My demands were met with hollow silence, only my own words bouncing off the walls and echoing back to me, fainter and fainter each time. I stopped in my tracks, listening carefully for any signs of life or danger, and when I still couldn’t hear anything, I started to panic.
A metallic clanging sound from the end of the corridor pierced through my anxiety.
I burst into a sprint, my heart racing like a horse with its tail on fire. The corridor became colder, sloping downward in a spiral with lighted candles placed in the alcoves of the walls. Some flickered out in the draught I caused as I ran past.
When I reached the bottom, a bead of sweat pooled in my temple.
Before me, in the open, cave-like room, an everlasting horde of imps circled their foe. Jack was cornered, swinging his sword like a madman as the imps pressed forward, forcing him to step back toward a ledge that dropped into a huge pit in the ground. I quickly peered over to see how deep the pit went, but I soon discovered that I couldn’t even see the bottom. A fall like that would surely kill Jack, and I wasn’t about to let that happen.
Jack, pushed back to the last inch of the stone platform, teetered as he misplaced his footing and slipped. His ankle flattened with a twist and, as he reeled back in agony, he lost his balance and began to fall. When his feet left the platform, it looked as if he was about to become imp-induced human roadkill.
Not if I can help it.
I rushed forward, raising my hands in front of me while forcing out some magic. It reached Jack, suspending him in mid-air with his face frozen in terror as he realized he was being held telekinetically. Slowly, I carried him across the pit and landed him safely by my side. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he turned toward me, his collar soaked with sweat and his face flushed hot red.
“Thank God you’re here,” he said.
“God had nothing to do with it, moron.”
Movement revealed itself in the corner of my eye, and as I spun to face the danger, my confidence took a sudden dive. The imps, growing in number as they fell over each other to attack us, gained an incredible amount of distance in a short space of time. They were pissed, I imagined, that we had entered their hideout. But if Jack had come in here with his sword raised, who could blame them for their violent reactions?
“Let’s get out of here,” I said to Jack, placing a hand on his arm and heading back to the opening of the corridor.
My pull met with steely resistance.
Jack had stopped, a fierce fire growing in his eyes.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
I stepped back toward him, meeting his bloodthirsty stare. “What?”
“The imps know something about Zorin. I need to find out what it is.”
“No.” I shook my head violently. “You need to let this go, at least for now. We can head back to the Vault, gather more information, and then you can come back another time to figure things out.” The sound of a thousand footsteps stole my attention, echoing through the dark cave while the imps rushed at us.
“I told you,” Jack raised his sword, “I’m not leaving.”
In a flash, he lunged forward and ran into the horde of imps, screaming bloody murder. The imps refused to slow, swarming him in an instant. Their numbers engulfed him until I could no longer see him, and in that moment, I realized I had two options.
Fight, or run.
But since I’d never really been much of a runner, I really only had the one option. Raising my palms, I sprinted toward the onslaught and blasted shots of telekinetic energy into the imps, spraying them all over the place in violent bursts. Some flew over the edge and into the pits, screaming as they plummeted to their deaths. Others exploded into showers of blue blood, missing my sleeves by inches. Jack was in sight now, and I ran to his side for a better angle. Together, we stood more of a chance at getting out of here.
“You’re a pain in my ass,” I said through gritted teeth.
Jack sighed under his breath. “You knew what you were getting into.”
An imp sailed through the air as if from nowhere, a blur of blue skin breezing weightlessly toward me. In a heartbeat, I grabbed hold of its petite body with my mind, and then launched it over my shoulder, where Jack lunged out and whacked it into the pit with the blunt side of his sword.
“You didn’t have to do that!” I yelled.
“Maybe you didn’t notice, but we’re under attack.”
“But you started the attack! This isn’t self-defense anymore – this is slaughter.”
A group of imps – too many to count – closed in on us, huddled together and screaming high-pitched wails as their momentum built up. Before long, they were reaching terrifying speeds and heading straight for us.
All I could think to do was push Jack aside.
It was the worst mistake I could have made. As Jack lost his balance and toppled to the ground, I became separated from him. With the imps between us, we were fighting alone. Keeping an eye on his renegade activities was hard enough without having to defend myself against an army of imps, but my hand had been forced, and dying wasn’t on my agenda.
With no other choice, I held out my palms, and as I summoned more magic into them, I heard the faint stirring of the mage’s soul in the back of my mind. It grounded me in place, my expression contorted as the battle in the room fell quiet. Suddenly, all I could hear was the mage’s thin, weasel-like voice.
“Give in, Keira Poe. Admit it, you’re stronger with me.”
I knew it was true, but that didn’t mean I had to listen.
“Just a little bit more, and we can fight together. Wouldn’t that be better, hmm? Think how much stronger we could be as two mages in one body. Think what we could accomplish. You and me against the world. They wouldn’t stand a chance.”
Damn. The soul was getting closer than ever. So close I could almost feel its ghostly fingers grazing the back of my neck. If I wanted to survive this, I’d have to let its soul infiltrate my body. My only alternative was so distasteful my stomach flipped over, but as I looked to Jack, swinging his sword around like it was made of air, and growing outnumbered by the second, I knew that there was no other choice.
