Three Trials (The Dark Side Book 2)(61)

“You’re not strong enough to kill your father, but he is strong enough to kill all of us,” Gage says like he’s trying to reason with me. “Let’s think this through.”

“He can’t come topside. That much we know. The longer we delay, the longer he dangles us on his strings whilst he plays the mad puppeteer,” I say on a frustrated sigh. “I’m not opposed to killing, and it seems to be the most logical solution to our current problem. I just got you four. I’m not ready to die without at least a little fight.”

Lamar pinches the bridge of his nose.

“Just remember you convinced her that she’s reasonable,” Ezekiel growls, causing Lamar to groan.

“Well, the old Paca was very reasonable, but also very knowledgeable and not running on snippets of information,” he finally gripes, glaring at Ezekiel before looking back to me. “You need to read your journals.”

“Do they say I’m a daddy’s girl or something? We’re in hell. He’s the Devil. I expect manipulation and tricks. I won’t believe words just because they’re on a page in a book we got from hell.”

“I don’t know what the journals say, to be honest. You blessed them so that only your blood would reveal the words,” Lamar answers.

“You were going to read my journals?” I ask on an octave higher. “Those are private!”

“Someone else reason with her. I’ve forgotten how exhausting she can be,” he groans.

“If Lucifer didn’t want us dead because it would have made his child suffer, I highly doubt he’s responsible for our deaths,” Jude says, reciting the origins journal.

“That was from the beginning, and a lot of centuries have passed since I spiced the four of you up real nice. I was created to be a robotic weapon. What if I decided I never wanted to blow the world to bits and he killed me so he could replace me, because there has to be six, not seven children, even though there are already technically seven children, regardless of the weird loophole rule?”

Everyone flicks a gaze between them, almost as though that hadn’t crossed their minds.

“Oh for heaven’s sake—”

“Really, Lamar? Heaven’s sake? Is that entirely appropriate?” I ask seriously.

He groans and scrubs a hand down his face.

“What on earth are you wearing?” he asks as he shakes his head.

“My ass-kicking, badass attire. Blame Catwoman for making leather bodysuits so fashionable while whooping ass and taking names. Take me to see Lucifer, get me all my journals, and then we’ll be on our way.”

He just studies me, and I study him right back.

“How about a compromise?” Kai bites out, glaring at me. “You pretend you have your memories and just speak with Lucifer. It’ll be you manipulating him to find out the truth about what happened.”

“And what if he kills her on the fucking spot?” Ezekiel snaps, shoving at Kai’s chest.

“So you admit he’s likely the one who wants us dead,” I say to Ezekiel, patting his shoulder and ignoring all the sounds of exasperation.

“Lamar, send them home. I’d like to see my father now,” I tell him with a smirk.

“Lamar, don’t you fucking—”

Jude’s words are cut off when the four of them are suddenly no longer in the room.

“They’re in the graveyard now,” Lamar says, opening his eyes as his jaw tics.

I cock my head, a slow grin forming on my lips. “I just gave you a command, and you totally obeyed.”

His jaw grinds more, and my smile only grows.

“Like an actual command instead of a gently worded request,” I ramble.

Still, he says nothing, just narrows his eyes on me.

“Dance for me,” I say with the same authoritative tone.

He immediately springs into action, and music weirdly starts playing inside the room as Lamar river dances and curses.

“This is humiliating and degrading,” he growls.

“Then stop doing it,” I say with an even bigger grin.

He and the music stop at once.

“Next time I ask a question, maybe you should just answer it before I make you do it,” I say as I move closer.

He gives me a hurt look. “You always admired it when I looked out for you and never made it your duty to remind me of my place as the others did. Well, the way they did before you became my friend, and I became your only friend who wasn’t a lover or family.”

I move to pick up my journal that fell from Gage’s hand before the siphoning. I open it and peer down before staring at my hand.

Just the right thought has the tip of my finger opening up and a drop of blood spills out onto the pages.

My breath goes out shakily, because I have no idea how I knew how to do that.

My eyes flit down to the journal, expecting it to be in English, but it’s not. Weirdly enough.

“What language is this?” I ask.

He peers over, studying it. “Romanian,” he says with a sad smile, then starts reading the words to me in translation. “War is the one who will always side with you first, because he thinks like you the most. However, don’t mistake that for him being weak or sweet. He’ll punish you for that. Regardless, his constant championing will keep you from feeling so outnumbered,” he reads aloud to me, frowning. “It’s almost like you wrote this to yourself.”