Page 97 of Judge of Saints and Sinners

“We’ll get you something for that in a minute,” the girl spoke again, her tone still soft.

“Why do I feel like I just spent the night drinking cheap tequila?”

There was a snort from elsewhere in the room, and I parted my fingers enough that I could look through them. The girl was still there, a hesitant smile on her lips. But she was flanked by two others I had never seen. The one on her right looked like he just walked off the stage at a runway show. He was so beautiful it nearly hurt to look at him, his golden hair swept back off his forehead, bright-green eyes sharp on my face.

The other had a strange quality to him. He was slender, shorter than the other man, with fingers that twitched towards the blades hanging at his waist.

The girl followed my gaze, her chin ducking for a minute. “These two are totally harmless,” she said, elbowing the one who continued to narrow his eyes my way.

“Paran is my mate’s trusted soldier. And Kadmiel here—”

I cut her off, my eyes wide as I stared at the beautiful one.

“You’re Nephesh’s brother.”

Kadmiel looked between the girl and me and back again, nodding.

“Which makes you Lucia.”

The girl in question grinned. “He’s told you about us. I’m flattered.”

I shrugged as much as I dared with my head throbbing like this.

“Oh good.” Lucia let out a long sigh, her shoulders dropping with relief as she turned to Paran. “If he trusts her enough to tell her about us, then there’s no way she’s going to spring from this bed and do any of us harm.” Her emphasis was clearly on him relaxing, but he didn’t budge.

“I promised, my lord, I would remain by your side. Besides, from what I’ve learned, it’s not weapons that make her dangerous.”

Lucia rolled her eyes with a soft groan. “I don't think she’s going to be attacking, are you?”

“Not yet,” I said sarcastically, but this seemed to thrill her, and she immediately grinned once again.

“Perfect.”

Panic slammed into me. “Oh my God, where’s Nephesh?”

Lucia’s smile was gone in a moment, her body language changing in an instant. “Arafel is with him, as well as their father.”

I stared. “Here? He’s okay?”

“He made it back home. You dragged both of you through the boundary and landed in a heap near the Pier of Kalos. Atlas, that’s Nephesh’s guard, brought you here though.”

“Where is here?”

Lucia cringed. “You’re in the Court of Hell right now. That’s where Lucifer lives.”

I stared. “You have to be kidding.”

“Bear with me. It’s more of a government center than fire and brimstone.”

My breathing slowed but only slightly. “Is Nephesh okay? He was—” I remembered the blood, the way I’d held him back when he tried to protect us. A lump rose in my throat. “He was hurt…”

“His father is there, treating him,” Lucia sighed. “He wasn’t in good shape at first.”

“There? As in, not here.”

Lucia nodded slowly, and Paran twitched a little.

“I need to see him. Now.”