“Yes, I suppose we do,” Avaritia mused, picking at his nails again.
“What does Valefor want with Lily?” Lux asked. He’d yet to have deciphered that himself, and if Avaritia had been hearing things, he’d probably heard that, too.
“Who?” Avaritia asked, being willfully dumb.
“Lily. The castimonia,” Lux clarified, even though he knew he didn’t need to.
“Oh. I wasn’t aware that it had a name,” Avaritia shrugged, and Lux clenched his teeth to keep from hitting him. “Valefor wants her because she is the castimonia, of course.”
“She’s not yet, not really,” Wick was quick to amend. “She hasn’t taken her vows yet.”
“Precisely!” Avaritia pointed at her, as if she’d won something. “See! I knew you were smart.”
“I don’t understand.” Lux shook his head. “If she’s not a true virtu, why does he want her?”
“He wants her to take her vows to him,” Avaritia explained as if they were both small children. “If she serves him, a daemon, and not an irin, he’s won. We’ve won.”
“What?” Lux furrowed his eyebrows, but Wick’s jaw dropped as she started piecing it together.
“The most epic battle of all time!” Avaritia said gleefully. “Good versus evil! The whole reason we’re here! The daemons and irins were put here to see who would have the most, and if Valefor steals a virtu from the irin, we have more!”
“I thought they meant human souls. She’s not human,” Lux said, but the room already felt like it was spinning a bit.
“Technically, she still is, until she takes the vows and accepts the gifts, but she’s in such a unique position,” Avaritia went on. “Daniel can’t make any more virtus. Once they’re gone, they’re gone forever. It’s always seemed like a horrible idea to me. Valefor can go on replacing us until the end of time. But that seems to be approaching rather quickly.”
“You think the whole world will end if she serves him?” Lux asked.
“The world as we know it, yes. That’s what Valefor thinks, and he’s never wrong,” Avaritia smiled. Valefor was many things, but he was rarely wrong. “Then this will all be ours! Well, mine, since I’m certain you’ve been disinherited after this stunt you’ve pulled.”
“She won’t serve him,” Wick said quietly. “Lily would never serve someone like him.”
“Maybe not,” Avaritia shrugged, as if he didn’t care one way or the other. “But she is in a perfect position. She doesn’t even know what she is. Nobody’s bothered to tell her or train her, and she’s so trusting.” Lux swallowed hard, trying not to throw up.
“What happens if she says no?” Lux asked numbly.
“He’ll kill her,” Avaritia said. “Valefor has been feeling tired lately, and since she’s a virtu, she has a stronger lifeforce. He plans on taking that, getting a bit of rejuvenation.”
Valefor was immortal, but overtime, he’d weaken. In order maintain immortality, the daemon and the irin had to make sacrifices. Irins sacrificed all earthly pleasures. Daemons sacrificed lives.
“What happens if she does serve him?” Lux asked, and Wick glared at him. She wanted to argue that Lily would never succumb to Valefor, but when she saw his ashen face, she realized he was only trying to think of a way to save Lily.
“He plans to wed her. He wants a bride to rule by his side, helping him take over the Earth.” Avaritia stopped picking at his nails and looked up at them. “You’re really concerning yourself too much with her, Lux. I don’t understand what’s gotten into you, but this should be a very joyous time for us. This is everything we’ve worked for, and you’re getting yourself tangled up with some girl.”
Lily would end up either dead or married to Valefor, and Lux honestly didn’t know which would be worse. The whole idea disgusted him so much, he could hardly stand it. Lux pressed an arm against his stomach and looked as if he might pass out.
Wick knew if she didn’t say something, she’d have to deal with reviving him and getting rid of Avaritia.
“What is Scelestus getting in return?” Wick blurted out.
“Pardon?” Avaritia raised an eyebrow.
“Lady Scelestus. She’s the one that gave the castimonia to your master,” Wick said. “But she wanted something in return. What was it?”
