Mazt turned to the army behind him. Thousands of Belphegor’s demons amassed in protection of their prince. It wasn’t uncommon for a conclave to end in bloodshed. In fact, it was encouraged.
Mazt wanted to take them all with him. The quest was that important. He couldn’t leave Prince Belphegor and Shait unprotected though. He picked twenty darklings, five ghouls, and five ifirts capable of passing for humans. He left the Spaun. They’d have no qualms backstabbing him and claiming the victory for themselves or sabotaging his quest and blaming him for the failure. He squelched the temptation to bring another siv-e. One missing was hard enough to explain. If he failed and two went missing, the inquiry wouldn’t stop at his prince’s realm. The other princes would start asking questions. Shait would not be pleased.
Mazt suspected his small army wasn’t enough, but it would have to do. At best, he would capture her. At worst, he would leave a magical tag on her body for a later retrieval when he had Shait’s assistance.
This plan would work. It had to.
He turned to the gergos next to him. The crocodile with wings bowed its snout. “Come. We leave to hunt Agone, First Order demon. Spread the word.” He opened a portal and abandoned his future king. If everything worked out, King Shait would be true.
???
Time had no meaning when one was immortal. It flowed, though immortal beings didn’t count it the way mortals did. When one lived forever, what was the point? In Hell, with no day or night, time flowed like an endless river moving lazily along with a few notable ripples signifying major events. Roughly twenty years ago, a ripple disturbed the time stream. None in Hell paid notice, except for Shait. Not only had he noticed, he investigated, and what he found altered the trajectory of his long existence. An existence spent in abject misery now had purpose. A purpose he didn’t share because the glory belonged to him alone. Their King would know he alone, no other demon, changed the course of their interminable lives. The reward was his, as was the risk. A burden he gladly shouldered for the last five human years when he bled that female and waited for others to emerge. He’d be out there searching right now if it weren’t for this conclave of princes.
Not the first meeting of its kind, but notable because the last meeting had occurred over two thousand years ago. A savior, they said, had been born. Humanity was too selfish to be saved. They had rejected the best offer they’d ever received. Hell was pleased.
Silently, he stood behind his prince’s throne. Why were they here today? What had changed to bring about this meeting?Belphegor was no help in dispelling the mystery. The bastard was too lazy to even talk with the two princes, Asmodeus and Beelzebub, seated on opposite sides of him. Too lazy to employ spies to infiltrate other realms. Too lazy to run his realm. Too powerful to defeat.
Shait’s spies had reported nothing. But he hadn’t made himself available. His quest for the Chosen came first. He had put nothing before it until he was called away from his goal to play puppet to a prince who hadn’t earned his place in the conclave in... He’d never earned it. It took everything in Shait not to rampage.
He wanted Belphegor dead. He wanted all the princes dead, but he wasn’t strong enough. Even as lazy as Belphegor was, Shait still couldn’t beat him. Not one on one. Not yet. Once the Celestial Seal was broken and the King freed, he would be a prince and the rest slayed.
Calmer, Shait studied the four empty thrones on the opposite side of the room. Only three counted. Lucifer had abandoned his throne almost from the moment he was cast out of Heaven. The other three had the right idea of skipping this get together.
Mammon, Leviathan, Belial. The first two hadn’t been seen outside of their domains for millennia, though their minions carried on as if they were hale and hearty. Rumor had it Leviathan’s domain was locked in an internal battle with his many offspring. Mammon had been permanently banned. His greed couldn’t be contained. Too many wars started because he wanted more. Always more.
Then there was Belial, that wily bastard. No one knew what went on inside his borders. They were sealed, had always been since the King had been locked behind the Celestial Seal. No one knew what he was up to.Should I tell them of his deal with the Seraph?
It would cause a war. The houses would unite to defeat Belial. A fight that would take millennia was not in Shait’s favor. He would be forced to lead Belphegor’s army, taking his attention away from his goal. War was inevitable, but not now.
Once he had the ten remaining Chosen drained and the King freed, that’s when all the princes would die.
Soon. He salivated.Soon.
Belphegor woke. “What are we waiting for?” He scratched himself and grunted at Asmodeus.
“Belial called this meeting,” Asmodeus grunted out of the side of his twisted mouth.
What! Why?Shait almost forgot his place and blurted.
“Interesting,” Belphegor murmured. “He crawls out of his hole now. Must have a good reason.”
Yes. He must. And Shait couldn’t wait to find out.
Chapter 12
For an hour Eden sat at Harry’s grave, asking for advice with no answer, reminiscing, and atoning. Begging for forgiveness without the person there to accept your apology wasn’t the same. Her guilt compounded instead of easing. Harry — the sweetheart — wouldn’t want her guilt or for her to mourn forever. She’d say, “Get over it.”
“Eventually, I will. Right now, it hurts too much.”
Weaving through the redwoods, she made her way back to the cottage on her own to find Agone and Seren waiting for her on the porch. One in the rocking chair, the other on the stairs. Both watching her stop short.
“What?” The combined scrutiny made her insides quiver and her heart race.
“Show me how you killed the demon,” Seren demanded.
Her gaze darted to Agone, who continued to rock his oversized body in the chair.
Seren cleared his throat.