“Ah, you must have magic of your own, my dear. Otherwise the Mirror of the Eye would never have opened to you,” Belial murmured, breaking my concentration.
“The what?” I asked distractedly, still watching Grams go about her tasks. She looked so old and bent—her hair grayer than I remembered it from even a few days ago. I wished with all my heart I was there to help her—wished I could put my arms around her and tell her that I loved her and I was all right…
“The Mirror of the Eye—it is made from the lens of Beelzebub’s right eye, you know,” Belial replied in a scholarly tone. “The left one was destroyed when Michael the Archangel plunged his fiery sword into it and killed the great demon at the Second Battle of Antioch.”
“So…it’s a magic mirror?” I asked. The picture of Grams faded and I was finally able to drag my gaze away.
“It is—but only for those who have power of their own. An ordinary mortal would have seen nothing but a cracked surface.”
“That’s what I saw at first,” I confessed. “But then it changed.”
“And what, may I ask, did it show you, my dear?” Belial sounded intensely interested.
“It showed me my Grams—locking up her shop for the day. She looked…so old and…and alone.” I tried to choke back the tears that threatened to overwhelm me. Suddenly I was swamped in a miserable wave of homesickness. I was tired of being threatened and frightened and chased all over Hell—I just wanted to go home and hug my grandmother.
“Ah, then you must have true love in your heart for her.” Belial nodded sagely. “The first thing the mirror shows us is that which we truly love and desire. A power hungry individual might see himself as the CEO of a large corporation. One who desires wealth might see himself living in a mansion or holding stacks of cash.”
“So was what I saw real?” I asked, confused. “I mean, was that really my Grams or just an image of her because I miss her so much and want to see her again so badly?”
“Oh, it was real, all right,” Belial said, tugging at his beard. “The mirror never lies.”
“So…I could get it to show me my Grams again? Or someone else?” My head was whirling as I considered the possibilities.
Belial nodded, his shiny black horns glinting in the low light.
“When you have enough power, you can compel the mirror to show you the person or persons you love. But you must be careful—the mirror is not a one way portal—while you are looking out, someone or something else may be looking in at you.”
“Ugh, what an awful thought.” I put my arms around myself, feeling a sudden chill. “Someone like who?”
Belial shrugged. “Someone who loves you…or someone who means you harm, either is possible. You may even see someone who can help you…or someone who desperately needs your help. The mirror is difficult if not impossible to predict. That is what makes it so dangerous.”
“All right.” I got up from the couch and smiled at him. “This has all been so fascinating but does Laish happen to have a bathtub or shower on this floor somewhere? Our journey so far hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing and I would love to wash up.”
Belial nodded.
“As to that, I am certain you will enjoy Lord Laish’s bathing pool.”
“Ooo, a bathing pool?” I hurried to take his arm again when he held it out. “That sounds really interesting. Does it have hot water and bubble bath to go with it?”
The old demon smiled at me, the corners of his eyes crinkling.
“I am certain it can be arranged. Would you also like me to send you up a tray of supper? Ask for anything you like, our chefs can prepare it.”
“Oh, thank you but I can’t,” I said, trying to refuse his kind offer as politely as I could. “You see, I’m just a, uh, tourist in Hell and I don’t want to get stuck here.”
He frowned slightly. “So you have brought your own food from the Mortal Realm, then?”
“Originally, yes,” I said. “Unfortunately, the container I had which was spelled to provide it, got broken beyond repair the very first night I was here.”
Belial shook his head sympathetically.
“You poor child—you must be so hungry if you’ve had no food for so long. I do wish we could accommodate you but alas, all of our food comes from the Infernal Realm and I fear it would trap you here indefinitely.”
“Oh, I’m not hungry,” I said, wanting to make him feel better. “Laish has been feeding me himself.”
“He has?” Both eyebrows shot up this time, making the old demon look like he had a furry gray caterpillar crawling across his forehead.
