25. A Devil’s Deal
Chapter 25
A Devil’s Deal
T he King eyed me with intrigue before looking back to his fallen champion.
“And what about you, are you also entitled to your own freedom?” he asked, shortly after landing in front of me. His long robes were pushed back and hanging off his shoulders to reveal a powerful body. One covered in hundreds of swirling black tattoos. Runes and symbols all interlocked and constantly moved around his extensive muscle, as well as his shaved head. He easily looked down at me, being as he was taller than Ragnar and easily over seven-foot in height.
As for his features, he had high cheekbones that matched the high arch of his brows and slim nose. His eyes were the lightest of blues, with black rings framing the irises, giving his gaze a penetrating stare.
“I was never your prisoner,” I told him in response, to which he scoffed a laugh, his grin unnerving with his large fangs on show. The color of his lips were a bluish shade and like his tattoos, a contrast against his pale skin. The same went for the dark triangular tattoo at his square chin, matching the ones on his corded neck.
“Perhaps you are right, King,” he agreed, and I nodded respectfully at that, something he looked to appreciate, before ordering,
“Release the Jidovii, for he is long overdue his return to his birthplace.”
At this, the giant was helped up by the larger, demonic guards that had kept the crowd in check.
“Come, Cerberus, it is time for us to see if we can’t aid you in also leaving this place,” he said, holding out his arm for me to leave the way I had come. I looked up to the stands to see both Marcus and Orthrus now making their way toward the towers at the ends but were held up due to the crowd leaving.
“You released him, why? You owe me nothing?” I asked with curiosity.
“Not everything is as it seems, HellBeast,” he told me, his voice as deep as his words were calculated. He had the aura of an old and powerful king, speaking with purpose and calm authority.
“And that means what exactly?” I asked, despite this… because well, I was as blunt a king as they came.
“That he was never a prisoner. He was here on his own free will,” he said, surprising me.
“The sadness I saw in his eyes…”
“Yes, but then when the only honor in dying is to fight, what do you do when you lose the fight for life and after those you care for are taken from you?”
I looked back over my shoulder see the giant disappearing through the broken gates, unsure now as to whether I had done him a justice or not.
“But no matter, perhaps it is as you humans often say… that time heals all wounds.”
“Depends on the wound,” I replied, making him nod and say,
“I agree.”
I frowned, wondering what he had lost in life for him to understand. I would have asked, but he dismissed the chance by pointing to a doorway, telling me,
“If you please.”
I walked inside to find the last thing I expected…
A grand demonic throne room.
I looked around in awe, trying to figure it out, as I had stepped through a curtained doorway of hanging furs and found myself in some demon’s castle.
The theme of bone and blood still remained, but instead of the crude building structure of the arena, this looked like it belonged in a palace. The walls were lined with thousands of long limb bones, reaching all the way up to the enormous height of the ceiling. Every single one of them, painted blood red and polished to a high sheen.
The cathedral style ceilings arched with the same giant rib bones, each one painted with a piece of a scene, that looked like a war between two races of demons. There was not even an inch gap between them, giving the painting a strange flow about it. As if every step walked made it come alive and move.
I watched as the King continued to walk toward the end of the space, where a giant throne took up the whole space of the wall. An intricate pattern of bones were interwoven to create a high arch. Above, was the skull of what looked like a balaur, looking down toward all who would stand at the foot of his throne. As if the dead creature still had the ability to cast judgement on those that wished to seek an audience with the King of this realm.
I followed him, watching, and instead of heading up the steps to his throne, he turned to the right and through an open archway made from rib bones crossing over at the top. This then led into a sitting room, and one far less formal than the hall we just left.
“If you please,” he said, holding out an arm and prompting me to take one of the cushioned seats.
I was amazed to see it was far more conventional looking furniture, made from pale wood and red velvet. As for the rest of the room, its walls were covered in a rich red and gold material, draped down from carved bone that also hung from chains attached to the high ceilings. A few cushions were dotted around the room in blues, purples, and reds, with gold fridges. Even the stone floor had scattered rugs woven in the same colors.
“You know who I am?” he asked as he folded his leg, one covered in loose fitted pants that were made in the same creased material as his dark cloak.
“I can venture a guess, Nefartatul,” I said, making him grin again.
“Ah but one of many names. You may know me as Nefar.”
“Jared,” I returned, making him bow his head in respect.
I had to say, so far so good, because the guy hadn’t tried to kill me… yet.
“Why am I here, Nefar?” I asked, testing out his name.
“I have a proposition for you.”
“I am not sure what I could offer you, or you I, seeing as my business here is with Koro?” I admitted, making him smile and again, the obvious sight of his fangs made it slightly unnerving.
