by Ivy Asher
For a moment, as her arm lobs back like she’s about to hit a home run, I think to myself, oh shit, she’s gonna do it. She’s actually gonna take off Morax’s head! But right before the sharp curved edge of her scythe makes contact with his neck, he stops her with a single spoken word, thick and layered with power.
“Stop.”
Her entire body jolts, her muscles spasming as she careens to an unnatural screeching halt, her teeth gritted with the effort to keep going.
Morax lets a cruel, slow smile curve up his lips, his body completely relaxed as he watches her. He’s not at all bothered by the fact that her blade is just inches away from his jugular. He is nothing if not arrogant in his ability to control everyone and everything.
We’re going to prove you wrong, you prick. That arrogance is going to be his undoing.
“Delta Gates,” he coos, his voice patronizing. “So good of you to finally join us. Now set it down.”
Robotically, she pulls the scythe toward her and sets one end on the ground, but I notice that even though she’s listening, she doesn’t go dead-faced like Medley and I do when we’re under Morax’s power.
“What did you do to my sister?” Delta demands, confirming my suspicions that she has control over some faculties and not others.
His grin widens as his snakes snap in Delta’s direction, taunting her and making her feel even more helpless in her immobile state. Morax begins a slow circle around Medley, making Delta tense even more, a tic visible in the muscle of her jaw. “She’s very docile like this, isn’t she?” he says, leaning in to pet Medley’s head before running a taunting finger down the curve of her wing. She continues to look straight ahead, not reacting at all.
“Don’t you fucking touch her!” Delta yells, but Morax just laughs.
“Oh, I’m going to do more than touch her. And now that I finally have all three of you, it’s time to stop wasting time.”
At the mention of all three of you, Delta’s eyes search the dark room until her eyes land on me. “Sable?” she breathes, her voice hitching.
My eyes burn as I nod, and I see her own eyes take on a telling sheen before she hardens her gaze back on Morax. “I’m going to fucking kill you.”
“No. You’re not. None of you are, and the sooner you accept that, the easier all of this is going to go for each of you. Everything has fallen into place, Delta. Just like I planned.” He looks over at Vudu. “Send for Shateel.”
Vudu nods tersely and then stalks out, while Morax turns back to Medley and grabs her chin harder than necessary before he leans forward and licks up her cheek.
“You fucking son of a maggot!” Delta yells as she fights his compulsion to move, but Morax just pulls away and chuckles, leaving Medley standing there looking like she isn’t fazed one bit.
“As much fun as this has been, we’re on a time crunch, girls,” he says before stepping up to Delta. He runs a finger down the staff of her scythe, no doubt just to piss her off that she can’t move. “Send your scythe away. Don’t call it until I say you can,” he tells her, power braiding his words. “You will not use it without my express permission.”
In a blink, her scythe disappears, and a growl of frustration leaves her throat, though she’s still stuck in place. “Good girl,” he purrs, and the look she gives him is so lethal that there’s no doubt in my mind—she would kill him without hesitation if she was given the chance.
“Now, you will behave. My will is your will. Isn’t that right?”
Delta’s fury-filled face immediately slackens, her brow furrowing with confusion for a half-second until that too smooths out, and I know that his compulsion just smashed the barriers in her mind.
“Good.” He turns to me next, his steps unhurried as he stops in front of me. But when his eyes meet mine, I’m ready for him, already picking up the blanket of darkness and wrapping it around my mind to protect me from his control. “You will be compliant, too,” he says in that cocksure tone of his.
I force my eyes to lose their hatred and hostility, the worry lines around my eyes smoothing out as I nod. “Yes.”
“See how much easier this is?” Morax says mockingly as he looks around at the three of us, an eager excitement to him that turns my stomach. “Now, you three have to get ready. I wish I had more time to play with you, but the Seven Sins are throwing a party, and it would be rude to be late,” he says with a Cheshire grin.
Morax addresses Toreon next. “The cuffs?”
