by Avery Rae
Or so I thought.
I rubbed a hand over my face. "What is she for real?"
"A Druid," Delilah said as she wiped the ash from her bare legs. "She just also happens to carry Lucifer's blood in her veins."
I wanted to tear my hair out. "And you just forgot to tell me this?"
"Hell needed a leader," she replied coolly. "A truly neutral one. Lilith was right about that. Hazel will be able to stop the Druids from summoning souls with the sheer power of her existence. And now she's safe."
I rounded on her with a snarl. "What the fuck is your point, exactly?"
"I couldn't tell you because your love for her would cloud your judgment." Delilah touched my shoulder, and I jerked away in disgust. "There were two options for her, Edwin. Die at the hands of her people and bring chaos to the world or find safety in Hell as its new leader."
"How did you even know—" As realization dawned on me, I tore my eyes from her and looked to Samael. He lowered his head.
"That was why you were at the portal. You weren't waiting for me. You were going to Earth. And that's why Delilah's people were hanging out around the fortress. Because you knew you could trust her. Because you were working with her."
I looked at each of the people I called my brothers in the afterlife. None of them could look me in the eye, except for Cheri, who just seemed confused. The only one who dared to meet my stare head-on was Nathaniel.
I shook my head. "When I last saw you and you gave me that whole speech about how you lost your place in Heaven because you wanted what was best for her, I believed you."
"It was true then and it is now," he replied. "She loves you, Edwin. She didn't want you to die for her, and she didn't want to die either. It was the best choice."
"Leave, all of you," I said in a low voice. "You've got what you wanted."
"Edwin," Samael began, his tone measured, "forgive them for their deceit. It was my request. They did not wish to—"
"Save me your holy spiel. I don't want to hear anything from any of you right now. Just go."
Nobody bothered trying to say anything to me as they left. It was for the best. My jaw was so tense I was afraid it might crack under the pressure. I had never thought of myself as a violent guy, but I wouldn't mind beating the hell out of all of them.
I didn't know how much time had passed. I was sat in front of those mighty gates I had raced through earlier, eager to save Hazel from her fate. I hadn't known I'd been leading her into another.
The clouds overhead rumbled threateningly, as if lightning was going to strike me at any moment. Part of me wished it would. Maybe then I'd feel something other than numbness. There were so many emotions warring for attention inside me that they'd all gone mute. Rage. Sadness. Hurt. Confusion. Loss. That was a big one.
I didn't know what a Hell with someone on the throne was like. Lucifer had been gone since long before I showed up down here. Nobody really talked about the guy either. He was just gone. The Tribunal ran Hell. That was that.
I didn't know if I would ever see Hazel again. Judging by the way we'd been expedited out of the palace, I didn't think I would, and that fucked with me more than anything else. Betrayal I was used to. I could get over it. That was the game in Hell. Everyone always out to achieve their agenda, whatever the fuck the consequences. But I couldn't get over losing her to that crown.
Eventually, the minotaurs in front of the gate shook off their stone casing once more. They gave me bored looks.
"You guys are back, I see," I greeted them.
"Our pride took a beating today," the one on the left said with a sigh.
"First you sneak past us—good to see they kicked you out, by the way," the second one said, "then one of Lucifer's babies puts us back to sleep."
"She couldn't even have been a hundred years old," said the other with a sigh. "How embarrassing."
"What do you mean by one of his babies?"
"He always liked to go up to Earth and play around. I mean, he did it in Hell, too. Frequently. If you think the Druid is the only child he has, well . . ."
I got to my feet, moving closer. They jerked their horned heads back and snorted, raising their axes. I held out my hands in a show of peace.
"Do you know of any others?"
"Of course." They shared a laugh, as if I had asked the most obvious fucking question in the world.
"What's so funny?"
"Well, you've likely already met one of them."
"Who?"
"Berith, of course." They exchanged a look. "Doesn't everyone know that? Lilith used to be so jealous about that. She was always worried Berith would take the crown. She was mighty wrong, wasn't she?"
My mind was reeling. If she could wear that damn crown just like Hazel could, I wanted to know why the hell she wasn't.
23
Hazel
Regret. The moment they were all gone and I was surrounded by the quiet palace walls, their silence deafening, I wanted nothing more than to turn back time. But even the leader of Hell couldn't do that. I stared at the closed doors in front of me and thought, what have I done?
I had been so sure that I wanted this crown. Even though I knew it meant giving up the person that I loved. Even though it meant giving up everything I had ever known. Why did it only seem so obvious now that it wasn't worth it? Why could I never see these things before it was too late?
After what felt like an eternity, I rose from the throne. The crown felt tight around my head, but it wouldn't budge when I touched it. It was a part of me. I was a part of it. I couldn't just feel it anymore, I was it. I was Hell. I could feel every creature and soul that roamed throughout its vast expanses. I could block them out, sure, but they were still there.
Except for Edwin. I couldn't block him out. I felt his pain and sorrow. I tilted my head to the side as I reached the doors. He also felt betrayal. Deep and cutting, like a knife jammed straight through his heart. Did he feel as if I had betrayed him with my choice? Because I had done it for him. I knew now that the sheer pressure of this crown on his mind would have broken him faster than he could've saved me. He would've died for nothing. Just like so many of my fellow Druids had.
