Crucible and the Crown (Misfits of Magic Book 3)

Chapter One

Chapter One

A Few Years ago…

Micah Volt loved his cousin, Braxton Lightbringer, dearly, but sometimes he had to wonder if the sacrifices he made for the Prince of Hell were truly worth it.

Just kidding…sort of.

All things considered, he wasn’t too worried about finding himself suspended in the air by his wrists and ankles between two stone pillars in Lucifer Lightbringer’s throne room. Well, he might have been a little concerned, but he didn’t think he was in any real danger. Okay, that was a fucking lie. He was in Lucifer’s personal torture chamber, so of course he was in danger. Still, he was pretty sure he wasn’t going to end up bleeding today, and that was something to be thankful for.

While that might have sounded completely mental to the average person, he considered any day that didn’t end in bloodshed a good one. However, being subjected to the mad whims of the King of Hell wasn’t anything new for Micah. In fact, he had grown quite used to it over the years. That was the price one paid for being related to Lucifer, the devil incarnate and psychopath extraordinaire.

As a supernatural being who had been forged into a dark god in the fiery depths of Hell itself, it was no wonder Lucifer was a little out of his mind. Although that didn’t excuse all of his outrageous behavior, it did make it a little easier to understand. That was if one could truly understand an insane god who was prone to volatile mood swings.

While Micah’s current situation was admittedly disturbing, the danger level wasn’t anywhere near panic-inducing. He had been at the panic phase of things before and was well aware of just how extreme some of Lucifer’s torture methods could be. Thankfully, he hadn’t done anything to warrant that level of scrutiny at the moment. What was happening now was more or less the equivalent of a simple interview.

At least, by Hell Realm standards.

As Micah waited for the interrogation to begin, he sighed and tried to adjust his position. The tip of his freaking nose itched, and it was driving him batshit not being able to deal with it. Unfortunately, the magical shackles that held him in place didn’t allow for any movement. Considering his own father had made them, he knew just how effective they were. And that was before Lucifer had added his own layers of magical safeguards to the restraints.

That meant until the King of Hell decided to release him, he wasn’t going anywhere.

The itch really was driving him fucking crazy, though.

He was also starving which was slightly odd since he’d sat down to a big meal with his parents a few hours ago. His stomach never seemed to stay full for long these days, but that was to be expected as a growing supernatural who needed sustenance on the regular. He’d been the same way right after he’d gone through his awakening. Using magic took a lot of energy, and he seemed to be going through another power surge lately, so he needed more food to keep him going.

However, eating would have to wait, and not only because he was a little tied up at the moment. Being tortured on an empty stomach was preferable if one wanted to get through the ordeal with at least an ounce of their dignity intact.

Micah had learned that little gem from personal experience a few years ago.

He still got angry thinking about the time his favorite vintage motorcycle jacket had been torn to pieces. He’d found it after a long search through countless thrift shops back in the Human Realm. Hell, he’d been more upset about the marks the whip had made in the soft leather than his own skin. The jacket had never been the same after he had bled and puked all over it, even after he’d repaired it using magic. It might have looked pristine, but he would always remember what it had looked like after a few rounds of torture.

He knew it was never good to get attached to things because it gave his enemies something to target. However, that was one particular lesson he’d never fully bought into. He would always protect what belonged to him, even if it came at great risk. It was simply the way he was wired, and that was something he was sure would never change.

Since he was currently dressed in jeans, a black T-shirt, and a pair of combat boots, he didn’t have much to worry about saving. The shirt had been magically modified to allow his wings to spring out of his back without tearing the fabric, but it wouldn’t bother him if it were ruined. Most of his clothing had been magically altered for that purpose, so that wasn’t anything special.

As the silence continued, he distracted himself from obsessing over his damn itchy nose by glancing around. The enormous main hall that doubled as Lucifer’s throne room was made out of black stone walls that had been carved into tiered levels of balcony seating. Despite its obvious design, the entire room seemed like it belonged in the heart of a mountain rather than inside a palace.

