Chapter 22
Twinkifer
The door shut behind Orias with an ominous click, and Drew turned to Andras, eyes wide. “He’s got my ring!”
“What?” Andras spun to look at the closed door before pivoting back to Drew. “Who?”
“Orias! He’s wearing it!”
“Are you certain it’s the same ring?”
“Of course I am! Do you know how often I went to the jewellery store to stare at it before I had enough saved to buy it? I know it’s my ring.
” Drew huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “I must have dropped it during the fight, and he’s found it and figured he could just take it. Who does that?”
Andras looked amused, which didn’t do much for Drew’s temper. “What was he supposed to do? Post on Hell’s neighbourhood Facebook group and ask if anyone lost a ring?”
“You’re not funny,” Drew snapped.
“I mean, I don’t think the admins would let you join, since you’ve got to prove you’re a demon.”
“Wait, what? Are you saying that Hell really does have a Facebook group?” Drew asked, incredulous.
“Ugh, yes. The demons who run it are so out of touch,” Andras complained. “I’ve tried convincing them a Discord chat would be much more efficient, but they’re so stuck in their ways.”
Drew’s curiosity was piqued. “What sort of stuff do they talk about?”
“The usual.” Andras dropped his voice to sound like a demon if they drove an SUV and frequently demanded to speak to the manager.
“Can anyone else smell brimstone, or is it just me?”
“Did anyone else hear that bang?”
“Ran out of basilisk eggs and need two for my cake recipe. Does anyone have any spare?”
“Missing: pet crow, inky black feathers, blue eyes, answers to Crow-ley.”
“Can’t remember which garbage collection is today—is it general garbage or recycling?”
Drew was giggling by now. “Come on! Hell doesn’t have recycling!”
“Why wouldn’t we?” Andras said, looking genuinely confused.
“It’s not only your realm that has a waste problem.
People think they can just dump it in a lava lake and they’ll never see it again, but that trash has a habit of coming back.
Not to mention the poor lava crabs. They’re endangered now, and habitat destruction from lavafill is the primary cause. ”
“Okay, okay,” Drew said in surrender, holding up his hands. “Clearly I know next to nothing about Hell. I guess at least I’ll have learnt something new before I get thrown into a viper pit.”
“You’re not getting thrown into a pit, precious.” Andras assured him.
“And you can’t promise that,” Drew retorted. “But that’s beside the point. How do I get my ring back?”
Andras shrugged. “Dunno. Ask him for it?”
He scoffed. “As if that’d work.”
“Won’t know until you try.” Andras crossed to the pallet and sat down. “You may as well get comfortable. I think we’ll be here for a while.”
Drew sighed. “You’re probably right.”
He’d just sat down next to Andras when they heard the lock turning and the door to the hallway opened. They exchanged a quick, worried look and then both scrambled to their feet, feeling more confident facing down a threat whilst standing.
Orias had other plans. He and another guard stepped into the room, and he barked, “Kneel before my master!”
Drew glanced at Andras and saw he’d turned deathly pale. The guard took a menacing step forward, and Drew tugged on Andras’s arm, urging him to the ground. Once they were both kneeling, Orias continued.
“Son of the Dawn, Ruler of the Kingdom of Air, Master of Serpents, and the Prince of Hell—Lucifer Morningstar.”
The demon who entered the chamber next was .
. . not what Drew had expected. He’d been picturing the stereotypical demon from pop culture, like Hellboy from the comics: gigantic, muscular, with red skin, glowing eyes, and big horns.
Or maybe even like Tom Ellis from the TV show, who was tall, handsome, and charming.
He wasn’t expecting a twink.
Lucifer was tiny, even shorter than Drew.
He was slim but well-toned, and the black leather vest he was wearing showed off small but firm biceps, and a hint of a flat stomach.
He was wearing tight black pants, shiny black boots that reached almost to his knees, and he was adorned with jewels.
Each finger had a ring circling it; a delicate jewelled choker was at his throat, and his ears were pierced multiple times, each with a sparkling gem.
