Prologue

I burst through the ornate doors of the throne room, my fury propelling me forward like a meteor hurtling towards Earth. The familiar scent of brimstone and expensive cologne hit my nostrils, but I was too pissed to savour it. 

My father, Lucifer fucking Morningstar himself, lounged on his obsidian throne like some kind of infernal playboy. His perfect eyebrows arched as I stormed towards him, my hands clenched into fists at my sides.

"Well, well. To what do I owe this dramatic entrance, my dear?" His smooth voice dripped with amusement. God, I wanted to slap that smirk right off his chiselled face.

"Cut the crap, Dad," I snarled, coming to a halt at the base of the dais. "I'm done with your bullshit."

He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, fixing me with those piercing eyes that had charmed countless souls. "My, such language. What's got you in such a tizzy, Luella?"

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the inferno raging inside me. It didn't work. "I can't do this anymore," I said, my voice trembling with barely contained rage. "I can't keep living in this gilded fucking cage you call home."

My words hung in the air between us, heavy with implications. I watched emotions flicker across his face – surprise, hurt, anger – before settling into that maddeningly calm mask he always wore.

"A gilded cage?" He repeated, his tone dangerously soft. "Is that truly how you see your life here?"

I wanted to scream, to unleash all the frustration and resentment that had been building up inside me for years. Instead, I met his gaze head-on, channelling every ounce of defiance I could muster.

"What else would you call it?" I shot back. "I'm suffocating here, Dad. I need more than just endless parties and sycophantic demons. I need a real life too, real experiences. I need to find out who I am outside of your shadow."

The throne room suddenly felt too small, too confining. I could feel the weight of centuries pressing down on me, threatening to crush my spirit entirely. But I refused to back down. This was my chance to break free, and I'd be damned if I let it slip away.

 Lucifer leaned forward, his piercing eyes boring into mine. "And what exactly do you want to do, Luella? What grand adventure are you so eager to embark upon?"

I faltered, the fire in my gut sputtering. Fuck. I hadn't thought that far ahead. "I don't know," I admitted, hating how small my voice sounded. "Not really. Just... something. Anything that isn't this."

My father's lips twitched, a ghost of a smile playing at the corners. "Anything? My dear, you're the Princess of Hell. The world – all worlds – are at your fingertips. And yet you stand before me, petulant as a child, with no real plan?"

His words stung, but I couldn't deny the truth in them. I paced, my heels clicking against the obsidian floor. "Maybe I don't have a fucking itemized list, but that doesn't make my feelings any less valid," I snapped. "I'm suffocating here, Dad. Can't you see that?"

I stopped, turning to face him again. The eternal flames cast flickering shadows across his face, making him look both ancient and ageless. For a moment, I caught a glimpse of the fallen angel he once was – beautiful, terrible, and infinitely sad.

"I need to find my own path," I said, softer now. "Even if I don't know where it leads yet."

 Lucifer's shoulders sagged, the weight of aeons seeming to press down on him. He exhaled deeply, a sound that carried the echoes of a thousand years of regret and understanding.

"Oh, Luella," he murmured, his voice a mix of exasperation and fondness. "You are exactly like I was at your age."

I blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

He chuckled, a low, rich sound that reverberated through the throne room. "Rebellious, headstrong, desperate for something more. A caged bird longing to spread its wings." His eyes, burning with celestial fire, met mine. "I, too, once railed against the constraints of my father's kingdom."

My heart raced. This was... unexpected. "You never told me that," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"It's not a tale I'm particularly proud of," he admitted, running a hand through his immaculate hair. "But perhaps it's time you heard it. Come, sit with me."

I hesitated for a moment, then perched on the arm of his throne. The proximity to my father, the literal Devil, should have been intimidating. Instead, I felt a strange comfort.

"I was the Lightbringer," he began, his gaze distant. "God's favourite. And yet, I felt... stifled. Trapped by rules and expectations. Sound familiar?"

I nodded, a lump forming in my throat. "So what did you do?"

A sad smile played across his lips. "I rebelled. And we both know how that turned out."

 I swallowed hard, my mind reeling. "So, what? You're saying I should just suck it up and stay put?"

Lucifer laughed, a sharp bark that echoed off the obsidian walls. "Hell no, darling. I'm saying you need to be smarter than I was."

