Reincarnated as a Failed Villain: Fallen Angel
Chapter 56 A New Deal

After school, Lucas watched Lilith and Sarah move away. He clenched his jaw and turned towards the castle where Thomas was. A plan had formed in Lucas's mind: he would use information about Olivia to have leverage over Thomas. Lucas walked briskly forward, the evening sky darkening in the distance.

***

After about an hour, Lucas found himself standing in front of the door to the royal wing of the palace. He took a deep breath and knocked on the thick oak door. It creaked slightly as he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"You..." a familiar voice came from behind him.

"Thomas!" Lucas spun around, surprised.

"What are you doing here?" king Thomas looked at him in annoyance.

"I wanted to make up with you." Lucas smirked. "You know, let the bygones be bygones." He chuckled, but his words fell on deaf ears.

"Don't play stupid. You know what you did." Thomas glared at him. "Three nobility families fell because Dorian went on a rampage. We could have stopped him if you did not intervene."

Lucas scratched his head and said, "Sorry about that," in a tone that suggested he wasn't sorry at all. He shifted nervously, his gaze darting around the room before he finally looked him in the eye and said, "Anyways, I have a question for you."

Thomas clenched his fists and slowly approached Lucas, his jaw tight and eyes blazing. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he tried to control the urge to lunge at Lucas and strike him.

Drake explained that Thomas couldn't exile Lucas, nor could he expose him as a threat to the kingdom. Drake made a deal with an angel, and he wasn't going to risk his own life for this kingdom. If Thomas did something stupid, he was on his own.

Thomas clenched his fists, and the veins in his neck bulged. He bared his teeth and mumbled a curse under his breath, but he knew there was no point in fighting against Lucas and Dorian if Drake wasn't in his corner. He took a deep breath, unclenched his fists, and turned to Lucas. "What do you want," he asked through gritted teeth, "angel."

Lucas grinned, now that Thomas had stopped his temper, and asked, "How is Olivia doing?" He took note of the shift in Thomas's countenance. He was utterly taken aback and couldn't utter a word. It had been eons since he'd heard that name.

"I can assume you still haven't met her in Lightburn? Need help with that?" Lucas's words were soft, but his eyes held a warning that told her he knew the answer to his question. His mouth twisted in a crooked smile as if waiting for his response.

"S-She's dead. What are you talking about." Thomas stuttered but couldn't control his anger and grabbed Lucas by his collar.

"Chill out, kitten," Lucas said as he removed Thomas's hand from his shirt and pushed him away. "You know I'm here to help you. I can even help you replace her." He chuckled. "Tho she won't have memories of you, the emotional attachment would be there."

"What are you talking about?" Thomas asked in confusion. He had no idea why Lucas was being so vague and overly friendly. "She's dead. I told you."

"That's not exactly the case. Are you not interested?" Lucas' smirk grew wider, eyes twinkling, as he tilted his head to the side and said in a light, teasing tone, "Don't you miss your old step-sister?" He crossed his arms over his chest and continued to prod. "Don't you wonder what happened to Olivia after you went to hell? What happened after you sacrificed yourself to save her from damnation?"

"H-How do you know all of this?"

Thomas' heart skipped a beat. His eyes widened, and his eyelashes fluttered as his eyes filled with tears. His heart was pounding in his chest as he stared at Lucas. "H-How? How do you know?" Thomas bit his lips as he attempted to control his emotions.

"Oh, you're interested." Lucas chuckled and put on a teasing tone. "Well, she's fine. She's alive and well."

A gentle smile graced Thomas' face as he asked, "She remembers me? She's married?"

"Nope." Lucas's face dropped. "It's sad, man. I think she subconsciously was waiting for you. What a poor and pathetic girl." Lucas shut his eyes tight and drew a trembling breath. He dragged the back of his hand across his damp cheeks, but the corners of his mouth were twitching. His face was contorted in a mask of false sorrow.

"That poor and unfortunate Olivia... She must be lonely. Waiting for you..."

Thomas sunk to his knees as he felt his heart crumble in his chest and his fists clenched. "Is she happy?" he asked.

"Why don't you make her happy?" Suddenly, Lucas stretched out his arm, and a flame crackled from his open palm. His once clean sleeve was now scorched, and Thomas stumbled backward in shock. "Why don't we make a deal? My friend." Lucas's devilish grin returned, and his eyes sparkled with madness. "I'll give you a chance to meet her again."

"P-Pardon?" Thomas said, surprised. He looked up at Lucas, his eyes wide.

"You heard me. You want to meet her again. Right?" Lucas narrowed his eyes, studying Thomas. "I can bring her to you. I can help you replace her. I am capable of doing that. So what do you say?" His lips parted in a sudden grin. "Should we let bygones be bygones?

Thomas stared at Lucas' outstretched palm, tempted by the unknown possibilities that seemed to promise liberation from his mundane existence. His temples throbbed as the seconds ticked by, and he hesitated, imagining the consequences of his decision. Finally, steeling himself for whatever was to come, Thomas slowly reached out and grasped Lucas' burning hand.

"My terms, that you would owe me two favors." Lucas added. "I will give you information on where Olivia lives and how to get her back."

"Wh-What are you doing?" Thomas' pupils dilated as he stuttered in surprise. "Are we making a deal?"

"Clever kitten, we're making a deal." Lucas chuckled, his voice carrying a hint of mockery. He was right. Thomas was about to pull back; however, Lucas tightened his grip. "You're smart for a royal, don't worry... You will have Olivia by the end of the day."