“Well, yes,” I said hesitantly. “I mean, he cuts his wrist with this little knife and lets a few drops of blood fall on a plate. Then they turn into whatever I ask for. So you see, I’m perfectly fine.”
Belial was shaking his head in disbelief.
“I cannot believe it,” he muttered. “I simply cannot believe it.”
“Believe what? Isn’t it okay?” The little seed of doubt that had been planted in my heart grew another inch. “I mean, the food he’s been making me won’t trap me here, will it? He promised me it wouldn’t. He said—”
“No, no—it is perfectly safe to eat.” The old demon made an impatient motion with one hand. “I am just…very surprised at him offering it to you. Forgive me, my dear, but though you’re very pretty, you’re only a mortal. For Lord Laish to offer you the Sacrifice of Blood…”
“Only a mortal?” I asked, bristling a little. “Does that make me less valuable for some reason? Less worthy of Laish’s interest?”
“Not as such…” Belial seemed to be choosing his words carefully. “But you must understand, my dear, you mortals have such a very short life span—over in the blink of an eye. I could understand if Lord Laish wished to keep you in the Infernal Realm—to serve as his concubine for eternity. But he is going out of is way not to damn your soul. It makes no sense for him to take such pains for you.”
“It makes perfect sense to me,” I said coolly, taking my hand off his arm. “Laish knows I don’t want to stay in Hell.”
“Yes, yes, but…” He tugged at his long gray beard. “How can I put it? It would be like you putting yourself through a great deal of pain and agony simply to feed a pet ant which you knew would be dead in a couple of days.”
“So now I’m his pet?” I was really angry now. “I don’t think so!”
Belial made me a sweeping bow which looked awkward and uncomfortable with his humped back.
“Please, forgive me if I offended you, my dear—it was not done intentionally. I was simply…surprised. That’s all.”
“Surprised that Laish could care for a mortal?” I asked stiffly.
“Well, yes, to be candid.” Belial shrugged his hunched shoulders. “Then again, one thing I have always liked about Lord Laish was his ability to violate my expectations. He has always had a mind of his own—even when I first found him and he was new to our realm.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. I wasn’t exactly ready to accept his apology about the whole “pet” thing—which was pretty freaking offensive—so I just nodded. We left the library and retraced our steps to the top of the spiral staircase where the carpet began in the right hand hallway.
“This half of the Citadel is reserved for Lord Laish’s private living quarters,” Belial explained in a subdued voice. “Please make yourself at home and I will have a selection of bathing products sent up to you presently.”
“Thank you,” I said shortly. Then, feeling bad because he looked like an old dog that had been kicked I added, “And thank you for the tour. It was very interesting.”
The old demon brightened up a little bit.
“I am so glad you enjoyed it. I do love to show people around the Citadel. And…” He hesitated for a moment. “And I do hope you’ll find it in your heart to forgive my ill chosen words about your mortality. After all, if Lord Laish has chosen to open himself to you and offer you the Sacrifice of Blood, I
am certain he has a good reason for it.”
“Thank you,” I said again, a little more warmly this time. “I, uh, hope you’re right.”
“I am certain that I am. You must be very special to him.” Belial nodded again, smiling and then made a motion with his hand. “Please enjoy the facilities.”
“I will,” I said. I watched as he began climbing laboriously down the spiral bone staircase, clutching the railing with one bony hand, before I turned back to open the door into Laish’s living area. I only hoped the bathing pool was as wonderful as it sounded. I needed someplace relaxing to rest and process everything Belial had told me…and everything he hadn’t told me as well.
Chapter Twenty-six
Gwendolyn
The bathing pool was everything I’d hoped for and more.
It was a long, rectangular tub set right into the floor—which was made of indigo blue tile with golden streaks running through it—and it really was a pool. By which I mean, I could have done laps in it if I wanted to. There was even a deep end and a shallow end—I couldn’t wait to get in.