Slowly, I raised my hands.
“We surrender,” I said.
The imps, caught in their battle stances and ready to attack, stiffened up in confusion. They looked at each other, utterly spellbound that their attacker had suddenly given in.
Before they could decide against it, I gave them more to think about.
“Take us to your leader, and if he allows it, then you can kill us.”
“Keira, no.” Jack lowered his sword, the imps climbing all over him now.
Shut up, I thought. This was all his fault anyway. If only he hadn’t rushed in here like a madman, we might already be sitting with the leader discussing the demon, rather than giving in and praying that they didn’t take our lives as payment for what we’d done. I watched the imps closely, examining their reactions as they whispered among themselves, deciding what to do with us.
I wish I could say that I had all the faith in the world of them letting us go. But as much as I hated to admit it – and never would out loud – I was frightened; well and truly petrified. For the first time in years, I had that true sense of terror, as if I knew that my life would soon come to an end, and with it, the lives of Chicago’s citizens.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The imps separated, spreading out en masse to form a line. A group of about ten surrounded me, lifting me above their hands and distributing my weight evenly among them like ants lugging a French fry. I glanced over to Jack, who was doing the same thing, and right behind him, three of the imps were working together to hurl his sword off the edge of the pit.
Great. If we make it out of here, Jack can explain that one to Dalton.
The imps’ strength didn’t waver. Working together like a colony, they followed the long line in a march, weaving around the meandering platforms that overlooked the black emptiness below. F
rom the corner of my eye I saw Jack being carried as well. I would sure remember that it was his fault we were in this mess – if he hadn’t rushed into the fray without a plan, I wouldn’t have had to throw in the towel.
We were taken through a narrow tunnel, where the rocks of the cave’s low roof passed over my head. There was little room to breathe, and even less room to move. We soon came out into a large, circular room with a nest of straw against the far side, and sprawled out inside it, was an imp.
It was bigger than the others. Bluer, too, with even larger eyes. Unlike the others, this one had lips and fingernails, smaller details that made it look almost human. As we were laid down in front of the nest, it struggled to its feet which elevated it to five feet tall, and then there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that we were facing Silvero Impada, the King of the Imps.
After setting us down, one of the imps scurried toward Silvero, cupped his own wide mouth and whispered into its leader’s ear. Silvero nodded, rolling his eyes over Jack and me as we stood uncomfortably, waiting to hear how we were going to die.
Finally, the imps left, and Silvero stepped down from his nest.
“What makes you think you can swoop into our home and attack us?”
I cocked my head, mouthing the words silently, letting the syllables play on my lips as I struggled to understand him – it was like he was talking through a gag. I’d done my reading on Silvero many moons ago and I’d learned a lot about his way of life, but there wasn’t a single text that mentioned the way he spoke. At least it was English though, or this could have gone a lot worse.
“I’m sorry about that, I truly am.” I knocked Jack’s arm with my fist.
“Oh, yeah,” he said. “My apologies.”
Silvero stomped around us, examining us from every angle while we stood frozen. I got the feeling that Jack wouldn’t be able to talk us out of this one, so as usual, it was down to me and my ability to suck it up and kiss ass.
“We really didn’t mean any harm,” I went on. “See, we came down here looking for a clue as to where we could find Zorin, the Demon King. Jack – this gentleman here – came down a few steps before me. His sudden entrance must have spooked your family, because after that we were caught up in a–”
“Silence!”
I shut up.
“You think I don’t know what my imps are doing? We have ways of communicating, of understanding one another. The truth is, I knew you were here since you first stepped into the office. I knew at once, you were Keira Poe.”
I craned my neck, staring over at his oily, silvery-blue face. “How?”
“Oh, I’ve heard the stories. Actually… I’m a big fan.”
The strangest thing happened then.
Silvero Impada smiled.
“Come,” he said, taking us by the arms and leading us to his nest, where we all sat facing each other. Silvero seemed to forget that we had just been fighting his family, and demanded that we tell tales of our adventures. Although Jack had nothing to offer outside of bounty-hunting anecdotes, I had enough stories to delight his lust for excitement for days. Most recently, in fact, was my ordeal with the creepers and the medallion. To save me from my own emotions, I omitted the part about Jason, but Silvero still listened intently as time seemed to slip away.
It wasn’t until four stories later, when we were all growing tired of the campfire-style narrations, that I felt it appropriate to return the subject matter to Zorin. I chose my moment, when each of us were silent in contemplation at my latest tale.
“Silvero, sir, I would really like some help locating the Demon King.”
“Yes, yes.” Silvero stood and stretched his arms above his head, his body extending by an extra few inches. It didn’t make much of a difference – he was still tiny. “Zorin has his cult followers here on earth. Many, in fact, in Chicago. Each and every one of them is in a kind of race to summon him, for whoever performs the ceremony will then be able to command the demon.”
“Some king.” Jack sneered.
“He is only king by name,” Silvero said. “His great power and terrifying lack of empathy both make him so desired by the cult.”
