Gideon yelped. "Yes. A crack." He closed his eyes, magic pooling into both open palms. When his eyes reopened, they were all white, the pupil gone.

Esau watched, in equal amounts of awe and horror. The room they were standing in disintegrated around them, shattering just as Lucifer had. Esau sighed with relief. Only, he realized they were in another room, almost identical. A slightly smaller, dark gray one.

And Lucifer still sat upon his throne at the head of it.

"Twosurprises. I underestimated you, Gideon, but I doubt you have many more surprises left in you, little witch."

Gideon strolled closer. "You think you've seen all I have to give, do you?"

"You? You brought your mate in to fight your battle. Two against one. That's cheating."

"Ididn't bring him," Gideon said, glancing over his shoulder at Esau and smiling. "He came on his own."

"He's only human," Lucifer scoffed.

"With bruja blood in my veins," Esau said, stepping forward and stopping beside Gideon. He glared at the demon, suddenly realizing the weapon had disappeared. What did he have to battle the devil with? He slid his hand into their mate's, terrified it wouldn't be enough. "And I give that strength to Gideon."

Lucifer chuckled. "Pathetic."

The demon's sly smile disappeared when he and Gideon's feet rose off the floor. The look of shock on Lucifer's face was the last thing he saw before Esau's eyes rolled back in his head.

Joaquin struggledagainst the spell Lucifer had them under, as did the others. He looked over at Esau and panicked when he saw his mate's eyes were all white. The iris and pupil had disappeared, and Esau remained completely motionless.

Suddenly, he crashed to the floor, as did everyone else around him.

Except Esau.He floated a half foot off the floor, motionless with those eerie white eyes.

"Esau?"he cried, scrambling closer. He shook his mate, but it did no good. Joaquin's gaze flipped to Cassius, who was staring intently at Lucifer and Gideon, still locked as one.

"Help, Cassius?"

Cassius glanced his way before urging him closer.

"Do you not see Esau?"

"You need to see Gideon," Cassius murmured.

After a worried glance to Esau, he moved toward Gideon, claws extending, ready to tear Lucifer apart and free his mates.

Cassius spun to Joaquin, a firm hand on his chest, holding him back. "No. Esau's in there, too," he croaked out. "That's why I called you over."

"How?" Joaquin demanded.

"I don't know," Cassius said, eyes wide.

Luca placed both his hands, swirling with magic, on Cassius' throat. After a few seconds, Luca released him, and Cassius cracked his neck. "Thanks, Luc," the witch said, his voice clearer. He eyed the others. "Luckily Gideon was alone in here with Lucifer but let's barricade the doors to ensure no one interferes. Don't let anyone else in." He spun his gaze back to Joaquin. "Has Esau ever displayed any psychic abilities in the past?"

"Not that know of. I mean, he has the sight, but anything else? No." Joaquin pushed against Cassius' too strong hand. "We have to break them free!"

"The sight?"Cassius demanded.

"We don't have time for this!"

Cassius used magic, holding Joaquin in place. "If you break them apart, you might trap them both forever inside the demon's mind. Is that what you want?"

Joaquin's eyes widened, panic making it impossible to breathe.

Cassius captured his stare. "Tell me what you know. Maybe I can find a way to help them fight Lucifer from out here."

Joaquin released a breath, shaking with the need to move. Action. He needed a fight. Something to sink his claws into. More talk wasn't the answer. "He can see when someone isn't human. Their eyes glow for him. Witches are purple. Shifters are silver. Demons are red and so on. He knows them on sight."

"An interesting gift," Cassius said. He appeared thoughtful. "Nothing else?"

Joaquin searched his memory. "I mean, he sometimes gets dreams of his abuela—his grandmother. She was a witch. She's the one who told us to come to Boston when the demons were after us."

"Demons were after you?" Luca asked, brow furrowing.

"Esau can see demons. We track them back to their nests and then come back to kill them. Apparently, we were too good at our job and some demon called for a hit on us. Said he was sending the Assassins, whoever they are. After I overheard that, we got the hell out of San Diego. We stopped in a hotel after driving for hours and Esau's abuela came to him in a dream and told him we needed to go to Massachusetts."

