by Boone Brux
“They’re gone.” His words drifted to her and he slowly turned. His eyes narrowed to stab her with accusations.
“I didn’t release them.” Relief assaulted her and she struggled to keep her confused expression in place. She moved beside him to see the chains for herself. They lay in a pile, empty. “I swear, Icarus.”
“Did you have a change of heart?” He coiled his fingers around her neck. “Decide to save your lover?”
She clawed at his hand as the pressure increased. A single word strangled from her throat. “Please.”
Deep laughter echoed from the shadows at the far side of the room. Icarus’s hold loosened and released her, spinning to face the intruder. Rell coughed, sucking in deep breaths of air, and stumbled backward to crouch near the wall. A whimper rose in her throat but she pushed it down. This was the end.
Vile and Sha-hera glided from the darkness and stopped a few yards from Icarus. The king’s face was uncharacteristically expressionless, only his penetrating gaze revealed his anger, while Sha-hera’s triumphant malice glittered in her eyes, undisguised.
“Lose something?” Vile glided along the opposite side of the stone slab table. “Or should I say—someone?”
Rell couldn’t see Icarus’s face from where she cowered, but his spine stiffened, his wings slowly unfolding.
His father stopped at the center of the table. “When I heard my own son had captured—” He held up two fingers. “Not one, but two full-powered Bringers and didn’t tell me—” He lowered his hand and leaned his arms against the slab. “Well, I didn’t want to believe it.”
Sha-hera shifted to lean a shapely hip against the table, but Icarus made no other movement. Rell struggled to remain motionless, not wanting to draw the king’s attention.
“Now why wouldn’t my son, my second in command—” In a grand display he held his arms out to his sides. “The captain of my entire demon army, not tell me about the Bringers?” He lowered his arms. “He knew I needed them to open the Abyss of Souls, so the only thing I can assume…” Vile’s expression turned dark, all pretense of ignorance gone. “Is that he’s trying to usurp my throne.”
The ignorant smirk melted from Sha-hera’s face, but still Icarus did not speak. The king’s fist slammed down on the thick stone slab, splitting the table in two and causing Rell to fall backward. She scrambled to the corner like a crab. The heavy chunks fell inward and crashed to the floor to lay broken at Vile’s feet. Sha-hera inched away from the king, but Icarus did not flinch.
The two powerful demons stared at each other. Silence stretched tight through the room. Rell closed her eyes and sent up prayers to the Sainted Ones, chiding herself for her foolish decision to follow Icarus. She opened her eyes.
“Your attempt would have impressed me if it hadn’t been so inept,” Vile said. “Where are they?” Again he held his arms out to his sides. “Gone.”
For the first time Icarus moved, slowly pivoting toward Sha-hera. “Where are they?”
The she-demon’s expression softened to one of convincing innocence. “Why would I know where your Bringers are? I was doing a security check and found this room in disarray. Do not blame me for your incompetence.”
A chill of apprehension ran across Rell’s shoulders. By asking Sha-hera the question, he’d admitted his guilt. She braced for the king’s reaction, but the violence never came. Icarus faced Vile.
“So what happens now, Father? Will you consign me to be tortured or perhaps vanquish me to the Abyss? Or maybe both?”
Greed burned in Sha-hera’s gaze. It was obvious the demon would love nothing more than to watch Icarus suffer.
“No, Icarus.” Vile’s words were laced with victory. “I have something more fitting planned.” His gaze cut to Rell. “You and your whore are banished from the Shadow World.”
Sha-hera stepped forward, her eyes wide. “But my king, that is no punishment. He thirsts for your throne. Banishing him will not stop him.”
Vile’s gaze never left Icarus. “He would not be the king I’ve groomed him to be if he tucked tail and ran so easily.”
“King? You’ve groomed me to be nothing but a dog under your heel.” Icarus’s wings flared. “Rest assured, I will not sleep until I see your reign destroyed.”