Usually, magical starlight hovered overhead, allowing a clear view of the entire cavernous space. But at the moment, the ceiling remained dark. The only light in the room came from the flames spilling out of the silver cauldrons that lined the pathway up to the throne that was located on a raised dais at the far end of the room.

Half of the cauldrons had been lit with regular fire while the other half were burning with the black flames known as devil fire, one of the most powerful substances in all the six realms. The flames cast eerie shadows along the reflective stone pathway, but Micah didn’t need the creepy ambiance to feel the full impact of where he was.

He knew the throne room all too well for that to be necessary.

Not only had he played in that large cavern as a child, he was well acquainted with the throne room from the various gatherings that had been held there. Whenever Lucifer had something important to impart to the masses, or he felt like throwing a celebration, it happened right there in the great hall. There were also more private meetings that Micah’s parents had been involved in that had included him by default after he’d gotten old enough to attend.

Oh, and there were a handful of times he had been tortured there in that room.

He was really hoping this visit wouldn’t turn into one of those times.

Lucifer let the silence stretch out as he glared down at him from his position on the raised throne. Micah knew the prolonged quiet was an intimidation tactic. The king was waiting for him to start spilling his secrets into the void like most people did in his position. While that approach was usually effective, Micah had been trained to withstand such treatment.

Since he had a flare for the dramatics and often changed his hair and eye color, it wasn’t shocking to see the King of Hell had gone full devil mode today. His eyes were glowing a bright red that matched the red streaks in his black and silver hair, and his bronze skin shimmered with power as if his body could barely contain his magic.

He wore a set of black and red robes that made him seem like the flames extended out of him, and the dancing shadows cast from the fire made it look like he had two massive horns on top of his head. Thankfully, that was only a trick of the light. Although he was slouched down and had one leg draped over the armrest of his throne, his casual pose belied the severity of his mood.

Waiting for the interrogation to begin sucked, but being tortured sucked more, so Micah wasn’t about to complain. The longer the wait meant less time Lucifer would have to question him before Braxton came looking for him. He’d let his cousin know he’d been on his way to the palace, so Brax was bound to figure out that he’d been waylaid by his psycho dad at some point.

The fact that psycho was also Micah’s blood uncle was another reason he was confident he would survive today’s encounter unscathed. At least he really hoped he would.

While most angels were related in a convoluted extended family tree, Lucifer and Micah’s mom were actually cousins. Sometimes blood ties didn’t mean much and could be overlooked, but Lucifer and Ariel were close. Their bond had always been more like they were brother and sister, and that had never changed over the years. They had been there for each other through the good times and the bad, so when Lucifer settled in the Hell Realm, she had been right there by his side.

Growing up in Hell had been quite the experience for Micah. Being related to the King of Hell was a distinct honor and a curse rolled into one complex, convoluted package. Sure, that meant no one outside the family could fuck with him without suffering severe consequences, but it also meant half of his family was pretty much fucking insane.

Then again, he couldn’t say his father was any better.

Brody Volt was a gifted mage with a talent for manipulating metal, but he’d always been rather unmotivated to use his abilities for more than basic tasks. He’d been what would have been considered a hippie back in the day, spending his days smoking weed, surfing, and picking up odd jobs to make enough to fund his carefree lifestyle.

Since he was a cheerful, easygoing guy, it had come as quite a surprise when he’d been excited to move to the Hell Realm after he’d mated Ariel. The Hell Realm wasn’t as scary as most people thought it was, but it was still vastly different than the Human Realm. It was even more shocking when he discovered his true calling was creating a variety of torture devices and other weapons for Lucifer and other demons.

Knowing that his own father’s creations were currently being used on him was irony in its worst form. Or perhaps its best, depending on how one looked at it. Either way, it wasn’t the first time. While Micah had the physical and psychological scars to prove he’d suffered his share of punishments over the years, most of what he had been subjected to had been training given to him by his well-meaning, psychotic family members.

