"It feels like my brain is splitting in two, so I don't want to talk about this anymore." I change the subject, wanting to focus on something else besides the fact that I may actually be God's plaything, not Lucifer's. "About Atiko. I'd tell Myrlande that I'm sorry for what happened, but then I'd just be lying."

Laudon chuckles. "He got what he deserved."

"If you say so." I blush at his words, and I hate myself for it. I like when he's in agreement with me, but I also remember how he threatened to kill my brother had I not consented to coming to Hell with him. "Anyway, what happens to demons that die? What is there after Hell?"

"Humans, demons, angels—none are invincible. They can all be killed," Laudon says. "With humans, you can only go to one of two places after you die; if God wants you, He will have an angel escort your soul to Heaven. If he doesn't want you... well, let's just say my father is very welcoming. For demons and angels, they go to a place called The Void. It's an infinite dark space of nothingness. Once in, they're trapped there for the rest of eternity."

"Damn." I don't say it out loud, but The Void sounds way more terrifying than Hell. I'd rather be stuck here than alone in the dark with only my thoughts to keep me company. "Not to jump around again, but since you evidently pity me, what else did my blood tell you? After everything we've been through, I deserve to know what all you've learned."

"I don't disagree with that." Laudon starts talking again, telling me everything.

He first goes over a theory that he came up with surrounding my powers. He believes, at least until I can master them, that my powers only make an appearance whenever I feel my life is in extreme danger. That would explain why I can't use them at random. He also speculates that, before we met and had that tiny altercation in my bedroom, my powers must have been lying dormant within me, perhaps since birth.

"So, had I never met you, my powers probably would have never been triggered." I look at Laudon and I feel myself getting mad all over again. "This really is all your fault."

"If it'll make you feel any better to place all the blame on me, I will allow it." Laudon smiles, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.

I ignore him trying to be considerate of my feelings and instead ask more questions about demons and angels since he's in the mood to run his mouth again. The more I know, the better my chances become at defending myself against them in the future.

I find out that, compared to demons, angels are a lot stronger and tougher to get rid of. Weapons from Hell can harm them, but not kill them instantly. Demon blood, however, is extremely toxic. It acts like a poison that completely debilitates the angel over time. There is no cure and death will never come. One can either go mad from the pain or end their suffering through suicide.

"The best way to send an angel to their final death is with a clean beheading," Laudon says. "But that's only if you're fortunate enough to get that close to them."

"Because of the flying?"

"Yes. My father told me they always preferred to battle in the air rather than on the ground. My kind can levitate with the help of a spell or two, but because we are without wings, we cannot fly."

I go quiet as I try to imagine myself with wings. It still feels absolutely ridiculous to think that I could be something other than a clumsy human.

"I wish I knew why this was happening to me," I whisper, trying not to succumb to my feelings and cry from how overwhelmed I am. "Though, I guess there's a bright side in all this."

"A bright side?"

"You said it yourself. In the instance that my powers are from God, then by law, you can't mess with me. Not without potentially starting a war with Heaven. This means I'm basically untouchable."

"That is incorrect." Zul enters the room, startling me half to death. "It matters not who blessed you with what because at the end of the day, you were born human. If anything, you are nothing more than a half-breed. You can still be influenced to do wicked things, which in turn would taint your soul in such a way that God will no longer want it." Zul grins, eyeing me directly. "But Lucifer surely will."

"Back down," Laudon interjects, and he doesn't look all that happy to see Zul either. "She's already been through enough."

"Oh, but my prince... the stronger their fear, the better they taste." Zul winks at me. I flip him the bird and he laughs. "Yes, we do that down here as well."

"Ugh!" I exclaim. "You're such a pig."

"Save your insults. They don't work on him," Laudon mutters before walking over to Zul, talking to him in another language. A few minutes pass and then they both direct their attention back to me. "As we discussed, I no longer have any interest in taking your soul. The only responsible choice for me to make at this point is to send you back to Earth before God discovers one of his special toys has gone missing... but that'll be on one condition."

"Of course." I chuckle in a humorless manner. "I should have seen this coming."

"To put this all in perspective for you, and as plainly as I can say it, every action has a reaction," Laudon starts. "Some reactions can be positive, but most are often negative. By consequence, for example, unbelievably bad things will happen after you start a dark spell and then abruptly stop it midway through. The same thing goes for rituals; once started, they must be finished... or else mayhem will arise."

"Although your soul cannot be taken, Hell was still promised one," Zul adds. "And until Hell gets what it is owed, total chaos will eventually rain down and tear apart the little shit town of Holloway."

"To prevent that from happening, someone will need to fill what would have been your spot down here," Laudon finishes. "Therefore, I will give you thirty days to find your replacement. That is the condition."

"And if I miss the deadline?" I ask, needing to know for my own safety. "What will happen then?'

"I will come to Edreial and I will pick off your loved ones until you either regain the drive to get back on track, or you become the last left standing from your family tree," Zul answers calmly. "Their blood has already been tested and they are 100% human, meaning... fair game for me."

"You went after my people while I was unconscious?!" I scream at Laudon, and it's gross of me to feel disappointment towards him. "How could you?"

"They're safe and won't remember a thing." Laudon returns to me, extending a hand. I look at it crazily before glancing up at his stupid pale face. "Do we have a deal?"

For the sake of my family and friends, I shake his hand. "We have a deal."