Sha-hera’s wings flared and her body tensed. “You will have no army to command and no sanctuary where you can hide from the Bringers. The mighty Icarus will be brought down and crushed into ash beneath the hooves of their horses, and all memory of the once-mighty demon will fade.” She took another step forward. “I will see to it.”
Rell’s gaze cast over the three demons. Rage radiated off Icarus and Sha-hera, but the king’s demeanor was far less antagonistic. As the two demons squared off, a smile tugged at Vile’s lips and she could not shake the feeling that there was much more to his punishment than she could decipher.
On the surface, banishment for a demon like Icarus was no punishment at all. He could easily convert an army. His skill in battle was legendary and he was clever. All things Vile already knew.
Rell’s gaze cut to Sha-hera. She was Vile’s lap dog, always sniffing to get into the king’s good graces. Though cunning, she was also reactionary when it came to Icarus. The action before her crystallized. Vile was playing Sha-hera, setting a scene and allowing her to respond as she naturally would. She probably didn’t even realize that she was his puppet.
Icarus spun and stalked to the entry, but stopped to glare at his father. “This is not over.”
“I certainly hope not,” Vile said.
Icarus turned and stomped out the doorway. His footsteps reverberated down the corridor and faded. Rell didn’t move, unsure if she should follow him. Where would she go now? Banished and having turned Jade against her left her outlook bleak. Never had she felt this alone. The darkness inside surged forward as if sensing her acceptance was imminent.
“I think that went very well,” Vile said. Without looking at either Rell or Sha-hera, he quit the chamber.
The succubus watched him leave, her gaze confused. Rell didn’t move, hoping Sha-hera had forgotten about her. No such luck.
“You align yourself with deadly allies,” Sha-hera said. The demon turned her yellow gaze on Rell. “You’re naïve to think Icarus will triumph over Vile.”
“I only wanted my sister back.” If the demon thought she was naïve, then Rell would play the part. She wrapped her arms around her torso and hugged herself. “I didn’t think he’d hurt her.”
Sha-hera snorted and shook her head. “Like I said, naïve.”
Rell crept forward with slow, cautious steps. “What should I do?”
The succubus was silent for a few seconds, as if calculating how to best benefit from the new developments. “I think we can help each other.”
Rell crawled a few more inches and slowly stood. At this point she had nothing to lose. “How?”
“Follow me.” A smile that reminded her of the cat that had caught the canary pulled at Sha-hera’s full mouth. The succubus walked to the shadowed corner on the far side of the chamber and stopped to glance back at Rell. “I’m about to show you something that will change your world.”
Rell’s common sense raged against following. The demon could not be trusted. She forced her expression to remain passive and her steps moving forward. Would this be the day she died at the blade of an immortal weapon? Was Sha-hera going to be the one to send her to the Abyss? As she closed the distance between them, she couldn’t help but marvel at the irony of fighting so hard against Jade’s attempts and walking freely into Sha-hera’s clutches.
The demon moved forward and disappeared. Rell stopped, holding out her hand to find the wall. Rough rocks scraped her palms and then were gone. A doorway. She had not noticed it before. She followed, feeling her way along the dark passage. The air grew cold, much colder than even the lower level. She shivered, partly from the icy temperature but also from the unknown.
Blue light from somewhere beyond the next turn
lit the end of the passage. Sha-hera stopped and looked back at her. Even though every nerve in her body demanded she turn and run, Rell continued forward. The succubus disappeared around the corner and like a fool, she followed.
A blast of chilled air hit her when she stepped into the chamber. The blue light emanated from oval windows that lined both sides of the room. “What is this place?”
“This room…” Sha-hera spread her arms wide. “Holds the secrets of the Bane.”
Unsure what to do or say, Rell walked toward the first sphere of light. She glanced at Sha-hera, but the demon hadn’t moved. Her eyes remained fixed, as if waiting for her reaction.
Ice created a type of window. Rell stopped, her mouth opening and her eyes grew round at the sight of the man frozen in perpetual perfection. She managed to form a question and sound somewhat in control. “Who is he?”
