Chapter 32: Ding dong the witch is dead
Azazel:
Ding dong the witch is dead. I can believe Marael is finally dead. After Zoe had recited the spell, we were transported back to my flat; Lana and Lucifer showed up as soon as we appeared. “What the bloody hell did you do in hell today? The whole bloody place was falling apart.”
Lana rolls her eyes and pushes him teasingly in the arm. “Oh, quit being such a drama queen, Lucifer. The whole place didn’t fall apart; only the mountain Sahara took us to did. And I say good riddance to that place.”
Zoe wraps her arms around Lana with a soft cry. “She had my mom! Marael had my mom, and now that she’s dead, I don’t know where mom is.”
Just then, the amulet’s glow engulfs Lana, and both women are torn from each other’s arms. It’s as if they were being pushed by an unknown force. I catch Zoe in my arms before she crashes into the wall, and Lucifer does the same with Lana.
Lana’s body shudders and heaves as the glow surrounds her body and wings burst from her back. Lucifer kneels before her trembling frame and extends his hand to her, but stops when Lana opens her glowing eyes and gives him a withering glare. “You!” She utters in an unearthly ethereal voice. It’s husky and soft, yet sensual somehow.
Lucifer narrows his eyes and replies. “You know me?”
Scoffing at his words, Lana slides back on the floor with a reproachful scowl. “You were meant for me, but your selfishness cursed me. You cursed me.” She mumbles in distress.
Lucifer swallows deep before he asks. “You’re Lana, but you’re not quite Lana anymore, are you? What’s your name, Seraphim?” Lana bites her lip and looks down at her lap. “Hadraniel. My name is Hadraniel.”
Lucifer flinches back as if he’d been slapped in the face, his mouth tightening with an untold emotion. “Hadraniel? The angel of love. That’s what your name means?”
Lana/ Hadraniel nods. “Yes, that’s what it means. I was to be yours, but you betrayed the creator, and I was locked away for your sins. For centuries, I was incarcerated and reviled for being yours.”
Lucifer’s lips tighten further, a sliver of guilt slipping through. “I’m…I don’t know what to say. I didn’t even know you existed.” Lana/ Hadraniel shakes her head with a snicker. “But I knew of you. I was a child when I first gazed upon you, the revered son of the Creator. I knew you were mine from the moment you arrogantly strolled through heaven, leading other angels to their duties. Yet you passed me by as if I was of no significance. But I had hope. The Creator himself gave me hope. He said that when the time was right, you’d know of my existence, and you’d rejoice. But you didn’t, did you? You and your avarice were all that mattered to you as you plowed through heaven and destroyed everything in your path. You, who bore a child with a demon, never giving a thought to whom you left behind.”
Lucifer clenches his jaw and takes a deep breath. It’s surreal to watch the scene unfold before us, but we can’t look away.
“I told you. I didn’t—” Lana/Hadraniel interrupts. “You didn’t know? Well, that makes things better.” She replies sarcastically. “It’s of no consequence now, Devil. We don’t care if you don’t want us. We are not here for you. We’re here to protect my sister. And once my duty is done, I will leave and make my own happiness as far away from you as I can.”
Her eyes hone in on Zoe as she rises to her feet and approaches her. “The creator has granted me permission to restore your family. Your mother and all of her friends are well and unaware of what occurred.”
Zoe’s face brightens with happiness, but she doesn’t embrace Hadraniel the way she did Lana. “Thank you. Thank you so much.” She mutters through blurry eyes.
Lana/Hadraniel gives her a slight bow. “Of course, in exchange for their lives, the creator asks that you give me the amulet. The creator believes it’s best if the amulet is secured in a safe place.”
Zoe looks at me, her eyes wide with confusion, but it’s Lucifer who responds.
“Give it to her. The amulet is too dangerous to remain in the human world. The Creator will make sure it’s kept somewhere where no one will find it.”
I nod my head and wave a hand in concession. “He’s right, luv.”
Zoe removes the amulet from around her neck and holds it out to Lana/Hadraniel. Once Lana touches the amulet, the light within the blue gem amplifies into a blinding light encasing the amulet until it vanishes into thin air. As soon as the amulet disappears, Lana/Hadraniel’s eyes roll to the back of her head, and her body slumps forward. Once again, Lucifer’s there to catch her.
Lana’s eyes flutter open, clear of angel light as she gazes at us in confusion. “Hey, what’s going on? Did I faint?” She asks, horrified. By the look on Lana’s face, she’s unaware that she’s Hadraniel. It’s as if they’re two beings are sharing one body. Lucifer straightens her up with a shake of his head. “You merely bumped your head when the amulet sent you and Zoe flying through the air. Lana rubs the back of her head with a chagrined frown. “Sorry, guys. So, where’s the amulet?”
Zoe waves her hand in dismissal. “Oh, Lucifer transported it back to a safe place. How are you feeling?”
Lana shrugs. “I’m fine. So, what do we do next?”
Lucifer’s cocky expression returns. “I don’t have to do another bloody thing. Hell is where it should be, and the amulet is protected, which means my nanny duties are over.” His gaze lingers on Lana’s for a moment, then turns back to mine. “We’re even, for now, demon. However, I recommend that in the future, you stay out of my way because next time we meet, I won’t be merciful.”
Lip curled, I step closer and reply. “Don’t worry you, bloody git, I have no desire to see your sodding minger again either.” Lucifer flips me the bird before he banishes me from the room. Zoe and Lana blink at his exit. Lana looks a bit sad but quickly hides it. “What’s a minger?” She asks.
I shake my head in bemusement. “It means someone who fell off the ugly tree at birth and hit every branch on the way down.” Zoe and Lana give me an incredulous look before they both break out into boisterous laughter. “Oh my god, babe, only you would say that to the devil and live.”
Zoe clutches her stomach with an amused chuckle, and Lana gasps in amusement. “Oh man, I wish I had known that word. I would have called him that every day.”
I roll my eyes at both women’s amused tone. “We should call Fallon and Mathias. They will want to know about Sahara, Marael, and the amulet.”
Zoe nods as she takes my hand and wraps the other around Lana’s shoulder. “Yeah, it’s time for us to get back to normal. I also want to check on my mom too.” Lana gives us both a wistful smile. “Yeah, I missed you guys. And after everything that has happened, I’ve decided I’m going to live life to the fullest. I’m going to travel abroad to school and maybe get a boyfriend. No more hoping for things to get better.”
Zoe gives her friend an imperceptible grin. I know what she’s thinking. She wants to tell her friend about Lucifer but is holding back because she doesn’t want to hurt her. I don’t know what I’d do if I were her. It’s a precarious place to be knowing something that might hurt someone, yet understanding that it’s their right to know.
However, that’s something we will have to face another day.