I didn't want any more senseless death, as Priscilla had said. I was so tired of it, too. As much as this hurt, I had to tell myself that this was the right choice. It was the only way I would ever make it through.
24
Edwin
The heavy metal doors of the Brotherhood's fortress slammed open and bounced against the stone walls as I strode inside. Newer members of the Brotherhood froze, staring at me in confusion, shock, or amusement. I didn't have time for any of them. I was looking for answers.
I made my way through the dark halls to the main common room, where I knew I could find the people that had them. The door was open, light coming from inside, but it was much quieter than usual. I wondered if they could hear me as I thundered down the hallway. I hoped they were ready to tell me the goddamn truth. I wasn't accepting anything less.
The moment I strode inside, I saw them all, including Delilah and Nathaniel. They all stared back at me, well-deserved guilt in their expressions.
"Why not Berith?" I bit out. Everyone but Samael, Nathaniel, and Delilah looked surprised.
"What about Berith?" Priscilla asked.
"She carries Lucifer's bloodline, as it turns out. Seems like she would be a good fit for the crown, too."
It was Gael's turn to stand. He slid his hand into Priscilla's and met Samael's ashamed gaze. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"Because the only way I could get Delilah to reveal the truth was to promise her that I would not ask Berith to take the throne."
I turned to Delilah. "All that talk about wanting to prove your people weren't shady pieces of shit."
Delilah slowly arched a brow. "What you should be wondering, instead of condemning me, is why hasn't Berith taken it yet?"
I faltered for a moment. "Why not?"
"Because she's never want
ed it. My motivations weren't selfish, Edwin. She fears the throne. She thinks there's a reason why it's been left abandoned. That it will, ultimately, corrupt, in some fashion, whoever takes up the burden."
"And so you think putting that crown on Hazel's head is better?"
"It protects her and gives us the leader we need," Samael said quietly. "It was the best option. For everyone."
"No, it wasn't. Not for me." I headed for the door. "I'm going to talk to Berith."
Nobody tried to stop me. I stalked down the hallway, fury powering each and every step. I wished I could turn back time and take back every moment I lied to Hazel, because this shit sucked. When I reached the front entrance, I heard the thundering of footsteps behind me. From the dark depths of the hallway, the wonder duo appeared. I cursed and shoved my hands in my pockets as I turned around to face them.
"You two fools going to stop me?" I hoped they weren't. Those two spent most of their time rolling around in the training room, desecrating the place, so I wasn't sure how good my chance was of taking them both on. Not to mention if I hurt either of them, it meant Samael had to cast me into the pits. I wasn't feeling that idea.
"Don't be rude, Edwin," Priscilla said with a smile. "We want to help. I'm pretty sure Berith likes me. Or at least, she doesn't hate me."
"That's practically a glowing compliment," Gael said with a grin at her. My expression crumpled at the sight. They were so happy together. No man would ever look at what the two of them had and think, "I don't want that."
Because they were perfect for each other. And fuck me, I wanted that so bad it hurt. I wanted it with Hazel. I didn't want either of us to give up our lives, so if these two could help me, I wasn't going to turn them down. I just had to hope that Berith could be reasonable.
Gael was the only one of us who had ever been to Berith's fortress before, which I assumed was why he didn't look half as shocked as Priscilla or me. This place was more like an entire city.
Behind the sprawling walls that marked the beginning of her territory were endless barracks with soldiers of varying terror-inducing size. I'd seen what her army could do, and stepping into the middle of them all felt as close to foolish as I was willing to tread. One wrong move and they would happily sacrifice themselves for eternity to protect their great leader.
In the middle of it all was a fortress that made ours look laughable. Berith had given us ours when her army outgrew it. I expected it to be a little bigger, but this place was unreal. It was made of harsh lines and jagged edges, clearly built for defensibility instead of appearance. The very top of it nearly reached the thundering sky above, daring lightning to strike.
A large, horned demon with piercings covering his entire body stood up from where he'd been lounging on the stairs of one of the many barracks. "This isn't the pleasure palace, hunters. If you're looking for a good time, we got nothing for you." He winked at Priscilla. "Except maybe you. Must be rough with that succubus inside you just itching to get out all the time. You been sated lately, princess?"
Gael started for the guy, but Priscilla stopped him with one arm while using her other to reach for her sword. "You got some big balls talking to me like that. I’ve got a friend who’s well-schooled in the ball-removing area, so I would knock it off if I were you. Okay, princess?”
He just chuckled and clapped his hands together. "Good thing you didn't join up with Lilith, because I never would've left that damn place if you were there."
"I'll thank my lucky stars that I had second thoughts."
"Listen," I interrupted, "we need to talk with Berith."
"And who the fuck are you?" the demon grunted.
"Take me to Berith."
"Screw you, pretty boy. I don't gotta do anything for you."
"How do you think she'll react if she finds out you turned away someone with information on the new ruler of Hell?"