“A Bringer.” Sha-hera moved to stand beside her. “Captured by Vile.”
A feeling of unease slid through her. She walked to the next window, knowing she would find a similar scene. This woman had thick copper-red hair, her skin as smooth and white as a porcelain doll owned by the children of the most elite. On she moved. An older man probably in his fifties. Another woman who bore a striking resemblance to the Bringer woman, Ravyn. Her pace quickened as she continued down the line. Another woman—two more men—and then… The ice was gone, the window empty, and she knew this was what Sha-hera wanted her to see.
“Who?” Had it been her father or somebody she knew? She turned and met Sha-hera’s eyes. “Who was here?”
The demon stopped inches away and cocked her head. “You.”
“Me?” She said the word but it had no meaning. Her? She shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“When you became this…” She indicated Rell’s demon form. “Your human body was preserved here.” She turned and crossed to the opposite wall. “All Bringers are brought here unless they’re killed in battle.”
The purpose of such a thing was unfathomable. “Why was I brought here?”
“Vile loves his trophies.” Sha-hera gazed lovingly into the ice window containing a man. “And you never know when they may come in handy.”
“I don’t understand. Where is my body? Why do you keep these?” She pointed to the frozen Bringers, trying to make sense of it all. “Is my human body dead?”
“To be honest, I don’t know.” Sha-hera crossed to where she stood and ran her hand along the edge of Rell’s wing. “Vile has yet to share the secret of his frozen trophies with me, but everything the king does is for a reason.” She lowered her hand. “Your sister took your body.”
Words failed Rell. Where had Jade taken her body? How had they found it in the first place? Had it all been a ploy to retrieve her human form? Did Icarus know of this place?
She tabled all but one of her questions. “Why do you show me this?”
“As I said, I think we can help each other.” She sauntered toward Rell. “I help you and in turn, you help me.” Sha-hera stopped and cocked her head. “Without the protection of the Shadow World, you’re going to need all the allies you can get.”
This peek into the secrets of the king was no gift, but neither did Rell have any other alternative than to play along with the demon. “What do you want?”
“Nothing really. Just keep me informed of Icarus’s whereabouts and activities.” She snagged a lock of Rell’s hair and ran it between her fingers. “Maybe in time, if you’ve been helpful, Vile will bring you back into the fold.”
The urge to yank her hair from the black talons and run pushed at her, but Rell stayed the urge. Bring her back into the fold? The very idea drained the last bit of energy from her. Exhaustion weighed her limbs down and a heavy presence pushed on her chest. She would rather be sent across the Veil than live an eternity in Vile’s good graces, doing his bidding.
Sha-hera lowered her hand, her expression menacing. “There’s a battle coming, Rell, and you’d be wise to align yourself with the demon who can do the most for you—which would be me.”
“What about Icarus?”
“Icarus.” Sha-hera spit on the ground. “He plays at war but knows nothing of what is truly happening.”
A perception of knowing pushed against Rell. She could almost feel the truth in Sha-hera’s words. It was a sensation she didn’t like. Playing two sides against each other was a dangerous game. “And what is actually happening?”
Sha-hera gave her a placating smile, but her eyes narrowed. “You’re different, Rell. I need more Bane like you in my army.”
Everything she’d tried to avoid for the past thirteen years was for naught. Once Sha-hera set her sights on a demon, they were loath to break free of her hold. “The king has banished me.”
“You are resourceful and smart, if a bit misguided.” Her gaze caressed Rell’s body, like one would appraise a horse before purchase. “I’m sure you can come up with a way to get back into Vile’s good graces, and your loyalty to me would be greatly rewarded.”
“And if I decide to go with Icarus?”
The demon’s gaze was steady. “That would be most unwise.”
Death infused the air and the walls of the chamber began to narrow. The past week’s events were taking its toll on Rell. One thought continued to shove against her—the need to see her body. She schooled her voice. “I understand.”
“I hope you do.” The demon walked to the empty window. “So sad that they stole your body.” She ran her hand around the edge of the opening. “You were one of my favorites, you know.”
