Chereads / SINS OF THE SERAPHIM / Chapter 56 - LVI- The Protected

Chapter 56 - LVI- The Protected

Lucifer completed his blood magic enchantments in the room next to his bedchamber. Edward had aided him in gathering his blood to complete the ritual, as Edward was always the one called to pierce his master's fingers whenever his blood was required.

Satisfied with the protective blood magic sealing the room against intruders, Lucifer called Hellena and Ravenna into the bedchamber. He turned to the demon woman. "Hellena, I would like you to take care of our guest personally. I would do it myself, but I imagine she would be more comfortable with a woman. Take care not to enter or exit the room in your usual manner; the blood magic will kill you instantly. You will need to walk. Please take care in this manner."

Hellena bowed toward her master. "Yes, Master Lucifer. I will keep your warnings in mind."

Lucifer turned to Ravenna, who was still very pale, her worries stealing the color from her cheeks. "Is there anything I can do to help you, my dear?"

Ravenna clutched at the skirt of her dress. "Could you…if it is not too much to ask…Michael had my clothes in my travel bag. It may still be in the room where you found us."

Lucifer put his hand on her shoulder. "Say no more. Clothes are important to a young woman." He left the bedchamber to avoid his enchantments and disappeared in his cloud of black smoke.

"Miss?" Hellena's voice broke the silence in the room. "Would you perhaps like me to prepare a bath? A nice hot bath with some lavender oil would be relaxing, if you are interested?"

Ravenna did not notice how much tension she had carried in her body since Lucifer had picked her up from the Graenwood Inn and brought her to the UnderKingdom. As Hellena offered the bath, Ravenna realized exactly how tense and sore her arms, legs, and back were. Ravenna smiled at the demon woman and let her shoulders relax.

Ravenna followed Hellena to the bathing chamber attached to the bedchamber. It followed the same aesthetic as Lucifer's Great Hall; a black marble floor, golden lanterns adorning the wall, and a large golden tub sunken into the floor. Ravenna had never seen such opulence.

Hellena quickly prepared the bath and added lavender oil to the water, swirling it into the tub. She said copious amounts of soap to the water and a thick foam layer bubbled at the surface. Hellena brought several large black towels for Ravenna and placed them at the side of the tub. Hellena turned away as Ravenna removed her black dress and lowered herself into the bath.

"Would you like someone to talk to, take your mind off things for a while?" Hellena pulled a crimson reclined chair from the bedchamber and lounged beside the bathtub, not particularly waiting for Ravenna's permission.

Ravenna's face flushed as the demon so casually lounged around the bathtub. She had only ever had her grandmother and her mother around while she was bathing. She had just met Hellena, and the demon seemed to feel no embarrassment surrounding Ravenna's nudity.

"So, Master Lucifer seems pretty intent on keeping you safe, hmm? Blood magic protection and everything. What is after you?" Hellena boldly asked Ravenna about her situation. Ravenna wished the demon woman had held back a little.

 "It is not so much what is after me. It is what is after the man I…I have come to feel for." Ravenna sank a little lower in the tub, wishing to hide from intrusive questions and eyes. "One of Michael's Seraphim Brothers came to warn us that the Archangels are coming, and will hunt him down. They're going to drag him back to the Kingdom."

"Is he going to die?" Hellena's blood-red eyes gazed into Ravenna's golden brown eyes, making her uncomfortable. "I mean, death is not so bad. Edward and I are dead, but we have a wonderful existence here with Master Lucifer."

Ravenna dipped below the water's surface, trying to hide from Hellena and her questions. She resurfaced, and Hellena repeated her question. Ravenna sighed. This demon would not rest until her curiosity was satisfied. "No, I don't think so. Lucifer thinks Michael will Fall. Similar to how Lucifer himself was cast from the Kingdom."

"So the Ruler is going to-" Hellena's question was cut off by the sound of Lucifer returning from the Human Realm and his knocks on the door of the bathing chamber.

Ravenna pulled a thick layer of bubble toward herself and allowed him to enter the room. "I brought your things for you, dear. I took Michael's as well. They seem to be safer in our care. I trust Hellena is taking good care of you?"

"Excuse me for a moment, Lucifer." Ravenna excused the man from the room, and once he stepped out, she left the ornate bath and wrapped herself in the large black towels. "Wait!"

Lucifer turned and gazed at the woman wrapped in the large towels. "Anything I can do for you?"

"You have done so much for me already, thank you. But...was Michael okay?" Ravenna grasped Lucifer's forearm, begging him to tell her that the Seraphim was still in the Human Realm and the Archs had not yet found him.

"He is still safe. The Archs have not come yet. I believe they will wait until dark, for the same reason you two travelled at night. I am sorry, my dear. These things are not easy to hear. But Michael did say his Brother took something of yours to trace you, in case they need to find you."

Ravenna pressed her lips together and wrapped her arms around herself. "You don't think Michael has much time left." It wasn't a question.

"I'm sorry my dear. I do not think that at all. I know it. Once Michael mentioned the Archangels, I knew his time was up. But know this. Wherever he Falls, in my realm or in yours, we will find him. Together."

Lucifer put his hand reassuringly on the young woman's shoulder. He knew firsthand how complex the situation was for her. He did not have someone who cared about him at the time of his Fall as Michael did, and a pang of envy hit the Fallen man.