Cassius smiled. "It was you."

Joaquin narrowed his eyes. "What was me?"

"The one killing Gideon's demons," Cassius said.

Joaquin growled. "His demons… what the fuck is your coven into, man?"

Cassius smiled. "You and Esau kill demons and send them back to Hell."

Joaquin nodded. "Uh, yeah. That's what you're supposed to do with demons." He glanced at Gideon still attached to Lucifer. "As opposed to saving or kissing them."

"You kill the human host and then the demon gets a free ride back home… and then days or weeks later, it ends up back on Earth, in another human suit to fight you again, right? A never-ending torrent of evil."

"What are we supposed to do? Just let these fuckers roam free and slaughter innocent families like mine and Esau's?" Joaquin saw the pity in Cassius' eyes and hated it. "I don't care how many times I have to kill these motherfuckers, I'll do it. Over and over again, if I have to. If it saves one family and allows one kid to grow up in the arms of their parents, then it'll be worth it."

"What if we could bind them to Hell and make it so they could never return to Earth again?" Cassius asked.

Joaquin froze. "Is that possible?"

"We captured a nest and thought we had the spell to do it, but it slipped through our fingers," Cassius said. "Gideon trapped those demons inside their human hosts, stealing their memories and wiping them clean. They assumed they were the human they were imprisoned inside. It was buying us time until we found the right banishment spell." Cassius scoffed. "Until you and Esau came to town and started killing Gideon's demons. It took immense power, and Gideon paid a toll for it. He went through torture, and poof, they were gone, all his efforts in vain. Three demons freed. They went running back to Lucifer and told them about what Gideon had done. That's why Lucifer was after him."

Joaquin couldn't breathe. Were they the reason Lucifer had come after Gideon? "We didn't know."

"How could you?" Cassius said, his expression softening some. "But now you do." He released the magical hold on Joaquin's chest and turned to eye Gideon. "Right now, your witch and your human are waging a battle inside Lucifer's mind. I don't know what Gideon's after, but whatever it is—we need to find a way to help them and make sure they both make it back here in one piece." Cassius beckoned Joaquin closer.

Joaquin approached, noticing Gideon's eyes were white like Esau's.

"Your mate got in there somehow," Cassius said. "I don't know how, but he's in there, helping Gideon. You three form a triad. There's power in three. I think they need you in there, too."

"How the fuckdo I go inside Lucifer's mind?"

Cassius shrugged. "I can't tell you that. But maybe… just maybe… if you touch Gideon, you might figure that out."

Joaquin eyed Gideon. Their little witch was a demon hunter after all. That didn't explain Haman, but that was a story he'd worry about later. He moved closer and lifted a hand, pressing his palm against Gideon's shoulder.

Nothing happened. He looked at Cassius and shook his head.

"Don't give up. Find a way inside," Cassius murmured. "They need you, Joaquin."

Joaquin turned back, gaze roaming over Gideon. When it landed on their witch's hands, fingertips dug into Lucifer's head, a glimmer of awareness washed over him. He pressed one hand against Gideon's.

It's only a matter of time andI will find a way inside.

"Gideon's voice. I just heard it," Joaquin told Cassius, his gaze never leaving their mate. He glanced at the other hand and suddenly knew what to do.

He wrapped his body around Gideon's and slid both hands onto their witch's—and he was suddenly transported to a dark gray room, all alone. Joaquin spun and realized he wasn't alone. Gideon and Esau floated several inches off the floor, hand in hand, their backs to him. A throne like the one in Lucifer's chamber stood in front of them. Joaquin shifted on instinct and slipped out of his human clothing. He dropped low to the floor and stalked the demon he sensed sat on that throne.

Closer he moved, sinking into the dark, dark gray. When he could see the demon, he slunk around the side, where he could see all three of them. Lucifer sat on his throne, smirking.

"I tire of these games," the demon murmured.

