A gift.
The latter was the part that stuck in my head. Zaya was a present from Lucifer to me. How did I even start to digest that? The horrors of her life were linked to me. They were done to her because of me.
I wasn’t naïve enough to blame myself, but it hurt to know she’d been tormented in a game of fate, all because Lucifer wanted to create the perfect bride.
For me.
A soft knock at the main door to my suite brought me out of my reflection. Stealing a last look at Zaya, I moved from the bedroom to the outer sitting area.
At least I knew it wouldn’t be Napia.
My mother had sent the guards to her quarters to demand her arrest, only to find out that the bitch had fled with her consort and her father. I knew it wouldn’t be the last we saw of them, but at least I had some peace tonight.
I opened the door and found Valora on the other side wearing a worried expression.
“May I come in?” she asked.
I responded by moving out of her way and gesturing her into my sitting area. She walked past me, her long pink skirt swishing against the ground.
“Adrik told me what Lucifer said about Zaya,” she said softly, pausing in the center of my room with her hands clasped before her. “Is she okay?”
I cocked my head toward the bedroom. “She’s pissed, yet thankful to understand her history. I’m not sure how she’ll feel in the morning about it, but for now, she appears to be resting peacefully.”
Valora nodded, her expression darkening. “I really have the worst father in the world, don’t I?”
I grunted. “Yeah, you kind of do.” I motioned for her to sit down while I fixed us some drinks. Blood wine for me, regular wine for her. She accepted the glass with gratitude, then relaxed into my sofa while I took over the chair adjacent to her.
“Your father is…” I trailed off, shaking my head and unable to continue that statement. “I can understand his intentions, and I see the way he is with our mother. He obviously cares for her, but to put Zaya through everything with Necros, similar to what he did to you…” I also couldn’t finish that sentence without losing myself in a string of curses.
I swallowed a gulp of my wine before adding, “The most fucked-up part about all of this is that I’m glad Zaya is in my life, which makes me feel selfish as hell.”
Valora considered that while taking a much smaller sip from her glass. “I think Adrik felt similarly at first. He was furious with Lucifer, yet grateful for my existence, and it created a bit of a conundrum.”
“It feels wrong to be thankful, and yet…”
“You are,” she finished for me. “Lucifer’s methods aren’t kind, but they do work. I’m a better ruler for my kingdom and more powerful from the trials he put me through. He also emboldened my spirit, forcing me to see the good in every situation rather than thrive on my growing strengths. To do that, I had to kno
w what it was like to not feel privileged and protected, to better respect my own natural gifts.”
“And you think his methods were what was best for Zay?” I wondered out loud.
“I think you already know how his methods have impacted her. She’s stronger than ever before. She’s confident. And most importantly, she’s found love.” Her eyes glittered at that last part. “But it took you long enough to act on it. I truly thought putting you in the same room at the wedding would help spur things along, but you’re both so stubborn.”
“You put us in the same room on purpose?” It had shocked the hell out of us both that night, but we’d rolled with it. I’d taken the couch, while she’d slept on the bed.
“Actually, Adrik did.”
I nearly sputtered out the sip of wine I’d just pulled into my mouth. It was a struggle to swallow. “Adrik?”
“You don’t think he’s blind, do you? He’s known about your attraction for months, just as I have. It’s quite obvious, you know.” Valora folded her hands neatly in her lap, the stunning pink diamond engagement ring Adrik gave her sparkled in the lights of my room. I needed to find something as pretty for Zaya when I made her my wife. Possibly in the color blue.
And wow, where had that thought come from?
“You’re good for her,” Valora added, approval evident in her tone.
“Am I?” I asked, setting my glass to the side and rubbing a hand over my face. “I just can’t wrap my head around all of this. Lucifer created her for me, yet she’s a harbinger for him, too. Does that mean she has to collect souls all the time? Won’t that put her life in constant danger?”
Valora laughed softly. “Oh, I think it’s actually rather appropriate. It’s giving her what she always needed.”