I started the water running and went to explore the rest of the area. There was a bedroom with a big four poster bed and a white spread. I wondered if Laish had ordered the white spread just for me and then decided that was silly. Still, the rest of the room was done in black—black carpet… black curtains in the single eye socket-window. It did have white walls though so maybe he just had a black and white theme going on.
There was another fireplace across from the bed, though it wasn’t as large as the one in the library, with a single black armchair in front of it. There was a crackling fire already going in the grate and I took off the white fur coat and draped it over the back of the chair. Eryn fluttered up from my shoulder briefly and then settled on the coat—maybe she liked the softness of the fur.
“That’s right—you stay there, little girl,” I told her. “You’re better off, especially since I’m going to get a nice long bubble bath—if they ever bring up the bath products Belial promised me.”
Just then, as if in answer to my thoughts, I heard a soft tapping at the door.
Remembering what had happened at the Hotel Infernal, I went across cautiously and called, “Who’s there?” without opening up.
“Just me, my lady,” squeaked a little voice.
I cracked the door just a tiny bit and saw the little imp who had greeted us so excitedly when we first rode up on Kurex. He was a tiny little guy, no higher than my knee, with red skin and sharp little horns growing out of the curly black hair on his head. In his hands was an immense silver tray filled with all kinds of bottles and jars. It looked much too heavy for him and indeed, he was sweating and trembling under its weight.
“Compliments of Master Belial,” he panted. “Please, my lady, would you like me to bring them in?”
“No, you can just leave the tray there,” I said firmly. He seemed harmless enough and Laish had said I was safe here but I was still a lot more wary than I had been in the past. After everything that had happened lately, who could blame me?
“As my lady wishes,” the little imp squeaked. He put the tray down carefully to one side of the door, so that the glass bottles and jars only clinked together a little. Then he bowed so deeply the tips of his horns brushed the deep blue carpet that covered this half of the hallway.
“Thank you,” I said, smiling a little despite myself.
“Anything I can do to serve. Your servant, my lady,” he replied, attempting to straighten up. I say “attempting” because he couldn’t quite manage it. Looking closer, I saw that his sharp little horns had gotten tangled in the loops of the Berber-type carpet. He was stuck, bent nearly in half, as he wiggled and struggled to get his head up again. But the more he struggled, the more entangled his horns got in the carpet. “Oh, oh!” he squeaked. “Oh, dear!”
He was such a comical sight that I couldn’t help laughing, though I tried to smother the sound and turn it into a cough.
“Are you all right?” I asked, forgetting my wariness. “Do you need some help?”
“Oh no, my lady,” he gasped, panting for breath. “A bit of a kafuffle is all. I shall…shall be all right presently.”
“Don’t be silly,” I said. Taking a chance, I knelt down and reached out the door. Gently, I untangled his horns from the carpet.
He must have been straining very hard to stand up because once he was free, he popped up so quickly that he toppled over with his little cloven hooves pawing the air comically.
This time I really couldn’t help laughing out loud though I didn’t want to be unkind. I covered my mouth and tried to hold it in but the first giggle got out before I could stop it.
The little imp got up on his feet, looking very red in the face—which was saying something since his skin was already red.
“I do thank you, my lady,” he said earnestly, looking up at me. “It’s very kind of you to free me from the entanglements of fate.”
Or the carpet, I thought but didn’t say.
“Of course.” I tried to smooth out my face and nodded at him seriously. “And it’s very kind of you to bring me all this wonderful bubble bath.”
“Merely doing my job, my lady. Is there anything else you require? Anything I can bring you?” he asked, looking up at me earnestly.
“Not right now. Thank you so much.” I smiled at him.
“You’re very welcome. I’m at your service for as long as you are here in the Citadel, my lady.” He started to bow again and then stopped himself, eyeing the carpet warily.
On impulse, I leaned down and put out a hand for him to shake.