“Oh that. She wants to be the invidia,” Avaritia grinned. “She didn’t even know that the girl was a castimonia. She approached Valefor looking for a position, and after listening to her, he deduced that Scelestus was in possession of a castimonia. He would’ve agreed to anything, but she had no idea what she was bargaining with.”
“Does Invidia know that he’s about to be replaced?” Lux asked.
“I doubt it. But he’s been so useless, he should’ve seen it coming.” Avaritia clicked his tongue and shook his head. “He envies the most ridiculous things. He’s always trying to steal my shoes! I know I have fabulous footwear, but he should be out coveting and garnering nations, not apparel.”
“Where’s Lily?” Lux asked as soon as he calmed down enough to talk about her.
“What?” Avaritia looked up him, honestly unable to comprehend what Lux was getting at. “Why do you even care? What has gotten into you? You’re living in squalor, associating with that, fighting Ira, and obsessing over some stupid mortal.”
“I need you to tell me where she’s at,” Lux repeated.
“What for? So you can storm the castle and save the princess?” Avaritia shook his hands, pretending to be impressed. “I hate to break it to you, Lux, but you’re weak and stupid. Let it go. Maybe if you go groveling back to Valefor and help swing the castimonia’s vote his way, he’ll let you live and enjoy the apocalypse.”
“He won’t have her,” Lux said flatly. Avaritia looked at him, gauging his sincerity, then nodded.
“I can see you’re a serious man. I don’t agree with your choices, but I admire your conviction.” He looked from him to the wand in Wick’s hand. “I can help you out if you can help me.”
“You want the wand?” Lux asked incredulously. “You can’t even use it.”
“You really can’t,” Wick echoed, holding the wand close to her. “You don’t have the magic for it.”
“I don’t want to use a stupid wand,” Avaritia looked offended. “I have enough of my own magic, thank you. But that’s the horn of a unicorn. It’s very valuable.”
“What would you give us for it?” Lux asked, and Wick shot him a look.
“It’s not for sale,” she snapped.
“Come now.” Avaritia grinned. “Everything has a price.”
“You know what we want,” Lux said, ignoring Wick’s icy glare.
Avaritia shook his head. “I can’t give you the girl, no matter what you had to offer me in exchange. But I can tell you where she’s at.”
“She’s with Valefor, isn’t she?” Lux asked.
“Perhaps.” Avaritia shrugged and went back to picking at his nails. “Or perhaps not.”
“Tell us where she is,” Lux commanded.
“Tsk tsk.” Avaritia wagged his finger at him. “Horn first. Then I’ll tell you what I know.”
Lux sighed and held out his hand so Wick would give him her wand, but she held it to her chest.
“He doesn’t know anything,” Wick protested. “Or at least not any more than you do. Lily’s with Valefor.”
“No, you know she’s on her way to Valefor.” Avaritia’s lips spread out in a smug smile. “But you don’t know if she’s made it there yet, or what Ira might be doing with her.”
Wick and Lux exchanged a look. She didn’t want to give up her wand, especially for tepid information at best. But Lux’s blue eyes were serious and imploring. They both needed to do what had to be done to get Lily.
Wick scoffed and shook her head, and she finally handed her wand over to Lux.
“Thank you,” Lux said quietly, but she turned away from him and muttered to herself about how ridiculous this all was.
She crossed her
arms over her chest and watched from the corner of her eye as Lux took a step toward Avaritia. Avaritia rubbed his hands together, his eyes locked on the prize he’d won from them. But he should’ve been paying more attention to Lux.
Lux moved swiftly, reaching out with his empty hand to grab the back of Avaritia’s precious hair and jerk his head back. Before Avaritia could let out more than a surprised yelp, Lux had slammed him back against the wall. The unicorn horn in his hand was pressed against Avaritia’s throat, the sharp tip ready to tear open his jugular.
“Where is she?” Lux asked, his voice calm.
“Hey, Lux, take it easy!” Avaritia held up his hands but didn’t try to push Lux off. Lux was broad-shouldered and strong, and Avaritia was a waif and a sneak. “I don’t have her! Messing with me won’t get you closer to her!”
