CHAPTER 11
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THE FRONT OF GILGAMESH’S palace was swarming with witches by the time Bex arrived.
They were everywhere: using their brooms to sweep the rainwater dumped by the storm into buckets, picking up bones dropped by the undead dragons, helping the vines that grew everywhere get better traction on the palace’s smooth white stone.
Several were tending to demons who’d been wounded during the assault while others were up on the battlements, sorting through the scrap left by the lightning-struck constructs.
A whole team was up on the roof between the towers, taking apart the giant lion cannons with blowtorches, while their cat familiars watched from a safe distance like a line of furry vultures.
It seriously looked like the witches were scrapping Gilgamesh’s army for the gold, which Bex found both hilarious and practical.
As she’d seen from the Pumpkin Festival, there wasn’t much money to be made off a forest, and pillage was the victor’s right.
Gilgamesh had certainly helped himself when he’d invaded Paradise.
Bex found it delightfully appropriate that he should suffer the same, especially since her demons were also helping themselves.
They should be focusing on what comes next, Drox muttered, turning nervously on her hand. We haven’t won yet.
“Oh, let them have it,” Bex scolded, smiling at the demons who were gleefully prying the gold decorations off the palace doors. “They deserve a little joy.”
The sight certainly made her smile. They’d been fighting a losing battle for so long that even something as small as stealing Gilgamesh’s porch décor felt like a life-changing victory.
The forces from the Seattle Anchor were still arriving, which meant most of the demons who’d participated in this fight had come from the Hells.
They’d lived and died in toxic darkness, scraping sins out of filthy water, while the warlocks who commanded them lived in luxury.
If anyone deserved a little looting, it was them.
“Great Queen.”
Bex tore her eyes away from the pillaging just in time to see the war-demon leader Roga kneel at her feet.
“We’ve taken control of the plaza and the entry halls,” he reported as he lowered his helmet of broad, flat horns. “The Queen of Pride and General Iggs await you inside.”
Bex arched an eyebrow. She wasn’t sure when Iggs had become a general, but she wasn’t about to undermine him in front of the war demon. He’d certainly been doing the job, which was good enough for her.
“Thank you, Captain Roga,” she said, looking over her shoulder at the river of demons that was still marching toward the palace from the giant tree. “I want you to hold this position and organize the new arrivals. We’ll use this opportunity to rebuild our forces while I go find our next target.”
“Yes, Great Queen,” the war demon said, then he flicked his dark eyes up. “Um, about the looting. Should we—”
“It’s fine,” she assured him as her face split into a grin. “This city was built on our people’s backs. Way I see it, they’re just taking back what’s owed.”
The war demon looked extremely relieved to hear that, probably because it meant he wouldn’t have to tell a bunch of delighted demons they had to stop.
“Just keep order and don’t let any fights break out,” she said. “I’m going to talk to our allies.”
The captain ducked his horns again and turned around, yelling to his troop of war demons that the queen had given her permission.
This caused a huge cheer as the war demons ran off to join the others in stripping Gilgamesh’s palace.
Bex watched them go with a grin as she crossed the still-wet plaza to the white steps of the palace’s main door, where the three Old Wives of the Blackwood were waiting with their brooms.
The moment Bex’s boot touched the first stair, all three witches turned to look at her like their heads were attached to the same string.
That would’ve been spooky if Bex hadn’t already heard them finishing each other’s sentences during the big curse earlier and pretty much every other time they did something important.
She’d already secretly started thinking of them as three faces of the same lady anyway, so this was par for the course.
Bex was much more concerned to see that Adrian wasn’t waiting with them.
“Where is—”
“Inside,” the Witch of the Future said before Bex could finish.
“He’s the only one of us who can go in,” the Witch of the Present explained. “It seems Gilgamesh has banned all daughters of the Blackwood from entering his palace.”
