Eternity of Darkness (Divisa Huntress Book 3) Page 15

  “There was always that 1 percent chance he would side with us,” he replied.

  “Those aren’t good odds.”

  “I like betting against the odds. It works for me. Mostly.”

  I groaned into the pillow.

  Ashor lay down beside me so we were face-to-face. His finger brushed the hair off my cheek.

  “If we can’t get the Knights, we don’t have Trist’s alliance. Things would be so much more favorable if the asshat had just agreed to join forces with you. Why does he have to be such a pig’s ass?”

  A cool chuckle breezed over my cheek. “A pig’s ass?”

  “I’m tired. It was the first thing I could come up with.”

  Though his lips didn’t move, I could feel that he was smiling inside. “Then sleep, luv.”

  If only it were that easy. “I can’t.”

  “Allow me to make it simple for you.”

  My droopy eyes stared into Ashor’s. Deep sleep without dreams sounded like bliss. When was the last time I had uninterrupted sleep? Too long. Probably the last time Ashor put me into a sound slumber like the one he offered now.

  I nodded. “Not too long though,” I warned. “And I want you here when I wake up.”

  “As you wish.” He leaned forward and kissed my lips. My lashes fluttered closed, and I let myself sink into the kiss, drifting away. I wanted to take him with me, but my arms were too heavy, my body already hostage to Ashor’s cool darkness. “Sleep tight, luv.”

  I awoke to the murmuring of voices, one of them definitely my mate and the others… the Hunt, I determined after another minute of listening. They were strategizing how we would enter the Court of Inferno.

  Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I sat up and turned to the window. From the stream of light and the position it cast into the room, I guessed it to be about midday. I swept the fabric of my dress off my legs as I scooted to the edge of the bed, shoving it out of the way. A glass of water had been left on the table for me, and I took a long drink, quenching my dry throat. The sleep had done me good. My brain was clearer, my body rejuvenated. It felt as if I just spent a week at a spa being pampered, and I came out glowing, ready to face the darkness.

  Padding into the next room where the Wild Hunt gathered, I smirked when all conversation ceased as if I didn’t have demon hearing.

  “I presume you slept well, luv.”

  “I did. Thank you.” Knowing I had slept so soundly while Ashor had been up plotting and scheming caused a cluster of guilt to gather inside me.

  “You have nothing to feel guilty about,” he reassured, eyes watching me.

  “Am I interrupting?” I asked, taking a seat at the table scattered with half-drunk glasses of wine or some other type of alcohol. From the nearly empty platters of food, it appeared they had been at this for a while. I wouldn’t doubt the five of them gathered the moment I drifted off.

  “My lady.” Beck nodded as I sat.

  My cheeks reddened at his greeting. “You don’t have to do that.”

  “Do what?” He feigned ignorance despite the ghost of a smirk on his lips.

  “Address me formally,” I stated.

  Beck’s gold eyes sparkled, giving his already youthful face a boyish charm. “And miss out on the opportunity to make you blush? Not a chance.”

  I inched my middle finger up the bridge of my nose, not so subtly flipping him off. “To think I thought we might be friends.”

  The quartet chuckled like the idea was wild.

  Me? Friends with the Wild Hunt?

  Okay, fine. The idea was wild, but oddly I was pretty sure I was growing on them. We’d be friends in no time.

  “We were just finishing up,” Ashor informed me, giving them the cue to leave.

  “They don’t have to leave on my account,” I said as chairs scraped across the floor. There was something almost comforting in having them in the room with us—like a family, and it made me realize how much I missed the camaraderie of friends and family. It was the little things like my brother leaving his shit all over the house for me to trip on, or knowing my dad left the porch light on for me during those late nights I spent hunting.

  No one listened to me, not that I believed they would have. The four demons left without another word, Apollo throwing me a smug wink as he shut the door behind him.

  “They might have a funny way of showing it, but believe it or not, they like you.”

  A snort breezed through my nose. “As if.”

