The strong demonic energy reminded me that there were other demons at the station, and some of them were possibly connected to the royal guards. It was forbidden for Rodriguez to even attempt to tamper with a royal’s mind, so he had to get to me first to find out what happened between me and Arthur. It was one of the rules set by Lucifer.
Zach opened the cell and winked at me. A different energy was circulating around the whole station, and I told myself that it was nothing. The head of Lucifer’s faction wasn’t necessarily loyal. He gave me the impression that he was hungry for power, that he didn’t like answering to anyone.
Zach nodded for me to follow him. Arthur believed that I gave Summer up for adoption. Maybe that gave me a bit of time, but I had to work out a new plan. He was willing to do anything to get her back and no longer felt that he could trust me.
“Where are we going?” I asked, when we passed through a few empty corridors. “Alexis had someone who was helping her. We need to get in touch with Ronan.”
My old friend had fallen into Alexis’s trap, and I was certain that he wanted to get his dignity back.
“Yes, Flower, I know that there are bad, scary demons out there. We are going to use the old tunnel beneath the station. The commissioner had it renovated a couple of weeks ago,” he explained, without the usual sarcasm. I had no idea if I was supposed to be worried or not.
Things between us were slightly tense, and he was obviously blaming me for everything that happened to his sister. I couldn’t think about her right then. She had run away from home, then stabbed Ricky while under the influence of Alexis. I just didn’t think Zach realised that Zara wanted to be helped. For six straight years she’d lived away from her family.
“Good plan, but I can’t go back to my apartment. Rodriguez will be looking for me there,” I said, realising that I didn’t have any place to sleep tonight. Rodriguez’s pit bulls would be watching my place.
“I’m supposed to report to the prince when you wake up. He won’t be pleased that I let you go,” he informed me. A couple of other police officers passed us on the stairs. There was a mongrel with them who stared at me suspiciously. My stomach clenched, and I hoped he had nothing to do with Rodriguez.
We moved three floors down. Zach’s thoughts were distracting, and there was still a slight tension between us, but he was acting cool, not giving me an indication that he was planning to pursue me romantically.
Apparently, the tunnel under the station had been restored. They were built just before the war, but until very recently remained blocked. Zach used a small flashlight to get through the narrow metal door. The tunnel ran under the busy street and must have somehow been connected to the underground. I tried to ignore the smell of sewage and rats running around. We didn’t talk for a long half an hour until we reached the end. I felt butterflies in my stomach when I thought about my freedom all of a sudden. At the same time, I was petrified, knowing that so many people were relying on me.
“You will come out a couple of streets down from the station. I have to get back to the palace, give Arthur the bad news,” Zach informed me. “Tomorrow morning you’re going to take me to my sister.”
“I need to locate Ronan first, find out what happened to Ricky and Nameless. Keep your phone on. I’ll be in touch.” I really had no idea what to expect. This whole plan was very uncertain, but I needed to remember that Zach was on my side. Arthur was going to be furious with him.
“Good luck. I think you’re going to need it, Flower,” he said with a wink.
“Well, you too, good luck with Arthur. He’s going to make my life difficult,” I said, still thinking about Summer and Matilda.
Zach gave me a strange look without a comment and then turned around and started walking back through the darkness, my senses picking up that he hoped he could still reach his sister.
The metal doors gave way after a couple of pushes. My head spun a bit when I inhaled the fresh air, finding myself on the streets of London. I had to stay hidden from now on, avoid crowded places and keep out of the Watcher’s jurisdiction. Rodriguez needed to question me about the prince, and it was going to be clear to him that, since I disappeared from the station, I was on the run.
I put my hood up over my head and started walking through the streets, heading straight to Ricky’s apartment. My heart was breaking when I thought about him for a few moments. We had been working together for so long, and now I didn’t even know if he was going to live.
He had given me a spare key a while back. Things were really messed up for me right then, but I needed a room I could use in order to send a message to Matilda. I had been stupid thinking that Alexis would spare Ricky. She was planning to hurt him the moment she had him.
Ricky lived in Chelsea in a very posh apartment. The doorman looked at me strangely when I let myself in and waited for the lift. I kept tapping my foot until it arrived, sensing that he suspected I wasn’t one of the residents. I had the key, so he could go to Hell.
Hot guilt soared through me when I unlocked the door and saw all his things everywhere, the perfectly polished shoes, colourful ties and his elegant coat. I ran my hand over it, clenching my teeth. What happened in Gjöll shouldn’t have happened in the first place.
A few minutes later I walked into the spacious living room. Ricky had some herbs, mixtures, and books in the spare room, and I had to hurry. Matilda didn’t have much time. She would have sensed the danger, but I needed to give her a heads up.
I dropped my jacket on the sofa, and was just about to head to the spare room, when I saw an envelope with my name on the table.
I instantly recognised Ronan’s writing, so I tore it open and started reading it.
Maxine,
Ricky’s wound was infected. Your friend’s sister helped me transport him out when we didn’t hear from you.
There is a demon I know in one of the private clinics outside London, so we transported him there straight away.
