Page 110 of Into the Abyss
“All of you?” I asked.
“All of us,” some of them murmured whileothers nodded.
I didn’t question if they were lying or not,the truth of their conviction and loyalty to the Abyss radiatedfrom them.
CHAPTER 46
Amalia
Magnus, Caim, and some of the jinn carried the deadthrough the field of grass where Magnus and I first entered.Sloth’s body was at Absenthees with four jinn watching over it. Heabsolutely wouldnotbe buried in the Abyss. We would removehim from this place as soon as the burials were over, and then wewould burn his remains.
Before making this journey, I’d gone withCaim and Magnus to the cave on Earth. We gathered the shovels theyhad in camp and returned to the Abyss. We’d considered removingSloth from here then, but none of us were willing to let his bodyout of our sight until he was nothing but ash.
The grass soughed as it blew in a breeze Icould now feel against my skin. This time, instead of soundingmelancholy, there was an exultant tone to the swaying field thathadn’t been there before. Despite its joy over the Abyss comingback to life, it seemed to sense my melancholy as it caressed myhands in a gesture meant to comfort me. Some of the fronds coiledaround my fingers before releasing me.
Butterflies flitted down to land on thefeathery ends of the grass, or they perched on my shoulders. Theirsupple wings caressed my cheeks, and their antennae twitched in theair before they flitted away and another replaced it. I understoodmy obsession with earth’s butterflies better now. Some part of meinstinctively recognized that Earth’s butterflies were a distantrelation to these beautiful creatures.
The birds landed in the grass around us, andsome of them rose to brush against my hands or brush a wing againstthe top of my head before soaring away.
Oh yes, I would fight and die for thisplace. Anyone who tried to take it from me would regret the actionand learn what Hell hath no furytrulymeant.
Arriving at the side of the water, theothers placed the bodies near the shoreline. The water no longerheld a red hue but reflected the beauty of the multi-colored sky. Istruggled against my tears but couldn’t keep them withheld when theshovels broke the ground. Nine jinn had perished, eighteen leftwith Pride and Lust, and eighteen remained with us.
My hands fisted when my mind briefly turnedto Lust and Pride; I would see them both dead by the time all thiswas over.
I kept my gaze focused on the water as thegraves were dug and the bodies placed inside. In Hell, demonsdidn’t entomb their dead, but to leave their bodies out to rot inthis place or on Earth seemed wrong. Magnus had said the practiceof burying and marking a demon’s final resting place was becomingmore common amongst demons on Earth.
When the jinn were laid to rest, Rislenstepped forward and said a few words before the jinn and Caimretreated to Absenthees. I remained standing by my parents’ graveslong after the others left. My uncle was buried today too, but I’dmade sure he was far away from where they lay. I didn’t know ifthey marked his grave or not, and I didn’t care.
Magnus stood by my side, his arm around mywaist as he sought to comfort me. I didn’t know how much time wespent there, but eventually, the sky darkened and an amber moonrose on the horizon. The colors shifting through the sky all daybecame dancing lights flickering across the horizon.
The butterflies and birds settled into thegrass for the night while some nestled on the shoreline close tous, and a few gathered around my feet. Their tiny bodies warmed meas they snuggled close.
From the grass, a few dozen rodent-likecreatures the size of a rabbit emerged. Their small snouts andpurple eyes were almost lost in the thickness of their fluffy browncoats. They sniffed the air before coming closer to join the birdsand butterflies. Their coat was the softest thing I’d ever felt asthey nuzzled my ankles and curled up around my toes. With everypassing second and new discovery, I was falling more in love withthe Abyss.
“I will fight for this place,” Imurmured.
Magnus kissed my temple. “You humble me,Amalia.”
“You? Humbled?”
“Yes,” he murmured and lowered his head tomine. “Because of you, I know love and became a man who isterrified of losing it. Because of you, I know I cannot defeat orlaugh off everything anymore.”
“You won’t lose me,” I promised.
“No, I won’t,” he growled.
And I knew there wasn’t anything thismagnificent demon of illusions wouldn’t do to protect me, but therewasn’t anything I wouldn’t do to protect him either.
• • •
Magnus
We stepped out of the Abyss and into the grove ofcalamut trees with Rislen and some of the other jinn. Rislen hadinformed us that Corson and the others had gone to see her and werewaiting for us. What they revealed to her finally made her decideto enter the Abyss, but she hadn’t wanted to bring them with heruntil she knew what was happening.
Caim swaggered through the portal withSloth’s body draped over his shoulder, and Nalki carried his head.As Rislen had said, the palitons were waiting for us when we exitedthe Abyss through her portal. When we stepped out, any who weresitting leapt to their feet.
“You’re okay!” Wren blurted.
