Chapter 4 #2
The man tilts his head then beckons me forward. Eyeing Hecate in my periphery, I step toward the man, passing the Titaness, who continues to watch him. The Hell Beasts behind me trot forward as well, and the man lifts his stare to the over-sized wolves before directing his searing gaze at me.
“What is your name?”
Rhiannon sits on the tip of my tongue before I remember I cannot reveal my real name. Licking my lips, I say the first name that comes to mind: “Liv.”
His eyes narrow, as though he doesn’t quite believe me, but then he flashes a blinding smile. “Welcome, Liv. My name is Baal. Most know me as the Demon of Debauchery.”
“Nice to meet you.” I mean, really, what else do you say to that?
He inclines his head gracefully then finds Hecate behind me once more. “I thought you had no reason to stay?”
“You can give me one.” There’s a sultry lilt to her voice.
A quirk of his lips. “My tongue can give you several.”
I have never wished for anything more than for the ground to open and swallow me whole at this moment. The gods must really hate me to have me standing here awkwardly between this erotically-charged banter.
When a heated silence lingers between the two of them, I clear my throat pointedly. Hecate chuckles.
“You know where to find me, Lord Baal.”
For an inexplicable reason, I glance behind me, unsurprised to find Hecate gone. My two self-appointed guard dogs, however, are rooted to the spot, awaiting my next move.
“Come, Liv.” The way he says that name makes it abundantly clear he knows it’s not mine. “Let us get you well acquainted with Pandemonium. The King is eager to meet you.”
“He is?”
Baal winces as though he realizes his error, but he quickly recovers. “Of course.” The Demon gestures for me to join his side, and we start walking the limestone path. “His Majesty is eager to understand the King and Queen of the Underworld's intentions for sending a spy to his Court.”
“I’m not a spy,” I bite out.
His dark eyes slide to me. “We’ll see. Tell me, why are you here?”
The heat of the two suns beats down on my bare shoulders, my dress feeling restrictive and burdensome. “I’m looking for someone.”
Baal pauses, stopping me in my tracks. “You are looking for someone, or Lord Hades has sent you here on his behalf to look for someone?”
I curse internally at my misstep. “Lord Hades, of course.”
The Demon’s eyes narrow again, this time into onyx slits. “Tell me, Liv. How does an emissary of a rival god secure the loyalty of my King’s most vicious creatures?”
I glance at the two Hell Beasts as though they might offer their own explanation before finally meeting the Demon of Debauchery’s cold glare.
Shrugging, I throw him a saccharine smile. “I gave them amazing belly rubs.”
To my shock, he tosses his head back and laughs. “Oh, he is going to have so much fun with you.”
My insides warm at the mention of ‘he’, assuming the demon can only mean Nick.
We continue walking, the path curving outward and bringing us out over the stunning crystalline ocean.
I pause momentarily, if only to commit to memory two suns blazing above a sea-green and stunning blue sea, their rays scintillating like diamonds spread across the tepid waves.
Baal patiently waits a few feet ahead then matches my pace once I join him.
As we near the center of the limestone path, we take a right, leading us down another stone walkway straight to the castle doors.
A pang of wistfulness pierces my chest as the castle doors come into clearer focus.
They are reminiscent of the entry to Northgate: foreboding structures seemingly made of iron set back into a wide archway.
Though, in this case, there are two rather than one, with massive silver door knockers.
Each gives the appearance of a sinister, goat-like creature, with horns curling outward.
The one on the right, however, has the circular handle within its mouth while the one on the left has the knocker hanging just below his chin.
Baal and I pause before the doors, and I note with curiosity they lack handles. The demon makes no move to open them, but instead, he stands there, huffing with impatience.
“I really don’t have time for this today.”
The door knocker to my right speaks around the ring in its mouth, its words a bit garbled but comprehensive, nonetheless . “Bah! It’s been ages since we’ve had a newcomer to delight with our riddles. Surely, you would grant us this opportunity, Lord Baal.”
My eyes widen, and I bite back a yelp as the second one chimes in. “You know the rules, Demon. One door leads to desire, the other leads to danger. Let her choose.”
Baal sighs in annoyance. “The Lady is under the protection of Hades and Persephone. Not to mention, His Majesty will have my balls if any harm should come to her.”
“Well, we all know how fond you are of your balls, Lord Baal,” the right one says, and the handles erupt in a fit of laughter. Even I clamp down a smile, and again, a singular warmth curls my toes at Baal’s statement, which I’m sure was said unintentionally.
Baal is less than pleased. “One riddle, and only if she allows it.” He looks at me expectantly.
“I wasn’t aware I had a say in the matter. How would we get in the castle otherwise?”
“There are plenty of other routes, though not as direct, and not as harmless.”
“Ah, so danger is inevitable then. Answering the riddle seems the lesser of two devils.”
Baal grins. “Apt choice of words. Though you will find nothing ‘less’ about the one who dwells within these walls.”