Right now, he is under the supervision of a mongrel. It’s a private hospital in Reading, but I have been told that he hasn’t got much time. His wound is serious, and he is dying. Sid, a friend of mine who’s looking after him, advised the girl that Ricky needs a reversal spell.
The blade of the machete was stolen from Lucifer’s quarters. You understand how sensitive this matter is, but no one can do anything else for him, until someone gets the reversal spell directly from Hell.
My son has refused to come with me. The human girl who was under Alexis’s spell stopped talking. My son is looking after her, but some of his followers want him dead. Apparently, he promised them immortality.
You know what to do. You must get that spell and Ricky will be saved. Alexis is going after your child. She knows where she is, and she won’t stop until she gets what she wants.
I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but Summer’s future was doomed the moment you gave birth to her.
Forget about her and save yourself.
Yours,
Ronan.
Chapter 3
“Through me you go to the grief-wrecked city.
Through me to everlasting pain you go.
Through me you go and pass among lost souls.”
―Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy
I refused to believe that Ronan had advised me to forget about my baby girl. He always believed that I’d made a mistake keeping her, but Maxine Brodeur wasn’t the kind of person who could simply give up. I didn’t know how, but Alexis had disabled Ronan, and that must have left a permanent mark on his magic.
He was scared, aware that if he continued helping me, he could be summoned down to Hell, too. I didn’t blame him for wanting to wash his hands of this. After all, Summer was my problem, and she was no longer a secret. I thought about Ricky—his time was running out, too. There was no way I would let him die alone. I was going to get that spell, no matter what.
I picked up the letter and tossed it away in the bin, then took a few deep breaths. My st
omach was empty, and I couldn’t even remember the last time I ate. Food was supposed to distract me from the decision I had to make, and Ricky’s fridge was full. I took some chicken and pickles, then sat at the table and tried to eat.
After my body was fuelled with necessary energy, I went to Ricky’s office and started moving books and potions back to the living room. I boiled water and set up flasks and herbs on the table. Soon the brewing mixture of a demonic elixir was bubbling in a small pot that I found in the kitchen, releasing a pleasant smell around the property. I added sage, rosemary, blood from a healthy human, and whispered the formula that Matilda had taught me during the couple of weeks that she’d stayed with me in the cottage.
The strong power stirred inside me, spreading deep down into the core of my demonic soul. I shut my eyes, aware that the floorboards beneath my feet started to shake. I needed to calm down and concentrate on the connection. It was impossible for me to get in touch with Matilda through letters or phone calls. As soon as she realised that Summer was in danger, she became unreachable. She would be aware that she needed to be on the move.
Sweat dripped down my face, and on my fingertips, small flames began to appear. The warmth filled the room, and the crackling sound coming from the pot indicated that my potion was ready. I stared at the red liquid, aware that my throat was burning. I hadn’t had magical tequila since that night in the pub, before I entered Gjöll. This wasn’t going to taste anywhere near as good, but that was not the point. My child was in danger and I was willing to do anything to save her, even if that meant I had to poison myself to see her again. My addiction would probably hunt me down each day, but I wasn’t going to worry about it now.
I counted to five and then drank the contents of the pot. As soon as the liquid touched my lips, the temperature adjusted itself, so it wouldn’t burn me. I waited, ten, twenty seconds, hoping that the connection would somehow get established. Normally Matilda’s echo would show up in front of me, but this time nothing happened. This could mean only one thing.
Alexis must have gotten to her already or something happened, and she had purposely disconnected her magic. As a Warlock, she would have sensed that something was off. I used the same formula once in a while to make sure that Summer was all right, and it always worked. Minutes of silence passed, and I was growing anxious and worried about people who meant so much to me. Matilda was too skilled to fall for Alexis’s trap.
Then a moment later I heard a knock on the door that startled me. I dropped the elixir, and its contents spilled on Ricky’s fancy carpet.
My heart gave me a kick, as I sensed there was a demon outside the apartment, a very powerful upper-level demon. I scratched my head, wondering what to do. No one apart from Zach knew that I was staying here. The connection between me and Matilda was gone. My mind started racing, and I knew that I should have tried to find Matilda straight away. Now, my child’s safety was compromised.
I paced around the room, rubbing my face as the knocking persisted. I was too scared to check who was so eager to see me so late at night. I didn’t care if it was Rodriguez or the tooth fairy, because I wasn’t planning to answer the door anyway. The image of bloodied Ricky passed through my mind. I shook my head, trying to pull myself together. It wasn’t too late. I could still save them both.
Eventually whoever was behind that door was gone. I didn’t sense anyone anymore. I sat on the floor and hid my face in my palms, trying to think if there was anything else that I could do. Moments passed and the hair on the back of my neck rose. I sensed the vibrating energy of another being. Suddenly I felt someone standing beside me.
I should have reacted, but right then my body refused to obey me. My limbs felt heavy, and my head throbbed with pain. Something must have happened after I drank that potion, something that changed my magic. My emotions felt suppressed. I didn’t feel like there was any point in carrying on. Matilda was willing to protect Summer, but at what cost? What if Alexis had already captured them both?