"Then open yourself to us," both Gideon and Esau said together, their voices merging, sounding strange and robotic. "Let us in."

"Never!"Lucifer roared, lifting his hand as if he planned to strike. "You two are no match for me!"

Two might not be a match but good thing we're three.Joaquin pounced, slashing Lucifer's throat with his claws as he landed. The demon screamed, melting away into nothingness like the scene out of Wizard of Oz.

Joaquin rolled from the demon's fading body, landing on all four paws.

It can't be that easy.

He turned and watched his mates lower to the floor, their gazes quickly returning to normal.

Esau's eyes widened. "Keeno?"

Joaquin shifted back and eyed the pair. "What is this?"

"You just gave me the crack I needed," Gideon said, bright pink magic swirling into his palms. His eyes shone bright pink, as well, the same shade as his magic, and he rose from the floor, alone that time.

"Esau?" Joaquin whispered.

"Layer by layer, we're destroying Lucifer's defenses. I don't know how, but… I just gave in and gave Gideon what strength I had."

"What is Gideon after?" Joaquin asked.

"I don't know for sure," Esau said. "But when I was holding Gideon's hand… I knew we had to do this."

The room melted away, just as Lucifer had. Joaquin rose and looked around. Another room. Smaller than the last and in light gray. The throne sat in the middle, empty.

Lucifer reappeared seated on it, his eyes black as night. "You've pissed me off now." He rose from the throne, a black hole of magic forming behind him, sucking them all closer.

Gideon clasped Joaquin's hand to prevent from being dragged. Wind whipped and Gideon snagged Esau's hand, too. Once together, they all rose off the floor, their witch's magic swirling around all three of them. Joaquin cast a glance around, shocked into silence before his eyes rolled back in his head—and he surrendered to Gideon's power, just as Esau had done before.

Take all you need. Show that demon who's boss, baby.

Gideon drewfrom the power of his triad and moved them into a triangle around Lucifer. He focused their collective power into the center of Lucifer's chest, and they began to spin in a circle around the beast. He pushed with all his might, but Lucifer was equally strong, surging back. On they battled, might for might, power for power. Gideon feared they weren't strong enough, and a momentary lapse in his confidence gave Lucifer what the demon needed. He shot a ball of fire into Gideon's chest and knocked them all to the floor, breaking their magically bound hands.

Lucifer laughed, arching his back. He wore a broad smile as he eyed them, sprawled at his feet. "You know, this is the most fun I've had in eons. Boredom comes easily after so many millennia. The same sins, the same evils. Over and over again. Humans never learn from their mistakes. They just repeat every single one, time and time again, each one so narcissistic, thinking they are above it all and won't end up burning—but they do. Every one of them. The torture was fun. At first. But once you've tormented a thousand different beings a thousand different ways, that gets boring, too. Picking fights with the Kings of Hell helps on occasion, but they're always so predictable. Overthrow this. Overthrow that. They keep trying and keep failing, ad nauseum." He lowered to his haunches in front of Gideon. "You might be the closest thing to a real challenger I've had in a thousand years or more." He clapped his hands together slowly, as if mocking him opposed to the sound of true respect in his voice. "Brava."

Gideon reached for Esau, but Lucifer rose and stepped on his hand. "Oh, my pet, I can't let you do that."

Lucifer suddenly roared in pain, stumbling back. Gideon lifted his head and watched as Lucifer fought some unknown entity—and he suddenly realized it was Cassius. The coven was working from the outside to fight Lucifer and give them the chance they needed.

Gideon eyed both Esau and Joaquin as he struggled to his knees. "I need you," he murmured to them. "Can you get up?"

Both of his mates struggled to their knees before crawling closer. Esau was first, offering his hand. "I love you, Gideon."

Gideon sobbed, terrified he'd kill them both before he could set them free. He took Esau's hand and brought it to his lips. "I love you."

He turned to eyes his other mate, but saw Joaquin still bore some anger toward him. He offered his hand, but Joaquin hesitated.

"Be mad at me all you want," Gideon murmured. "After I get us out of here."

