by Megan Cutler
Another gust of wind tore through the tree branches, rustling the leaves above her. Kaylie's teeth chattered. She clenched her jaw, trying to halt their clacking, and realized the forest was no longer silent. Something hissed and slithered close to her shelter, a sound distinctly different from the shuddering leaves. In the distance, a sharp cry pierced the night. A second shrill call answered.
Kaylie squinted at her surroundings. Her eyes could no longer penetrate the shadows. Moonlight did not filter through the leaves the same way sunlight had. Did Hell even have a moon? Her only source of illumination was the thin stream of gold snaking across her vision, and a choking mist prevented her from seeing more than a few feet in front of her.
Bracing herself against the chill, Kaylie abandoned her shelter and stumbled through the haze. Rounding a tree revealed the next few feet of golden trail.
Night creatures skittered through the darkness, but she had to go on. She didn't want to know what would happen if one of them caught her.
She tried to ignore the frosty wind as she pressed on. Her numb toes didn't hurt as much when they collided with roots and her icy fingers barely noticed the prick of thorny brambles. Her pace was no faster than it had been during the day, but her progress remained steady.
Twigs snapped. Something screamed. It almost sounded human. Kaylie had yet to encounter other souls in this ring, but they must be here somewhere.
Each time she heard a sound, Kaylie paused to locate the source. The noises seemed to echo, making their origins difficult to determine. She tried to convince herself she imagined them all; Hell had a habit of toying with its inhabitants. But she knew enough about the Forbidding Forest to reject such comforting lies. Legends said the forest was haunted by the souls it consumed. Other stories claimed that dread phantoms hunted in the night, tearing souls to shreds when they caught them.
She tried to increase her pace. As she passed through a thick layer of mist, something cold brushed her arm. It went numb.
Kaylie spun, checking all directions, but saw nothing.
Something bumped her other arm, leaving an icy patch in its wake. This time she caught a pair of blazing red eyes drifting through the darkness.
Heart hammering in her chest, Kaylie broke into a run. She took three long strides before she tripped over a half-concealed root and rolled through a thorn bush. She used a set of gnarled roots to regain her feet.
A dull red glow illuminated the outline of a long muzzle set beneath a pair of piercing eyes. The creature bared teeth that glimmered white against the darkness and leapt.
Kaylie dove out of the way and adjusted her course to carry her across a dry streambed. She stopped trying to identify the disturbances, instead using what remained of her abilities to locate obstacles in her path. No doubt her pursuer could easily navigate the darkness. She needed to stay on her feet.
Shadow creatures dropped from the trees. She veered to miss one that landed in front of her and another crashed onto her head. She screamed and flailed until she dislodged it. Scrambling back to her feet, she took the first available path, ignoring the golden light's guidance.
She ran headlong into a wall of entangling vines and barely managed to check her panic before she completely entangled herself. She tore the plants aside and kept going.
Her harried journey continued, over tree roots and under low-hanging branches. Jaws snapped at her ankles and claws raked across her exposed flesh, but never did she allow herself to pause. Not until the dark creatures closed a circle around her, driving her toward the base of a tree. She whispered a silent prayer, but how could the old gods hear? Nothing escaped Hell without its owner's permission.
She found a sheltering alcove at the base of the tree and shoved herself inside, not that she believed shelter would save her. As the creatures prepared to pounce, she squeezed her eyes closed. What would happen if she died? Hell had no deeper rings than this. She held her breath in anticipation of every type of pain she'd ever experienced.
Moments passed. Nothing happened.
Kaylie drew a deep breath and cracked one eye open.
The dark creatures still stood in their circle, teeth and claws bright against the shadows. None of them moved.
Lights flickered in the distance. Firelight. Torchlight. It grew brighter as it drew nearer.
The torches were borne by a pair of demons who stopped just beyond the ring of nightmare creatures. They lifted their burdens aloft and a third figure stepped into the circle cast by their light.
Kaylie drove her nails into the soft flesh of her palms. He looked exactly as he had the day they met in Eselt's tent, while Clan Vorilia camped on the banks of the river Styx. The river that could so easily have carried her home. His clothing was less tattered and obviously of superior quality. His armor was undamaged, the metal pieces polished until they glinted in the light.
In her ignorance and naivety, she had allowed herself to fall in love with this illusion. She didn't need Hell's silent encouragement to hate herself for her foolishness. Even more so because the sight of Arimand's face still made her heart flutter.
Until she took a closer look at his expression. His lips curved in a cruel grin and his eyes flashed with open amusement.
“Welcome back, Lady Kaylie.”
Kaylie swallowed hard. “Why do you present this form to me?” she demanded, voice harsh and cold. “Do you think I'm too foolish to recognize your disguise?”
Arimand chuckled. “I thought this face would make you more comfortable.”
Disheveled as she was, Kaylie lifted her chin and assumed a regal air. “I came to speak with Lucifer Helel, not the shade of his deceit.”
With a gesture, Arimand scattered the night creatures back to their hunt. They skittered and slithered into the darkness, leaving the pair alone with the demon torchbearers.