Slowly I forced myself to lift my head. There was a demon in Ricky’s living room. I recognised him vaguely. He was part of my memory that Keres imprinted in my head a couple of weeks ago. His name was Morpheus.
“How did you get in here?” I asked, getting up abruptly and backing away from him. He looked exactly as he did in the dream—those dark eyes were mesmerising, stunning, and staring at me with gripping curiosity. He looked slightly older. He must have adjusted himself to years that passed, so I would recognise him.
“We both want the same thing,” he stated, shoving his large hands inside his pockets. There were patches of grey hair at his temples, but I refused to believe in his illusion. Demons didn’t age in Hell. Maybe I added the wrong ingredients to the potion that I had drunk earlier, and now I was simply hallucinating. “Lucifer has sent me here to take care of Alexis, a dying demon. She has caused too much trouble for him on Earth and in Hell.”
I blinked rapidly, wondering if I should punch myself. My mind was so screwed that I couldn’t tell if this was happening for real or if it was a dream. Ricky’s apartment was protected by wards, and only I could get inside.
“You were with my mother when I was a baby. I saw you in a dream,” I whispered, certain that I was starting to lose it.
He smiled, and mischief flickered in his eyes. He seemed pleased that I recognised him. “Let’s not talk about that. I’m here because Lucifer himself asked me to interfere in this matter. Alexis has escaped from the Hell pits; someone betrayed the order and helped her avoid execution. I’m here to make a deal with you because we both want the same thing.”
His energy collided with mine, but I wasn’t going to be fooled by him. Lucifer would go through the head of the faction. He wouldn’t send a demon to deal with me. This wasn’t how things worked in Hell.
“How did you find me?” I asked, making sure there was a safe distance between us.
“We’ve been keeping an eye on you for years, Maxine Brodeur. After your last encounter with Alexis, we thought it was time to get involved,” he said, like this would explain everything.
“We? Who is ‘we’?”
“Your questions aren’t relevant at the moment. The time will come when everything will be clear. Right now, we have to concentrate on Alexis. I’m here to make a deal with you in exchange for your soul.”
I wanted to laugh, but Morpheus didn’t look amused. On the contrary, he was perfectly serious. This demon couldn’t have been sent by Lucifer himself. The lord of the underworld wouldn’t care about me. Why would he?
I was just a mongrel. A second later, the tiny voice in my head reminded me that I was also the mother of an illegitimate royal baby. A special creature that meant a great deal to Lucifer himself.
“And why would I give up my soul willingly?” I asked him, folding my hands over my chest.
“The dark lord has learnt the truth about your child, but he’s willing to spare her soul in exchange for yours. Alexis needs to be stopped, and your business partner has been poisoned. I’m here to offer you a deal, Maxine Brodeur. You can save them all if you’re willing to work with me.”
His words paralysed me for a split second. Lucifer wanted to help someone so insignificant as me, even though I broke his rules. The dark lord was protective of his own interests. Summer meant everything to me, and I had no idea how the hell he found out about her. The reversal spell could only come directly from Lucifer. This was my chance; I could save Ricky if I agreed to Morpheus’s terms.
I swallowed hard, thinking about his proposition. This was it, the moment when I realised that I’d fought so hard to keep the secret that had never been a secret to begin with.
“How long has he known?” I asked barely above a whisper.
“From the beginning,” Morpheus replied with that strange, softer tone of voice.
I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. I had so many questions. I didn’t understand how I was still alive if Lucifer knew about Summer from the very beginning.
>
“So I was being watched? But why? What is your connection to my mother?”
“Your mother was special. After our paths crossed, she had done me a favour, and I’ll always remember what she sacrificed for me,” he explained, still not giving me anything concrete. Mum was an amazing human, but she knew about demons. I remembered everything from that dream. I knew she was in love with the demon that now stood in front of me, ready to bargain over my soul.
I ran my hand through my messy hair, pacing around the room. This was it, my very end, but I still didn’t understand why Lucifer himself wanted me.
Hell wouldn’t let Arthur go public with the fact that he fathered a child. None of this made any sense, but regardless, I was willing to do anything to stop that crazy bitch from getting to my daughter.
“Hell is willing to spare the child in exchange for my soul? That’s all Lucifer is willing to take?”
“Yes, it’s the offer that I have been asked to present to you,” Morpheus stated, moving closer. His energy hit me hard, and it stayed inside me, bonding us closer. I couldn’t explain what was happening, but I didn’t want to break the connection. My thoughts were frantic, and there were so many questions.
I didn’t want to believe anything he was saying. Hell couldn’t have known. No one apart from Ricky, Ronan, and then Matilda knew that I was pregnant.
“And what if I refuse your offer?”
“Then I have to take you with me downstairs,” he announced with a blank expression on his face. “But we both know that you can’t refuse it. You need to protect your mongrel child, and you need to save your friend.”
He was implying that my future was already doomed, that there was a place for me downstairs regardless. I didn’t want to believe that my sacrifice didn’t matter at all.
Doomed Cases Box Set: The Complete Collection Books 1- 4 & Prequel Page 51