Chapter 20

**The Love Question**

**Athena's Point of View**

I sit on the edge of my bed, staring out the window of my room in Lanom, feeling trapped. It's been two days since Lucifer sneaked in to see me, and I haven't been able to think about anything else. His presence, his voice, his touch—everything about him is like a storm that's torn through my life, leaving me shaken and confused.

But not in a bad way. No, it's the kind of confusion that makes you feel alive, that makes you question everything you thought you knew about yourself. The kind that makes you wonder if maybe, just maybe, this is what you've been waiting for all along.

"Are you even listening to us?" Lirael's voice breaks through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present. She's standing at the foot of the bed, her wings half-open, an expression of mild impatience on her face.