Lucifer Damned (Morningstar Book 3), Percival Constantine [electric book reader .txt] 📗

Lucifer struggled against his shackles, but it was futile. “Raum, listen to me, you don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re becoming gripped by the same madness that took Abraxas and Pyriel. This is why I had to keep the secret!”

“Enough!”

Raum shoved his hand against Lucifer’s chest, slamming him against the wall and channeling hellfire into his body. Lucifer screamed as the heat burned his soul to its core. It lasted only a moment, but felt like an eternity. When Raum removed his hand, Lucifer’s body still smoldered.

“It’s time,” said Raum. “First, we take Hell. And then, once we’ve gathered all the demons in Hell together under one voice, we march on Heaven.”

Raum generated a sword of hellfire and plunged it into Lucifer’s chest. He screamed again and a sadistic smile spread across Raum’s face.

“You’ve become expendable, Morningstar. Now watch a real revolution.”

20

Mara sat quietly in the carriage across from Cross and Lilith. At one point, the two had shared a wild passion, but now Mara couldn’t help but noticing that even when they were sitting next to each other, there was a distance between them. Even with his recent change to his old appearance, Cross still seemed a different man than he was before he took the throne. Mara hadn’t cared for him much back in those days, but she wasn’t sure what to make of this new version of him.

The carriage rolled to a stop and they heard voices coming from outside. The driver was speaking to someone. Then there was a rumbling and the carriage resumed its procession. They must have reached the gates of Beelzebub’s realm.

“What are we going to say to him?” asked Mara. “‘Hi, I think one of your guys is a traitor’?”

Cross shrugged. “You not a fan of the direct route?”

“She’s not wrong,” said Lilith. “If you don’t handle this diplomatically, Beelzebub may view it as an accusation against him. Like you’re saying he’s not capable of controlling his own people. And he does not like you, so it’s best to step carefully.”

Cross leaned his head back. “Both of you need to just relax. I’m Mr. Diplomacy.”

Lilith and Mara exchanged uncomfortable glances. Cross noticed, but didn’t say anything.

The carriage rolled to a stop once again and a moment later, the door opened. Mara emerged first, followed by Lilith, and then Cross stepped out last. Many of the demons who populated Beelzebub’s realm were gathered on either side of a path leading up to the castle doors, all having come to see the new King of Hell in person.

“My liege.” One of Beelzebub’s guards, decked out in chitinous armor, stepped forward and knelt before Cross. “I would be honored to escort you to Lord Beelzebub.”

Cross gestured for the guard to stand. “Sure, that’s fine. Let’s just dispense with the pomp, okay?”

The guard rose and bowed, then spun almost perfectly around and started marching down the path towards the castle. The visitors followed behind him.

“Thought you said Beelzebub hated me?” Cross whispered to Lilith.

“He does,” she replied. “But he also knows how to play the game.”

The castle doors opened when they approached and the guard led them inside. Any staff within stood near the walls at attention as the trio was led deeper into the castle—up the stairs until eventually they arrived at the top floor. In here was a throne room where Beelzebub’s insectoid form sat on a chair that—while it would have been perfect for a person of human-like proportions—hardly seemed like it would be comfortable for someone like him.

“Ahh, here he izzz now, the new King of Hell.” Beelzebub waved a thin arm for them to approach. The guard bowed and dismissed himself. “Welcome, sire.”

“Good to see you, Bee,” said Cross.

“Izzz it?” asked Beelzebub. “I’ve sent many invitations for you to vizzit my realm, and yet you’ve never answered a single one.”

“Sorry,” said Cross. “I’m still figuring out how to do this job.”

“Then I am honored that your first royal vizzit is to my humble abode. Now, what is it I can do for you?”

“It’s about the Morningstar,” said Mara.

Beelzebub’s head snapped angrily at her and his eyes burned bright yellow. “Insolent cow! Do not speak before the King of Hell has had his say!”

Mara narrowed her eyes and her hands tightened into fists. She didn’t care much for Beelzebub in general, but to have him condescend to her was almost too much to bear. Lilith could clearly sense her feelings as well, because she placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her. Though it went against her every instinct, Mara allowed herself to relax.

“She’s just concerned, no offense meant,” said Cross. “Thing is, Lucifer has gone missing. Seems the convoy you provided was attacked by raiders. And we’d like to know how Lucifer’s presence was even uncovered, let alone his route.”

Beelzebub paused before responding and just focused his gaze on Cross. Luther, for his part, remained stoic, his sunglasses concealing his own eyes. After a sufficient amount of sizing each other up, Beelzebub finally spoke.

“Are you saying there’zzz a traitor in my midst?” he asked.

“Beelzebub, we simply want to know what happened to the Morningstar,” said Lilith. “We’ve all heard the rumors of someone gaining followers in the Badlands. And if some of those within the existing realms have been converted, no one would fault you for that.”

“You’re telling me that I cannot control my own people,” said Beelzebub. “That is a fairly significant charge, Lilith.”

“It happens to all of us,” said Lilith. “No one saw Abraxas’s betrayal coming, and he was a Hell Lord in the highest regard.”

Beelzebub looked back and forth between the trio. “So what would you have me do, exactly?”

“We’d need to question your people,” said Mara. “Anyone who knew that Lucifer and I were here, anyone who knew of our route. These were your men who were killed by the raiders, Beelzebub. Don’t you think your denizens might be a bit upset to learn