“Ask me again who and what I am,” he said, his voice hard and cold.
“Who are you?” I whispered.
“Astaroth, one of the original Fallen and currently a grand prince of Hell.”
“You lied to me.”
His lips curved up in a mockery of a smile. “You and I both know that’s not true. Come on, Laila, you’re an angel of the first order. You would have been able to tell if I’d lied to you.”
He was right, and also he was wrong. He had lied with his body, his expressions. I’d believed his words because I knew he was speaking the truth, but I’d believedinhim because of the impression of pain and sorrow he’d given me. I’d gotten sucked into his act and hadn’t questioned his roundabout answers.
Thinking back on it, he’d been so careful with his words, leaving me to fill in the blanks with all the things he didn’t say. In all his talk about missing Heaven, paired with the fact that he’d met with the Lord, I’d assumed when he said he had orders that they came from God. He’d encouraged that thinking when he told me about God never having made a bad choice when I asked why me. But he hadn’t specifically said that God chose me. He only said that I’d asked the same question as many people whom Godhadchosen.
“You tricked me.”
“Much more accurate.”
“I trusted you.”
For a second I thought I saw a flicker of emotion in his eyes, but it was gone so fast I might have imagined it. “And I never lied to you. I meant every word I said. I did need you, Laila. I came to Heaven for you.”
“What exactly do you need from me?”
“Nothing anymore. My job is done. I was sent to steal you from Heaven and bring you here.”
I was trembling, but I couldn’t make myself stop. I honestly wasn’t sure if I was more scared or pissed off at this point. “So that’s it? You came to Heaven, lured me away, and now you’re done?”
“Pretty much.”
“I can’t believe I felt sorry for you. That I wanted to take away your pain.”
“I told you I didn’t deserve it.”
“And that makes it okay?”
“Look, darling, you can hate me all you want, but this wasn’t personal. It’s not your approval I’m looking for, and I wasn’t the one who chose you for this.”
I’d never hated my ability to sense untruths before, but I did at this moment. I wanted to believe that Roth had lied to me or that he was lying to me now. Because the truth hurt.
“Roth, please.” I wasn’t even sure what I was asking him for, but I didn’t have any options at this point. My life was in his hands at the moment.
He frowned, breaking the impassive mask he wore. He moved to stand directly in front of me and reached out to take my hand. His touch was so gentle and so at odds with the rough metal cuff he secured over my wrist. He cuffed the other wrist as well and then looked up from my hands to meet my eyes.
“Hold on to your faith, Laila.” There was so much gravity to his voice it sent shivers down my spine. And then the mask slipped back into place. His eyes hardened and a cruel smirk curled his lips. “Enjoy your stay in Hell, darling.”
“Oh, she’s something,” another voice said from behind me.
I started to look, but Roth caught my chin and forced me to keep my eyes on him.
“I don’t remember them looking sopurelast time I was up there,” the stranger continued.
“I didn’t really think about it,” Roth said, sounding downright bored. “I took whom I was told to.”
The stranger laughed. “She really doesn’t make you want to dirty her up? Come on, Astaroth, she’s as white as snow. You can’t tell me you weren’t tempted.”
Roth shrugged. “Not really my thing. Stealing her out of Heaven was more than enough of a rush.”
“I’d have an easier time believing that if you hadn’t put the shackles on her.”
