Fallen Angel

Chapter 38.1

They brought Lucifer to the Hospitium on Raphael's insistence. Some angels who saw him picked up arms and remained outside the building, just in case it was a trap. But the Devil had no fight left in him.
Lucifer permitted Raphael to strip him of his dust and blood-covered armour, leaving him in his black shirt and trousers. He barely noticed Raphael treating his wounds, too shaken from witnessing his son kill his own mother. The little hope he'd held onto for Margaret's sake had dwindled with her ashes. There was only one way he could save Samael now. And only one person he could turn to.

"The wound is clean. It might need a few stitches, though," said the young woman assisting Raphael.

"Thank you, Cate; I can finish up. Go back to the children."

She nodded and purposefully avoided Lucifer's gaze as she walked around Raphael to the door.

"You're Catherine of Alexandria?" Lucifer called to her. "Marina's friend?"

She froze, one hand on the handle. 

"Marina spoke fondly of you," he continued. "She told me you were one of the smartest and most passionate persons she knew."

Catherine's lip quivered. A tear glistened on her cheek as it fell.

"Cate, go," said Raphael.

She threw the door open and fled from the room. Raphael scowled at Lucifer.

"You don't talk to her. Ever." He closed the stitch on Lucifer's leg and gathered his instruments, moving to inspect the claw marks on his face. "These aren't that deep. They'll heal quicker with —"

"Tincture of rosemary and lavender," finished Lucifer. "With calendula and chamomile against infection."

Raphael raised his brow. 

"Don't look so surprised, Raphael. Listening to your tedious voice may have been sleep-inducing for most, but that doesn't mean I didn't pay attention when it mattered."

"Hmph, glad to see someone did," muttered Raphael. "I already wondered how you treated Gabriël's wing. Good student."

"Good teacher."

Raphael stared at him for a moment, then cleared his throat. He was about to apply the balm when the door burst open, and Gabriël stormed in, followed by Michael. Gabriël's hand was at Lucifer's throat before he had time to react.

"Where is she, you son of a bitch? Where is my daughter?"

"Gabriël, calm yourself!" yelled Raphael. "I will not permit any fighting within Hospitium walls."

"Fine, I'll drag his ass out."

"Gabriël, enough!" Michael tried to pull him off. "He cannot speak if you keep such a hold on him. Let him go, now."

But Gabriël ignored Michael's reasoning and squeezed, making it difficult for Lucifer to breathe.

"You've got some nerve showing up here. Where the hell is Marina, huh? What did you do to her?"

"She's dead!" screamed Raphael.

Gabriël let go, and Lucifer fell back against the examination table, coughing and rubbing his sore throat. He lowered his gaze, incapable of meeting Gabriël or Michael's wide-eyes expressions out of fear he had to recount the story again.

"Samael killed her using Death's hand," Raphael said in his stead. "He took the baby."

Gabriël groaned in exasperation and raked his hands through his hair. Michael stood silently near the foot of the bed, but fidgeted. There was a gleam in his eyes, and his body leaned in a little. It looked like he wanted nothing more than to take Lucifer in his arms. He imagined Michael was probably happy that his rival was out of the picture. At least he had the decency to appear contrite.