“Ah but you are here for love, are you not?” he asked, surprising me.
“I am,” I stated firmly and unashamedly.
“Not even a breath or thought between question and in giving your answer. Good, that means you will understand.”
“Understand what?” I questioned.
“I too lost someone once… someone very important to me.”
“Okay, but…” He was quick to hold up his large, strong hand, the navy tips to his fingers matching the skin on his lips.
“I am not finished, young King,” he said, making me grit my teeth, despite knowing that compared to most of the kings I knew, I was considered young.
“Did you know that each of the Kings that rule a piece of Hell is also destined to find their Fated queen?” I frowned at that before speaking of the only one I knew.
“Lucifer, he found…”
“Ah yes, the Oracle, as was Fated by her own father. Yes, he was to mark the first of us.”
I suddenly didn’t get a great feeling as to what was coming.
“So, what are you saying? That you want my help in finding your Fated?” I prayed I was wrong.
“That is precisely what I want, HellBeast, for she resides in your realm.”
I jerked back a little.
“The Underworld?” I asked.
“Earth,” he corrected, making me suck back a breath. Oh yeah, definitely an oh shit moment.
“But how am I ever to…”
He was once again quick to interrupt me.
“There will come a day when she will find you, just as Fate also brought you to me, using your own Oracle… yes,” he said this like he had known all along and had simply been waiting for it to happen.
“How did you know?”
“Let’s just say that an old soul recognizes an old soul.”
I very nearly asked how old he was but wisely refrained. Instead, I argued what I thought was a good point.
“But if you have lost your queen… now what? You want to replace her…? I am not exactly running a dating agency back home.”
“Not that I know what that is, but I can take an educated guess in its meaning and no, I do not want you to replace her,” he said, and for the first time I saw an undercurrent of anger, making his voice deepen and his eyes seep to black.
“Then you will understand that it’s doubtful I can help you,” I told him, making him shake off his irk and continue.
“Have you ever heard of the tale of the lost Sirens?”
“Yes, they were all found and claimed by their Fated Enforcers,” I said, hoping to remind him of this because I really hoped he didn’t expect me to kidnap one of the Sirens. Their Fated mates were each hard bastards in their own right, and not really the type of trouble I needed.
“Ah yes, the Enforcers for the King of Kings, Son of Asmodeus. Yes, I too heard of the Siren’s fate.”
“Then you know there are none left to claim,” I pointed out, making him grin again.
“No, you are right, but I mention it only as proof.”
“Proof of what?” I questioned with a slight shake of my head.
“That it is possible for souls to lay dorment, imprisoned for the longest time until one day freed, only to find themselves in a mortal body with no knowledge of who or what they were… sound familiar, King?” I swallowed hard at this, as yes, it did, and it hit far too close to home right now seeing as this was what everyone believed had happened to Ella.
“So, you see, we have something in common, you and I,” he added.
“I wouldn’t even know where to look.”
“Leave that to me, as like I said, I believe she will seek you out when the time comes.”
Okay, now that I really didn’t like the sound of.
“And when she does, what then?”
“All I need is for you to ensure her safe passage into my world, that is it, for I will do the rest,” he told me, making me release a sigh.
“And if I do this, what do I get in return?” I asked, knowing I was unlikely to get out of this at this point.
“Use of my armies when the time comes, for I hear whispers on the winds that you will be in need of them…” And as if he had been expecting it, in walked Koro, my brother, and Marcus.
“…And because I am feeling generous to ensure your own success, I will give you a guide, my second in command, and King in his own right, Koro.”
“Wait… Koro works for you?”
He grinned before standing and purposely not answering my question.
“Do you accept my terms, HellBeast King?” he asked.
I nodded, as I would have done anything if it led to getting Ella back and winning this war. Even if it meant making a deal with the devil.
“Then there is nothing more than to make our vows of alliance and seal it with a blood bond…”
I was about to speak up on that when he held up his hand, interrupting me.
“Ah, but alas, you have already made that pact with another,” he said smirking, making me wonder how it was that he knew all of this.
“Your blood and your vow will have to do,” he said, biting into his own hand and making me do the same. Then, with his blue blood coating his palm and my crimson blood doing the same, we shook hands. The vow becoming unbreakable between kings.
“I will take my leave now, but remember when the time comes, you must keep up your end of the bargain.”
I nodded, telling him without words that I would, despite what it may cost me and my soul. He basically wanted me to, one day in the future, kidnap a mortal girl and drag her down to Hell. A problem I would no doubt face when the time came.
“King Cerberus,” he said, bowing to me and making me do the same.
“King Nefartatul.”
This was a meeting that ended with me, once again…
Sealing my fate with a devil.