  “You’re feeling awfully sassy. I assume the sleep did you some good.”

  “You assume correctly.”

  He lifted a brow at the sound of my stomach rumbling. “Do you want me to have breakfast—or lunch, if you prefer—brought up?”

  I smiled. “Breakfast would be perfect.”

  Ashor stood from the table, sauntering to the door where he advised one of the guards to have a tray of food brought to the room. When returned to his seat at the table, he picked up his glass of wine, the deep red liquid swirling as he brought it to his lips.

  “Are you going to tell me what the five of you were discussing before I interrupted?” I asked as I waited for the food.

  He cocked a single brow. “Do I need to? You caught the tail end of our conversation.”

  Of course he would have known the second I woke up, probably before I even had a chance to clear the fog of sleep from my head. “You know what I didn’t hear? What I should do.”

  Confusion wrinkled his brows together. “I assumed packing you up and shipping you off to the most remote place I can find until the war ends were out of the question.”

  My finger traced along the wood grain on the tabletop. “Is this you trying to be funny?”

  “I wish this was a joke.” He downed the contents of his glass.

  “Ashor, let me help. I’m not useless.”

  “No one thinks you are. Your eagerness to get deeper involved scares me.”

  “You dying scares me,” I shot back, raising my voice. My serenity from a decent sleep quickly turned into turmoil. Having the word “dying” in the same sentence with Ashor caused a mini heart attack. My chest actually seized up with pain. I couldn’t fathom what the real deal would do to me. I refused to consider his soul being destroyed.

  The empty glass clinked on the table as he set it down. “If this has anything to do with your reckless idea to save me, then we have nothing to discuss.” He was completely closed off to the idea.

  “Don’t be a prick.” I didn’t care that the Hunt could hear every word of our argument. I was too heated to care. “You don’t think a girl could protect you? How very sexist of you.”

  He rapped his fingers against the stem of his glass as he lounged lazily in his chair. “This has nothing to do with genders.”

  “If you try that ‘this isn’t your world’ bullshit on me, I’ll kick your ass out of this one and into the next one,” I threatened.

  His lips twitched as if he was fighting back a dose of amusement. “I wouldn’t dare. If there is one thing I’ve learned about you, Lexi Winters, it’s that you will run straight into the fires of danger because someone told you you couldn’t. You are fearless when it comes to those you love.”

  “And you think that includes you?” From his logic, as I gathered, I was imprudent and unrelenting when it came to those I cared about. He was right, of course, but that didn’t mean I would automatically get myself in trouble if he let me do more than stand by his side.

  “I know it does,” he said.

  So damn arrogant.

  My gaze narrowed, and I ignored the skipping of my heart. “Don’t imply that I love you.”

  He grinned. “We leave for the Court of Inferno tomorrow.” A soft knock sounded. “Your food has arrived, and I have a few things to oversee. Find me when you’re ready for the day.”

  And just like that, the conversation was over. I didn’t stop him as he got up to answer the door, pressing a kiss to the corner of my mouth. As my breakfast was deli
vered to the table, he slipped out the door.

  Heaving out a sigh, I picked up the fork and stabbed it into a platter of sausage. The food was tasteless as I popped it into my mouth, mechanically chewing and swallowing—a robotic task that served a purpose to fuel the body, no real joy in the sweetness of the fruit or the savoriness of the sausage. I knew how it all should taste in my mouth but… nothing. It was as if my taste buds had abandoned me.

  Leaning back in my chair, I stared at the ceiling and nipped on my lower lip, contemplating just what happened next. Obviously going to the Court of Inferno, but I couldn’t shake this feeling that I was meant to do something else, something more to aid Ashor in winning this war.

  But what?

  And if I did take action, it would be against my mate’s wishes. Ashor had made it quite clear that he wanted me tucked safely at his side, but sometimes what someone wished wasn’t always feasible. I wished the queen would stay in her kingdom and give up her designs to become supreme. But wishing it didn’t make it so.

