Page 48 of Demon Unleashed

Yannick pivoted and walked out in the corridor. A moment later, Ulric entered and bowed.

“You wanted to see me, oh Great One.”

“Shut the door!”

Ulric flinched, then closed the door quickly.

“I was informed that the three demons who captured the Stealth Guardian female were on an intelligence mission in Baltimore. Is that right?”

Ulric blinked. “I’m afraid I don’t know.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? It’s an easy question. Did you send them on an intelligence mission to Baltimore or not?”

He cleared his throat. “Yes and no. I mean, they were on an intelligence mission, but not in Baltimore. At least, that’s not where they were supposed to be.”

“So, how did they end up in Baltimore?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, then fucking ask them.”

“I can’t.”

Zoltan glared at him. “You will obey my command!”

“They’ve disappeared.”

“What?” Zoltan snapped.

“After the Stealth Guardian was locked in the cell, they left, presumably to go to their quarters, but they weren’t seen again.”

“They went back up into the human world?”

Ulric shook his head. “I checked all three vortex circles and was told that they didn’t go up top. They must be hiding somewhere.”

Zoltan let the news sink in. “Well, isn’t that convenient?” The men who could have told him how they’d ended up following him and Enya to kidnap her were missing in action.

“Oh Great One?” Ulric asked, clearly not tuning into Zoltan’s sarcasm.

“Leave!” Zoltan thundered.

Ulric hurried out of the study, leaving Zoltan wondering whether the demon responsible for intelligence had spoken the truth. Had he disposed of the three demons after they’d returned to the Underworld in order to erase any evidence that may lead to Ulric himself? Or was Ulric truly clueless, and another demon had used the three to do his dirty work, knowing that Ulric would be blamed for it if the three kidnappers disappeared without a trace?

“Fuck!” Zoltan said under his breath. With every new piece of information he discovered, he got further and further away from finding the traitor. His pool of suspects was expanding. In addition to Vintoq, Ulric, too, had had opportunity to orchestrate the kidnapping. But had Ulric been behind the assassination attempt a few months earlier?

Zoltan marched to his desk and scanned it. He found the sheet of paper that Yannick had left for him: a list of demons who’d gone up top that day, together with the purpose of their trip. He studied the list, trying to recall the face of the assassin in the abandoned building. Vintoq was indeed on the list. He’d been in the human world that day. Had he been there, killing the assassin before the poor bastard could reveal his master’s name? There had to be a way to find out.

Zoltan walked to the door and opened it to leave his study and nearly collided with Wilson, the stocky demon in charge of weaponry.

“Wilson, is there something you wanted?”

“Uh, oh Great One. I wanted to mention to you that your subjects are getting impatient. They want to know what you intend to do with the Stealth Guardian prisoner.”

Zoltan tilted his head a little to the side. This wasn’t Wilson’s domain. Why was he concerned with what happened to the prisoner? “Yannick already informed me about that. I told him just as I’m telling you now that I’m still deciding on my course of action.”

“Very well, oh Great One.”

“But since you’re here, you might as well do something for me. I need to speak to the prisoner, alone. Go fetch her and bring her to my quarters.”

Wilson raised an eyebrow. “To your quarters, oh Great One? How many guards do you want me to bring to watch her?”

“Just one.” If Zoltan had said none, and Wilson had relayed this message to Silvana, who was currently guarding Enya, Silvana would have questioned Wilson and accompanied Enya anyway. She wouldn’t be so easy to shake. However, he’d make Silvana wait outside his private rooms so he could talk to Enya alone.

“Uhm.”

“What?” Zoltan snapped.

“Is one guard enough? What if she uses her powers and disappears?”

“Even with her powers intact outside the lead cell, she can’t leave the Underworld without casting a vortex. And I doubt that one of my subjects is stupid enough to cast one for her. Or don’t you agree?”

“I agree, of course, oh Great One.”

“And have some food brought to my quarters.”

“Right away, oh Great One.” Wilson scurried away.