Page 74 of Endless Terrors
Lucifer had figured out my weak spots, though. He knew exactly what to say to goad me. Taunt me. Tempt me. I’d changed in a lot of ways, over these past few months.
But there were some things that never changed.
“Three days,” I said, moving into a fighting stance, “and I get to come and go from this tower as I please, without you. And you take the collar off Narfu.”
I didn’t expect to add this last part. It had popped out like my mouth had a mind of its own. I just hadn’t been able to get the image of that giant lizard out of my head. But it wasn’t the image of the collar, or the crusted blood around those prongs—it was seeing him handle that towel with such care. Before meeting Narfu, I hadn’t known reptiles could have such expressive faces, and seeing his puckered with concentration had changed my fear of him. Of demons in general, although I wasn’t ready to delve into that yet.
“Always trying to ‘sweeten the pot,’” Lucifer remarked. There was admiration in the gleam of his eyes. “Very well. Three days off your contract and you may have your freedom, on the condition that you take a guard with you at all times. But the collar stays where it is, I’m afraid. That I cannot grant you. Narfu comes from a violent species, and the collar keeps his impulses in check.”
There was a finality in Lucifer’s response that made it clear any argument would be met with failure. “Fine. Let’s get this over with, then,” I said.
We both lifted our weapons. Lucifer ran his sword along the length of mine, and there was something … intimate about the movement. About the way his eyes held mine. I didn’t let him provoke me, though. I kept my focus on his body language. The subtle shifts and flickers in his expression. Everyone had a tell, and I would find Lucifer’s.
Then he launched into an offensive charge, and I forgot to even think about tells, much less look for one. God, he was fast. There was only time to parry and swing, sidestep and feint. Before long, I felt a drop of perspiration slide down my temple.
“You’ve managed to surprise me, Lady Sworn,” the devil said, drawing back.
We circled each other. After a few seconds, I realized that wasn’t all we were doing—Lucifer and I were mirroring each other. It was effortless. Instinctive. Almost as if we thought the same way.
Silently recoiling from the possibility, I looked at him and felt my lip curl. “Funny. Nothing about you has surprised me,” I replied.
In truth, Lucifer was a magnificent fighter. Before this, I’d considered Laurie and Adam to be the best I knew. But the devil would give them a run for their money, just like he was giving me a run for mine.
And then I lost.
I got tired, and my technique became sloppy. Lucifer flicked his wrist, getting his blade beneath mine, and then he gave it a hard jerk. My sword hit the floor with a hollow sound. I followed it with my eyes, my chest heaving. When I looked up again, the tip of Lucifer’s sword was already at my heart. We stared at each other. I struggled to control my breathing; I didn’t want him to know how much effort I’d been putting in.
Then Lucifer’s arm fell, and the spell between us ended. “You are a worthy opponent, Lady Sworn,” he said.
I couldn’t think of an insult. As I turned away and retrieved the other sword from the floor, it felt like there was a scream trapped in my gut, a building pressure made of frustration and rage. I gritted my teeth and shoved it down, then faced Lucifer and said curtly, “I need to shower.”
“Of course.” He stepped forward and wrapped his fingers around the hilt of my sword, startling me. I let go and moved away like a skittish horse. Lucifer’s eyes flickered as he noticed this, and his mouth tightened. But his voice was courteous as ever when he added, “Take your time. I’ll wait in the dining room.”
I didn’t bother responding. Still fuming, I turned from him again and crossed the room without looking back. A moment later, I closed the bathroom door with more force than necessary.
After my shower, I stood in the closet for so long that my hair began to dry. What did one wear to breakfast with the devil? I frowned as I surveyed the rows of clothing. A dress was way too formal, but I’d feel self-conscious in jeans. Minutes later, I finally settled on black leggings, a form-fitting slip, and a filmy, button-down shirt over both. I left it open, and rolled up the sleeves to my elbows. As I turned toward the door, I considered using some of the makeup I’d found in the bathroom. No, I decided. Lucifer would think I was trying to impress him. I did allow myself to use a hair clip from one of the drawers.
Calmer now, I slipped on the same shoes I’d worn yesterday and left the room.
Roger was waiting for me in the hall. “Good morning, my lady,” he said with a bow.
I thought about ignoring him, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. No matter how many times I reminded myself what Roger was, and who he served, I looked at those white tufts of hair around his ears and couldn’t hate him. “Good morning,” I mumbled back, averting my gaze.
We didn’t head in the direction of the elevators, and Roger walked beside me to lead the way. “The dining room is on this floor, my lady.”
“What would it take to forget this ‘my lady’ business?” I asked.
The demon’s hooves clicked gently against the flagstones. He considered my question with his hands clasped behind his back. “I doubt you’ll find a single creature who would do so, my lady. The title is a sign of our gratitude and respect.”
“Gratitude?” I repeated, baffled. “I haven’t done anything. I just got here.”
Roger’s papery voice became earnest. “You’ve brought hope back into this tower. We love our master, Lady Sworn. He may not be perfect, but every demon here longs for his happiness. Ever since he found you, my lord has been different. We all see it. He is … better.”
Better? The word seemed like an odd choice, and I frowned. I was out of time to ask more questions, though. Where the walkway ended, there was a pair of double doors. They stood open. There wasn’t anything welcoming about the sight, because I could see the space beyond them, even before we reached the threshold a few moments later.
The dining room was menacingly beautiful. The walls seemed to be made of the same dark, gleaming stone as the rest of the tower, but one side was entirely glass, providing an incredible view of the city and the red horizon. A painting hung over the massive fireplace at the left side of the space, which crackled in the stillness. There were three imposing figures on the canvas. It was evident from the styles of clothing they wore that this painting was very, very old. Lucifer was easily recognizable in the middle, but I’d never seen the two people standing on either side of him. The only thing they all had in common was their beauty, although the others had darker coloring. Lucifer was like a shining beacon or a bright flame, and something told me it had always been that way for him. It was how he’d led a rebellion against the most powerful being in the universe.
The thought made my mood darken even further. Sometimes I managed to forget who I was really up against, and just how low my odds were of surviving this.
