Wrath nodded but kept his gaze on her. “My apologies, Haziel. I would never want to hurt you.”

“I know.” She nodded and stepped closer to him. “But I think we should leave now. Two hell princes this close together with the seals weakening can only spell more trouble.”

Chapter Seventeen

Wrath in the throes of fully developed regret was a different beast entirely to deal with. Haziel had to keep checking to make sure the meek and agreeable being following her out of Ava’s palace was the same blustering warmonger who’d marched in with her.

“I know you didn’t mean to hurt me.” She gave releasing his guilt another try.

He looked at her with remorseful blue eyes and shook his head. “I could have ended you.”

“Well, considering you’ve threatened to end us all on more than one occasion, I don’t see that as something to torture yourself over.” Wrath regularly liked to threaten to pull earth, heaven, and hell into an end.

The old Wrath razzle-dazzle kindled in his eyes and by razzle-dazzle she meant killing spree fury. “Careful, angel.”

As she seemed to have abandoned careful days ago, Haziel gave him a wink and a cocky grin. “Lead on.”

They reached Ava’s cluttered courtyard.

“Psst!” A bush to their left quivered.

With a growl, Wrath dove into the bush and emerged dangling a small, yellow imp by a horn. “Yesterday.” He gave the imp a shake hard enough to rattle his dark eyes in his oversize head. “I’ve been looking for you.”

“I have information,” Yesterday yelped, his tongue flapping out of his mouth.

Haziel took pity on the poor creature. Imps were notorious liars and trouble causers but this one was sort of cute. “Perhaps you should listen to him before you shake the brains out of his ears.”

Studying the imp like he was a glob of goo, Wrath stopped the shaking.

“What information?” Haziel approached the imp. For a moment, she envied their ability to lie. What would it be like to open your mouth and trot out a lie? Just once, she’d love to say something untrue. Ramiel had slapped the truth telling gift on her when she’d risen to the rank of his second. He needed to be able to trust her, he had said. It had made sense at the time, but now she wasn’t so certain that trust worked like that. Was it even trust if you had guaranteed honesty? Her wing throbbed, but she resisted checking the damage. Wrath was already remorseful enough.

Yesterday’s left eye dropped back to facing forward in his eye socket, and he focused on her with a piteous expression. “He wants to end me.”

“You lied to me and Asmodeus.” Wrath gave him another shake. “You caused war between Asmodeus and myself, and then betrayed both of us.” Wrath pulled him closer to his face. “And you endangered Eddie, and that I cannot tolerate.”

That did sound rather damning. “To be fair, Wrath, you and Shade do rather enjoy making war on each other.”

“Yes,” Wrath snapped. “But this little turd burglar told each of us the other was attempting to end us. He caused a struggle for survival.”

And that was a good enough reason for her not to intervene further. Haziel stepped back. “Fair enough.”

“Not going to beg me to save him?” Wrath raised one dark brow and smirked.

Yesterday gaped at her. “You’re an angel. You are supposed to be all love and light.”

“Not that kind of angel.” Haziel shrugged and pointed at herself. “Ramiel’s court. More of a keep the peace kind of angel.” She felt sorry for him and softened her tone. “And right now, you sound like a threat to peace.”

“That’s why I’m here.” Yesterday gave up on her and turned his attention back to Wrath with a pleading look. “To help keep the peace.”

“I’ve had all that I can take of you.” Wrath’s wings flared behind him, and his power brushed over her senses. It had a similar power signature to Ramiel’s but was rawer and cruder, like denim versus silk.

Covering as much of his huge head as his stubby arms could achieve, Yesterday squealed. “I have information on where Lucifer is.”

Cocking his head, Wrath held the imp up to his eye level. “You’re lying.”

“No.” Yesterday shook his head and pointed to his horns. “My horns aren’t moving.”

“You could have mastered that tell.” Haziel had met very skilled imps in her time. The more they lied, the better they got at it.

Yesterday glared at her. “You’re not helping.”

“Oh, I am.” Haziel moved closer to Wrath. “But I’m helping him not you.”

Wrath’s head snapped around and those blue eyes smoldered at her. “Are you, sweet seraph? Are you helping a cursed hell prince?”

His voice stroked across her senses and made her want to stretch and purr. “Ramiel wanted me to help keep you out of trouble.”

The warmth in Wrath’s eyes died, and he went back to glowering at Yesterday. “Tell me your information first, and then I will decide if you’re lying.” He gave Yesterday a shake. “And don’t think of lying or bargaining with me. I still might end you even once I’ve heard your information.”

“How is that fair?” Yesterday sputtered. “I bargain information for my life. That’s how this works.”

Wrath put his face close to Yesterday’s and whispered, “Rule change.”

He looked like a powerful, deadly predator as he toyed with Yesterday, and heaven help her, but she liked it. There was something appealingly primal about Wrath. Ava had said something similar. That part of Wrath’s attraction, aside from that mouthwatering body and those penetrating eyes, was the way you felt safe when he was around. Safe in a way that made you want to melt into the shadows behind him and have him face all your fears and troubles.

There was a brutal honestly to him as well.

“Lucifer isn’t in hell,” Yesterday babbled. “He’s been spotted on the earth plane.”

“By who?” Wrath snarled.

“Demons.” Yesterday twisted in Wrath’s grasp like a windblown dandelion. “We talk to each other, and the rumor is that he has left hell for the earth plane and hasn’t been seen down here. Not since you’ve been here anyway.”

That made sense, but it might be a good idea to verify if Lucifer had been near his palace recently. “If he does have Eddie—” She kept her tone gentle. Wrath was especially hair trigger around the topic of his daughter. “Then it would make sense for him to be on earth.” She pointed at Yesterday. “He’s right, demons gossip worse than angels, and we would have heard something about him if he were here.”

“I went to Lucifer’s palace. He wasn’t there and hasn’t been there recently.” Wrath glanced from her to Yesterday and then opened his hand and dropped the imp.

Yesterday wasted no time in using those stubby legs to exit himself from the courtyard.

Watching him scurry off, Haziel said, “You’re going to show compassion?”

“I have been known to.” Wrath pulled a wry expression. “Not often, but it has happened.”

She laughed and resisted the urge to tease him further. “When did you go to Lucifer’s palace?”

“Before I came to get you.” He cleared his throat and stared over her head. “It was why I left you with Ava. I didn’t know what I would find there, and I didn’t want to put you between myself and Lucifer.” He blushed. “Didn’t want to put you in danger.”