Lucille #2
“No. Not unless they make a mistake or Alexei finds something in the books he’s been reading. But whoever’s behind this is strategic. They know they have the element of surprise, and they won’t risk losing it.”
“Can we stop them if they attack?”
Yelling, hissing water, and clashing metal echoed in Ronen’s silence.
He had his chin lifted, back straight, and attention on the fights. He exuded confidence. Anyone looking at him knew right away who was in charge.
But his anxiety slithered like a snake poised to strike.
“We’ll see,” he admitted softly. “Now get to your squad. I need MJ to help train the Bowels in combat.”
I nodded and finally met up with my squad and MJ.
She quickly coached me on how to critique my squad, then left. The moment she did, I had the immediate urge to call her back.
It was such a weak thought. An easy way out.
I wanted to beat that urge out of me.
What kind of leader relied on someone else to step in?
Not one worth following.
Which my squad subtly proved with their games.
Oh, they listened to my orders, paused when I told them to, switched up teams, shut up when I gave them advice.
But they never took my advice.
Honestly, I wasn’t even sure I could blame them.
I’d been in Hell training for two months.
Why would they listen to me on how to fight?
I glanced over at the Devils Squadron, and hope fluttered in my stomach.
Aspen was participating.
He wasn’t fighting, but it looked like he was helping the Devils’ leader critique and train them. He had more life in his face and gestures than I’d seen the entire time he’d been in Hell.
Eventually, Ronen had all the squads pause their fights and grouped us into two sections. One trained with weapons, the other with powers.
We were led through long-range and short-range combat drills. Some were familiar, while others were new.
Of course, when I switched to the power drills, I only observed, taking in everything I could while honing my lusceler in attacks.
In the afternoon, I was back to trying to lead my squad.
The entire time, I tried to think of what could possibly help me earn their respect.
During this time, the patrols returned and switched out with every squadron except ours and Aspen’s.
No way.
Oliver and Ichi popped over to my side while our squad took a quick break.
“Are you wondering why we’re not switching?” Oliver asked with a wince.
His reaction said it all. I didn’t even need him to say more.
Still, I pursed my lips as my Infernus sang with growing irritation.
“Ronen’s not allowing us on patrols. MJ told us before you arrived.”
I dug my nails into my palms.
Sure, I understood why Ronen would leave us out. My squad didn’t listen to me. More than that, they didn’t know I had power, so if we ran into trouble, I’d have to expose myself. He was protecting me. I knew that. But it pissed me off.
We weren’t useless.
We’d all trained hard and had the skills necessary to protect each other on patrols.
And…
I cared about Hell.
I didn’t know when it started.
Maybe the moment I stepped foot in the frozen land. Maybe after I met a certain general or befriended Ichi, Alexei, and MJ. Could’ve even been after I met my father and his grumpy librarian.
Earth wasn’t my home. Nothing was left there but ruins of a tumultuous past.
Elora I felt nothing but disdain for.
But Hell…
Somewhere along the way, I’d decided this was my new home, and I wanted more from it.
That explained the disappointment after coming here and failing to lead. That explained the itch growing in my stomach, demanding I do more.
I didn’t rule Hell. Hardly anyone knew I was the princess.
But I cared, and that had to be worth something.
“I want to be in the patrol rotation. I want to help search the forests for infected Damned,” I said at last.
Aspen had been walking over from his squad and caught my words, stiffening.
Oliver laughed.
Ichi bowed her head, unsheathed her massive sword, and placed it in her palms as an offering.
Dusty and Matt gazed at me like I’d grown a second head.
But the rest of my squad perked up.
“We fought and killed Lilith,” I whispered harshly in retaliation to Oliver’s disbelieving cackle.
Ichi’s sword clanged against the sand.
“The cause of your absence,” she murmured, bowing lower. “I apologize that you did not find me worthy enough to follow you into battle.”
I frowned. “That’s not—”
“We were on a time crunch,” Oliver cut in, crouching to grab her sword.
Then he yelped and dropped it.
“Fuck-a-duck! What is that?”
“It’s a bonded sword. Only she can hold it,” Aspen explained.
“Would’ve been nice to know that before I touched it,” Oliver grumbled, clutching his hand.
Then a sneaky smile spread across his face as he stared at the burns.
His next excuse to see Sam.
“Ichi.” I touched her shoulder. “It wasn’t anything against you. And this time, I’d love for you to join me in battle.”
She picked up her sword and straightened, looking appeased. Unlike the two males, who seemed anything but happy about my declaration.
“Ronen’s never going to let us.”
“You don’t know what they’re capable of.”
Oliver and Aspen talked over each other, telling me things I didn’t want to hear and already knew.
“We are not powerless. Everyone in the Tormentors has skill, which they’ve proved in the demon matches, the challenges, and these fights,” I said, speaking loud enough for everyone to hear.
When I turned to face the half of my squad that continued to test me, I decided to be straight with them.
“Our only issue is working as a team and listening because you don’t see me as a leader.
But out there, we wouldn’t have the luxury of not listening to each other.
” I gestured to the arena’s floor-length windows overlooking the forests. “Unless we want to die or be turned.”
Aspen’s disapproving expression shifted, narrowing the slightest bit. Oliver pulled at his hair, looking ready to argue against me, just like Dusty and Matt.
But the others watched me. Considered me.
“Do you want to help save Hell?” I asked.
Matt scoffed. “Not particularly.”
Dusty shifted on his feet. But Zera, Enora, Rissa, Valarus, and Ichi held eager anticipation in their expressions.
This was my chance.
Not only to earn their respect, but to come together and help protect our home.
“The general won’t allow us,” Ichi insisted.
I lifted my chin and crossed my arms. “I’ll deal with the general.”
Then I leveled each of my squad members one by one.
“But if you’re with me, prepare yourself. Training wheels come off tomorrow. And Ichi, meet me at the dungeons in an hour.”
She still wanted to see her sister, and I’d make that happen.
After training, I left with Oliver and Aspen. Awkward tension followed us down the red-carpeted halls. They both looked like they were holding their tongues, wanting to say something about my declaration but probably knowing it wouldn’t go well.
The tension slightly eased when a smile broke across Oliver’s face, and he split off toward the healers’ wing with a short wave.
“He should just tell Sam how he feels,” I said, hoping to break the awkward silence.
Aspen remained quiet.
Or not.
We walked down the hall and up a few flights of stairs, and it wasn’t until we arrived at our rooms that he finally spoke.
“He’s scared to make it real and lose something he isn’t sure he has,” he murmured softly.
The warmth from the sconces lit the drawn planes of his profile.
He stretched and fisted his hands, something I’d noticed him doing to silence the tremors when his emotions became so big they seeped through his mental block.
I could feel his anxiety and fear.
“He is, or you are?”
“Can’t they both be true?”
Nerves heated my skin and slicked my palms.
How did I tell him? Was now a good time?
He appeared more lively and engaged today.
Or would it make things worse?
Maybe I’d just start with the easy part.
“Aspen, I want you to know I forgive you for the past.”