“It’s time”, Braka announced when he came back in the living room.
“Time for what?”, Valerie asked, staring at the garden outside the window.
“To go to hell”.
She looked away from the windows and moved towards the demon, stopped in front of him and stared at his eyes, “How did she die?”, as if she didn’t hear the words he said.
“We didn’t know what really happened and that’s the reason why I was sent here by his highness, Lucifer”, the demon answered.
She wasn’t surprised that the king of hell would think of her in this situation, aside from being Valena’s sister of course, she knew that he needs her now, more than ever, because his sorceress was gone.
“I was given an order to bring you to him.............even if it’s by force”, Braka continued.
A threat. Again, she wasn’t surprise. Lucifer always gets what he wants, one way or the other.
“There’s no need for that. I will go with you”, Valerie was determined to find her sister’s murderer.
She never wanted this immortality but Valena was very patient with her to accept her fate. Maybe this is the right time her sister was talking about. The time for her lessons to put into use and the time to serve the king of hell.
“But first, where is her body? I want to see her.”, she wanted desperately to see her sister’s beautiful face one last time, even if it means looking at her lifeless corpse.
“She’s ....... in Fairyland”.
Valerie was confused, “Fairyland? With the fairies? But why?”. She was aware that her sister was loyal to Lucifer and she will do anything he says but what was she doing there? Was it one of her master’s assigned task?
Whatever it was, she needed answers.
“Sire, the sorceress is here”, Braka announced, as he and Valerie entered the main hall, where the king of hell sat on his throne.
Lucifer opened his eyes and stood up. He raised his shoulders to flap his tired wings.
Valerie had prepared herself, prior to meeting him but she still got anxious now that she saw the tall archangel with black wings in person and, his action made him look more dangerous and threatening.
She had never seen an angel. Yes, she knows they are real and are living among them but she just learned about them through books and Valena’s stories.
“I’m sorry for your loss”, Lucifer walked to her.
The words were meaningful but coming from him, it was empty of emotions.
“Sire”, she gave a simple curtsy eventhough she could hear her heart pounding loudly.
“Vivian, right?”, he asked, not removing his eyes from her.
“Valerie, your highness”, she corrected.
“Oh, did Braka told you the reason to why I sent for you?”, he returned to his majestic seat and to relaxes his wings.
“He.....I..”, she stammered. The demon has supplied her answers but she wasn’t contented.
“I guess, he didn’t”, he glared at the demon annoyingly and the latter just looked down to avoid his master’s irritated mood.
“Your mother, Vera, chose to served me for almost half of her life and I was grateful for that. Her death was a great loss to me”.
Valerie didn’t know if he was being sarcastic or if he really meant that.
“and then, Valena took her place. Your sister had proven her loyalty to me and her absence .......”, Lucifer paused.
He’s right, Valena was important to his plans and she knew that the king of hell is blind and deaf without her sister.
“I am.......I am willing to take her place, my lord”, Valerie blurted. She had thought about it and she was trained by Valena for this.
Lucifer glanced up and looked at her with an evil grin. This gave her chills.
“Are you ready?”, he dared.
“My mother and sister saw to it that I learned everything about sorcery and witchcraft”, she returned his stare with determination, “and I’m certain that I was born ready to be your sorceress, sire”.
“You have the same spirit as your sister, feisty. I like that”.
“But I do have a favor to ask, my lord”, she was being courageous.
Lucifer raised his brow but didn't stop her.
“I want to know everything about my sister’s death”.
The devilish smile returned on his face and said, “No one will stop you. You have my demons at your disposal”.