Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Rayven
It was amazing what a little bit—or a lot, in this case—of tinsel and garland could do to a place. Belial had wasted no time making good on his promise, ordering the servants of the castle to create a ghastly winter miracle.
Since nothing green could grow in Limbo’s soil, the garland wrapping the banisters was made from thorny bramble, flecked with shards of bone, teeth, and berries. Black bouquets of twigs fashioned with skeletal hands and clusters of silver bells hung from the chandeliers and rafters.
It might not have been exactly what I was used to when it came to Christmas decor, but it was fitting for a holiday in Limbo. Eerily beautiful and festively haunting.
As I strolled through the castle halls that shifted to create new corridors, I admired how much the servants had managed in a few short days.
Belial was not the sort to take the staff away from their official duties when there was so much clerical work to be done, considering how behind he was on Judgement.
But he did, all to celebrate a holiday he didn’t care about until now.
All because I cared, not because he’d suddenly been stricken with holiday cheer.
That, in and of itself, spoke volumes to how far the Lord of Bones had come since kidnapping me. He wasn’t the same monster I’d met a year ago. Still terrifying, still steely and severe, but compassionate. Adoring. At least when it came to me.
His kindness made it that much more difficult to hold onto the secret I was harboring.
When I considered just how much Belial had changed, the secret weighed heavy on my chest. The desire to share my knowledge, to see the look on his handsome face when the truth shattered his reality, was almost too much. Soon, I’d tell him.
Very soon.
Whispers of a ball flitted between the haunted furniture and trinkets decorating the castle’s many rooms, corridors, and halls. For the first time ever, Limbo was getting a Christmas, and every demon servant, lost soul, and even the walls themselves chattered with excitement.
Even though Belial hated them, and they were exceedingly rare, I loved the grand balls and masquerades Limbo threw for special occasions.
The last one had been a year ago for my coronation.
As I headed down to the courtyard where Belial told me to meet him, I was swept up in thoughts of myself wearing an elaborate gown, in the arms of my demon king as we twirled around a glittering ballroom while our subjects watched.
Excitement thrummed through my veins as I reached the castle doors leading out to the courtyard. Today was the day we were gathering items needed for the ritual that would bring my Christmas tree back to life.
Two creaky suits of armor opened the doors, bowing noisily, and I nodded in appreciation before stepping outside.
The air was cool, as it always was, but not cold enough for snow… or so I thought.
When I stepped out onto the cobblestone leading to the stairs, my gaze caught on pale gray flecks drifting from the crimson sky overhead.
They looked like fat, fluffy snowflakes dancing lazily toward the ground.
The acrid scent of smoke clung to the air, like the extensive bramble hedge maze surrounding the castle had suddenly caught fire, but everything seemed perfectly intact.
My heart jumped into my throat.
Was Hell literally freezing over?
Snow in Limbo? Was it even possible?
As I dragged my eyes away from the sky, they caught on Belial.
He was waiting for me near the elaborate marble fountain depicting a goblin pissing blood, wearing black pants and a flowing black shirt with a deep V that showed off most of his chest. A crescent pendant was nestled between his pectorals on a silver chain.
The handsome devil wielded his sex like a weapon.
His gaze settled on me, and as I slowly descended the steps to meet him, a smile curled my lips.
“Surprise,” he rumbled softly as he pulled me into his arms. “It’s the best I could do.”
My gaze tracked upward again, past his smiling face. “You made it snow ash…?”
I dropped my eyes back to him, my vision blurring as my eyes swam with emotion.
When I said I missed the snow, he’d listened, and he’d made it happen to the best of his ability.
It might not be ice crystals, but the way the flecks of ash swirled in the air as they fell toward the ground was close enough.
It was such a thoughtful gesture. My heart ached with so much love for this demon.
“It’s beautiful,” I breathed, watching in awe as the ash flakes danced.
"I’m glad you like it.” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “I meant it when I said I’d give you anything your heart desires. Anything.”
A shiver worked through me at the intense devotion lacing his words.
“I love it. Belial, this is…” A lump formed in my throat, making it harder to force out words. “Perfect. It’s perfect. You’ve done so much to make this Christmas special, and I can’t thank you enough—”
“You’ve no reason to thank me,” he cut me off. “It is an honor to give you the holiday your heart desires. Besides, we’re not done yet. I promised you an undead Yule tree.”
My ears perked up, and I bounced on the balls of my feet. “Yes! Ingredients for the ritual! What do we need?”
He slipped his hand into mine, lacing our fingers together. “You’ll see.”
“Can you at least tell me where we’re going?
” My impatience was already getting the better of me.
I fell into step beside him as he led the way toward the hedge maze.
The thick bramble bushes were already dusted with white; the ash clinging to the vicious-looking plants gave them a softer, whimsical look.
“To my garden.”
We stepped into the hedges and whispers erupted around us, the souls trapped within the brambles instantly aware of our presence.
I guessed it was a good thing I’d opted for something practical to wear.
Skinny jeans, a simple burgundy top with a heart-cut out to expose my cleavage, and my signature combat boots.
I felt a little underdressed compared to Belial’s princely wardrobe, but with the way he looked at me, you’d think I was dressed to the nines.
"So what do we need to gather for this spell? Slime or snails? Puppy dog tails?”
He laughed, his chest shaking with the noise. “No, my treasure, what we need is something a little more perilous to gather.”
My heart hammered hard against my ribs. “What is it?”
He didn’t answer for several minutes, leading me through the maze effortlessly. I still hadn’t managed to figure out the constantly shifting pathways; I spent much less time out here than in the castle. Belial knew the hedges like the back of his hand.
“There are three things in all, but sap is the first item.” We hung a left, and I made eye contact with one of the severed heads lodged in the brambles. It muttered something unintelligible as we passed.
“Sap?” My eyes shot in his direction. “How is that perilous—”
I hadn’t even finished forming the sentence when it dawned on me. My stomach flipped. “No. Don’t tell me…”
Belial’s face took on a half grimace, half smile. “From the blood oak, yes. I figured you wouldn’t be thrilled with the prospect of facing it again.”
Not thrilled was the understatement of the century.
Of course we’d have to visit the tree that almost killed me the first time I entered the maze. The thought of the carnivorous oak tree had my skin crawling.
Upon seeing my discomfort, all traces of his grin disintegrated, and shadows fell over his storm gray eyes.
“I warned you this Yule tree of yours would come at a cost. It’s not too late to change your mind.”
“No, it will be fine. I’m the queen of this place. It will respect me now, right?”
My heart fell at the look on Belial’s face. “It respects no one, Rayven.”
“Can’t we gather the other ingredients first?” I pouted. “This one has to be the hardest, right?”
He turned around with a chuckle that did nothing to give me confidence and began walking in what I surmised was the direction of the blood oak.
I trotted after him, heart in my throat. “Right?”
The sound of slithering vines had my stomach bunching into tight knots. I caught up with Belial, taking his hand and gripping it so tight that his already pale skin turned ghost white.
He was calm and collected. Meanwhile, I was freaking the fuck out.
“It’s going to be okay, Rayven. If you need me to save you from the blood oak, just like last time, I will.”
What a smug asshole.
At least collecting the sap would be easy; Belial could do it with a flick of his wrist. Because I didn’t plan on getting anywhere near the thing.
With a deep breath, I beat back the fear clawing up my throat, and tamped my nerves. It’s for my tree, I reminded myself. We’d be in and out in a few minutes, then we’d be that much closer to the Christmas of my dreams.
Let’s get this over with.