Lokael looked down at the stone in his palm, swirling with the gold and black magic of his daughter. He could feel his own power simmering within himself, though he knew that if he had tried to jump even the small distance outside of the city with his reserves, he would have nothing left to use. It was the same reason he could not use his power to jump to Ferya's aid when she was fighting Roisin.

He had felt her wing break, like a phantom limb where he was missing his own, and then rushed out of his smithy, feeling the flashing of her power from where he was outside of the city. But even as he had been about to waste his power to jump, Lokael had felt Ferya's magic cease, though he knew she was ok.

Injured, but ok.

So he had done the cautious thing and made his way on foot back into the city and through the streets to where she was. But when all was said and done, Ferya had not needed his help, though she believed she had lost the fight with Roisin. She had survived and deflected the woman's attention. Two people had died, but Lokael knew that Ferya's survival was a win.

Even if she didn't take it that way.

Lokael had learned the hard way that surviving was sometimes more of a win than beating your opponent, though the scars were another battle all together.

Prior to him leaving, Ferya had given him one crystal she used to siphon off her power when she wasn't using it, and he had used some of the power within it to move himself toward his father's mansion outside of the city walls.

But he had run into the solid magical barrier of Lucifer's power and wound up in a field between Praetoria's wall and Lucifer's manor, which loomed where it was veritably carved into the cliff-side, hidden behind the rather recent addition of the walls that further separated the manor from the rest of the world.

Lokael took a few steps forward, braced to hit the barriers once more, but nothing stopped him. Lucifer had distinguished between travelling on foot and moving magically, possibly always had, but now that rule extended to Lokael.

Sarathiel, his power at a low simmer and movements hampered by stiffness, was pacing just out of sight of Lucifer's manor, hidden from view of the main doorway by the ornate stone walls, though the gates were open as usual. The walls were only seven feet tall, a height some demons towered over, though large enough that Lokael's uncle couldn't be seen.

"Are you sure mother would be happy that you are up?" Lokael spoke when his uncle didn't appear to notice him and Sarathiel jerked in surprise as he turned to look at him.

"Your mother does not know I'm up. I intended to speak with Lucifer, but he won't see me."

Lokael watched his uncle for a moment before inclining his head ever so slightly. "What do you know about what's happening?"

"That half the council is suspected of being involved in my murder, that your daughter was just attacked, and Lucifer and his demons refuse to act. That Lucifer signed away the key to the universe to save my life, like the fool he is."

"The key to Zylinnium. But not the key to what it contains."

Sarathiel paused then, turning to regard Lokael for a long moment, then frowned. "What are you doing here?"

Lokael watched his uncle for a long moment, using a faint amount of his power to assess if the man was, in fact, who he thought it was. With all the other mysteries and double crossing, Lokael half wondered if Sarathiel was put in his path to stop him.

It felt like his uncle. But what if his uncle was likewise sworn to not interfere with Roisin? And how far did non-interference extend?

Prevention?

Assistance?

Sarathiel met his gaze calmly, though understanding blossomed over his features as they stared at one another. "If you go in there, and Lucifer suspects you are there to interfere, the deal he made would force him to stop you, possibly. And as his son, you would have to obey."

"Ferya wants him to know that we understand. That we know what's going on. She didn't want him to be alone."

Sarathiel nodded and glanced toward Lucifer's manor. "I assume he is worried that if Roisin arrives again, if any of us are there, he could not help us. That if he knows anything, that he would be forced to tell Roisin what the plans are. But he must be carefully avoiding that thought. An excruciating game of acting in a way that does not violate the deal."

"Could he... violate it?"

"It would destroy him. The rules are clear."

"Ferya and Torix are trying to find Zylinnium. Murchadh and Eviaus went after Roisin, and Ferya and the others are worried the two Caciques walked into a trap."

Lokael whispered the words, half braced for Sarathiel to pounce now that he offered the key piece of information up, though Sarathiel merely watched him with the same thoughtful expression his uncle usually had when faced with a problem.

"They will not get into Zylinnium without the spell. Lucifer has it in his manor, but even with the key..."

"Which Roisin has..."

"Well, first things first. I think they should have the spell."

Lokael glanced toward the manor and nodded once. "I think I can get us in there. Do you know where it is?"

"Same place Lucifer keeps anything of value, I would assume. Don't you know where that is?"

It was tempting to immediately say he didn't.

Lokael knew far too little about his father. It would take centuries for him to even begin to fully understand Lucifer's plans. But then Lokael remembered the spot that was only accessible to Lucifer, Lokael, and Ferya, according to the fallen angel. A spot Lucifer had trusted him with safeguarding.

He could only hope that his father would hide the spell there. And that they could recognize it. With a grim smile, Lokael summoned his power, using a small amount of the reserve that Ferya had given him and forced himself to shift forms.

It hurt.

More than it had ever before, if only because he was forcing his body to create limbs he had lost, ignoring scar tissue and mental anguish from the injuries in order to hide them. If he had never shifted into Lucifer's form before, Lokael didn't know if he would have been able to do it.

He could barely accomplish it as it was.

When he was done, he stood in front of his uncle and held out his arms, feeling the wings on his back extend as well. The metal feathers were heavier than his gold feathers had been. Or maybe it had already been too long, and he had forgotten what wings felt like.