“Maybe not,” Lux allowed. “But it would send Valefor a message.”
“You don’t want to waste time on me,” Avaritia said hastily. “She’s with him now. Or at least she’s almost there. Last I heard, they were almost to Valefor’s lair.”
“I told you that he didn’t know anything,” Wick said from behind them. He glanced back over his shoulder, where she looked utterly unimpressed by his display.
“And I still have your wand,” Lux told her, and then turned his attention back to Avaritia. “Where is she?”
“I already told you all I know!” Avaritia squirmed, and Lux pushed hard on the wand, piercing his skin just slightly. “Kill me if you want, Lux, but it won’t help you. It won’t save her.”
“We don’t have time for this,” Wick reminded him, and Lux relented.
He stepped back from Avaritia, who immediately smoothed back his hair and began straightening out his clothes.
“Here.” Lux handed the wand back to Wick. “I had to be sure that he didn’t know anything.”
“You’ve completely lost it.” Avaritia shook his head as he re-buttoned his jacket. “Valefor’s going to destroy you when he finds you, and I’m going to laugh.”
Lux considered going after Avaritia and really teaching him a lesson, but Wick was right. They didn’t have time to waste. If Avaritia didn’t know anything, then they didn’t have any reason to interact with him anymore. Avaritia left, slinking out the front door the same way he had come in.
Wick gathered up a few more things they might use on their journey, and then she and Lux ventured out in the night, into the Necrosilvam.
12
The last quarter of a mile, Ira had tired of fighting her, so he simply dragged Lily on the ground behind him. He bound her hands and tied a rope around her ankles, so he could pull her along. She’d wailed like a banshee after he’d taken care of Lux, and for the first hour or so, she’d sobbed and hit at him with her puny fists.
Eventually, she wore herself down, but she’d never completely gave up. No matter what he did to her or what he threatened her with, Lily never stopped fighting him or vowing to avenge Lux. Ira had never actually seen anyone fight that long or hard before, not in the face of such a clear obstacle.
When he got to the mote surrounding Valefor’s lair, he picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. She wriggled a bit, but her body was battered and bruised from being raked across the ground. She too worn down to do much more than that, and it would be easier if he carried her.
Valefor’s lair rose high in the sky, a burnt crimson tower that looked as mangled and twisted as a unicorn horn. It was made of rocks and magma, carved many centuries ago, and it had quite obviously seen its share of battles and fires.
Avaritia, who’d always had a taste for the finer things in life, once asked Valefor why he didn’t move or at least fix his crumbling tower. Valefor said he liked it better that way. The more destroyed it got, the more it reminded him of home. After that, Avaritia didn’t ask any more questions, because he hated to be reminded of where Valefor really came from, where he and all the other peccati would someday reside.
On the other hand, Ira looked forward it. No place on Earth felt more comfortable to him that Valefor’s lair. Here the smell of brimstone was so strong, Lily couldn’t ignore it. Ira had tied a gag in her mouth to silence her, and she coughed around it as she breathed in the scent.
Her hair fell over her face, so she couldn’t see where they were going. She could only see the ground below Ira’s feet as it shifted from dirty wood to the murky water of the moat and finally to the worn black stones of the tower floor.
She heard Ira talking to the guards at the door, their voices booming and inhuman. The language they spoke sounded vaguely like her own, but she couldn’t really understand it.
Lily tried to look around, searching for any landmarks to tell her where she was, so she could make her escape when the time came. She didn’t know if Lux was alive or dead, but she would do everything she could to return to him, even if it was only to bury him.
What little she could see of the walls did not look pleasant. They were covered in scratches and splashes of red that looked suspiciously like blood.
Stranger still, the longer Ira walked, the warmer she got. The hallway they were in seemed to go on forever, then she heard a heavy door groan open. The heat hit her so hard, it felt like she was going into an oven. In fact, she’d become convinced that Ira meant to cook and eat her.
