by Olivia Ash
Sadie turned in time to see Astrid using the roots of the trees nearby to hold the other six demons in place while she dodged every blow and grip of the seventh. She quickly checked on her men, finding they were also making progress in their fight. Mordecai kept phasing through the shadows and catching his opponents from behind while Damien expertly used Lightbane to dispatch his attackers, dodging each magical attack thrown at him.
Satisfied, Sadie rushed to take care of the other demon. She was impressed Astrid could handle herself for the most part. Obviously, her skills were limited in concentration. Proving Sadie’s assessment, the toe of Astrid’s shoe caught on a lifted edge of cement and she crumbled to the ground. The roots loosened around the other demon’s legs and the seventh one lunged for her.
Sadie shot a ball of fire toward the seventh demon and ran for the other six trying to free themselves from the roots.
The shot landed in the seventh demon’s shoulder, distracting him enough to give Astrid time to stand and regain her concentration.
“You maintain the roots. I’ll take care of the rest,” Sadie said.
Astrid nodded, and her eyes became white again.
Sadie faced off with the demon, his black eyes narrowed in on her.
“So, this is the new demon queen?” He spat at the ground near her feet. “You’ll never be my queen. You’re just a human woman playing at a role you’re unworthy of. Zagan will destroy you.”
Sadie shrugged. “Suit yourself.” She attacked, and he dodged, shooting black streams of smoke at her. The streams sharpened into blades as they neared her. She tried to dodge them the best she could, but some managed to cut her on the arm and her cheek.
“Pathetic human.” He shook his head as he paced a circle around her. “You deserve what’s coming to you.”
She pursed her eyebrows and wondered what the hell he meant by that. As she caught her breath and kept an eye on the demon circling her, she realized that each attack to them was only meant to disarm, not kill. Her and the demon princes were the ones killing. Even Astrid held the offensive stance as she merely aimed to keep herself from being captured.
The realization of Zagan having the same idea for Astrid hit her. That had to be the reason. He wanted the witch’s powers in the fight against her and her men.
That motherfucker.
“Enough!” Sadie’s voice carried through the night, stilling the fight. She looked around as everyone looked to her. Her amulet cast a faint red glow around her, and she pointedly glared at the remainder of the attacking group. “This fight ends now, or you will all die. Go back and tell your master that he was too late in getting the witch on his side. Next time I see him, he will die.”
The seventh demon snorted. “Or you’ll what? Talk us to death?”
That was the last straw. She shoved her sword into the demon’s gut and used the power in her amulet to turn him into ash. As the little charred pieces of him fell, she turned to face what was left of everyone. “Anyone else care to say another smart-ass remark?” She settled her eyes on the witches. “Unless you are itching to be a slave to your master for the rest of eternity, I suggest you take what life you have left and leave.”
Damien and Mordecai joined Sadie and Astrid. The witches slowly turned and disappeared into the dark shadows between buildings and trees. Sadie turned her attention to the demons bound by tree roots.
“Release them,” she said to Astrid.
The roots untwisted and returned to the earth. The demons shook off their legs and feet and narrowed their eyes on Sadie and her group.
One of the demons pointed at her. “We’ll be back. This isn’t the last you’ve seen of us.”
Sadie rolled her eyes. “Fabulous, you bring the drinks and I’ll bring the cake.”
They turned and headed the same direction they came from. Once they were out of sight, Sadie turned to Astrid and asked, “Are you all right?”
She nodded. “I’m fine. Thank you. You really must be a force to reckon with if Zagan sent a convoy for me this time.”
“This time?” Damien asked.
“Yeah, he’s never really stopped trying to get me. I think tonight just goes to prove he’s desperate. He’s a big reason why I won’t give loyalty to any demon.”
“You should’ve said something before now.”
“Why? We have a loose friendship at best, Damien. And you’re still a demon. Human form or not.”
Sadie took inventory of her men and Astrid while her and Damien talked. Everyone seemed to have endured minor cuts and scrapes and singed clothing. Overall, everyone was relatively unhurt. Relief flooded her. She would’ve hated for one of her men, or Astrid, to have been seriously injured. She was so grateful everyone was fine.
“Then you agree,” Mordecai asked. “Zagan must be defeated.”
She sighed. “I hate Zagan. The majority of us do. Regardless, he’s a problem and a threat to the balance. He needs to be defeated.” She casted a wary gaze toward Sadie. “No one should have that much power.”
“We’re working on finding a way right now,” Damien said. “You were step one in that process.”
She nodded, took in a deep breath, and hesitated for a moment. She seemed to have been working through the pros and cons of something. She flicked her gaze to Sadie again and a wrinkle appeared in the center of her forehead.
Sadie wondered if she was still trying to decide if she could be trusted. After what she had just done to make sure the witch stayed alive, she hoped she was heading in the right direction. Otherwise, what was the point of going through so much effort?
“Well, I have heard of one way we could defeat him. It’s not a guarantee though.”
“Let’s hear it,” Sadie said. “I’m willing to try anything to keep him from taking over.”