Sarathiel watched him with a cool expression, gaze taking in his form in total before he nodded. "Look a little more foreboding. Lucifer hasn't looked that hopeful in millennia."

Lokael smirked at his uncle's words but nodded, turning to walk along the path to the manor, only adjusting his speed when he realized his uncle was still walking slower than he was used to. Sarathiel really shouldn't be out of bed, Lokael knew this, and he was half tempted to tell the man to stay behind.

But one look at Sarathiel and he realized his uncle would not be swayed.

The silence felt odd as they approached and as they mounted the stairs on foot, Lokael glanced to his uncle with a raised brow, trying to read the man's expression for a moment before Lokael finally murmured. "Surely you two don't walk around in awkward silence all of the time."

Sarathiel's eyes widened before he shot Lokael a glare that was only half heated, though Lokael couldn't tell if it was for the benefit of others, or for him.

"My lord. We weren't aware that you had left."

Lokael turned to regard the rock demon that stood at the doorway, schooling his features into what he could only hope was his best approximation of an imperious expression. "You barred Sarathiel entry. I had to go retrieve him."

The lie wasn't very strong.

Lucifer would have merely magically transported them into the manor once finding Sarathiel. Lokael ignored his uncle, knowing that the man was probably doing his best not to look like an annoyed teacher.

The demon, however, frowned, shifting her weight back and forth between her feet. Then finally responded. "But your orders, my lord. You told us we were to remain here. That you would be remaining here. And you specifically forbid that anyone outside... Lord Sarathiel was among those who should not enter."

"I changed my mind."

Lokael waved his hand, pulling on a small amount of the dark power from Ferya to swing the doors open before striding forward, leaving the demon to scramble to the side, giving him a pained look.

Despite the questions, despite the confusion, from the rock demon, no one else stopped Lokael and Sarathiel as they walked through the manor to Lucifer's study, which was thankfully empty of his father's aura. Fearing unseen eyes in the shadows that flowed along the dark stone hallways around them, Lokael didn't look at Sarathiel until they slipped into the office and shut the door behind them.

Lucifer's spells closed behind them as always, blocking off anyone who would think of eavesdropping, and Lokael let out a slow breath as he glanced around the room.

Everything appeared to be like it always was when he had visited his father, though Lokael didn't know why he expected to find some cracks in the veneer of normalcy. Perhaps he wanted to see visual representation for the struggle he knew Lucifer was having at the moment.

"Stay in his form. I assume it is harder to shift than to hold it." Sarathiel walked over to a bookcase and began searching through the tomes systematically. "And to answer your question, things are still strained between Lucifer and I."

Lokael allowed his gaze to wander the room again, then finally walked around Lucifer's desk, rolling the chair out of the way. "What happened? The night this started. I have an idea about the other story."

"I received a note from a demon that I assumed was a messenger for Lucifer, asking me to meet him in his council office. Roisin ambushed me. For a moment, she made me believe it was Lucifer behind it. I remembered what Murchadh had accused her of all those years ago. When I said Lucifer's name, it must have summoned him. And he swore not to interfere. Gave her the spell. To save my life."

Lokael used his power to open up the hidden compartment in the floor as he listened, mulling over the words as he watched the safe open, his eyes settling on a plethora of items that each gave off strange powers and auras, a few tomes in different bindings and languages.

Sarathiel was beside him then, crouching down, though he stilled, focusing on something within the safe. Finally, he let out a curse directed at Lucifer.

"Maybe stop saying my father's name if it can summon him to you. I know he's going to figure out we're here quickly, but don't help that along. And what?"

Sarathiel offered a thoughtful smirk, one brow arching as they regarded one another.

"That's the history."

The angel nodded to a book that appeared old and worn, bound with a leather-like material that was covered in several ancient languages.

Lokael nodded and reached down for it, his fingers brushing against the cool surface that felt like marble for a moment.

Then he felt a burning pain lance through his side as if he had been stabbed, sending electrical jolts of sensation through him as he fought the urge to curl into a ball around his gut, processing the pain of his daughter's injury. "Ferya... she's... I've never felt a wound like this."

Lokael's vision darkened, and he could feel himself break out into a cold sweat as he forced himself to reach down and pull the ancient tome out of the safe that only Lucifer's family could access.

Sarathiel was at his side, holding him up, watching him in alarm.

Lokael would have enough energy stored in the stone that Ferya gave him to travel to her and perhaps transport her back here, but not if he had to fight someone.

Then Lokael hesitated, looking at the tome in his hand.

If whatever had hurt Ferya was the same weapon that had injured Sarathiel, Lokael could only guess what would be demanded of him to save her life. And he would not hesitate for a moment to turn it over.

His uncle grabbed the book out of his hand and began paging through it quickly, a calm logic on his features that told Lokael that the angel was doing his best to come up with a plan.

"I have to go to her."

With a nod, Sarathiel stopped at a page and showed it to Lokael. "This is how you open Zylinnium."

And then, as suddenly as the pain started. It stopped.

There was still a dull ache of an injury, as if Ferya had only received a minor wound in the side.

The life-draining agony disappeared, flooding Lokael with relief.

And then panic.

What had Ferya done?