Toreon picks them up and walks over, his chains already secured around his torso again. I watch with trepidation as he dutifully hands the magicked metal bands to Morax. White snake eyes study them, turning them over under his intense inspection.
“This will do,” he finally says, and then he looks over Toreon with the same scrutiny. Whatever he finds there makes Morax smirk. “Hmm. You don’t seem drained at all,” he muses, sending me a contemplative glance that makes my stomach roil. “You’re proving to be worth all the trouble, Sable.”
Morax raises his hand, a flash of power coming out the instant before he pulls me out of Toreon’s cage and directs me to move next to my sisters. I stand between them, careful to keep my darkness tight within me and my eyes straight ahead, not giving away anything.
Worry rings shrilly through my bones, but it takes everything in me to play the placid, unconcerned part as Morax walks in front of us, eyeing us like he’s the cat that got the cream. “Triplets. A rarity even in the Demon Realm,” he muses, his eyes skating over us. I feel his gaze on my nearly naked skin and my still bruised face, and it makes bile inch up my throat.
He moves closer to Medley, making me almost tense up, but I stop myself just as he takes her hand and slips one of the cuffs onto her. He moves to me next. I hold still, not flinching when his snakes try to reach out to snap at me or when his fingers dig in as he forces the band onto my wrist.
Delta is next, and she grimaces when he wrenches her hand harder than necessary, shoving up the cuff so roughly that he scrapes some of the skin off her knuckles. I guess Morax isn’t completely done playing. If I had to guess, it would seem that he’s a little bitter about the fact that Delta eluded him multiple times. I internally cheer for her.
“There,” he says, raising his pinky finger where his glowing ring rests. “If any of you should try to shift, you will be automatically portaled to my side. And when I shift, you will portal directly to me.” I don’t even know how to shift, but just the thought that I’ll be yanked right back to him like a dog on one of those retractable leashes leaves me feeling queasy.
Vudu returns just then, his red eyes flicking over me for a split second in the briefest of connections, like he can’t help himself. Our eyes meet for a fleeting moment, but then it’s gone, and I’m left feeling anxious and uncertain all over again.
For a moment, I think Vudu has come back alone, but then his large body shifts to the right where he stops with his hands clasped in front of him to stand sentry. Just beyond him I see a female demon stride into the room.
“Ah, Shateel. Perfect timing.” Morax turns to the female, and I do my best to take her in from my peripheral. I don’t dare seem too interested. From what I remember of his mind control when he first did it outside of the asylum, it has a heaviness to it that sinks in and makes you unable to concentrate on anything else.
Without being able to study her fully, I make out bits and pieces. She has on a form-fitting black dress like something Morticia would wear. At first glimpse, I think she has thick emerald-colored braids pulled back into a high ponytail, but as she crosses my line of sight, I realize that they aren’t braids, but snakes.
Dammit, there’s two of these snake-haired bastards?
I inwardly cringe, hoping that she doesn’t have the same power as Morax. I don’t know how much my darkness can block out, but I’m guessing a double assault would be very bad.
The snakes are gathered high on the back of her head, much thinner than Morax’s black ones, though their spitting
tongues and snapping fangs look every bit as deadly.
She walks fluidly and gracefully toward Morax, her aura dripping with sensuality that matches the catlike eyes and high cheekbones on her face. “Hello, my Liege,” Shateel purrs as she bows gracefully to him. The top of her dress dips down to showcase some impressive cleavage, and Morax takes advantage of the sight. “How may I serve you tonight?”
Ugh, gag. The way she says that makes it clear that she’s up for serving him in every way. I can’t even begin to comprehend someone willingly doing anything with this monster.
“I need a full guise for all three of them,” Morax says, wasting no time. “It will need to be perfect.”
Shateel straightens up and glances over at us, her eyes pausing on me and my filthy, bruised, and bloody state. Her lips curl up slightly, and I have to fight to keep anger from flushing my cheeks. She has no idea what I’ve been through, and she can shove that disdain up her ass. “It will take a great deal of power, but I can do it,” she tells him.