Joaquin held his gaze before snatching his hand and squeezing it tight. "End this bastard."

Gideon fought tears for a second but knew there was no time for them. He closed his eyes and pooled his magic through them all, calling forth everything he had. On the other side, his coven fought to protect them—he needed to end it to get them all home safe.

His triad rose into the air as one. Gideon allowed the power to course him, his eyes rolling back in his head. Focusing all his strength on Lucifer, he smiled. The coven had helped forge a hairline crack. Gideon smiled, the battle won. He poured everything he had against that crack, screaming at the top of his lungs as he emptied himself and every last ounce of strength he had.

Lucifer shattered like glass.

As did the room.

The tiny shards came down in a roaring crash followed by more tinkling around the room melodically. When they lowered again, they were in small, snow-white room. Lucifer sat on a small chair, the bones and skulls throne gone. He rose and held Gideon's stare, extending his wings.

His white wings.

Gideon grabbed his mates' hands and drew magic into them, unsure he had anything left to fight with.

Lucifer held up a palm. "I will not fight you. Ask the question you came to ask."

Gideon didn't trust the creature. "Giving in? That's not very Lucifer-like."

"I am the original, the one before the fall. The one not jaded by thousands upon thousands of years ruling Hell. I am the piece of himself he tucked away, to keep safe from the evils that lay outside."

Gideon searched the demon's face, fearful it was a trick, yet he didn't see the same numb disinterest that had lingered in Lucifer's eyes before.

"I have no fight with you, Gideon Goode. I welcome you here. You've allowed this little part of myself to be freed, if only for a moment." He stretched his wings wider. "So ask your question before it's too late."

"You might only be part of him, but ultimately, you're Lucifer," Esau said.

"Do you not have a darker part of yourself deep within? Can I not have a glimmer of the angel I once was?"

"Then tell me," Gideon said. "When he—you—said I was something more, was he lying?"

"He was not. He fears you, Gideon. Fears you and what you might bring to be."

"What am I?"

"A spellweaver," Angel Lucifer said. "One who might prove more powerful than any this world has ever known. That is what the darker parts of me are after. He wishes to use you as a tool to do his bidding."

Gideon shook his head, stunned. "I would know… I've never woven a spell. I wouldn't even know where to begin."

"What do you think you did to those demons? No witch has ever been able to trap one within a human host. There was no spell before now. Not until you wove one around them." Angel Lucifer smiled. He stepped a bit closer, his beauty shining brighter than ever in his smile. "When your mates killed the hosts and freed the demons, they returned to him, and he sensed what you'd done in their memories. He needed to see what you were capable of."

His gaze whipped to Esau and then Joaquin. "It was you?"

They both frowned, Joaquin more a flinch than a grimace, yet there was no time to decipher that. Gideon turned to eye Angel Lucifer.

"You have much to learn and no one to guide you. The last spellweaver existed hundreds of years ago. But you must find a way, before the demon gets his hands on you."

"How do I do that?"

"I can't answer that," Angel Lucifer said, a wry smile on his perfect lips. "I have been trapped inside here for millennia; my powers limited. I only exist in his subconscious. All I can tell you is you need to protect yourself, your mates, and your coven from him, in any way possible."

"How?"

Angel Lucifer smiled. "Weave the spell. Bind him." He pressed his hand to the middle of Gideon's chest and shoved them backward. He and his mates fell into a dark pit, floating down to what, he did not know. He clutched his mates' hands tight and closed his eyes, willing them to return to their bodies and leave Lucifer's mind.

When he next closed his eyes, his lips were still on Lucifer's.

Gideon scuttled away, falling on his ass in the long red gown. Lucifer took a couple of seconds to awaken. When he did, he advanced, roaring as two massive black horns curled from the sides of his head and he rose to a height of ten feet, the suit ripping apart as the red devil of lore appeared.

"On Lucifer!" Cassius shouted.