It took every ounce of Rell’s control not to launch herself at Sha-hera. Like a menagerie to be ogled, these Bringers were forever preserved for the benefit of the king, and she had been one of them.
When she didn’t reply, Sha-hera turned and scowled. “Doesn’t my praise please you?”
“Very much.” She forced a smile.
The demon seemed to relax. “As it should.”
Rell shivered and rubbed her arms. “I’m getting cold.”
“Ah yes.” Sha-hera nodded. “Your kind do.”
“My kind?”
The demon pivoted and headed toward the passage without answering her question. “Remember what I said, Rell. Know where the true power lies and align yourself.”
Sha-hera turned the corner and disappeared.
“You can bet on it, Bane.” Rell glanced around, making sure nobody heard her. The frozen Bringers were her only audience.
She shivered again. If Luc and Jade thought they were done with her, they were sadly mistaken.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Somebody grabbed Jade and pushed her hair away from her face. A thousand frantic questions bombarded her. The person seemed familiar, the blond hair and green eyes that peered into hers. Hands gently cupped her face. “Jade?”
“Mama?” The fact that she was staring at a face she had thought long buried refused to be understood. She covered the woman’s hands. “Mama?”
Warm arms enveloped her, the scent of lavender dredging up her childhood memories. She clung to Willa, pressing her face into her neck and crying. Years of believing her mother to be dead bubbled to the surface. A lonely childhood spent in the caverns of the Shadow World. Her sister, caught between life and death. Like a torrent, all of it poured forth.
Loving words of comfort whispered from Willa, her arms gently rocking Jade as if she were a little girl again.
How long they stood there, she didn’t know, but finally the tears slowed. She stepped away from her mother in the twilight and looked at her.
The years had done little to diminish her beauty. Faint lines played at the corners of her eyes, but her skin was as smooth and flawless as Jade remembered. As a child her mother had always reminded her of a fairy. Now she was Jade’s angel.
“I can’t believe you’re alive.” Willa pushed a spray of tangled hair out of Jade’s eyes. “Saints forgive me, but I thought Siban was lying when he arrived and told me you lived.�
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Jade smiled. “I can imagine.”
Her mother’s gaze roamed her face and she cupped Jade’s chin in her hands. “You are all grown up.” Sadness pinched her features and her voice cracked. “I missed it all.”
She covered her mother’s hands with hers. “Rell took care of me.”
“Rell?” Her features hardened slightly. “You mean Esmeralda?”
Jade nodded. “Did they tell you about her?”
“That she’s a Demon Bane? Yes.” She lowered her arms and took Jade’s hands in hers. “And that she knew I was not dead.”
“I was angry at first too, but we can’t blame her.” Jade gave her hands a squeeze. “She battles unimaginable darkness.” She took a deep breath. “I went to release her soul—to send her through the Veil.” She shook her head. “But I couldn’t do it. Does that make me a bad sister?”
“No.” They turned and slowly walked toward the manor. “Both actions make you the best kind of sister.”
“I feel like I failed her.”
“You brought back her body.” Willa looped her arm through Jade’s. “We’ll figure out what to do next together.”
It was the first time the burden of Rell was lifted from Jade’s shoulders. Her friends were wonderful, always willing to accept her and help, but her mother was the only one who felt the same pain and betrayal as she did. “Perhaps, after I rest. Terror and torture takes a lot out of a girl.”
Willa cursed under her breath and wrapped her arm around Jade’s shoulder. “You are a lot like your father and I can see you will put me in an early grave.”
Luc’s low voice reached her through her riot of emotions, calming her. He was all right, too. Though he’d briefly passed out when they landed, he seemed to be awake and functioning.
Jade pulled back and smiled at her mother. “We’ll talk later.”
Willa nodded.
Without warning, Rhys lifted Jade into his arms and strode across the grounds toward the house. Willa raced beside them, giving Rhys directions, chattering that everything was going to be fine now that they were together.