“Good. I want them ready in an hour.” Morax turns back to us and steps closer, purposely bearing down on all three of us. “It’s time to fill you in on the agenda, puppets. Now pay careful attention,” he orders, his power slithering over me like the snakes on his head seem keen to do.
“The Seven Sins are hosting an event tonight. It’s probably a war council, but the arrogant fuckers can’t do anything without making it look like a circus of gowns and revelry with debauchery sprinkled about,” he states with a roll of his eyes. I snort internally at him, of all people, accusing anyone of being arrogant with a flair for the dramatic. Everything he does is layered in so much narcissism, everyone around him is at risk of suffocating in it.
“The three of you will infiltrate the council, and when the Seven Sins are in one room to discuss the latest news in regards to me, you will call on your weapons and do what Annuli do best. You’ll scythe. I want you to destroy the founding Abdicated of Hell. And when I have word that your task is complete, we’ll portal into Heaven next and eliminate the Gods and their Heavenly hosts there, and I will finally claim the realms of this world for my own,” he says, his voice dripping with more power than I’ve ever felt before.
I do everything I can not to sway as I internally try to fight against the tendrils trying to take root and force me to end the world as I know it. My heart falls into my gut with a sickening crash.
This is what he captured us for? To destroy every foundation that the realms and the beings in them have been built upon?
I don’t even know what to think. The plan itself seems so preposterous. We’re not that powerful...are we?
I search through everything Medley told me about what we are and what we can do, and fear walks itself up my spine as I come to the quick conclusion that I have no idea exactly what we’re capable of. Morax has been hunting us for a reason though. We’re the key to his plan for a specific purpose. He’s gone to incredible lengths to get us right where he has us now, and as maniacal as he is, I don’t know that he’s wrong in thinking that we can make this happen for him.
Terror crashes through me, but I work to keep my face blank and my hands from shaking. How are we going to stop this? Three Annuli girls raised as humans, with nothing but scythes against a being not even Lucifer or the Gods of Heaven have been able to bring into check?
No, no, no. This is all happening so fast. I want to put an end to it all right now, but how? If I call on my scythe and go after Morax, and my sisters can’t, then I’m on my own, and I already know I’m not enough to stop him.
It’s like I’m on a runaway train and we can’t stop. But we can’t let this demon win either. We just can’t. We have to ride with him on this crash course. We have to find the perfect time to jump off, while also figuring out how to blow shit up so we can literally save the world. There’s no turning back now. We’re either going to win or die trying.
“You will destroy the Seven Sins, do you understand?” the Ophidian orders, manipulative power once again punching through, every word like a world champion heavyweight. Layers of commands sit heavy in my gray matter, and I start to see cracks forming ominously in my protective layers.
No!
My wings shudder as his orders attempt to creep into my skull, like worms trying to dig into my brain and infiltrate my thoughts. “I’ve waited a long time for this,” he says, eyeing us hard. “None of you will fail me.”
It’s not a question. Not a request. Not even a doubt.
It’s a bold, piercing statement that drills so hard into my brain that a migraine explodes behind my eyes and nearly makes me blackout. Failure isn’t an option for him. We do what he wants, or we die.
I fight his compulsion. Hard. Clutching onto my darkness and hiding in its cocoon, I’m terrified to even breathe for fear that even that disruption will make my defenses crumble.
Knees shaking, I’m worried I’m going to crash into Delta or Medley while terrified that the two of them just soaked up every ounce of his mind control. Are they fighting as hard as I am? Are they winning?
And if not, how the hell do we have any chance of beating this demon and making it out of this alive?
Finally, Morax steps away from us, like a looming cloud blowing away and letting in a tiny shard of sunlight. He turns to Vudu. “Bring them to the antechamber so Shateel can prepare them. We have a slaughter to get to.”
