My second spear bolted right for his chest, but Lucifer just raised a hand, almost lazily, and disintegrated it in midair.
Back to vines it was, then. My magic flowed through me easily, the taste of petals in my mouth as they spilled from my hands and wove towards him. The dark fire in my veins warmed me, the prickling almost pleasant, and the thorns that sprouted from my vines were long and sharp.
Lucifer’s light increased, flaring so brightly that white spots bloomed in front of my eyes. My vines coiled towards him once more, determined to outlast the light.
I felt him on the other end of my magic. Like the white fire I kept locked away inside me, the dark magic recognized him. The vines weren’t curling around him with the intent to crush and choke, no matter how hard I pushed them.
They were joyful, touching every inch of him they could before dying in the light.
My own magic was a traitor to me.
“Fuck,” I whispered, shaking my hands and cutting off the connection. The last of my magic climbed over Lucifer in exhilaration before vanishing.
I needed a real spear. Something that wouldn’t betray me while I was fighting my however-temporary enemy.
“Catch,” someone said lazily, and without thinking, I reached out. Something solid hit my palms and I wrapped my fingers around the hilt of a long, slightly-curved katana.
I glanced at the bar incredulously. Next to Azazel was Haru, his amber eyes bright with amusement.
But hell, a sword was a sword.
I lifted the heavy weight, holding it crossed diagonal to my chest. “Let’s try this again,” I said to Lucifer, who flicked a tiny bit of residual dark fire from his arm.
“I haven’t even broken a sweat, love,” he said, his lips curled in a crooked grin.
Love? I faltered, almost lowering the sword, which was a mistake.
The light in Lucifer’s hand blazed white-hot, extending into the shape of a sword, and he came smashing into me.
The edge of Haru’s blade just caught the light-sword, but tears pooled in my eyes from the brightness. It was like staring directly into the sun, Lucifer’s silver gaze dancing over his magic.
I broke free, and we danced across the arena in a series of blurred cuts and slashes. Lucifer backed me into a corner, looming over me, pressing down with his sword of light with slow, inexorable pressure.
There was no way I was losing just because I lo- liked him.
I summoned my magic again, chastising it as it grew and swelled. He’s not your friend right now, so knock it off with the lovey-dovey bullshit-
I breathed out, exhaling violet flames in his face.
Lucifer ducked and rolled away, and the sword in his hand became a spear. His wings spread and he took flight towards the cathedral ceiling high overhead.
He looked down at me, and I suddenly knew what his enemies on the battlefield felt. It was impossible not to feel terror at something so incongruous- a prince among demons, blazing with the light of the brightest star in the sky.
The best of Heaven and worst of Hell combined.
He plummeted downwards, and I had just enough time to draw my magic around me in a cage when his spear shattered on the floor at my feet, sending out a thousand smaller spears. They bounced off my cage, ripping holes in the dark fire.
I went down, my mind straining under the pressure of keeping the cage up for as long as possible, but the fire flickered and died.
“I concede,” I whispered.
I’d only lasted that long because he was taking it easy on me. That blow was just a drop in the bucket compared to what he could unleash when he wanted to make death.
The sound of polite clapping cut through my amazement. Lucifer held out a hand and pulled me up when I took it.
Celamentum and Silenda smirked at each other. The gilt bars of the ring were blackened by Lucifer’s final blast of light, but somehow he’d kept it from scorching all of the observers.
The white-suited demons silently passed piles of coins to each other, settling their bets.
And Azazel’s hands were clasped in front of him, white-knuckled.
I got up on wobbly knees and gave Haru his sword, carefully holding the blade so it didn’t slice through my fingers.
The kitsune took it with a secretive smile and sheathed it. “One day, you and I must show off for each other.”
“You can find me in the Seventh Circle whenever you please,” I said, wiping a hand across my forehead. Sweat had beaded in a fine mist, and my tears had broken free at some point without me realizing. My cheeks were wet.
“I’ll consider the invitation. With that being said, not even I am arrogant enough to play with the Morningstar.” Haru nodded to Lucifer and strode away, his tails streaming behind him.
“Because he’d make a snack out of you,” I muttered.
Lucifer bumped my shoulder. “Too gristly,” he whispered.
Azazel opened the gate and pulled me out, wiping tears from my dazzled eyes. I looked up at him. “Your face is blurry.”
“You’re star-blind, and now you’ve learned an important lesson.” Azazel’s thumb stroked my lip. “Your magic has a will.”
“Definitely got that. It was more interested in snuggling him than doing anything useful.”
“Your magic can snuggle me any time you like,” Lucifer said with a purr in his voice, but he touched my face, too. “I’m sorry, Melisande. It wasn’t bright enough to burn your eyes, but things might be…”
“A little sparkly for a while?” I blinked hard, but white spots still drifted across my vision when I looked at him. “I just want to know how I can attack you the way you attacked me. Your light wasn’t trying to snuggle.”
“That’s one of the things you must learn. I’d intended for you to fight someone less formidable, but Celamentum and Silenda like their little jokes.” Azazel shot a cold look at the Mister.
Celamentum shrugged, raising his hands in a broad gesture. “You were
