Page 67 of Endless Terrors
“I’m joking, Fortuna. This planet doesn’t even have a moon.”
“Hilarious,” I muttered.
“The other cities are run by my brothers and sisters, but I’m often called away to settle disputes or handle other … difficulties. I simply use the roof to leave the tower.” To drive his point home, Lucifer extended his wings to full height. They were absolutely massive, and again I wondered how he controlled them. I wouldn’t let myself ask, though. Lucifer looked down at me and raised his eyebrows, as if he’d heard my thoughts. “You said you had more questions?”
This was it. Here was my chance. But then … I hesitated. I really thought about the ramifications of this conversation. There was no way to organically work in questions about rain, as he’d inevitably know that I wasn’t feeling some whimsical need to dance in a thunderstorm. What if Lucifer found out that I needed rain to return home, and he kept me from it?
I couldn’t trust the devil. Not only was he the greatest trickster of all time, but he’d almost killed my brother to get me here. There was no telling what he would do to keep me.
But I’d charged up here after him, and he was waiting, offering a chance to ask my question.
“Your wings,” I said lamely, my cheeks burning. “What are they?”
“God saw fit to take the first pair, so I made some of my own.” He inclined his head and added, “I shall settle the matter of your brother in the morning. Sleep well, Lady Fortuna.”
“You—” I started furiously, but a gust of wind cut me off. Lucifer was in the air now, his bright wings flapping. The sight of him hanging there in the flickering sky, his metal feathers catching the light while his golden hair stirred, made my mind go blank with awe. The devil peered down at me, his carved face half-hidden in darkness. Then he flapped his wings harder, and a moment later, the night swallowed him.
Silence descended upon the rooftop.
Once Lucifer was gone, I could think clearly again. But now there was only one thought left, as if the beat of Lucifer’s wings had sent all the others tumbling away. One stunned, terrifying thought.
I am so fucked.
“May I show you to the guest suite, Lady Sworn?”
At the sound of that voice, I almost shrieked; I’d half-forgotten there was someone else here. I spun toward Roger, Lucifer’s most trusted minion. His question sank in, and that was when another realization hit me.
I was spending the night in Hell.
If I was being realistic, it would probably be more than one night. A part of me really must’ve believed I’d be able to activate the spell immediately, because I felt tendrils of panic creeping into the edges of my thoughts again. What if my worst fear came true, and I was stuck here? Even if I did show my hand and ask Lucifer for help, there was no guarantee he could send me back.
To top it off, I still wasn’t certain if Damon was okay or not. Even if I had the second half of the spell, I couldn’t leave until I knew my brother was awake. I felt Roger’s eyes on me as I stood there, my mind working frantically, trying to figure out my next move. The panic twined deeper, thickening, breaking apart all logic and reason in its path.
Then, just as I was about to completely succumb and start hyperventilating, a voice sounded in the stillness.
You’re the bravest creature I’ve ever met.
A hush fell over my thoughts. I could hear my own heartbeat, and as the thuds resounded through the rest of me, I saw him. Them. Laurie’s roguish grin. Collith’s soft smile. They were quickly followed by images of the others I’d left behind. I couldn’t feel any of the connections between us, but I knew they were there.
The panic slowly retreated. After a few seconds, I comprehended that I was staring up at the gargoyles. They stared back, their strange faces forever frozen in expressions of curiosity. I brought my gaze back down. Roger was still waiting for an answer, his thick eyebrows knitted with concern. Our eyes met, and I lifted my chin.
“Lead the way,” I said.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The guest suite was warm and welcoming.
It was decorated in shades of brown, gold, and cream, which created an instantly soothing effect. The devil did everything for a reason, and I doubted interior design was an exception. He wanted me to feel at home here. Why? I scowled at the enormous, plush-looking bed. I also cast scornful glances toward the vaulted ceiling, the mirrored armoire, and the elegant nightstands.
To my surprise, the room wasn’t empty—to our right, standing on two legs, there was another demon. The creature was like an oversized lizard. Its yellow eyes widened at the sight of us, and it leaped onto the wall, skittering over to another door and vanishing into an adjoining room.
I didn’t remember recoiling, but suddenly there was a wall against my back, and I stared at the other doorway.
Guess who wouldn’t be going in that room tonight?
Roger noticed my reaction. “That was just Narfu, my lady. He is a drar’ereth demon. Relatively harmless, unless you touch his tail.”
“His … tail?” I repeated.