He didn’t have to like the fact his uncles, aunts, and cousins enjoyed jumping out of the shadows to attack him every chance they got, but they had been hell-bent on teaching him how to survive every possible scenario. As painful as those lessons were, he had to admit that the results of their misguided teaching methods had been quite successful.

It had also been fucking traumatic.

After being stabbed, burned, and poisoned, he’d been highly motivated to learn how to protect himself. He might have an affable nature and an easy grin, but he was no less vicious than the rest of his family. Actually, due to his disarming personality, he might be considered even more cunning than the others.

And he could hold a damn grudge like nobody’s business.

Although he appreciated learning how to handle whatever was thrown his way, his upbringing had also given him a shit-ton of trust issues and a serious case of paranoia. That was one of the reasons he and Braxton got along so well. Close in age, the two of them had suffered through the same rigorous training together. They could have turned out to be bitter rivals, but they had ended up being allies who guarded each other’s backs instead.

Since they had literally survived hell together, it meant they had the ride-or-die type of friendship that went far beyond their blood ties. But sometimes, being Braxton’s best friend did have its drawbacks…like now.

“I am not very happy with you, Micah.” Lucifer’s deep voice boomed out like a deadly cannon even though it had been spoken whisper soft.

Clearly, Micah thought, but he didn’t dare risk saying that out loud.

He knew exactly why Lucifer wasn’t happy, but there was fuck all that he could do about it. The king was angry that his beloved son had signed up to attend school in the Fae Realm rather than staying in the Hell Realm where he could personally watch over him. The pair of them had been fighting over it for the last few weeks, ever since Braxton had told his dad about his decision. Because of that, Micah had no problem placing the blame exactly where it belonged.

“Braxton decided it was where he wanted to go, and I said I would go with him. You know, to watch his back.”

That last bit hadn’t been necessary, but it didn’t hurt to point out he was simply being a good friend. Truthfully, Micah didn’t really give a shit where they went to school. Attending one of the magical academies was required for all supernaturals under a certain age, but it wasn’t really necessary for either of them.

With his unique lineage, Braxton was probably more powerful than any of the professors teaching at any of the magical academies. As a dark angel-mage hybrid, Micah’s own skill level was nothing to scoff at. He had strong magic and had also surpassed his father’s skill level in metal manipulation, so school wasn’t going to help him much.

Using his unique abilities, Micah had already made a name for himself throughout the six realms. Now, his unbreakable weapons and one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces were some of the most sought after by members of all the races. That meant he didn’t have to worry about finding a job or planning for his future.

Truthfully, he would have been just as happy attending Hell Raiser Academy as he was going to Aegis Academy. It didn’t make much difference to him since he didn’t want to go to any of the academies. To him, school was like being in prison. That was why he’d been happy putting it off for a few years while he and Braxton had spent some time visiting the other realms.

When Braxton had made it clear that he wanted to attend school in the Fae Realm, Micah had supported that decision. Aegis Academy was considered the best of the magical academies due to its diverse curriculum and integration of all the races. That was definitely a selling point, but the main reason Braxton wanted to go there was to put some distance between him and his father.

And Micah couldn’t blame him for that.

As if reading his thoughts, Lucifer’s glowing red eyes narrowed. “As the Prince of Hell, Braxton should attend school here.”

Micah started to shrug that off, then remembered he couldn’t move. “Brax isn’t going to be treated like a regular student at Hell Raiser Academy. I mean, what professor would dare to correct him or give him a bad grade?”

“That is as it should be.”

Micah barely held back the urge to roll his eyes. “Perhaps he wants to go to the Fae Realm to avoid that type of treatment.”

Lucifer scoffed. “He won’t be treated like a regular student anywhere, so leaving because of that is just stupid.”

Obviously, that logic hadn’t worked.

It was time to try a different approach.