“It warms Me to hear you speak like that.” He offered an arm to help her stand. “Will you return with Me to Chelal Ogdul and once again become My guest?”
Kaylie stood without his help and smoothed her tattered, sweat-dampened skirts. She took a moment to regain her bearings, mustering as much grace and dignity as she could manage. “I humbly accept your gracious invitation,” she said as she took his hand.
Chapter Twenty-Seven: Dulanthaglaia; the Demon City
As Arimand led Kaylie past the torchbearers, she felt a sudden jolt, as if the entire world shifted beneath her feet. It left her head spinning. She leaned against her host for a moment, shaking her head to clear it.
The forest now lay at their backs. Kaylie blinked hard, but it was no illusion. A full moon lit the sky, flanked by thousands of stars. More stars than she had ever seen in the mortal world.
A city stretched from horizon to horizon. At first she thought it was the discordant city of the second ring, but another look revealed masterful and well-maintained architecture. Towers loomed against the night, taller than the stone monoliths in Jhagjaw, and there the similarities ended.
Lanterns hung at regular intervals, illuminating measured streets and the exteriors of the buildings that lined them. This city's structures were built from a myriad of different stones, decorated with detailed statues depicting all manner of creatures. Flawless glass panes filled the windows. The streets' cobblestone paving had been worn smooth and the gaps filled to create a level surface.
Even at night, the city bustled with activity. Demons of all shapes and sizes walked the streets, passing in and out of buildings. High above, winged demons swooped to high balconies or launched themselves from rooftops. They all gave their master wide berth, bowing respectfully as he passed. The low buzz of ambient chatter filled the night as their conversations resumed.
“I thought you might appreciate the view,” Arimand murmured, breaking the uneasy silence.
“Have mortal eyes ever glimpsed it before?”
Arimand shrugged. “There have been none with whom I wished to share it.”
It was likely a lie; Lucifer was known for flau
nting his creations.
He led her to a large square dominated by a fountain. Water trickled from the mouth of a winged gargoyle. Kaylie wondered which of Hell's rivers fed it.
Beyond the sparkling pool waited a carriage drawn by two moon-white horses and two horses of ebony black. On closer inspection, she wasn't sure they qualified as horses. They were roughly the same size and shape with clawed feet, instead of hooves, and a wicked horn rising from the center of each forehead, razor sharp and curved.
The demonic footmen milling beside the carriage snapped to attention when their master approached. One swept forward to open the door, then bowed so low his forehead nearly scraped the pavement.
As Kaylie mounted the small, foldout stairs, she realized her dress was dry. She settled onto one of the plush cushions inside the carriage and smoothed her skirts, now restored to their former glory. She pulled her fingers through her hair, which was dry now, but still wild without the restraining pins. She may as well take advantage of this gift and try to look presentable again.
Arimand swung himself through the door and lowered onto the bench across from her in one smooth motion. “You shouldn't worry about that,” he chastised gently. “You look magnificent. I'm rather surprised to find you within My realm again. I thought you had seen enough of it.”
The door closed. After the brief scurry and skitter of many feet, the carriage jerked into motion. After that initial jolt, their passage was smooth.
Kaylie cast her host a sharp glance and continued rearranging her hair until it suited her liking. Then she glanced out the window a moment before offering a response. She wanted neither the devil's idle flattery nor his false affection, but she didn't want to seem flustered either.
“I have a somewhat urgent matter to discuss with you. I apologize for forcing you to fetch me.”
“Of course. I'm certain you would never undertake such a journey over something trivial.” A slow grin split Arimand's lips. “If you wished to get My attention, you have it.”
Kaylie met his gaze and tried to keep her face as relaxed as possible. “Then let us begin with your stubborn insistence on wearing this face. Why did you bother creating it in the first place?”
Arimand chuckled. “I have many guises. This is an ancient one. No one has spoken the name Arimand in your world for centuries. It was crucial, of course, that none of the damned recognize the name. You have no doubt noted the tendency for souls in My realm to drift deeper as time passes.”
Drift was not the word she would have chosen, but she had seen for herself how Hell constantly consumed its own inhabitants. “So this is a character you have played before?”
“I take the guise most appropriate for the situation. But this is the first time I have surrendered to a human form within My own borders. I had forgotten how delicate you mortals are.”
“I'm surprised you were willing. Yours is a harsh realm.”
“Indeed. But now that you have seen it, you must agree that all who dwell within are worthy of the fate to which they are condemned.”
“No.” The word escaped before she could stop it, cracking like a whip in the space between them.
“No?” The King of Hell spoke with barely contained mirth. He arched one midnight eyebrow as he leaned forward. “So you think murderers and rapists deserve kinder fates?”
“You are quick of wit, my lord, but you did not give me a chance to explain.” She forced a frigid smile across her lips. “There is one within your borders who does not belong in Hell. He was trapped prior to his death and, thus, was unable to reach the appropriate afterlife. We were talking about all the inhabitants of your realm, were we not?”