“There’s a book. An ancient tome closely guarded by dangerous creatures not even I can tame. It’s the forbidden book, full of knowledge and lore on demons. A charm was placed on it so that it could never be destroyed and only a powerful witch can read it.”
“I’m guessing there is a catch to this wonderous book of yours,” Mordecai said.
She nodded. “Only a demon can enter, and any witch who has ever tried to get the book has been killed.”
“So, if I’m understanding this correctly,” Sadie said. “There is a book that explains how to kill demons, that only a demon can take, but also only a witch can read?”
“Essentially, yes,” Astrid said. “Again, it’s not a guarantee. And let’s not forget I could die for trying.”
Sadie didn’t like the idea. But right now, it was their only shot at defeating Zagan for good. She looked at Damien and Mordecai. They didn’t seem too thrilled with the idea as well, but nodded.
They were on board. Astrid was on board.
Mordecai said, “I know of the book she refers to. It exists, but it’s been locked away for a reason. Even Zagan has tried and failed to take it for himself.”
“We’ve beat him once already. I think we could handle this challenge too. Are you sure you are willing to risk your life for this book?” Sadie asked.
“Yes. I wouldn’t have offered otherwise.” Astrid shook her head.
Sadie still wasn’t convinced this was a good idea, but it was their only option so far. She needed to give it a real shot. If Astrid was truly willing to give her life to help her and her men with defeating the demon king, she needed to take that opportunity and hope that Astrid survived.
“Let’s go then,” Sadie said, gesturing for Astrid to lead the way.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Kaiser
Kaiser sat in a plush chair in his room. He shifted so that he was in proper position and closed his eyes. He reached out through his mental connection with the queen of gorgons. The lights flickered in his room, creating dark flashes through his lids. The connection was created.
“Yes, my dear prince?” the queen said.
“I have need of you and your strongest warriors
. Come to the fortress in Bitterthorn at once.” He pushed as much urgency as he could muster into his mental words.
But there was hesitation from the queen, which he had not counted on. Normally, he would ask, and she delivered. No questions asked. He wondered what the change was and worried she would deny him. He hadn’t counted on his allies refusing him. He would hate to force them.
“Is there something wrong?” she asked.
“I need you with a fight against my father.”
A sensation prickled through him similar to excitement but with a hunger for blood and death. Goosebumps broke out along his skin, and that told him all he needed to know. Not only was the queen willing to come to his aid, she craved the fight.
“I’ll bring my finest warriors. Look for our arrival within the day.” Her voice was colored with the same excitement that still coursed along Kaiser’s skin.
He sighed. “As always, looking forward to another battle alongside you.”
He broke the connection and opened his eyes. The sudden stillness and emptiness of the room stared at him. The lack of Sadie’s presence was noted in every nook and cranny. Damn, he missed her and couldn’t wait for the chance to have her back in his arms again.
He used his connection to her through the charm he had placed in her lower back to check on her several times while she was gone. He did so again, finding her on her way back to the underworld. He sighed with relief. It wouldn’t be much longer until he would get his wish of her in his arms.
His stomach growled loudly. He had been so consumed with the lack of his woman’s presence and calling on his allies that he had completely forgotten to eat. All day long. He shook his head as he stood from his chair and made his way to the door. But as he reached for the handle, a sensation prickled through him. It was Sadie. There was trouble. He itched to jump up and run to her rescue, but he knew his brothers were there and wouldn’t let anything happen to her.
There were a few slices of pain and Kaiser hissed as he stood at the door, hands clenched to his sides. She was in trouble, and every instinct within him told him to run to her and help.
But he couldn’t leave. He could always find her, sure, but if he left now, he would be leaving Steele to his own devices and that would never do.
Dammit.
He paced the room, continuing to feel the pain that rushed through Sadie’s body at whatever trouble they had come across.
Of course, he knew that there was a possibility of something happening while she was gone. He trusted his brothers enough to protect her and keep her well. Not to mention she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. He had seen that a number of times since he first met her.
Calm down.
He worked on taking in slow breaths and releasing them. Before he knew it, the pain had stopped, and elation took its place.
See. Nothing to worry about. All handled.
He nodded to himself and continued his mission to the kitchen. He had a mad hankering for some roasted chicken that was left over from the day before. His stomach rumbled in agreement. He laughed to himself.
Worried for nothing.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Sadie
As her feet landed on the ground from exiting the portal, her knees grew weak, but she managed to stay standing.
Looking around, she saw the area was dark, decrepit, and the mountains were coated with veins of molten lava. Streams of the magma ran in rivers throughout the rocky terrain. The air was filled with sulfur, burning the back of Sadie’s throat and making her eyes water.
Mordecai and Damien stood at each side of Sadie, and Astrid moved from behind her to the front as she searched for a direction to go in.
“Where are we?” Sadie asked.
Damien said, “We’re in one of the deeper parts of the Void. A place where even demons wouldn’t dare go. It’s dangerous here, so stay alert.”