His hair was surfer-boy blond, cut short and straight but styled in a way that looked effortlessly windswept.
A constellation of freckles covered his nose and cheeks, beneath hazel eyes that looked almost orange.
Before Drew had a chance to even process this information, he was hit by the sheer power that exuded from Lucifer.
If he hadn’t already been kneeling, he would have buckled under the weight of it.
It didn’t feel evil, or bad. Drew was just completely and unmistakably in the presence of one of the most powerful beings in existence.
Lucifer walked calmly towards the cell, then stood there and silently observed the demon before him.
Drew stayed silent, frozen like prey, waiting.
Beside him, Andras was staring at the ground, hunched in on himself like he was trying to make himself invisible.
The guard remained by the door, but Orias crossed halfway into the chamber, maintaining a respectful distance from his master, but close enough in case he was needed.
“Hello again, Andras,” Lucifer said, and his soft voice had a musical lilt to it.
“My Lord,” Andras whispered, keeping his head down.
“Your insolence will not go unpunished,” Orias warned. “Show the proper respect.”
Andras let out a shaky breath. It looked like it was taking every ounce of willpower he had, but he slowly looked up and met Lucifer’s gaze.
He then kissed his pointer and middle fingers before touching his forehead, both shoulders, and then his heart.
“My Lord,” he said again, his voice faltering only slightly.
“My mind, body, and soul are yours,” he intoned.
Lucifer continued to watch Andras closely, but his face remained blank, giving away nothing of his thoughts. He didn’t spare a glance for Drew, like he didn’t exist at all.
The silence stretched, becoming almost a living thing.
Tension thrummed around the room, and Drew wondered who he needed to pray to in order for the ground to split open and swallow him up.
There was some unspoken conversation happening, he was certain of it.
What was being said, he didn’t know, but it was obvious that both Lucifer and Andras did.
After what felt like an eternity, but was in reality only a minute or two, Lucifer tore his eyes from Andras and turned to leave. He paused, his eyes falling on Leila in the opposite cell. “Oh,” he said, sounding surprised. He then nodded his head in a surprising mark of respect. “Good morning.”
Leila’s head tilted to the side as she regarded Lucifer, her black eyes reflecting the light of one of the sconces. Eventually she let out a clear bok.
“Orias?” Lucifer said.
“Yes, My Lord?” he asked, snapping to attention.
“Please ensure our guest is comfortable.” He nodded towards Leila. “That cage is not befitting one of her kind.”
“Of course, My Lord.”
Without a backwards glance, Lucifer left the room, and the guard followed him out, closing the door behind him.
Orias walked up to the cell bars and stared at Andras. “See what you’ve done,” he hissed.
“I didn’t do anything!” Andras protested, seeming to regain a little of his previous mettle.
Orias barked out a derisive laugh. “Why did I expect anything different from the likes of you? Thief!”
Drew was so lost. What the hell was going on?
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Andras demanded. “You got the dagger back!”
“You know damn well this isn’t about the dagger!” Orias jabbed a finger through the bars at Andras. “It’s about what else you stole.”
“Not this again,” Andras said, frustrated. “I didn’t steal anything else!”
“You stole his heart, and for that you must pay!” Orias roared, causing both Drew and Andras to stagger back in shock.
“What?” Andras asked Orias..
“Andras? What does he mean?” Drew asked Andras.
“You waltz in here without a care in the world. You take advantage of his hospitality and his drink. Then you use your charms on him and fall into bed with him. My master fell hard and fast for you, but before morning light, you snuck away, trampling on what he so freely offered you. You are despicable!” Orias spat.
Drew gasped. “You slept with Lucifer?”
“Woah, woah, woah,” Andras said, holding up his hands. “Let’s just back up the crazy train a little bit, yeah?” He looked at Drew. “Yes, I slept with him. Did you see him? Who wouldn’t want to hit that?”
Orias growled and pushed closer to the bars. “You watch your tongue!”
