Chapter 18

**The Visit**

**Athena's Point of View**

Two days. Two long, miserable days. That's how long I've been stuck in this room, feeling more like a prisoner than a guest in this celestial halfway house. The angels said it was for my own safety, but it sure feels like punishment. I've tried to keep myself busy—pacing the floor, staring out the window at the strange, glowing trees, even attempting to make conversation with Lirael, who's been assigned as my primary "watcher." But nothing distracts me for long.

Nothing, that is, except the memory of him.

Lucifer. Just thinking about him makes my heart twist in my chest, a mix of longing and frustration that I can't seem to shake. I know the bond between us is dangerous, potentially catastrophic, but I can't stop replaying every moment we've shared. The way his eyes seem to see right through me, the way his voice sends shivers down my spine, the way his presence wraps around me like a dark, comforting cloak.