I’m sure his words meant to inspire fear, but instead, heat pools low in my abdomen at the thought of finally seeing Nick as he was always meant to be seen: a force, a king. A god.
I face the two door knockers. “What do you got?”
I swear, the right one grins in delight. “What a fiery little monster!”
“There is no question, little monster,” the left one chimes in smugly. “One door leads to desire. The other leads to danger. You must choose.”
I cock my head to the side. “And how should I make my decision?”
“You may ask only one of us one question,” the right one says.
“But one of us always lies,” the left one finishes.
Zo would go absolutely bat shit over this. I could also use her help at this moment, but since she isn’t here, I’ll have to rely on my trusty chess brain.
My gaze bounces between the two horned door knockers, mulling over the question I need to ask. I catch Baal’s scrutinizing yet anxious gaze, no doubt concerned about what will happen to his balls should danger fall upon me.
I address Baal first. “Do they have names?”
The Demon’s dark eyes spark with a mix of curiosity and amusement. “The one to your right is Judas. The one on your left, Brutus.”
My brow lifts at their monikers, and I shove a question away for later to focus on the task at hand.
“Judas,” I pin my stare on the right door knocker, “would Brutus want me to go through your door?”
Judas flashes me a devious grin. “Brutus is the ultimate betrayer. He stabbed his best friend and watched him die. He certainly would not want you to go through my door.”
Brutus scoffs. “Pot and kettle, Judas. You sold out your best friend for a handful of silver. It must feel glorious to have to taste it all day long.” His steely eyes find mine.
My own sly smirk forms. In my periphery, Baal tenses as he awaits my decision. I move to the left and stare Brutus down. “Caesar would be pleased. Open up.”
I catch Judas scrunching his nose in disapproval, and Baal looses a relieved exhale. Brutus smiles, the satisfying creak of the hinge grinding as the door opens to reveal the inside of the castle a welcome sound to my ears. Before I step through, I cast a scornful glance at Judas.
“I hope you choke on the taste of silver.”
Baal ushers me inside, causing me to miss whatever insult Judas hurls in my direction. The door slams shut behind us with an ominous boom, though the sound hardly distracts me from taking in the magnificent entryway.
The hallway stretches far into the distance with arches interspersed every five feet or so.
The long corridor branches off into two others on either side.
Glistening chandeliers adorn the ceiling, painting the structures in a bluish silver.
At least, that is what it appears to be, but as I take a few soft steps further inside, I realize the smooth marble falls and pillars supporting the arches sparkle with an undying gleam, as though the entire entryway has been crafted by stardust.
It’s utterly breathtaking.
“Come, Liv,” Baal’s voice pulls me from my astonishment. “The suns will soon set, and you are expected at His Majesty’s ball.”
I hide my surprise and acquiesce with a demure nod, following Baal down the glittering hall. Excitement rockets through my blood at the thought of seeing Nick, of hearing his voice, so long after watching him die in my arms.
“I have to admit, I am both shocked and impressed at how you handled the paradox,” Baal says quietly.
His tone implies he’s awaiting an explanation, so I offer it. “It’s actually quite simple, an old logic riddle derived from the Knight and Knave paradox.”
His expression now appears pensive. “You might fare better in our realm than anticipated.”
Two young women suddenly appear from the corridor branching on our left, quickly curtseying when their eyes land on the Demon.
“Lord Baal,” they say in unison.
He merely nods his head graciously.
The two women rise, the sharp differences in their height reminding me of Scarlett and Astrid, and fuck, even their appearances resemble my girls somewhat. A pang of guilt mixed with longing spears through me.
The taller one, though blonde, holds none of the cold fire in her eyes like Astrid. The smaller woman has dark hair like Scar but not a single ember of her warmth. Though, those dark eyes of her spark a bit as they eye Baal’s shirtless form.
“Liv, please meet Aurelia and Mira, your ladies’ maids. They will escort you to your room and help you prepare you for the ball this evening.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” I say.
The tall blonde manages a tight-lipped smile. The brunette merely scowls.
Great. An Astrid and Scar role reversal. Delightful.
I turn to Baal. “I must speak with the King as soon as possible. Can you arrange it?”
“He will be at the ball this evening. You may have an audience with him then.”
“But—”
“As…enlightening as this experience has been, I’m afraid I have other matters to attend to.” His smile takes on a decidedly wicked curve, and I resist the urge to ask him if his ‘other matters’ include Hecate.
When I don’t protest, he brings my fingers to his mouth and skates his lips across my knuckles—a ghost of a kiss, as though he fears allowing his lips to touch my skin. “Until we meet again, little monster.”
Baal turns on his heel, leaving me with Astrid and Scar 2.0 and the electrifying realization that this evening, after months of waiting, I will finally lay eyes on him.
Something within my chest tightens and constricts, something I felt once. It’s a sensation all-encompassing yet liberating, one I haven’t felt since he died. I know then it’s the Threads that bind us, the bond we share, strengthening now that I am so close to finding him again.
My soulmate.