I couldn’t help but notice Jack’s foot, tapping rapidly as he grew impatient.
Hopefully he wouldn’t cause further problems.
“There are many districts in which you can find these cult members. If you wish to stop the summoning, you must act quickly. With each moment that passes, their plan grows thicker, yes.”
“That’s great,” Jack interrupted. “But where are these districts you speak of?”
Silvero’s eyes narrowed and his bright blue nostrils flared, sensing the impatient tone in Jack’s voice. It was clear to see that he didn’t care much for the human’s impudence, for Silvero turned his back to Jack and took my hand in his long, slimy fingers. “Keira Poe, if you wish to stop the demon, pay a visit to Highbridge Cemetery. But be warned: there will be demons straight from Hell.”
I felt a dry lump in my throat as the reality of the situation sank in. I’d always hated fighting demons; the idea of dying in battle wasn’t ideal, but at least it was an admirable death. The concept of spending an eternity in the depths of Hell, however, freakin’ scared me shitless.
“Highbridge,” I said aloud, climbing to my feet. “Thank you for being so hospitable.”
Jack rose with me.
“And about your family,” I said, the image of Jack slaying imps still horribly fresh in my mind, “I’m so sorry about what happened.”
“Oh, pish posh,” said Silvero, standing up. “The ones you sent into the pit will bounce back, quite literally. It’s the ones your friend here slayed that worry me. Imps can come back from a fall, but not from a sword to the heart.” His eyes narrowed on Jack.
“Sorry…” Jack mumbled.
Silvero ignored him, returning to me. “Go, Keira Poe. You are most welcome here anytime. So please come back with more stories, okay?”
I nodded and smiled, refraining from telling him that I might not even be alive this time next week. If the demons didn’t kill me – or one of the many other creatures that stalked the city, for that matter – there was still the question of what would happen to me when Jack took my place. The sudden idea that I might grow old and die haunted me, and although I could have easily asked Dalton what might happen to me, I truly feared the answer.
For now, however, we had a job to do, and as we left the cave with the angry stare of a thousand imps dulling our exit, at least we knew where to go next – a cemetery on the far side of Chicago, where demons lurked. If we were lucky, Zorin was yet to be summoned, so we could strike him as he rose.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The street was more or less empty as we stepped out onto the sidewalk. It was a good thing too, because certain matters still needed to be addressed, and it would be a lot easier if mortals didn’t hear us talking about imps and demons and other such things. If they believed what they heard from us, we would undoubtedly be questioned, and if they didn’t… well, let’s just say that there were plenty of lunatic asylums in the area.
Jack was at my side as I strolled down the street deep in thought. If we were going to check out the cemetery, it would have to be done at nightfall. Now, it must have been around seven o’clock – not quite dark, but getting there.
“Man, I wish they hadn’t thrown my sword away,” Jack said.
I didn’t want to lash out at him, but every word he spoke made my internal struggle harder. After all, it was due to his mental imbalance that we’d nearly gotten killed back there. If Silvero Impada hadn’t already been a fan of mine, we would be dead by now for sure.
“Those little bastards had no right.”
“You attacked them,” I reminded Jack with a flat tone, fisting my hands at my sides to keep from smacking him.
“So? They’re just imps.”
“They’re not just imps. They’re to be respected, much like every other species. If you can’t get that into your thick
skull then you won’t last five minutes as a Cardkeeper.”
Jack shrugged. “Let’s agree to disagree.”
That does it.
My arm snaked out, grabbing Jack by the coat and dragging him into the nearest alley. Seeing red, I pinned him against the wall and lifted him with one hand until his feet left the ground. My other hand empty, I balled it into a fist and fought against every desire to punch a hole through his stupid face. “You’re not taking this seriously.”
Jack’s eyes widened with both fear and lack of understanding. “Hey. Why the hell do you think I went in there first, huh? This hunting expedition was my idea, and I wanted to be the first one to face the danger. I was protecting you. It’s not my fault you’re too blind to see that.”
“Imps aren’t dangerous, Jack.”
“You say that, but we almost died five minutes ago.”
“Because you swung a sword at them!”
I felt my grip tighten on his coat. Breathing heavily, I lowered him to the ground and dropped both hands to my sides. Was this the soul of the mage taking over, or was this anger my own? I suspected the latter, for I had never viewed imps as our enemy. To assault them the way he had, for whatever reason he’d done so, was simply not right.
Doing my best to lower my blood pressure, I stepped back and ran my fingers through my hair, caressing my scalp. I took a long, deep breath and then let it out slowly. “I’m here to help you, Jack, but I do wonder if your anger for Zorin is clouding your judgment.”
Jack peeled away from the wall, straightening out his clothes but saying nothing.
“Let’s move on and figure out our next plan of action.”
“Aren’t we heading to Highbridge cemetery?”
“Not in broad daylight.”
“How come?”
I continued to breathe, steadying my nerves. Losing control now wouldn’t be productive. Not when there was work to be done. Whether or not Jack was suitable to be a Cardkeeper was still in question, but for now, we had to focus on the one job; defeating Zorin.
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