Chapter Twenty-Four
Nina
Itook the western stairway, slipping into room after room. Leander had led me this way once before, but I’d already lost the route. The place was a labyrinth of doors and echoing halls, endless and disorienting.
I’d planned to sneak around Leander’s armoury, learn what I could about The Cycle, and slip back to my chambers before anyone saw me.
I’d learned how to move quietly long before I came to Hell. When you’ve spent years creeping through forests, foraging for food, you know how to blend into the world around you.
I stayed in the shadows, then rushed up a spiral staircase, avoiding the damned souls who lounged in alcoves.
None of them noticed me. I was lucky to be dressed in fresh black combat leathers, thanks to Jules having brought me a few spares.
After Torment, my first set of leathers was left in tatters.
At the top of the stairs, an archway opened into a decorative hall.
The ceiling soared high above, depicting scenes of war and carnage.
On the dais ahead sat a throne made of stone, with a serpent coiling around its frame as if to protect it.
A long table ran through the centre, an enormous map stretched across it.
It showed domains in exquisite detail: winding paths, rivers, and swirling storms marking the borders.
The bottom of the map had been burned away completely, and the edges were charred.
Voices echoed outside the hall, and I ducked behind a pillar, heart hammering. They quickly passed, and I took that as my moment to leave.
As I rounded the pillar, I came face to face with Leander, standing casually in the centre of his throne room.
“Hello, little Champion.”
I scowled in his direction.
“I’ve never had much patience for people sneaking around,” he said.
“Why? Got something to hide?”
"Perhaps.” The calm confidence in his voice made the hairs on the backs of my hands stand up.
“I’ve come to make a bargain,” I said.
His eyebrows went high. “Why do I find that hard to believe?”
“If you want me to win, give me your relic.”
“You think I can just hand it over?” Leander laughed. “Hell demands dominion. You must earn the relics.”
I sighed. “Why don’t you just get them for yourself? Why do you need me? You’re the one who will win the throne of Hell. Isn’t that right?”
His expression faltered, just for a second. “You’re smarter than many of the others, I’ll give you that. But I’m afraid I can’t enter the other domains. That’s why Hell gives us Champions.”
“Fine. How do I get your relic then?”
“If you’re successful in my trial,” he said. “It’s as simple as that. Only when you can align with all sins of Hell is the Champion truly worthy . . .”
I stared. “So the relics . . . they’re not prizes. They’re votes?”
He inclined his head. “You could say that. In the beginning, we trained our Champions to win. We schooled them in the arts of every domain. But it quickly became apparent that no demon of Hell would let another win. If one of us wins, the others lose. But if no one wins? We all feast.” He spread his hands.
“So, we sabotage one another. We bargain with Champions. And The Cycle continues.”
Heat crawled up my throat. Winning now seemed to be quite the impossible feat. Kob had said the very same, but I didn’t want to believe it.
“I want to know exactly what I’ll get if I win The Cycle.”
His eyes flickered, something unsaid in that darkening gaze. “The winner gets a prize like none other.”
“So, my brother?”
“Yes, you can leave Hell, if that’s what you truly want.”
My breath caught in my throat. It was true. If I won, I could make my way back to Tobias. I nodded, and stoked the spark of hope that had erupted inside of me.
Leander strolled towards me, leaned close, his breath brushing my cheek.
“But like I said. No one has ever won before. It would take quite a miracle if you were somehow able to avoid death, destruction, and restrain yourself from making a bargain. Alas, we’re in Hell, and miracles do not exist down here. ”
My hands balled into fists. “Why must you be so . . . insufferable?”
His eyes fixed on mine. He was toying with me, and he enjoyed watching my anger bubble to the surface.
“You need to accept that your life has changed,” Leander said. “There is no way back to your brother. You’re faced with a decision. Bargain with me, or another demon. It’s your choice. Much stronger souls than you have made it to the end, only to be destroyed.”
“If there’s a chance—”
“Nina,” he cried, the tremor in his voice making me take a step back. “Why are you not listening? No one wins The Cycle. If you continue down this road, you might not come back from it.”
Anger burned in his eyes, and beneath it, concern. He twisted away, leaving me standing alone in his throne room.
Maybe Leander, the Demon of Temptation, wasn’t the vicious monster I wanted him to be.