21
After being stuck in the dungeon for so long, never leaving the enclosure of the bars, it’s strange to pass through the dungeon door. I feel like I’m going to get tackled and thrown back in the cage any minute, even though I’m under Morax’s orders.
I want to look back at Toreon, soak in one more fortifying glance before I’m led to possibly my death, but I can’t risk it. I can’t let Morax get the slightest clue that maybe his power isn’t sinking in, and I’m also still actively fighting to keep it out of my head.
Shateel leads the way, walking us out of the dungeon like good little ducklings as we pass through a short stone corridor that breaks off in three different directions. There’s a single lantern doing barely anything to shove away the greedy shadows, but the migraine hammering at my head is grateful for the lack of light.
Shateel takes a left, and my sisters and I follow behind her. I desperately want to look over my shoulder at Medley to see if she’s okay, but it’s so dark in here, I don’t know if I’d even be able to get a good look at her. I know I need to bide my time, but it feels half impossible. I don’t know what any of us are walking into. Will I be alone? Are they faking the compulsion too? Are we completely screwed?
Something touches my hand, and it’s so unexpected, and the movement so surreptitious, that I nearly shriek in surprised alarm. I manage to flinch only slightly, keeping the rest of my reactions to a minimum. I look down and discover that Delta has reached back to snag my hand, her arm stretched behind her, hidden by her bright purple wing. Her fingers hook around mine, and she gives me a welcome, and throat-clenching, squeeze of comfort.
My heart simultaneously races and skips as realization dawns. She’s still here. Morax’s power didn’t take her mind over. She’s fighting it.
Relief slams through me, and I squeeze her hand back before I mimic her move. Shifting my wing slightly so I can reach behind me, I’m able to snag Medley’s finger as her arm swings at her side. She pauses as soon as I make contact, and for a second, I worry that I’m wrong, that Morax got to her, but then she grips my hand and squeezes back.
Thank Heaven and Hell, they’re here with me. I’m not alone.
When we near the end of the corridor, I regretfully let go of my sister’s hands. I wish we didn’t have to lose our connection, but at least I feel better knowing that their minds are their own and that not all hope has been lost.
Exiting the narrow corridor, we spill out into what I’m guessing is the antechamber. I’m not at all surprised to see a pair of guards standing near the back door, their bodies large, but not
nearly the size of Vudu, with red skin and horns for hair, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords.
This room isn’t as big as the dungeon, but there’s a fireplace at the far wall, and the space is made of the same rough, cold stone. Someone obviously dragged some items in here recently though, because there are pieces completely out of place.
A wooden vanity, complete with cosmetics and perfume bottles, a hanging rack full of dresses, and a large tin tub sitting in front of the fire.
“Strip,” Shateel says without fanfare as she points to the tub. “Get in and scrub yourselves.” Her eyes land on me and her nose wrinkles. “Oh, curse the Morningstar, you’re positively filthy,” she says, casting a disgusted look over my body. She lets out a long-suffering sigh. “I’ll have to send for another tub for the other two. You’re going to just get them dirtier if I put you all in together.” When I don’t move, she scowls, turning her beautiful face into something hard. “Well, what are you waiting for? Get in!” she snaps.
I know I shouldn’t feel humiliated. I know I shouldn’t care what someone like Shateel thinks of my physical state. But the balloon I was riding high on from Toreon calling me exquisite is now shriveled and skimming the floor.
Cringing under her cold watchfulness, I walk over to the tub, but the guards’ eyes follow me. My wings lift protectively, but there’s no way I can completely hide my body from them once I strip and get into the water.
Satisfied that I’m doing as I’m told, Shateel turns to my sisters. “You two wait right there while I have another tub brought. Don’t move.” Delta and Medley nod at her order, staying by the vanity.
Looking like she’s horribly put out, Shateel sashays her way to the back of the room, past the scary red demons. “Watch them,” she snaps to the guards as she walks out.
The one on the left licks his thin lips and smiles at me. “Gladly.”
Disgust and embarrassment war through me as I stand by the tub with my arms and wings wrapped around me.