Great. As if the dangers of getting the book weren’t steep enough, they had managed to travel to a place where even the demon princes hesitated to tread. The information the book had was of utmost importance to their fight with Zagan. They needed that information.
“Where to?” Sadie asked.
Astrid pointed to a series of caves up ahead. Ones with strange and monstrous creatures guarding the entrances. “There.”
Of course, they would have to fight on top of it all. What part of Sadie’s job and success ever came without one?
“Do you know which cave exactly?” Sadie asked.
Astrid shook her head. “No. But there are two caverns that will lead to either an eternal fall into darkness, or a painful death.”
This just keeps getting better and better.
“The third, and I suspect that the caverns magically change, will lead to the book and many other things that are too powerful for just anyone to hold. That’s the way the angels like it.”
That part really didn’t surprise Sadie. She was learning that the angels had their hands in more than just Evangeline’s duty to keep an eye on Sadie and her growth as demon queen. And it seemed like something they would do. Set up a series of caves to make it damn near impossible to get anything that would help them defeat Zagan.
“I can scope them out,” Mordecai said.
“No,” Sadie said. The last thing she wanted was him falling forever into a dark pit or dying. It was too dangerous. She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if he got seriously hurt or killed, much less be lost to her forever.
He turned to face her. “I’m the only one that can skirt by undetected. I float, remember? Shadow form?”
Right. That. She sighed. “Fine. Just be careful.”
He smiled. “You got it, Captain.” He shifted into shadow and floated across the distance to the caves.
The three sat on the ground while they waited for Mordecai to come back. Sadie looked around at the terrain while Astrid seemed to meditate, and Damien pulled at dead pieces of grass from the cracked dirt. No one talked. That suited Sadie just fine. She wasn’t one for idle chatter and this didn’t seem like the place to carry on random conversations.
Finally, Mordecai returned. He was paler than before, and eyes were wide with whatever horror he had seen. He gulped. “I found it.”
Sadie wanted to ask what had set him on edge so much, but she figured she would find out soon enough. They all stood and set off for the cave.
As they neared the entrance, a strange creature moved across the opening. It made rapid clicking sounds as it moved, like hooves against stone. It faced them, and Sadie gaped. The creature had the mane of a lion, the face of a goat, but the eyes of a snake. It flicked its tongue out at them as well.
“Don’t look in its eyes,” Damien said.
Sadie focused on how it moved.
The creature had six hooved feet in a complete diameter around it. When it moved, it rotated from hoof to hoof.
She conjured her smoke sword as they drew nearer, and the creature toppled to its side, catching itself on its legs so that it looked like a strange, furry medallion. It screeched at them and charged.
Five more came to its aid.
As it left the cave, something glimmered on its knees and Sadie realized they were sharp claws like teeth on a saw blade.
Mordecai shifted to shadow, dodging the creatures. Damien used Lightbane to hack at the ones that got too close to him. Astrid conjured boulders from the ground to block their path, forcing them to either quickly maneuver around the rocks or hit them.
Sadie tried to slice at one, but it had dodged her swing and spat fizzing green liquid at her. A drop landed on her hand and ate away at the skin. Astrid quickly rushed over, but a creature had come up from behind her. Sadie pushed her out of the way and tossed a ball of fire at it. It squeaked as it ran away, combusting into more flames until it hit the ground and stopped moving.
Mordecai shoved his staff into the mouth of the one that headed for him. It bit off a chunk of his staff as he stared at the creature with wide eyes.
Sadie shot a ball of fire at it too, but it saw the flame coming for it and rushed away.
“What the hell are these things?” Sadie asked.
“Buers, or some weird hybrid of them,” Damien answered as he managed to dispatch two of the creatures at the same time. “Look out!”
Damien rushed Sadie and used Lightbane like a baseball bat to knock the creature into oblivion.
The remaining two scattered, rushing away like frightened dogs.
Sadie faced Damien and said, “Thanks.”
Mordecai showed up and took Sadie’s injured hand into his. “Looks like you got only enough on it to cause it to blister and eat the first few layers of skin. You’ll be fine.”
“How are you holding up, Astrid?” she asked, turning to face her.
“Fine,” she said with a firm nod.
They headed into the mouth of the cave, following Mordecai. Sadie conjured a ball of fire in her hand to light the way. Damien kept Lightbane in his hands for additional light. Even with them lighting the darkness around them, it seemed to push back, fighting for dominance.
A chill crept over Sadie’s skin and she forced back the need to shiver.
“Get ready,” Mordecai whispered as they entered a larger room.
At the farthest end, just before the black swallowed it whole, stood another terrifying creature. It appeared to be sleeping and they worked to keep their steps soft and their breathing whisper quiet.
Sadie narrowed her gaze on the creature that appeared the size of a small house. It also looked like a strange spider with a torso and head like a human. Its arms and legs ended in sharp points.
She found as they drew closer, she instinctively held her breath more and more.
A rock fell from somewhere above them, waking the creature on the floor. Everyone stood still. Its eyes opened and fell on Sadie, and her heart skipped a beat. She wasn’t sure whether or not to douse the flames or stand completely still.
