by John Conroe
“Than he was unfit. It is only right he has been removed from the cosmos. It will be up to you as to whether you can survive and thrive. I just want the boy.”
“The third realm holder? Delivered into your grasp without risk,” the demon said, turning and looking at the surrounding soldiers. “He has thinned your ranks more than we suspected. I suppose this is the only way you can achieve your goal, isn’t it?”
Eirwen felt her mother stiffen, almost imperceptibly, yet she felt it nonetheless and very, very lightly moved her left hand where it held the side of her mother’s throne. She was certain that her mother felt the motion, tiny that it was, against the back of her arm. The demon prince suddenly shifted his gaze to Eirwen.
“Ah, the heir apparent. One-time bait for the boy, yet not able to draw him in,” Belphagor said.
“You are enjoying yourself greatly, Prince. We wonder if you are actually desirous of achieving an agreement?” Zinnia asked.
“So sensitive, great queen. We agree to your terms. When will this new Way be ready?”
“Within a fortnight, Prince. We will allow you passage. You bring us the boy and then, and only then, you may march your legions to Earth.”
“Correction. You will allow passage to my agent. She will bring you the boy. Then I will lead the legions to Earth. The sun is setting upon the children of God,” the demon said, its form splintering into shards of black light that streaked back through the circle, leaving only the stench of brimstone behind.
“It seems rather drastic, Mother,” Eirwen said. “Unleashing literal Hell on Earth, just to get one boy.”
“Replace the word boy with key, as in key to the cosmos, and then tell me if the price is too high.”
Eirwen wisely kept her own counsel as her mother’s attendants rushed to blow the brimstone stink out the royal chambers.
Author’s note:
Thanks to Susan Godrey, editor and Gareth Otton, artist extraordinaire. Obviously Summer Reign sets up our friends for some real challenges. But the next book, as yet unnamed, in the series will actually be a collection of stories from some of our favorite characters, none of whom have had a chance to tell us their own tales from the Demon Accords. After that we’ll get back to the main storyline. I hope you enjoyed Summer Reign, and thanks for sticking around. Be advised – there’s a lot left to tell. Oh and I listened to a lot of Imagine Dragons while writing this. My favorite song from ID? Whatever It Takes. JDC