She fought harder against him, kicking at him with what little strength she had left. Her whole body ached when she moved, and even though she hated to admit it, she knew she didn’t have that much fight left in her.
Ira dropped her onto the ground with a painful thud, and she immediately scrambled to sit up. The room wasn’t an oven, as she’d expected to see, but rather, it appeared to be some kind of chambers.
The walls were dark, stained with ash like the chimneys at her palace. A long fire place ran along one wall, its fire blazing, but somehow, the room felt dim. It was furnished with several chairs and a long table, all of them made out of the black lava rock, so they seemed to glisten in the light of the flames.
“I’m going to take the gag from your mouth,” Ira said, bending down in front of her. “But if you scream, even once, I will knock all the teeth out of your face. Do you understand me?”
Lily sat on the floor, her feet bound underneath, her arms bound behind her back. Her dress was torn and ragged, as was her skin underneath, staining the white fabric red. Dirt and sticks knotted her hair, and it hung in a mess around her face. She stared up at Ira, knowing she had no choice, and grunted her understanding.
He ripped the cloth from her mouth with more force than necessary, and it yanked her painfully.
“Now, what do you say?” Ira asked, smiling down at her.
“What?” Lily asked, glaring up at him. “You expect me to thank you? I will spit on your grave before I thank you, and then and only then will I thank you for doing the world the service of leaving it.”
“Get it all out of your system,” he said, only smiling wider. “Because when my master gets here, you won’t get away with it. He’ll make you wish you had died back there with your boyfriend.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” she told him, raising her chin defiantly. “I will get free, and when I am, you will be the one that wishes you had died back there.”
“Such big threats from such a tiny girl,” Ira chuckled. “Valefor is going to eat you up.” He laughed again, then turned and started walking toward the door.
“Where are you going?” Lily asked.
“As much as I’d love to see what the master has in store for you, I have other business to attend to,” Ira said as he opened the door. “But don’t worry. He won’t keep you waiting much longer.”
Ira laughed again, then shut the door loudly behind him, leaving Lily sitting alone in the middle of the room. It was so hot that her skin had become slick with sweat, but that could work to her advantage. She wriggled her wrists, trying to get them free.
She’d just about gotten one hand loose when the door on the other side of t
he room opened, and she lifted her head to see Valefor walk inside.
13
The creatures in the Necrosilvam usually didn’t mess with Wick anymore. They had learned that it was pointless, but even she wasn’t prepared for how quiet the forest could be when she walked with Lux. Around him, nothing made a sound.
It occurred to her that he was the most powerful thing in the forest. That was only because of who his master was, and she wondered if she was doing the right thing in teaming up with him. She knew she had to rescue Lily. She owed Iris that much. And if that meant working with a servant of Valefor, then so be it.
The sun was starting to rise over the Necrosilvam as they reached the edge of it. The light allowed them to get a better view of how far they’d really gone, and how far they had left to go. Lux had started out leading the way, but as they walked on, he’d started to lag.
At first, Wick thought it was because he was purposely trying to sabotage the rescue mission and slow them down. But eventually she realized that he wasn’t as healed as he’d claimed to be. Ira’s attack had left him favoring his right leg, and she slowed a bit.
“Why don’t we take a break for a minute?” Wick suggested.
“No.” Lux shook his head forcefully and pushed on. “We have to keep going.”
“Not at the pace we’re going.” She stopped, and he took a few steps forward before looking back. “Sit for a minute. I have some ringa root that I can put on your leg. It will help you so we can go faster.”
He paused for a minute, considering it before nodding reluctantly. Lux took a step back toward her and sat down on a large boulder. She knelt before him and rummaged through her bag. Wick pulled out a gnarled bright orange root, the root of a ringa plant. It had strong healing properties, which is why she’d brought it along. She’d meant to use it if they got hurt in a fight, but she needed to use it now, if they wanted to get there quickly.
“Roll up your pants,” Wick commanded, and Lux did as he was told.
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