“Going to school in the Hell Realm wouldn’t be a challenge for either of us. We probably learned everything that is being taught there from you and the rest of our family while we were still teens. But being a student is about more than just what we can learn in a classroom. It’s about the cultural experience and the—”

“Blah, blah, blah,” Lucifer waved a hand in the air. “You are boring me, Micah. And you know how I hate being bored.”

“Uncle Luc—”

“You were supposed to get him to change his mind.”

That was news to him. He had obviously missed that memo, but it was a moot point since it wasn’t going to happen.

“You know Brax makes his own decisions. He decided to attend Aegis, whether I go with him or not. So, it’s better that I accompany him so he has someone close by that he can depend on.”

Lucifer let out a growl of frustration as he stood up and began to pace the length of the dais. “I suppose the Fae Realm isn’t that far away, and the wards at the school can’t keep me out. But I still don’t like it. I’ll have to speak to the headmaster about this. You will also report back to me once a week about—”

This part was going to get sticky. “No.”

The king stopped pacing and shot Micah a dark scowl that would have had a lesser being pissing themselves. “What did you just say to me?”

Swallowing hard, Micah forced himself to say, “I won’t promise that. I can’t.”

“I don’t like to hear the word ‘no’ unless someone is screaming it while I ply my whip on them.”

And wasn’t that a lovely thought.

Micah understood the threat well enough, but he had a point to make. “Uncle Luc, you are the one who taught me that loyalty means everything…especially to supernaturals like us. Braxton is not just my cousin. He’s my best friend, and I will never betray him. Not even for you.”

When that was met with strained silence, Micah pulled out the metaphorical big gun.

“My bond with Brax is just as close as the bond you have with my mom.”

Lucifer stroked his chin as he slowly floated off the dais, not bothering with the steps. He came to a stop directly in front of Micah, hovering in the air so they were at eye level. Damn, those glowing red eyes really were even more freaky up close.

“You make me proud.”

“Thanks,” Micah wheezed out.

A few beats of silence passed, then Lucifer’s lips curved into a maniacal grin. “Even though I still want to strangle you for not doing what I asked.”

Well, shit.

As Lucifer reached for his throat, Ariel Angelis Volt suddenly teleported into the chamber. Micah breathed out a sigh of relief at seeing her. If anyone could talk some sense into Lucifer, it was his beautiful, sweet mother.

On the battlefield, she was a fierce warrior, but at home, she had a kind and loving nature that was rare amongst the beings that lived in the Hell Realm. Hell, it had been just as rare back in the Celestial Realm when she’d lived there as well. Actually, more so since the majority of celestials were raging assholes on massive power trips.

Although Ariel had proudly served as a warrior in Lucifer’s army during the old days, she was now his assistant and right hand. As brutal and bloodthirsty as Lucifer was, nothing he did ever seemed to faze her. In fact, her ability to take everything in stride was almost terrifying, but that made her the perfect administrative assistant for the King of Hell.

Dressed in a pair of dark gray leggings and a bright blue sweatshirt with the words ‘Super Mom’ emblazed on the front over the well-known symbol of an icon superhero, she looked more like a college student than an ancient warrior. Micah had gotten the sweatshirt for her the last time he’d been in the Human Realm since he’d thought she would get a kick out of it. He’d been right. She absolutely adored it, and often wore it whenever she was relaxing at home.

Like most dark angels, she was tall and had powerful magic, even though she looked quite delicate. Micah had the same midnight black hair as his mother, but he kept his shoulder-length locks pulled back in a messy bun instead of falling loose as she did. He had inherited his dark blue eyes from his father, but his crooked grin was almost identical to Ariel’s.

She wasn’t smiling now, though.

Rather than being concerned at seeing her son strung up in Lucifer’s throne room and personal torture chamber, she shot Micah a mild frown as if she were displeased with him.

Apparently, his relief at seeing her was a little premature.

“Are you done packing? Did you remember to take some warmer clothes with you? What about socks? I know you like to run around barefoot at home, but you can’t do that in a dorm.”

“Mom,” Micah stressed the word out on an exasperated sigh.