Andras raised an eyebrow. “Interesting.”
“What is?” Drew asked.
Andras didn’t answer, just watched Orias very closely. Orias took a step back and gave him an obstinate glare, his jaw set and his eyes furious.
“Andras?” Drew pushed.
“If I’m not mistaken,” Andras said with delight. “Orias is this worked up on his master’s behalf because he has a vested interest in Lucifer’s love life.”
Drew looked to Orias and saw a faint blush colouring his stubbled cheeks. He remained silent, though, neither confirming nor denying the accusation.
“Can I just say,” Andras continued, as if he hadn’t just dropped the bombshell of the century.
“I feel it’s a bit harsh to lay the blame entirely at my feet for this.
Yes, I slept with your prince. I thought it was clear for both of us it was a single night of fun.
We didn’t discuss seeing each other again, and no sweet nothings were whispered.
If Lucifer has gone and caught feelings for me, it’s not fair to place responsibility on me for that. ”
“He’s hurting,” Orias ground out, like he knew he was sharing information he shouldn’t be, but he was so upset that he couldn’t help it.
“He’s also a grown-ass demon who can use his words,” Andras asserted. “If he was interested in something more with me, then maybe he should have simply spoken to me instead of sending his horde of assassins after me.”
“If we’d been given orders to kill you, you’d be dead,” Orias stated.
“Look, I know I’m not the most experienced when it comes to relationships,” Drew said. “But I wouldn’t have thought throwing someone in prison would be the best way to go about wooing them. It kinda seems counterproductive.”
“What he said,” Andras said, pointing at Drew.
Orias huffed. “That’s not why he sent us after you. You did steal his dagger.”
“Yes, but we gave that back.”
“Your friend gave it back,” Orias argued. “The fact that you took it in the first place will not go unpunished.”
“I have another question,” Drew said.
Orias stared at him, but didn’t stop him from asking.
“So, the only reason Lucifer sent you after Andras was because he stole from him, yeah?”
“Is that your question?”
“No, I’m just clarifying.”
Orias sighed, but nodded in response.
“Okay. So, the other part, about him being upset because he has feelings for Andras? It’s actually you who’s upset about that and wants to punish Andras, not Lucifer?”
Even from several feet away, Drew could hear Orias grinding his teeth together. Drew wasn’t sure if he’d answer or not, but he stayed quiet, giving Orias time. Finally, he grunted out, “Maybe.”
“So Lucifer doesn’t have anything extra bad in store for us, then? We’re not going to be like, tortured or anything?” he asked hopefully.
“Drew!” Andras cried. “Don’t give him ideas!”
Orias clenched his hands into fists, but then shook his head. “My master has no immediate plans for your demise,” he admitted.
“And are you going to go against his wishes?” Drew asked.
“As much as I wish to see Andras punished for his blatant disregard of my prince’s feelings, I do not disobey orders,” Orias said.
The heavy weight of panic that had been crushing Drew since he’d woken eased. Yes, they were still in prison, but his immediate future wasn’t going to be filled with pain or death. The relief was staggering. “Okay, that’s good. Thank fuck.”
“So, what exactly happens next?” Andras asked.
“My master hasn’t shared that with me as yet,” Orias said. “I will, however, see to the familiar’s comfort as instructed.”
“Any chance we’ll be fed and watered too?” Andras gave Orias a winning smile.
Orias glared at him, then turned and stalked out of the room.
“Damn. I’m so hungry,” he complained, rubbing his stomach.
Drew sank down onto the pallet and dropped his head into his hands. “Argh! I forgot to ask about the ring!”
Andras sat next to him and patted him on the back. “I’m sure we’ll have the pleasure of Orias’s company again soon. You’ll get your chance.”
It wasn’t Orias who returned sometime later with a larger, cushioned cage for Leila, but one of the other guards.
They also had a plate of stew, some coarsely sliced bread, and a flask of water for the prisoners, so it could have been worse.
Drew just needed to bide his time and wait for another opportunity.