Page 56 of Judge of Saints and Sinners

“Okay, well…” I gestured around the room. “I’m a little desperate here.” I opened the thermos, my stomach growling.

“You won’t like it.”

I turned my head back to her. “Excuse me? What the hell are you talking about?”

She shifted, her high heels scraping against the floor. A section of her dark hair slipped forward over her eyes as she did, and instantly I scanned the walls on that side of her. There were cameras everywhere, but that one, it had a large device hanging just below it, the tiny green light glowing at me from the shadows. “You won't like what is in the recipe.” Her words were measured, careful.

Fear, something dark and slithering, moved in my chest. I carefully put the smoothie down. The motion made the girl's shoulders slump in what appeared to be relief. I struggled to sit up again, suddenly far more interested in my guest.

“Who are you?”

She shook her head. “No one. Just a member of the Great Cause. I came to get Gregory.”

I nodded slowly, my balance still off, but I swore she sounded almost sarcastic. Had I found an unexpected ally? “Got it.”

She turned and began to walk away, and just before she got to the door, I called, “Wait!” I swallowed to wet my too-dry throat. “When he gets here, something tells me you should stay out of the way. We can save you, you can be free.”

The only clue that she might’ve listened, or even heard me, was the tiniest misstep in her heels as she reached for the locked doorknob. Then loudly, her voice echoed out into the room.

“I belong to the Drude, and I always will.”

I wasn’t sure what she meant by that, but I did recognize his name. The Drude, the creature that was wreaking havoc on Nephesh’s family and his world. I had been right, and she had just given me an enormous clue about what I was facing.

Crawling across the cell, I tipped the strawberry-scented drink into the drain there. I wouldn’t be tempted now. Stomach growling in protest, I knew the best way to get rid of an empty belly was to sleep. After running some cold water over the egg-shaped lump I had across my temple, I crawled back over into my bed and curled up. The blankets were stiff, scratchy, but when I covered my head, the darkness eased some of the ache in my head. I swallowed hard, and a few tears slipped free.

“I hope you're safe, Nephesh. Far, far from here.”

When I woke up again, the space was still empty but the thundering of footsteps echoed off the thick metal walls. I shifted, sitting up on my stiff backside as I stared at the door. A moment later, figures began to filter in, dressed in all black, heavy utility boots on each of their feets as they filled the barren room where my cell resided.

My brows rose. “All this for me?” Clearly they hadn’t seen me fall on my way out of my apartment earlier. Physically I was more of a liability to myself than them.

They didn’t respond. Most of their faces remained covered in ski masks, but for the two suited from earlier. Their faces were bare. I forced a smile to my lips, folding my legs under myself as I attempted to pretend that I wasn’t moments from either bursting into tears or hysterical laughter.

Gregory. That was what she’d called him. He was back and standing to the front of the group. “That smart mouth will get you in a lot of trouble someday.”

“It already has, clearly,” I responded, following the two now familiar faces as they began to pace in front of their legion of soldiers.

“We have come to discuss your options with you.” That was Lefty, Gregory’s brother, who spoke now.

I bit my lip, the hysterical laughter from earlier bubbling up and burning my throat for a moment. “I wasn’t aware I had any.”

“You do,” he said, his hands gesturing wide in a flash of comedic relief. “Surprise.”

My laughter died in my throat. I remained silent, watching their faces for any hint of what they were about to say. Finally, Gregory, who appeared to be the chattier brother, continued on. “You have been chosen for the most dangerous role in this world. You are the keeper of a demon's soul. And if he were to come into possession of his soul, then you may put the entire living world in jeopardy.”

Lefty paused his brother with a slap on the shoulder. “That’s where we come in. We are here to protect you, to keep you as far from the demon as possible.”

Maybe I could play dumb. Maybe they didn’t know everything yet. They obviously didn't know that I had already given Nephesh the other half of his soul. Maybe I had a way to work that angle. My mind, thankfully clearer than earlier, raced.

“A demon? You’re kidding.”

“I believe you know him as Nephesh, or perhaps the Judge. He’s had many titles in the centuries since his unholy birth, and while his monster is so dangerous even Lucifer fears his own son, he is quite capable of appearing human. When he wants, that is.” They paused, looking at me pointedly, “He might have even acted human, shared human emotions. Human acts.”

I could feel the soft burn of heat across my cheeks. But still, I remained still and silent.

“But as you can imagine, he is nothing but a demon, the Judge of every soul that enters the Underworld. Our spies tell us that his power has been growing again. Probably the result of him interacting with you.”

My heartbeat slowly picked up speed, desperate to hear what they knew.