  Mate or not, I had to be true to myself, and every bone in my body was telling me to listen to my instincts—to trust myself. I wouldn’t go looking for trouble, but if the opportunity presented itself where I could somehow aid this impending war, then I wouldn’t hesitate to take it.

  There was one thing I was certain of. The Queen of Darkness would come for me. I was her bargaining chip. And when she came, I would be ready for her. The problem lay in that it could be anytime, anywhere.

  I was reminded of a saying in my world: “There’s more than one way to skin a cat.”

  I would find a way to kill her, even if it wasn't by my hand.

  11

  The following afternoon, I dressed to leave for the Court of Inferno, which posed the question of what did one wear to the fiery pits of Hell? Should I apply a heavy dose of sunblock? Bring a pair of shades? One of those portal fans that misted water?

  For God’s sake, this is not a vacation, Lexi.

  Fuck. What I wouldn’t give for a tropical vacation right now.

  Staring at the collection of sandals in my closet, not one of them seemed appropriate to go traipsing through the dire terrain of Inferno. I needed something fireproof. Hellfire could kill a demon, burn its soul, an ability that made my best friend dangerous and feared by the underworld.

  Tugging on the boots I had brought with me, the only pair of shoes from my other life, I turned to analyze myself in the mirror. My ensemble might be mismatched, not queen-worthy, but it was damned practical.

  As I lifted my eyes to my reflection, it wasn’t just my face that stared back at me. Someone was in my room.

  It took me a heart-pounding thump or two before my brain registered it as a face I knew. My hand flew to my heart. “Jesus, Mom.”

  Her bold red lips curled. “You act surprised to see me.”

  I was, in fact, but I was ashamed to admit that I had forgotten about her presence in Gardeness. Things had been hectic the last few days, and this was the first time I’d seen her since the night I’d been declared Ashor’s queen, a memory that still sat awkwardly with me. I had been busy spending any free time I had working on my shield. My skills had improved, but not enough.

  Whirling around, I scowled at her. “You just startled me. I wasn’t expecting to see you standing behind me and was just about to leave.”

  She took a step forward and fussed with the sheer sash at my waist. “Precisely. I came to see you off.”

  “You did?” I replied, brows drawn together in suspicion. “What do you want?”

  That impish smile turned into a frown. “I’m offended that you think I came to see my only daughter for personal gain.”

  Snorting, I waited for her to cut the charade. “Did you?” I prodded, calling Kira out on her bullshit.

  “Fine,” she said, rolling her eyes and sinking defeatedly into a chair. “I’m going crazy here, okay?” She waved a dramatic hand in the air. “Can’t you have your mate send me back, or at the very least give me an assignment in Hell?”

  “You’re bored?” I echoed, but then, why wouldn’t she be? I sucked on my bottom lip, taking a moment to study her before I exhaled. “I’ll talk to him. Happy?”

  Like my mother was bipolar, the frown once again turned back into a wicked smile. “I never got the chance to ask. How is your brother?”

  “Lazy and carefree as always.”

  She tapped a dark gray-painted nail against her mouth thoughtfully. “Perhaps I should pay him a visit.”

  “That isn’t a half-bad idea,” I muttered. It would make me feel better knowing someone else watched over my family.

  Mom crossed her legs, a smug expression on her pretty face. I got the feeling that I’d just played right into her hands. What was she up to?

  I didn’t have time to dwell on it or work out the puzzle that was my mother. I had to go. And she would just have to wait until I got back.

  The trek to the Court of Inferno wasn’t easy, I’d been warned. Our horses had been left behind because the majority of the trip would be done by foot and could take days, depending on the condition of the land, something that didn’t sound promising.

  I’d never been much of a camper—glamping was even considered roughing it for me—so it was safe to say that I wasn’t thrilled about sleeping outside… and in Hell nonetheless.

  Ashor flew us to the border of Gardeness that edged Inferno, the gate a short walk through the mist. The Wild Hunt had their own means of traveling, this eerie yet fascinating ability to phase from one place to another. It was their connection to Ashor that allowed them to appear when summoned.

