“I believe that Gabriel could hold Ramuell with his powers, long enough to call the chiefs of the Grigori to his aid. We could re-bind the nephilim in the Valley of Sorrows. But I do not believe that you could destroy Ramuell.”
So Gabriel hadn’t told Azazel about my little starburst. I spoke carefully, so that he wouldn’t think that Gabriel had deliberately withheld information. The last thing I wanted was for Gabriel to be hurt.
“Something new has happened since yesterday. Perhaps Gabriel hasn’t been able to tell you about it. He was very busy caring for me after Ramuell’s attack,” I said.
Azazel’s expression did not alter, but I could sense a metaphorical pricking of his ears.
I described my battle with Ramuell, the draining of my magic, and the sudden manifestation of the starburst. I did not mention the second episode, since Gabriel had already warned me that it would be his death if anyone knew he had touched me.
Azazel’s brows drew closer together as I told my tale. “And you say that this power harmed the nephilim? Do you believe that you mortally wounded him?”
I thought of the missing skin, the gaping sores. “I don’t know if he was mortally wounded but I definitely messed him up. He ought to be out of action for a little while.”
“Madeline,” Azazel said, and he took me by the elbow to draw me closer. We both turned to look out the window as he whispered to me. “You must be very careful. I do not have a child among the nephilim, but most of the Grigori do. They did not want their offspring destroyed; that is why the nephilim are bound. Lord Lucifer would not thank you for murdering his firstborn.”
“And if it’s a choice between my life and his?” I said.
Azazel looked troubled. “I cannot guarantee, even under that circumstance, that Lord Lucifer would permit you to live.”
Somehow I had expected that answer. I sighed in resignation. “Well, at least I could take Ramuell out. And set Mom free.”
“Of all the things that I regret, and there are many, I regret most of all that your mother came to this fate. You do not know how it has tormented me that her soul is trapped in the body of that monstrosity,” Azazel said fiercely.
A fist squeezed my heart. “So you did love her,” I said.
“Of course I did. I will never know another love like that of your mother.”
“And still you got it on with Greenwitch, and had that jerk Antares—who, by the way, has a real attitude problem.”
“And again I will remind you that I do not answer to you, my daughter.”
I was already sick to death of bowing and scraping. “I apologize, Father,” I said stiffly.
Azazel seemed content with my reluctant fealty. “Gabriel has told me of Antares’s attacks on you. He has always been jealous of your place in court, a place that he felt was rightfully his. But the court would never accept a half demon as my heir.”
“Wait a second. Wait,” I said, my thoughts whirling. “I’m your heir? And Greenwitch was a demon?”
“Of course,” Azazel said.
“Of course which?” I asked.
“Of course you are my heir, and of course Lady Greenwitch was a demon.”
“Why didn’t she look demonic?” I asked. “I thought she was an ordinary human.”
Azazel shrugged. “Some demons, such as Greenwitch, possess sufficient power to disguise their aspect. She was particularly adept at masking her true nature. In any case, you did not see a soul leave her body at her death, did you?”
I was very distracted by this “of course you are my heir” business, but I had been curious about the lack of an Agent at Greenwitch’s death. “Are you saying that demons don’t have souls?”
“You have been an Agent for many years, Madeline. Have you ever taken the soul of a demon?”
“Well, no,” I admitted. “But I never knew that demons existed until a couple of days ago. I have taken the souls of other supernatural beings, though—vampires and werewolves and faeries.”
“All of those creatures are part human, even if the humanity is very far back in the bloodline, as with faeries. Only humans have souls.”
“And why is that?” I asked, and for the second time in the last day I felt that I skated very close to the origin of the Universe, to the secret behind the Door.
“That is not for humans to know,” Azazel chided. “Do not think me a foolish child that can be cozened by an innocent face.”
I felt the blood rising in my cheeks. “Right, well, on to that other thing. This heir business.”
“On the day that you were born, you were named my heir. This means that in the event of my death you are to take over the duties of this court.”
“And those duties are . . . ?” I asked, rotating my wrist to indicate that he should explain.
“To swear fealty to Lord Lucifer and protect the sanctity of his kingdom.”
“And that’s it? No tempting humans to the dark side?”
Azazel smiled mysteriously. “That is all you need to know for now.”
I felt the acid sloshing in my stomach. I didn’t want to be the heiress to a piece of Lucifer’s kingdom. I wanted to get married, and have a baby or two, and grow old and die like an ordinary human. I didn’t want to be a part of this.
“I thought you said that Katherine couldn’t be with you because she had her own master to serve—because she was an Agent,” I said. “How could I inherit your place in court if I have the same responsibilities?”
“Those responsibilities could be passed to your child,” Azazel said. “Death is not the only circumstance under which that could happen. You could voluntarily relinquish your soul-collecting powers to your offspring.”
I could not disguise a shudder. I would never do that to my child. Voluntarily condemn them to a life of loneliness, like mine? I would only pass my inheritance when I had no other choice—when another Agent was taking me to the Door. And since as far as I knew there were no long-lost cousins hiding in the closet, it was very likely that the bloodline would die with me and no one would get my suck job.
But I did not say any of this to Azazel. “Well, I probably won’t have to worry about it. You look like you’ve been around for a while. And besides, marriage and babies are not in my future right now.”
Azazel’s eyes twinkled as he turned and beckoned to someone behind me. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”
My heart sank. What now?
Nathaniel appeared beside Azazel. The smug expression on his face made me want to punch him. “Yes, my lord?”
“Madeline, meet your betrothed. Nathaniel, you may take her hand,” Azazel said.
