Chapter 47
Chapter Forty-Seven
Salazar
The Domain of Lies had a taste to it.
Sweet on the tongue, but bitter at the back of the throat.
When I stepped through the veil from War into the throne room of Lies, it hit me like ash in water.
The smoke of my own body transformed into skin, with my trusted entourage at my back.
Madalena had called them Magpies a century ago, and the name had stuck.
The nickname had grown on them, though I didn’t know why.
I refused to call them that aloud.
They had always followed me faithfully, their presence an anchor when the Essence of Hell pressed too hard against my mind. With Nina on the throne, she had pulled them away from Torment, and dropped them into my domain.
It saved me a job. I would have stormed into Madalena’s domain, with no care for what the Essence of Hell would have done to me for violating the entrance rules. But it seemed Nina had changed the game. For demons were now travelling among domains more freely.
It had been a rule I’d put in place a long time ago, to stop the demons from scheming. But they’d still managed to scheme and overthrow me all the same.
Nina was seated on her throne. The sight of her stopped me, if only for a heartbeat. She fitted the seat comfortably. Her crown burned steadily like a halo.
Hell had once whispered to me.
But since Nina had saved me, I tried to reach for them only to meet silence.
I remembered how easily the whispers could unwind a damned soul. I wondered if Nina had learned how to build walls inside her mind to keep them back.
She would have to learn soon, or she’d descend into madness, just like the ruler before me.
Dimitri lingered at the edge of the chamber, pale as always, and Yvette near one of the high windows. Two demons, still bound to Hell.
That meant the others had procured their connection relics and had departed this realm. Madalena had a taste for torment, I knew it wouldn’t have taken much for Alexei to persuade her to join him. Cressida was the same. She was greedy, and the living world had so many opportunities for corruption.
But Leander, my wayward thing . . . His departure had surprised me most. He had never known what to do with emotion and feelings for others.
I’d seen him fight with those feelings when he and I were together long ago.
I had seen him warring with those emotions when he saw Nina sacrifice herself to take on the Essence of Hell, and end The Cycle.
Leander hadn’t fled the new order. He’d fled in denial, and he refused to acknowledge his heart’s desire. It was almost funny, Temptation ignoring his own damn wants.
Nina and I would have to show him what to do with those emotions when the time came.
I folded my arms and let my voice cut through the chamber. “You’ve blossomed with Hell’s power, Nina.”
She didn’t flinch. “As much as I like your compliments, Salazar, I’ve asked you here to discuss the disappearances.”
Of course she had. I’d been waiting for this moment ever since the news came that morning.
“I’m at your service, my Queen,” I said. The words tasted odd in my mouth. I had once ruled Hell, but it suited her better than it did me.
I should have hated her for it – the way she bent the flames, commanded them like they’re her birthright.
But damn me, I can’t look away.
I should laugh. She wears the crown, but I’m the one burning. Burning for her.
Nina stepped closer, and I noticed the exhaustion shadowing her eyes. She carried herself like a soldier, but she was ready to collapse against the burden of ruling an entire realm.
Her gaze flicked to my three Magpies trailing my shadow.
“I see you brought your pets.”
My lips twitched. They’d be fuming at her audacity, but her fire sparks something in me I thought my imprisonment had destroyed.
“Four of my demons have disappeared,” she said. “What do you have to say about that?”
“They left with connection relics,” I said.
“That means they still have power. Their domains are feeding them from here. But without them present to regulate the flow, the Essence will either build until it ruptures . . . or drain until there’s nothing left.
And if enough domains fall out of balance, all of Hell could collapse under its own weight.
” I had my own way of finding information, even if I had been imprisoned for over a century.
Nina’s crown glowed, the flames moving with her now like an extension of her soul. She had grown into it faster than I expected.
Faster than was safe.
She said softly, “I need your help to find out why they’ve all disappeared.”
I gave a low, humourless laugh. “Help? From me? That’s unexpected.”
“You helped me during The Cycle. This will be like old times.” Her eyes searched mine. “Demons are running loose in the living realm – it’s not just my problem. It’s a problem for Hell. Which makes it a problem for you, too.”
“You’ve changed,” I murmured. “I thought the crown would break you. But here you are, commanding flames like you were born to it.”
She is the Demon of Lies. Can she see through me now? How do I tell her she is the reason they are waking—
That I sold her name for a sliver of power from the Gods Below?
She narrowed her eyes. “Are you still hiding behind the smoke?”
“I don’t need to hide anymore.”
She caught my gaze, that piercing green brilliance still as calculating as ever. “Once we know why the others left, I must go to the mortal realm.”
Absolutely fucking not.
“You’re the Queen of Hell,” I said. “You can’t leave.”
“There really is no other way.” Her gaze softened. “I can see it now.”
“See what?” I asked.
“Every domain reflects the demon whose vice powers it. It reflects things from their mortal life, as well as what they owe to their descension.”
I nodded, but had no idea how that was important now.
“Each domain shows us where they’ll go,” she said softly. “It won’t be hard to find them.”
I stared at her, feeling an odd shift in my chest. “So, you know everything now.”
“No,” Nina whispered. “But Hell tells me things when it wants to.”
“Yes,” I said. “I remember how it enjoys to manipulate.”
I know she’ll try to tame it. It’s what she does – breaks monsters until they kneel.
The Essence bends for Nina now.
But without demons to stand as governors, the Essence of Souls will flood unchecked. It could saturate Hell until the walls cracked, like a dam breaking under pressure. It wouldn’t matter if the relics still anchored them; absent hands meant absent regulation.
Nina carried her crown of flames like a burden, her face sunken from exhaustion. The Essence stirred hungrily, and tested her resistance.
Could she survive? Could she master Hell?
I knew she'd try. She would burn for this realm.
Nina was the most perfect creature I had ever seen.
And she would be mine, whether she realised it or not.