Her frown deepened, and her silver eyes narrowed. “I know Aegis Academy is located at the center of where all the fae kingdoms meet, but what if your dorm is in one of the colder sections?”

“She does have a point,” Lucifer said as he finally floated down to the ground to stand beside her. “We aren’t exactly used to cold weather.”

A wisecrack about living in Hell was on the tip of Micah’s tongue, but he held it back. While his family usually enjoyed his snarky, sardonic sense of humor, this wasn’t exactly the time for him to run his mouth off. Especially since Lucifer still hadn’t decided to release him yet. At least his mother had managed to distract the king away from thoughts of making him pay for not just agreeing to do everything he’d asked of him.

He considered that a big win.

It was true that Aegis Academy was located in the heart of where all four fae kingdoms met, but there were certain places on campus that clearly represented one of the specific seasons. Still, he wasn’t going to freeze his ass off if he didn’t pack enough sweaters. Whatever he needed, he could just buy or create using magic. He wasn’t stupid enough to point that out, though.

One didn’t argue with a mom or the devil.

Not if they wanted to keep breathing.

“I packed a little of everything,” he assured. “Just like you told me to.”

“Good,” she said, finally smiling up at him. Sighing, she turned. “Now, Luc. Why is my son hanging up there? They are going to be late for the first-year welcoming celebration if they don’t leave soon.”

“Were they really planning on arriving along with the other new students? I’m sure that would just be fantastic for everyone involved,” Lucifer scoffed. Then, his expression changed to one of wicked glee as he considered that. “Actually, watching all the little mice run and scream in terror might be amusing enough to make the trip.”

Micah barely held in a groan. He and Braxton had planned to arrive at the same time as the other demons in an effort to blend in a little. Having the Prince of Hell and his cousin show up at the school was bound to cause quite a stir, so they thought a lowkey arrival would be best. Actually, Braxton hadn’t given a shit, but Micah had wanted to avoid causing mass panic.

While they were capable of teleporting themselves between the realms without the aid of a portal, simply showing up in the middle of the campus was bound to cause a problem. Because of that, they had been given the option to bypass the circus of the official welcome celebration and arrive with a smaller group through the back gate. Some people might have found that a little insulting, but Micah thought it was safer for everyone involved.

One thing he was absolutely sure of was having Lucifer personally escort them to the school was a terrible idea. No, not just terrible. It was probably the worst thing that could possibly happen to them on their first day.

Before Micah could come up with the proper words to ask Lucifer not to join them, Braxton Lightbringer teleported into the room. He was a big male, matching his father in size and physical strength. His long silver hair had been pulled back with a leather tie, and his gray eyes glittered with irritation as he glared at his father. Dressed in black cargo pants and a matching shirt, he didn’t look much like the Prince of Hell…until he turned and caught sight of Micah’s hanging form, and his gray eyes flashed black with anger.

“Damn it, Dad! What the fuck? Put him down. Now!”

“Nope. I’m not done talking to him,” Lucifer said almost lazily.

“Yes, you are! And fuck no, you are not coming to the school with us.”

“I am!”

“You are not!”

“Am, too!”

Okay, the situation had just reached a new level of ridiculousness.

Lucifer must have reached out to Braxton through their private connection to share that idea, and it had gone about as well as expected. As father and son continued to argue, Micah’s stomach rumbled, reminding him just how hungry he was. Hearing the noise, his mother walked over to frown up at him.

“Are you hungry, sweetie?”

Nodding, he gave into the other desperate need bothering him. “Mom, can you scratch my nose for me? It’s fucking killing me.”

Large black wings burst from her back through the magical cutouts in her sweatshirt, then she rose into the air and rubbed her palm against his nose.

The relief he felt almost made him weep. “Thanks.”

“Dad was making brownies at home when I left. I’ll go get you some.”

Before he could reply, she disappeared. Damn. He would rather be released from his shackles than eat a fucking brownie, but he guessed it wasn’t really his choice to make. Although, his father did make awesome brownies.