"The what?" he barked.
"You heard me. Someone's taken the crown."
"Who?"
"Take me to Berith," I repeated.
He gave me a smile, but it wasn't a nice one. There was a hint of something vicious in there, like he wanted me to know that he would happily break me in two if I gave him enough reason. All I cared about was the fact that he was wasting my time. I kept on thinking about that word they said in the common room of the Brotherhood fortress. Corrupt. If that crown was hurting Hazel, I wanted it off her as soon as possible.
After a tense moment, the demon nodded his head toward the fortress. "Follow me, you dickheads."
"Such a pleasant welcome," Priscilla grumbled.
"And you thought we were bad," Gael replied.
"You were," she said with a snort.
Gael slid an arm around her and tugged her close, whispering something in her ear. I put my head down and picked up my pace, walking ahead of them. I'm coming for you, Hazel. One way or another.
25
Hazel
I'd taken to wandering around the dark palace. I trailed my fingers along the walls, fingertips rolling over the ornate covers that cloaked every surface. I didn't know where I was going or why. I wasn't even really looking. My mind was elsewhere. Or . . . everywhere. There was so much pain, agony, and suffering down here. So many people who'd been hurt. Betrayed. Abused. I wished I could make it all go away. For them and for me.
I felt the Druids on Earth trying to steal my souls from Hell, and I stopped them with a thought. My souls. When did they become mine?
I didn't think I'd been wearing this crown for all that long, but I could already feel it slowly breaking me down, piece by piece, unraveling what parts about myself I had ever been sure of before. My fingers suddenly clinked against the stone. I pulled my hand away and looked at it. My fingers were longer, the nails sharp and dangerous. I was changing. Into what, I didn't know.
This all happened so quickly. One moment I was a sad, silly girl with some weird talents and an even weirder history. Now, I had the thoughts of millions of tortured souls rushing through my mind.
I hugged my transfigured arm to my chest and reached out to somewhere not too far away from here. Edwin, I thought desperately, I don't want to do this. I'm afraid. Please, help me.
26
Edwin
Time slowed to a crawl as a whisper floated to me on the warm air inside Berith's castle. Everyone else kept moving but I stopped and listened, staring blankly ahead. Darkness swirled around me, then everything went silent. The raucous laughter and grunting of Berith's horde disappeared. No footsteps. Nothing. Just silence.
Edwin, a soft, hoarse voice whispered. Please, help me.
"Hazel?" I asked quietly, my eyes slowly moving around us, trying to find her. I sensed her presence all around me. She was scared, and she needed me. I reached out to touch the darkness, and it faded in an instant. Berith's castle roared to life once more. Gael, Priscilla, and our escort had turned around.
"You doing alright, Edwin?" Priscilla asked with uncertainty.
I shook my head as I surged toward them. "We need to hurry. It was Hazel."
"What was Hazel?" Gael asked with a furrowed brow.
"I don't know how to explain it to you without sounding like I'm nuts."
"Hazel, huh?" the demon ahead of us asked. "We got a lady on the throne? I hope she's not as much of a bitch as Lilith."
"Watch your mouth when you're talking about her," I bit out.
"Last I checked, you weren't my mother, little boy. Besides, I said I hope she's not a bitch. Didn't say she was." He eyed me for a long moment, then gave me a slow grin. "She probably is, though."
I rushed forward, fist cocked. Gael and Priscilla grabbed for me, but before I even got there, there was a loud smack. The demon's eyes widened, then rolled back into his head as he collapsed. Behind him stood Berith, her scarred face twisted in a grimace.
"I try so hard to teach them respect, but sometimes they can't help but test the limits." She ran a hand over her bald head with a sigh. "Come with me."
All demons in our path instantly disappeared into rooms or flattened themselves against the wall as Berith led us to her throne room. At least, I expected it to be a throne room like Lilith's or Lucifer's. Instead, there was a round table big enough to sit a hundred filling the wide, open space. It was brightly lit by Hell's standards. There was a fireplace that followed the length of an entire wall, much like the room the Tribunal used. Berith took a seat and motioned for us to do the same.
As I sat down, I noticed something that gave me pause. Berith's eyes. They really were the same color as Hazel's. "Berith. Are you really Lucifer's . . . ?"
She was quiet for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, I'm his daughter. Now, I would ask you why you're here, but I heard my soldier speaking of the throne. What's happened?"
"We knew that Lilith was manipulating the Druids," I said. "But not entirely to what end."
"Indeed."
"Through Zachariah, she found someone like you."
Berith slammed her fist against the table so hard that it sent a loud tremble throughout the entire circle. "That fool just couldn't resist screwing anything with two legs. The moment he was free from that crown . . ." She clenched her fist and brought it up again but resisted the urge to slam it down.
"Free from it?"
"Yes. That crown is as much a prison as it is a source of great power."
"How did Lucifer get free? Can you just choose to, or . . .?"
"Me. He asked me to remove the crown so he could be free." Berith smiled sadly. "He neglected to tell me that Hell was a sensitive beast and it would not take that rejection lightly."