I stepped back and bumped into the windowsill, keeping my hands at my sides so that Nathaniel couldn’t touch me. My eyes searched frantically until I found Gabriel. He stood ten feet away, watching the proceedings with a stony face. I felt heartsick. Had he known about this? Why hadn’t he warned me?
“What is the matter, Madeline?” Azazel asked. “Nathaniel is my chief advisor and a very powerful angel in his own right. This is a good match for you.”
“Him?” I asked, pointing at Nathaniel. “Captain Condescension? I don’t think so.”
“Be careful, Madeline,” Azazel said, and there was an undercurrent of warning in his voice. “In this court, my word is law. And it is my word and my wish that you marry Nathaniel today.”
“Today?” I thought that I would faint. I also felt a powerful surge of regret. I could have made love to Gabriel. I could have at least been tied to this angel with the knowledge that I had sown some wild oats. But instead I was going to be handed off to this unknown for the sake of political expediency, and a creature that I had hated on sight would take my carefully preserved virginity. “Today? I don’t even know him, and you want me to marry him today? You have no right to marry me to someone I don’t love. I just met you!”
“I have every right. I am your father, and I am the right hand of Lord Lucifer. If you disobey me in this, Madeline, you will be punished.”
Azazel’s voice had gone icy cold, and the room had gone still. We spoke so softly that I doubted anyone could hear us, but all were attuned to the vibrations of power in our little corner.
I felt a surge of fear, and caught Gabriel’s eye again. His eyes implored me to take care. I didn’t need the warning. I could sense that I walked a very fine line. I backpedaled quickly.
“May I speak with my father alone, Nathaniel?” I asked, taking care to modulate my voice.
Azazel nodded, and Nathaniel moved away. His confident grin had slipped a little.
“Father,” I said urgently. I took his hand, although it repulsed me to touch him, and to grovel to him. I didn’t think very much of a man who would hand me off to a stranger without a word of assent from me. “Forgive me. I am still new to this world. A couple days ago, I didn’t know that you were my father, or that the Grigori existed. I am still learning about my own magical gifts. And now you’ve told me that I am to marry a creature that I have never seen before, and to give up responsibilities that I have carried my whole life. Forgive me if I am overwhelmed and unsure. This is so new to me.”
Azazel’s face softened, and he covered my hand so that it was clasped between both of his. “Daughter. There is nothing in this world that is more precious to me than you. You are right; I had forgotten that you have lived the life of a human, ignorant of the ways of our people. You need time. Very well. You shall have time.”
He snapped his fingers and Nathaniel immediately appeared at his side.
Like a dog to its master,
I thought sourly.
Azazel placed my hand in Nathaniel’s, giving me no opportunity to pull away. Nathaniel closed his fingers around mine possessively. His skin was very warm, like Azazel’s, to the point of discomfort. I wanted to yank my hand back, grab Gabriel and go anywhere in the universe, somewhere far away from angelic power plays and soul-eating nephilim. I stood still and waited to see what Azazel would do.
“Nathaniel, my daughter has wisely reminded me that she is a stranger to our world. I have decided to give her an opportunity to grow accustomed to life at court before her marriage.
“Madeline,” he continued. “I will give you one year’s grace. During that time you will visit the court twice a month for a period of three days each trip.”
Three days?
I thought. What the hell was I supposed to do with the souls on my list while I was trapped in Azazel’s court for six days each month?
“Additionally, you and Nathaniel will have an opportunity to get to know each other. Nathaniel will formally court you, both here and in the human world, and twelve months from today you shall marry.”
The air crackled a little at this pronouncement, and I realized with horror that Azazel’s words were like a magical binding. If I didn’t follow his edicts, appear in court and marry Nathaniel one year from that day, I would suffer the consequences of breaking the binding. I didn’t know what those consequences might be, but after witnessing Greenwitch’s fate, I didn’t want to find out.
Nathaniel lifted my hand to his lips. I kept my face composed even though my heart rabbited away in my chest. There was a tinkling of glass. We all looked toward the sound, which came from near Gabriel. He looked blandly back at us. I think I was the only one who noticed his left hand was stuffed in his pocket.
My betrothed muttered some words about my beauty, and I made the appropriate noises, but my mind was far away, frantically trying to think of a way out of this marriage, this court, this ridiculous notion of myself as a royal heir. Conversation ebbed and flowed all around us. Azazel moved among his people, leaving Nathaniel and me alone. There was a trill of laughter from one of the assembled crowd.
My heart stopped. I knew that laugh. I yanked my hand away from Nathaniel, whose look turned glacial, and frantically scanned the crowd for its source. Gabriel was at my side in an instant.
“What is it, my lady?” he asked in a low voice.
“That laugh . . . I’ve heard it before,” I said, so that Nathaniel couldn’t hear me. “Help me find her.”
Nathaniel glared down at Gabriel. “The Lady Madeline has no need of you, thrall. Return to your post.”
Gabriel nodded his head respectfully. “I beg your pardon, Lord Nathaniel. But Lady Madeline has requested my assistance.”
Nathaniel puffed up his chest. “If my lady needs assistance, then I will provide it. I am her betrothed.”
“Of course, my lord. But Lord Azazel has charged me with serving Lady Madeline, and I must do as she wishes.” Gabriel said this in a way that sounded polite on the surface but was undercut with steel. He wasn’t about to cede territory to Nathaniel.
I took note of this little exchange with half an ear. I was still trying to place the angel who had sounded so familiar to me.
“Enough with the testosterone,” I snapped. “Nathaniel, Gabriel stays; you go.”
Nathaniel gave me a look that could have frozen molten lava. “Very well, my lady. We will speak again before you depart.”
He bowed low and then moved away.