He even left the weed out of them occasionally.

His life really was strange sometimes.

Sighing, he closed his eyes and settled in to wait until someone was finally ready to let him go. Considering how epic some of Lucifer and Braxton’s arguments turned out to be, that could take a while. Those two clearly had some unresolved issues to deal with, and until they did, a little distance might do them some good.

When Ariel returned empty-handed a few minutes later, Micah’s heart sank a little. She was now dressed in black armor, and her long hair had been pulled into a braid that was secured to her head like a dark crown. She had a sword strapped to her back in the personalized scabbard that his father had made for her that was covered with colorful butterflies made out of jewels.

All business, Ariel hurried straight to Lucifer. “Lady Siming is currently dealing with a rebellion in her domain,” she reported. “I just got word that it’s a bloody mess.”

“Is it, now?” Lucifer practically purred in delight. “Don’t tell me it’s her idiot cousin. What was his name again? Martin? Matthew?”

“Martel. And yes, he and his brothers have gathered a faction of followers to try and take over her seat of power.”

“Damn demons. Sofia Siming isn’t just the ruler of her domain. She is also one of the representatives that I appointed to the fucking Supernatural Council.”

“I believe that is what escalated the conflict between them. Now that you have shown her favor, they consider her a threat.”

Lucifer scoffed. “It wasn’t a courtesy. She was appointed because she was the right person for the fucking position. She is good at details other people overlook, and she is one of the rare demons that actually gives a shit about the other races.”

“Apparently, that is enough for them to want to kill her.”

“Well, I guess that gives us a reason to join in the fun. It’s been ages since I’ve participated in a good rebellion.” Using his magic, he instantly changed out of his robes and into his own armor. “Did you call up the guard?”

“Yes, but I figured you would want to handle this yourself.”

Lucifer grinned. “You’re damn right I do.”

She glanced over at Micah. “Sorry, honey. Mom has to go fight some idiots now. I’ll contact you later. Have fun at school!”

“Be safe!” Micah called out as Lucifer and Ariel disappeared. Then, he grumbled, “Damn it, she forgot my brownie.”

“At least dealing with the war should keep them busy for a while. Now we can head over to Aegis Academy without my dad following us there,” Braxton said as he walked over.

“Oh, he’s going to follow us there,” Micah countered. “Maybe not today, but soon. Count on it.”

“Unfortunately, you’re right.” Braxton placed his hands on his hips and scowled. “How the fuck are we going to get you down from there?”

Micah sighed. “Since the cuffs block my magic, you will have to get through all the safeguards yourself. You should have no problem getting through the layers of my dad’s magic, but I’m sure Lucifer added a little something extra to them.”

“Of course, he did. That might take a while…” Braxton stroked his chin. “Or I can just use devil fire and melt the things off of you.”

A shiver of alarm raced down his spine. “What? No. Make that hell no. I’m really fond of my hands and feet.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve been working on my accuracy.”

Micah let out a loud groan. “And here I thought I was going to get through the damn day without being tortured.”

Braxton snorted out a laugh. “Wishful thinking on your part. What did my dad want with you this time?”

“This is all your fault. He’s pissed we’re going to the Fae Realm, and he wants me to spy on you and report back to him. I, of course, refused, which was why he was going to strangle me. Thankfully, my mom showed up in time to distract him before he could.”

“The old devil is a fucking menace,” Braxton muttered. “Let’s get the hell out of here. Now, hold still. This might be a tad bit uncomfortable.”

Uncomfortable was clearly the understatement of the fucking century. “You better be prepared to heal me after you’re done, you bastard.”

Braxton chuckled. “Of course, I will. Where is the trust, bro?”

Instead of answering, Micah just closed his eyes and did his best to remain perfectly still as his cousin went to work on breaking through the shackles. As he felt searing heat around his ankles, he gritted his teeth against the intense pain. As much as he loathed the thought of going to school, it just might be a blessing in disguise.

Because he could really use a break from the Hell Realm after this.