He lifted his head, and his eyes found mine instantly. There was reassurance in his, a promise that I instinctively knew that he shouldn’t be making.
“Why is she here?” he asked, looking toward the demon that held him.
My breath caught and my heart seemed to stop for a long second before starting up again at a gallop. I hadn’t seen Joriel since Lucifer’s throne room, and this was his response? His words hurt, cutting into me with invisible slices.
“We wouldn’t want her to miss the show,” answered a voice from the shadows of one of the buildings that surrounded the courtyard in the Devil’s court. Soneillon stepped out into the light, a cruel smirk on his lips.
He nodded to the demons holding my arms, and one of them kicked the backs of my legs, forcing me to the tiles of the courtyard.
I hissed as my knees slammed into the ground.
Joriel whipped his head around to look at me, and I saw his body tense.
He looked to Soneillon, and his voice was steady as he spoke. “She doesn’t need to be here for this. Please. I’ll take on whatever punishment she owes.”
Soneillon laughed. “You are not in any position to be making bargains, angel.”
“It’s not a bargain,” Joriel answered softly. “It’s a request and a promise.”
One brow climbed the Prince of Hate’s forehead. “And what promise is that?”
“What do you want? My screams? My pleas?” There was a heavy pause. “My wings?”
“No,” I gasped.
I’d never seen Joriel’s wings, not once in all the time I’d known him. Even alone in our section of Roth’s mansion, he’d never felt safe enough to let them free. It was more common for angels of the seventh order to keep their wings hidden—it was something he was used to—but I knew he did it to protect them. No one, not a demon, a grand prince, or even the Devil himself, could force Joriel to show his wings. And while they were safely tucked in, they were untouchable.
Offering them to Soneillon, knowing what he’d done tomywings…
The demon prince looked between the two of us, drawing out the tension of the moment. “As much fun as that would be, I’m going to have to decline. She stays.”
I wasn’t sure if I should be relieved or not. Whatever was about to happen had to be bad if Joriel was willing to offer such a high price to stop me from being a part of it. But I couldn’t help being glad that Soneillon had turned down the offer.
Joriel’s gaze returned to mine and held even as the demon holding him shoved him forward. He didn’t look away until he physically had to as he was led past me to the stone pillars in the middle of the courtyard.
I’d thought the pillars were beautiful when I first saw them, and I still had to admit they were a work of art. But I’d been right when I also thought there was something foreboding about them.
More demons came forward to hold Joriel in place as the shackles were removed and his wrists were fastened to the sides of the post.
He looked so pale next to the black stone. His hair was pulled into a knot at the back of his head, leaving no obstruction from his bare skin.
Soneillon didn’t so much as glance in Joriel’s direction as he crouched down in front of me. His fingers dug into my chin as he tilted my face to look at him. “You’re going to watch, and for every time you close your eyes or so much as blink, I’ll add another lash to the count. Understand?”
“Yes,” I spat out through gritted teeth. This was essentially the same thing as when we’d met Vepar. Only now the roles were reversed. This time I was the one being forced to watch the torture of the one I loved.
A demon handed Soneillon a whip with multiple knotted cords. He threaded the leather straps through his fingers, looking as if he was getting off on that action alone.
Joriel flinched as the first stroke hit his exposed back, and I flinched right along with him. He barely made a sound through the whole ordeal, but his pain was obvious in the way his body jerked and his hands fisted at the sides of the pillar.
I only lasted a couple of lashes before I started screaming. I didn’t look away from Joriel, didn’t blink, but Soneillon had said nothing about being a stoic observer.
“Please,” I cried, pulling against the arms that held me in place. “Please stop. Let me take his place.”
“No,” Joriel growled. “Laila, shut up.”
I did, even though I hated every second, because I knew every word only made things worse for Joriel and fed into Soneillon’s sick enjoyment. But I couldn’t keep the tears from streaming over my cheeks.
The vision disappeared without warning. I blinked, taking in the plain stairwell around me. I could still hear the crack of the whip against Joriel’s skin, could still see the blood welling up on his back.
