Lucifer's Cage (After Dark Book 6) by Sarah Bailey (short story to read .txt) 📗

rest of the assembled fae looked shocked, but they didn’t move to help either of them.

That idiot prince looks as though he’s finally realised she’s never going to be his. Serves him fucking right. She’s mine and she always will be.

He wanted to go to her, but he held back.

“Tell me, daughter, how do you know the prophecy is not about the fae? Who is this he you speak of?”

“Do you really want to know? Are you sure you can handle the truth?”

Lucifer stiffened. If she told her mother, would he be able to stay hidden? Would she want him to reveal himself? He couldn’t. His father would see it as interference.

“It seems your true colours are shining through, Candace. Might as well reveal all your secrets.”

She didn’t look his way. She wore a smirk, her eyes wild with amusement.

“Darkness and light, Mother. There is only one being in this world who personifies those two things equally. Only one who brought the dawn. He goes by many names, but you will only ever remember him as the one who set your daughter free.”

Gwilliana staggered backwards, placing her hand on her heart. Her violet eyes went wide.

“You… you cannot possibly be serious?”

The rest of the fae looked at each other with confusion. Candace shook her head. He knew exactly what she was thinking.

Fools. They cannot see what’s right in front of them.

“Tell them, Mother. Tell them who it is.”

“Lucifer,” her mother whispered.

He rolled his eyes at the collective gasp around the room.

Bunch of stuck up fuckwits. They probably think I’m evil and not to be trusted.

“That’s right. The prophecy is about me and him, not you. It was never about you. I finally know that now. So, as I said to you earlier, I won’t do what you say. I belong to him and no one else can have me.”

She pulled up the hem of her dress, exposing her ankle. The blood drained from Gwilliana’s face. No one spoke for a long moment. The queen’s expression hardened as she continued to stare down at her daughter’s ankle. Candace let her dress fall back. She looked so strong, so assured.

My little witch, you might have defied your mother, but this isn’t over. I hope you know that.

“You don’t deserve to be called my daughter,” Gwilliana seethed.

Her mother struck, her magic flaring out and breaking through Candace’s barrier. Candace put a hand up, pink smoke flaring out and stopping her mother’s spell in its tracks. Her expression darkened. He noticed a change within her immediately. Little flecks of pink glitter swirled within the smoke.

Her magic has fused. The two sides of her. Fuck. He was right. She is more powerful than she realises.

“You’d rather kill me than live knowing your daughter is in love with the Devil?” Candace asked, anger in her eyes.

“You’re sick, daughter. Sick. Allowing such evil to seep into your heart.”

“Evil? The only evil in this room is you. Too long have you kept everyone under your sway. You know nothing.”

“And you deserve nothing.”

The next moment happened so fast, no one moved for a long moment when it was done. Both women had cast a spell, but only one found its mark. Gwilliana looked down at the patch of her dress where her heart lay. It was rapidly darkening, stained with blood. She looked back up at Candace. His little witch stared at her mother without any visible emotion on her face.

“You… you…” Gwilliana said before she collapsed to her knees, clutching her chest.

“Goodbye Mother.”

Candace turned on her heel and strode towards the doors. The attendants pulled them open and she walked out, leaving the fae to stare at their dying queen. Lucifer stood for a moment, unable to quite comprehend the turn of events.

What will she say when she discovers I decided she had to kill her mother? I have to tell her. Now.

Gwilliana took her last breath and collapsed in a heap on the floor. There was a scream from one of the fae women followed by a growl from a male.

Lucifer didn’t stop to survey the damage inflicted any further, he turned away, chasing after his witch.

He caught up with her outside her mother’s mansion. He put a hand on her arm, stopping her in her tracks. She turned to him, eyes full of tears.

“I killed her,” she whispered. “I killed my own mother.”

Fuck. How can I tell her when she looks like that? No, I have no choice.

He let her go, taking a step back.

“I’m sorry, little witch, this is my fault.”

She frowned, tears rolling down her cheeks. She tried to reach for him, but he stepped away again. He needed to keep his resolve to tell her and he couldn’t do that if she barrelled her way into his arms.

“What? You didn’t make me kill my own mother.”

“I… Candace, my Father was here. That’s why time froze. He gave me a choice, to have you for a lifetime or to have you for eternity.”

“He was here? Shit, I’m sorry. That must’ve been awful. Surely you chose for us to have eternity?”

He looked away. The affection she held in her eyes was completely undeserved. He wasn’t worthy of her. Not after the choice he’d made.

I’ve been so fucking selfish.

“Eternity came at a price, little witch. The price was to damn your soul. You had to take a life. Her life. To prove yourself worthy of me. He demanded I decide and if I told you, He would’ve taken away any choice. I’m sorry.”

The moments of silence and stillness unnerved him, but he didn’t look at her.

What if she hates me? I know she said she wouldn’t but how can she not?

He felt a hand under his chin. She