Death would be merciful.
ChapterFifteen
Monty
Tuesday Afternoon
Hel’s Castle
“This is bigger than just her,” Hel said. She was leaning back on her throne, arms crossed, and very obviously annoyed.
“She’sours. You need her unharmed, My Queen,” I argued. There was no fucking way I was letting this go. She studied me while she petted her beast. Two demons stood off to the side, their heads turning back and forth between us as we argued. Normally, I wouldn’t show her this disrespect but my human had been gone for five days now, and I was at my wits’ end. I’d searched and he’d very clearly used the sigil to block me again. He was growing bolder, and that was an even bigger problem.
“I do and she will be. Vane cannot harm her, or he would forfeit his contract and would die,” she reminded me yet again.
“She has a fragile mind,” I shot back. “She might never be the same, and then what good would she be to you?”
“I’ll speak with him. In the meantime, I suggest you stop pestering me on matters I cannot be involved in and use the resources you have,” she said. It felt like she was holding something back from me but there was no convincing Hel to talk when she wasn’t inclined to. She tapped a nail on her skeletal cheek as she waited for me to leave.
“I will kill him for this,” I warned her. “The threat of breaking his contract is no longer enough to keep my vengeance at bay.”
“Then you will be dead alongside him,” she said in an icy tone. “Remember your place, Commander, or I’ll replace you.”
Self-preservation had me keeping my mouth shut this time. She’d said I should use my resources, which meant even if I couldn’t kill Vane to get to Harlow, it didn’t mean that no one could.
With no further words, I popped out of Hel’s castle and into the common room of the third floor of Dark Haven Institute. Sitting at the table was the entire floor minus the one human I was desperate to find.
“She’s still in solitary, we can’t get to her,” Crew complained. At this point I knew all of their names which was more attention than I gave many other humans.
“We have to,” Layne said. She was fairly calm compared to her usual unhinged nature. I half expected her to be ready to charge ahead. I needed that energy.
“Come on,” Crew urged her. “Let’s go rest while they figure something out.” She didn’t argue as he helped her up and back to her room, leaving Drake and the one who jumped between personalities. I never could tell which he was at the time, nor did I care to figure it out.
“Drake,” I said, coming into view for both of them. She said to rely on allies, well these would be the two best fitted to actually figure this out. Though I doubted myself as the human looked at me stunned and afraid.
“Ivar,” Drake answered in an annoyed tone. “Tell me you know something. I’ve searched solitary, she’s not fucking there.”
His arrogance at speaking to me so casually sent a surge of annoyance through me but I bit it back.
“Hel ordered me not to act. So I’m having to rely on you,” I said in a snide tone.
“Can someone tell me what’s going on?” the other boy asked, finally breaking out of his trance. “And who the hell are you?”
“Sorry Roman, welcome to my world. This is Ivar, commander of Helheim’s demons and a demon himself,” Drake said, not sugarcoating or hiding anything. “No, this is not some sort of psychotic break, I can see him too.”
“So you’re Monty?” Roman asked in an amused tone. “I guess it’s good to know you exist.”
“He was the reason she screamed during group,” Drake said, giving me a side-eye, and soon Roman was glaring as well.
“I thought we were trying to find her?” I drawled in annoyance. “What you think of me is irrelevant.”
“Vane took her to solitary, that’s all we know,” Drake said. “I’ve searched though and she’s not there.”
“Wait, how did you get to solitary to look?” Roman asked.
“I have my ways,” was all the half breed offered which didn’t settle well with the other human.
“Why did Vane take her?” I asked. If I’d have swallowed my pride and asked earlier, I would already know, maybe I’d already found her. Relying on humans was beneath me. But for her, I’d do it.