  Each gate in the underworld was different. They all, in some way, represented an entrance. The Court of Inferno’s gate screamed “enter at your own risk.” Nothing about it was inviting but instead made you want to turn around and run, never looking back.

  That was the exact reaction I had approaching the towering gate crafted out of a black mountain. A swirling funnel of stormy clouds circled around the peak of the bluff like a black hole ready to swallow the kingdom whole. The center reminded me of a crimson eye, watching and spying. The longer I stared at the middle of the gate, the more my skin crawled, little centipedes tap-dancing up and down my arms.

  Torches crafted of skulls on sticks lined the pathway to the gate, flickering over the sides of our faces. “What a charming place,” I commented sarcastically.

  None of us could take our eyes off the whirling center of the tapered archway. Upon closer inspection, the “eye” looked to be a fireball of sorts, churning and crackling. “You haven't seen anything yet, luv,” Ashor said.

  “It’s no wonder Angel abandoned this place.” Truthfully, she had never even stepped foot inside the kingdom that was hers by right. “Are we just supposed to walk through fire?”

  “That is the general idea,” Erlik mumbled, rubbing the stubble on his chin.

  “But don’t stress. It won’t burn you,” Ashor quickly added to ease the worry he felt through our bond.

  The closer we got to the gate, the hotter my face burned, making me doubt Ashor’s assurance. “You’re certain?” I asked, my boots clattering over the rough and rocky pathway.

  “Mostly,” he mumbled.

  I shot him a dirty look. “Assuming we all don’t get fried to a crisp, what happens when we get through the gate?”

  We had reached the point where we either walked through or turned back around. “We’re about to find out,” he said, lacing his fingers with mine.

  A stream of coolness traveled through my veins, combating the heat scorching me from the outside. “Wonderful. I love surprises.” My lips turned down as I stared hesitantly at the “eye” about to devour us.

  “You and me both, Your Highness,” Apollo agreed on my left.

  I drew my eyes away from the gate just long enough to glare at him as I said, “I thought I told you to drop the titles.”

  His lips just twitched as he reached for my other hand.
br />   Surprise flickered over my expression. Apollo wasn’t a touchy-feely demon, but something between us had changed since he first came to the Court of Envy. He seemed to hate me a little less, and even something like respect shone in his eyes when he glanced down at me.

  I gave him a weak smile before taking a deep breath. Together as a group, we walked into the twitching “eye.” I imagined an entire army of demons waiting on the other side. They wouldn’t be like the ones in the Court of Envy or even the Court of Darkness. No, they would be unruly and feral. A byproduct of no leadership. Rules weren’t enforced or followed when there was no queen or king in residency. They had free will, a dangerous thing for demons.

  Flames licked and coiled against my skin, tasting my soul as I stepped over the threshold. Ashor had been right. The fire didn’t scorch my skin. But I did feel something on a deeper level. My demon. She jerked inside me, and I could almost see her eyes go wide, see the fear in them, hear her heart—our heart—beat faster. Strange.

  Then we were through, and those few seconds of panic my demon endured ended like a snap of a finger.

  No one waited. Not a single demon. No Knights of Inferno. Just a sprawling jumble of seared bramble, branches, and roots knotted together in an impossible maze meant to confuse and trap.

  Discouraged, I groused, “This looks fun. What is it?”

  Ashor’s jaw clenched. “It’s referred to as the bane, but it doesn't have a formal name, and unfortunately it’s the only path to the Court of Inferno from Gardeness, their side of the woods that creeps into the Court of Envy.” He glanced down at his arm, where the mark Angel had branded on him burned bright red like a symbol of fire.

  “You mean we have to go through it?” I gasped, already thinking about how difficult of a journey this would be. Unless Ashor had some magical way to maneuver through the bane, it would be hell. I glanced up, judging to see if it was possible to fly over them, but it never seemed to stop.