Magic of every hue of the rainbow illuminated the chamber, the coven's magic hitting Lucifer square in the chest. He was pinned, frozen where he stood, but snarling and fighting against the tide to get to Gideon. Joaquin and Esau rushed to his side, offering him their hands.

As soon as their skin touched, a powerful wave washed through Gideon.

He stared at Lucifer, knowing they would never be safe if Lucifer was free to come after them. Gideon lifted their joined hands into the air and weaved his magic around the demon, the bright lines swirling about one another and locking together, strand by strand, until they surrounded Lucifer's entire body.

Gideon moved closer, pulling his mates beside him. He eyed Lucifer, pure magic roiling through him. "I cannot allow you to harm those I love," Gideon murmured as he sent threads of magic to wrap around the demon. "Your hatred and evil will not stand."

"NO!"Lucifer roared, the walls and floor shaking.

"I bind you from harming my family. My coven." He looked to either side of him, his heart full. "My mates." Gideon looked back to a red-faced, rage-filled Lucifer as the vines of magic slithered to cover every inch of him. "I bind you from harming me. I will not be your advisor, but your jailer. I banish you, Lucifer, and strip you of your power."

"I will find a way to break your spell, you little bitch," Lucifer declared, spittle sprinkling from his black lips. "And I'll come for you and your mates… and your little coven… and rip them limb from limb!"

"Break it and I will weave another. And another," Gideon said. "I won't allow you to harm those I care about."

"I offered you everything," the demon sneered. "You will regret this."

"Goodbye, Lucifer," Gideon murmured.

Lucifer disappeared.

Gideon frowned. He'd meant to bind Lucifer to Hell, to ensure the demon could never leave. "Where did he go?"

Cassius stepped closer, scouting the area with his hands. "I don't feel him here… or anywhere." He lifted his gaze. "Did you just use the Evanesce spell on the Emperor of Hell?"

"No!" Gideon said. "I didn't… I don't think." He shook his head. "I wouldn't even know how." Deep down, he sensed he'd done something just as powerful. If Lucifer didn't exist, would that unravel Hell itself?

And what chaos might that unfurl?

"What did you do, Gideon?" Cassius whispered, frowning.

"I bound him… so he couldn't come after any of us," Gideon said. "That's all."

Hell was suddenly deathly quiet.

"I think we'd best get the fuck out of here," Luca said.

"Agreed," Joaquin said.

Cassius waved a hand, opening a large portal. The fourth-floor lounge appeared through the center of the swirling miasma of colorful light.

The walls of Hell shook around them, and Gideon feared it crumbled under their feet.

"Gideon?" Esau said, tugging his hand. "We should go."

He looked at his other hand, empty. Joaquin stood on the fringes of the portal, watching them as the others raced through.

Gideon heard banging on the outer doors. "Yeah. Let's get the Hell out of Hell."

They passed Cassius into the lounge, where the others who'd gone through first stood ready with battle magic, in case any demons broke through and attempted to follow. Cassius trailed behind them and closed the portal, sealing it. Gideon added another layer of magic to the portal breech, weaving another spell to ensure they couldn't be followed.

"Why couldn't you portal us into Hell instead of the path we took?" Esau asked Cassius.

"I have to have a rough idea of where I'm going to portal, particularly when bringing others through. Especially considering where we were going. I've never been to Hell," Cassius said. "I had no idea what the landscape was. I wasn't even sure if any of the rules of physics would work there."

"Does that mean you could open one into Hell now?" Gideon asked.

"I don't know. I'm not going to try and find out—unless we have good reason to." Cassius turned to face Gideon and smiled, a twinkle in his eyes. "A spellweaver. I sensed something stronger in you, but… I had no idea."

The others in the coven eyed him as if they'd never seen him before.

"I'm still me," Gideon muttered, face warming. "The one who rushes in without thinking. The one who may have eliminated Lucifer so completely that the fabric of time could tear apart at the seams. Yay me."

"I seriously doubt that," Eli said. "We're still standing, aren't we?"