He stood, pacing before me with fluid grace. "This gilded cage, as you so eloquently put it, it's not meant to trap you. It's meant to protect you. But I see now that it's become suffocating."

I snorted. "Understatement of the millennia, Dad."

He shot me a look, half amused, half exasperated. "Watch it, little Morningstar. I'm trying to help here."

"Sorry," I muttered, not feeling sorry at all.

"Look," he said, his voice softening. "You want to spread your wings? Fine. But do it on your terms. Make a plan. Don't just storm off in a huff like I did."

I felt a flicker of hope in my chest. "You mean... you'd let me go?"

"Let you?" He raised an eyebrow. "Darling, you're 350 years old and a younger version of me. I couldn't stop you if I wanted to, just like God couldn’t stop me. But yes, if you really want to leave for a while, I'll support you."

My jaw dropped. "Seriously?"

"On one condition," he added, holding up a finger.

Of course. There's always a catch. "What?"

"You keep in touch. And if you ever need me, you call. No matter what." His eyes blazed with intensity. "Promise me, Luella."

I nodded, my throat tight with emotion. "I promise, Dad."

He pulled me into a fierce hug, and for a moment, I was enveloped in the scent of brimstone and expensive cologne. "Now," he said, releasing me, "let's talk about how we're going to set you up topside. You're going to need more than just your charm to survive up there."

As we began to plan, I felt a mix of excitement and terror. The world was about to open up before me, and I had no idea what to expect. But for the first time in centuries, I felt truly free.

I locked eyes with my father, his gaze a mixture of pride and concern.

"You know," I said, trying to keep my voice light, "you can come visit me sometimes. I'll make sure to always have a bottle of hellfire whiskey ready to go."

A smile tugged at the corner of Lucifer's mouth. "Is that so?"

I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat. "Yeah, I mean, just because I'm leaving doesn't mean I want to cut you out. You're still my dad, after all."

He reached out and squeezed my shoulder. "That would be great, Lulu. I don't want you to be a stranger, whatever happens."

I swallowed hard, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. Damn, when did I become such a sap? "Maybe we could make it a monthly thing? You know, catch up, swap stories about how many souls we've corrupted?"

Lucifer chuckled, a warm sound that filled the throne room. "I'd like that. And who knows? Maybe I'll even learn a thing or two about modern temptation from you."

I grinned, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness bubbling up inside me. "Oh, I'll show you how it's done, old man. The humans won't know what hit them."

As we stood there, planning our future whiskey-fueled catch-ups, I realised that this wasn't an ending. It was a new beginning for both of us. And for the first time in centuries, I couldn't wait to see what the future held.

Two days later, I stood at the threshold of Hell, my bag packed and my heart racing. The air around me crackled with energy, the familiar scent of brimstone mingling with something new – possibility.

"Are you sure you've got everything?" Dad asked, eyeing my single suitcase with scepticism.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not moving out forever, just... exploring. Besides, I can always conjure up whatever I need, this is just a starting point in case I can’t shake the humans for a little while."

He nodded, a flicker of pride in his eyes. "That's my girl. Always resourceful."

We stood there for a moment, the weight of centuries pressing down on us. I'd never been away from home for more than a few days, and now I was heading off to the human realm for an undetermined amount of time.

"You know," I started, my voice catching, "I'm gonna miss this place. The eternal flames, the screams of the damned... it's weirdly comforting."

Dad chuckled, but I could see the emotion in his eyes. "It'll all be here when you get back. Well, except maybe Dave from Accounting. His contract's up next week."

I laughed, grateful for the moment of levity. "Poor Dave. Tell him I said goodbye, will you?"

"Of course." Dad paused, then pulled me into a tight hug. "Be careful up there, Lulu. Humans can be... unpredictable."

I hugged him back, breathing in the familiar scent of hellfire and expensive cologne. "I will. And hey, I'll call you as soon as I'm settled. We can test out that inter-realm FaceTime thing you've been working on."

As we pulled apart, I saw a tear glistening in the corner of his eye. The Devil himself, getting emotional. Who would've thought?

"I'm proud of you, Luella," he said softly. "Go raise some hell up there."

I grinned, picking up my suitcase. "Oh, don't worry. I intend to."

With one last look at the only home I'd ever known, I stepped through the portal, ready to face whatever the human world had in store for me.