Uncertainly, he took it. His little hand was as small as a child’s but he had a surprisingly firm grip. His skin was also quite hot.
“Thank you, my lady.” He looked both surprised and gratified that I would shake his hand.
“I’ll see you later…?” I let the question hang in the air, wondering if he was allowed to give me his name.
“Bobbin, my Lady. I’m Bobbin—that’s me.” He flashed me a quick little grin that showed very white teeth and nodded at me in a friendly way.
It didn’t sound like a demon’s name but then, he didn’t seem to be the typical demon, either.
“Well, Bobbin, I’m Gwendolyn. You can call me by my name—you don’t have to keep saying ‘my lady.’”
“Oh no, my lady!” He looked shocked. “I couldn’t possibly call the consort of Lord Laish by her proper name! He’d have me skinned alive and thrown into the Lake of Fire, so he would!”
“No, he won’t,” I promised him. “I wouldn’t let him do that to you. But if it makes you feel better, why not call me ‘my lady Gwendolyn?’ I mean, it makes me sound like somebody at the Renaissance Festival but if it makes you feel better…”
“It does. Thank you, my lady Gwendolyn, for your great kindness to Bobbin.” He looked up at me shyly. “You…you’re very pretty you know. I can see why Lord Laish is so taken with you.”
“Well, thank you, Bobbin.” I smiled at him.
“I speak only the truth.” He ducked his head and kissed the back of my hand quickly with his hot little lips. Then he straightened up, his face red again, and scampered off down the hallway as fast as his stubby legs could carry him.
I watched him go with a grin on my face. Maybe everyone in Hell wasn’t horrible. I was glad we had a little time here to recover before we headed out on the road again. Leaning down, I picked up the tray and took it inside—I wanted a bubble bath worse than I’d ever wanted anything in my life and I was finally going to get it.
~~~
I must have drifted off in the tub because the next thing I remember were hushed voices outside the bathroom door.
“…simply cannot understand why you would do such a thing,” a voice that sounded like Belial’s said.
“I told you,” Laish replied. “I had no choice but to abandon my wyrm form—there were too many Skitterlings to contend with.”
&n
bsp; “But you didn’t have to give up your second most powerful form, my Lord! It took you centuries to cultivate it!”
“My only other option was to give up Gwendolyn to them,” Laish said coldly. “And I was not about to do that.”
“But why not?” Belial asked earnestly. “Truly she is a charming young woman but she is, after all, only a mortal. I could understand if you were intent on keeping her here with you for eternity but you are going out of your way not to damn her.”
“And what makes you think that?” Laish demanded.
“Because of what she told me—that you are making the Sacrifice of Blood for her every time you feed her. Quite apart from the pain you must be enduring for her sake, may I remind you, my Lord, how very dangerous that can be, especially to one who hangs in the balance as you do yourself?”
“You need not remind me of anything, Belial.” Laish’s deep voice cracked like a whip. “I’m well aware of the consequences of my actions.”
“But my Lord, I do not understand why.” The old demon’s voice sounded almost plaintive now. “Why put yourself through pain and trouble and suffering for a single mortal girl?”
Laish sighed and I could almost picture him running a hand through his hair.
“To tell the truth, Belial, I do not quite understand why myself. Gwendolyn has a hold on me—I can explain it no better than that,” he said in a low voice.
“But my Lord, there must be some reason.”
“Belial…” There was a warning in Laish’s low voice but still the other demon continued.
“Is it that you wish to sample her soul? You never had a taste for them before but I can understand if you’ve developed a liking. Maybe hers has a special flavor? Are you taking it little by little so that she doesn’t even feel the loss?”
Ugh—what an awful idea! I hadn’t even known such a thing was possible. Laish’s next words only made me feel a little bit better.
“I have not tasted her soul…yet,” he said.
Yet? What the hell is that supposed to mean? I thought angrily. Hadn’t he told me he wasn’t interested in my soul? Had he lied about that? And what else had he lied about?
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