Everyone paused, silent a moment, as if waiting for everything to dissolve into nothingness. When that didn't happen, Cassius sighed. "I have no idea what you did, Gid, but Hell's missing their emperor. I don't know what a power vacuum of that magnitude might cause, but there will be chaos down below."

"If they're fighting for supremacy, they might be too busy to worry about us for a while," Luca said. "That may not be the worst thing in the world."

"True, but if the wrong one wins the battle for that throne, we might be S.O.L.," Oz said. "Good or bad, Lucifer kept the scale moderately balanced."

"So good wins for a while," Esau said. "That's not a bad thing."

"If the angels learn what's going on down there, they might decide it's the perfect time for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty." Oz paused to scan their faces. Clearly, they were as blank as Gideon's felt because he added, "Otherwise known as Armageddon."

"I think we're getting ahead of ourselves here," Cassius said. "We don't know what's happened to Lucifer, so first we should focus on that."

"In addition to all the other things we have to figure out," Luca said.

"Lucifer seemed very interested in the Celestial Council," Gideon mentioned. "I got a sense of surprise from him when I mentioned that someone from the council might've been working with the demons we captured. I don't think he knew. When I brought them up again, a tick formed in his jaw. There's something there, and it might be tied into it all."

"I'm starting to feel like some conspiracy theorists with their pegboard and little strings tying all the threads together," Cassius said. "The more we dig, the more threads unravel. None of it makes any sense."

"Want another thread?" Esau asked. "We ran from San Diego because something big was going down. Whatever it was, they didn't want Lucifer to know about it. It could be connected somehow."

"Joaquin mentioned that," Cassius said. "What else can you tell us? Any names?"

"The only name I heard for certain was Buer," Joaquin added. "He seemed to be the one running whatever they were doing there."

"What else was said?" Cassius asked.

"Buer met with a demon we were tracking. He mentioned bringing demons up to Earth, little by little, not to alert Lucifer."

"Wait a minute." Cassius' eyes widened. "Buer was there? On Earth?"

Joaquin nodded. "Yes."

"Buer is a Prince of Hell. For him to come up to the surface…" Cassius shook his head. "The Princes and the Kings rarely leave Hell."

"You said the same for Lucifer," Esau said. "But there he was."

"I now know why Lucifer came." He pegged Gideon with his gaze. "He wanted a spellweaver of his very own. They're rarer than his visits to this plane," Cassius said. "If Buer came to Earth, whatever they're up to—it is big."

"What Gideon just did to Lucifer might shift whatever those plans were," Oz said. "The power vacuum and all. They'll all be scrambling for the throne, potentially ending other plots already in motion."

"True," Cassius said. "I suppose we can only sit back, listen, and wait." He eyed Joaquin. "Do you remember anything else?"

"I left soon after, when they mentioned they were putting a hit out on Esau and me."

"A hit?"Gideon asked, his blood going cold.

"The Assassins is what they called them." Joaquin glanced at Esau. "I've never heard of them, but I wasn't waiting around to find out more, either. I wasn't going to let them hurt Esau, so we ran. Ended up here."

"The Assassins are a pair of high-ranking demons who hunt down smaller targets. They have no names, supposedly. Don't speak. They're in and out, with lethal precision," Oz mentioned. "From what I've read, they've never been bested."

"Lovely,"Esau murmured.

"Until now," Gideon said. He turned to face his mates, smiling. "Now that you have a spellweaver for a mate. If I banish Lucifer, I'm sure I can hide you from these Assassins." He lifted his hands and began to weave his magic… yet nothing happened. He tried again and the lines of magic fell to the floor, disappearing. "Cas?"

Esau stepped closer and took one of Gideon's hands, a soft smile on his face. He eyed Joaquin and then Gideon's other hand.

Gideon saw the troubled look on Joaquin's face and realized he'd been an idiot to think what they'd experienced would wipe all that away.

"I think we should let these three talk in private," Cassius murmured to the group. He whipped open a portal and urged the others through it.

When they were alone, Gideon turned to fully face Joaquin, his hand still outstretched.

Please, Joaquin. Be mad at me later.

Let me protect you.