Chapter 14
Fourteen
I walked to the portal, not bothering to follow after her. I would let her do her magic.
The walk through the portal to Envy was anything but exciting. Some people stealing things, eyes glowing green. It was a bit of a bore, but I needed to talk to their leader. I was done with this shit.
Envy was a pretty shitty place. That was just my honest opinion.
Everything here was either chipped or broken in some way—stolen from the best kingdoms. In its earliest years, it had been a magnificent green color—the trees, the sky, the architecture—but now it was filled with junk from everywhere. It had lost its beauty.
With the body of the Envy that Dani had drained this morning, I walked into the castle without much of a care.
Commander Chari was sitting in her throne room, waiting for me. Her eyes glowed a sour green. She had never liked me.
She widened her eyes, noticing the body of one of her own. “What have you brought me, Lucifer?”
I threw him to the ground. “This piece of filth tried to steal something of value to me.” I clenched my jaw and stepped forward. “Why don’t you tell the Two-Faced Prophet to stop this utter nonsense because he’s getting people killed? If he wants to face me, tell him I’ll be waiting in my kingdom.”
Her lips curled into a scowl. “The Two-Faced Prophet? That myth—you actually believe that, Lucifer?” she asked, shaking her head. “And here I was, jealous of your intelligence.”
I smiled. “No, I don’t believe in that stupid myth, but another one of your Envies who is currently in the Chains does.”
Without another word, I walked right out of the palace and back to the portal. These people weren’t worth much, and I didn’t want to waste my precious time talking to them.
Before I reached the portal, Everi ran up to me out of nowhere and grabbed on to my hand. “Lucifer!” She was with a bunch of her friends, who were all staring at us. “I was just telling everyone that I’m your queen now, aren’t I?”
I raised a brow and blew a breath out of my nose. “Do you have the information?”
She nodded her head. “One of them plans to try to take the Crucifix.”
I raised my brows, like I didn’t know. “That’s amazing, My Queen.”
She giggled like a schoolgirl as the others growled at her.
“You’re doing amazing, Emerald. I will look into it some more.”
Her jaw clenched. “Everi.”
I chuckled. “I know, My Queen. I just like messing with you.”
Her lips widened into a smirk. She pulled me into a hug, and when that was over, I walked back to the portal. She was more annoying than anyone I had ever met before. And stupid—extremely stupid.
When I made it back to my kingdom, people from the Lust Rooms were walking out, probably heading back to their kingdom. I walked into the Garden and sat on one of the benches.
When I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, trying to think—just to think—Raphaela appeared before me. And when I reopened my eyes, she was there, too, haunting me.
She walked over to me so slowly and sat next to me on the bench, grabbing my hand. “Lucifer.”
“What?” I asked, getting fed up with this shit.
Thousands of years later, and here she was, still trying to fuck things up with me. She seemed to resurface the more I tried to approach Dani and Eros.
Maybe it was because Dani was half angel, and the thought of replacing Raphaela with her was something both terrifying and relieving to me. Dani wouldn’t judge me the way Raphaela did, but Dani would threaten my power. She was stronger than me sometimes.
“I still love you,” Raphaela said. “I miss you.”
I closed my eyes, but she didn’t disappear.
“You’ve sinned a great deal, but I still love you. Why is that?” She leaned her forehead against mine. “Why do I love you? Is it because you still love me?”
I clenched my jaw. “Stop, Raphaela,” I said. “Stop, please.” I was never one to beg, but I couldn’t deal anymore.
“You know, all you have to do is stop thinking about me, and I will go away. But despite how strong you think you are, you can’t.”
I clenched my jaw. “You’re wrong.”
“Then stop me. Stop thinking about me. Never think about me again, and I won’t bother you.”
I pressed my lips together and stood up, storming out of the Garden and to my palace.
I needed something to cool off, to get my mind off of Raphaela because she wasn’t going away unless I made her go away, unless I found someone I could love as much as I loved her.
And marry. And become my queen or king, whichever.
When I got back to my bedroom, a single slip of paper rested on my pillow.
Kingdom of Lust—tonight. See you soon, Luci. XOXO.