From the upturned corner of his mouth, and the way Arimand stiffened when he straightened, Kaylie could tell she struck a nerve. Perhaps he would let some tidbit about her beloved slip; anything to indicate Moril resisted Hell's torments. She hadn't meant to reveal her true purpose so quickly, but perhaps it was better not to dally.
Arimand's eyes flicked to the window, and Kaylie followed his gaze. When he said nothing, she watched the scenery pass outside. Every now and then her vision blurred, leaving her with a strange sense of vertigo. Whenever it cleared, the scenery outside the window had changed. One part of the city looked much like another, but small inconsistencies indicated gaps in their travel. Her host must be using his magic to decrease their travel time. But why didn't he teleport them directly to his citadel?
They passed a statue larger than any Kaylie had glimpsed before. It depicted Lucifer in his natural form, bat-like wings spread regally behind him. A crescent of stone gargoyles surrounded the statue, spewing liquid fire into a pool at its base. If the Phlegethon fed it, did the river flow beneath this street? Was she back on the same path she had started so long ago?
The scenery changed again, leaving her dazzled and dizzy while she tried to regain her bearings. They passed several statues of Lucifer between jumps. Her host was far from humble; was he teleporting them from statue to statue on purpose?
She glanced at him occasionally, out of the corners of her eyes. The jumps didn't seem to bother him. He lounged on his bench, idly twirling the fingers of one hand, his head titled slightly as he gazed out the window.
The awkward transitions bothered Kaylie less if she oriented her gaze on the carriage's interior. Steeling herself, she abandoned the view and cleared her throat. “I wish to ask you another question.”
Arimand lowered his hand and sat up straighter. His expression was difficult to read, but he nodded to indicate she should speak.
“I don't wish to sound vain, but I do wonder why you spent so much time and effort on this deception? What did you expect to happen when you led me to the center of Hell?”
“My dear, I should think it would be obvious.”
Kaylie's cheeks burned. “Did you think I'd still love you when I learned the truth?” Even without her memories, she loathed Lucifer. The ignorance and naivety that blinded her would have had limits.
Arimand folded his hands on his lap. His smile looked distinctly less smug than usual. “Love is the most powerful force you mortals can move. If I recall, you were already desperate to find a solution that allowed you to remain with your beloved Arimand-”
“To take him with me,” Kaylie clarified. “Not to spend our lives cowering in Hell's fourth ring!”
“Ah, but how many weeks more before you changed your mind? Before the prospect of happiness together overwhelmed your desire to see your insane quest completed? Eventually you would have accepted the suggestion that, instead of escaping, the two of you should flee to Chelal Ogdul and plead with Hell's king.”
Arimand's face grew serious and he lowered his voice. “If we serve him, he might allow us to remain together. It won't be Heaven, but it might be something.” He sounded exactly the way Arimand would have if they spoke in hushed whispers during one of the clan's rest periods.
Kaylie's blood turned to icy spikes. She had been devoted to Arimand by the time they reached the swamp. Even after Moril's intervention, she had been desperate to return to him. She couldn't forget her hope that Moril might hold the answer to saving Arimand.
Bile rose in the back of her throat. Would she have been willing to compromise her soul on his behalf? How desperate would she have had to be to accept that mad suggestion? The margin was thinner than she liked to contemplate.
If that had been his plan, it might not have mattered when she regained her memories. It was nigh impossible to escape a contract with Lucifer Helel once it had been forged. If she wed Arimand, and discovered his true identity after the ceremony, there would be no escaping the union.
“Why me?” she blurted. “You could have any soul you wanted. Why mine?”
Leaning forward, Arimand reached across the space between them. He ran two slender fingers down her cheek. Her skin crawled.
“My dear Kaylie, have you forgotten the story you told the children while we crossed Ethilirotha?”
She shoo
k her head, hoping to dislodge his hand. “I remember my family's history.”
“In their infinite wisdom, My siblings granted your family the one thing I covet. I have watched them for centuries. Only the male children seemed to thrive. Then the magic faded and I believed Myself damned by ill luck. Until you were born, the first of your family in generations capable of wielding the power of the Angelic Avengers. They alone can cross between all three realms. My demonic children, powerful as they are, cannot pierce the veil protecting Heaven where My brothers and sisters dwell.
“I needed to test you, of course. To make certain your ability manifested strongly enough to cross between worlds. Imagine My thrill. I have waited for you since My siblings quenched My last great war.”
With each word, dread clawed deeper into Kaylie's chest. As the cold fingers closed around her heart, dread turned to horror. She was merely a stepping-stone in a long river crossing, a random occurrence the old gods may not have anticipated when they granted her ancestor their gift.
And she had delivered herself into Lucifer's hands.
Arimand leaned back, but the gap between them could never be wide enough. “I see you understand. The children you bear for Me will pierce the veil of Heaven where I will wage My next great war.”
His outrage must have been tremendous when Moril foiled a plan he waited centuries to execute. And she had simply waltzed back across Hell's border without considering the full repercussions.
“But I can no longer bear you children,” she protested. “My mortal body is dead.”
“The blood which flows in Hell is real blood. I would have made you queen of the mortal realm, but it suffices that your soul can still fulfill My grand purpose.”