“Wisest move he’s made in years,” the Witch of the Past agreed, pushing her stringy white hair away from her face as she stared up at the towers. “Pity. There’s a lot of good bones in there.”
She finished with a hungry smile, and Bex caught her flinch just in time.
“Thank you for your help earlier,” she said, bowing her horns as much as she dared with so many demons watching. “We couldn’t have taken the plaza without you.”
“I’m glad we were able to put our ancient spite to good use,” Agatha said, glancing through the open doorway. “Especially since it doesn’t look like we’ll be able to be of further assistance.”
“If we could storm the palace ourselves, we wouldn’t have needed Adrian or the queen,” Muriel reminded her sisters.
“There’ve been some variations, but all the main parts are still going according to plan.
” She turned back around to Bex before lowering her head just as slightly as Bex had dipped her horns.
“This means the future of our coven is now in your hands. We wish you good luck, Queen of All Demons.”
The other witches bowed as well, and Bex stepped back in alarm. “Just my hands? Does that mean you’re done?”
“Hardly,” Lydia said, glaring at Bex with blue eyes that gleamed like cold gems in her wrinkled face.
“Who do you think is going to hold the line out here? Or keep ferrying your refugees back to the land of the living? Just because we can’t storm the fortress with you doesn’t mean we’re not fighting. ”
“I didn’t mean that,” Bex said swiftly. “It’s just…”
She’d hoped for more help. The witches’ magic had been incredible.
If it’d just been her and her demons, Bex doubted they could’ve taken the palace steps without heavy casualties, much less pushed inside.
They’d made progress faster than she’d ever dreamed, but even with more demons coming up the tree roots to join them every minute, there was still a lot of palace left to cover.
“Don’t make that face,” Muriel said. “It’s not as if we’re abandoning you. In addition to holding the city, as my sister said, we’re lending you our best weapon. Adrian was chosen for this. He will not fail us, or you.”
“I never thought he would,” Bex said, pulling her tattered coat tighter around her shoulders. “Guess I’m going in, then. Thanks for all the help.”
The three witches nodded in unison, but when Bex started up the stairs toward the palace’s towering doors, a bitter voice spoke behind her.
“Is that all you have to say?”
The words were sharp as steel knives, and Bex looked over her shoulder to see Leander standing at the bottom of the steps, staring up at the three witches with centuries of anger etched into his gaunt face.
“I’m standing right here,” he told them. “A son of your own Blackwood, a child you gave away, yet you have more words for the demon than you do for me.” He clenched his fists tight. “Have you nothing else to say for yourself, Mother?”
The witches of the Past and Future looked away, but the Witch of the Present, the target of his words, stared him down with cold blue eyes.
“No.”
Leander flinched like the word was a physical blow, but Agatha’s expression didn’t soften.
“I would never insult my children by asking their forgiveness,” she said.
“I cannot ask it, because I am not sorry. I am a mother, yes, and a sister and a woman in my own right. But before all of that, I am a witch. The love I bear for you and all my sons is buried with my heart beneath the Blackwood. A sacrifice to the Great Forest, just like the rest of my flesh.”
“Is that supposed to comfort me?” the prince spat.
“Acts of war comfort no one,” the witch replied.
Then, to Bex’s shock, she lowered her eyes.
“But I am sorry you turned out so kind, Leander. Most of the sons I bore Gilgamesh were happy to enter his service. I even let him name all of you so I would be less inclined to grow attached. It mostly worked, with two exceptions. Adrian was the second, but you were the first.”
Her hands tightened on her owl-carved broomstick. “You were a thoughtful, clever child, and your witchcraft was so beautiful. I would have kept you with me if I could, but the time was not yet right, so I obeyed my sisters and let you go.”
“Gilgamesh had already seen your potential,” Lydia said. “He would have killed us for keeping such a sorcerer from him.”
“Agatha has always been weak when it comes to her children,” Muriel agreed. “That’s why we are Three. Two can be strong when one is not.”
“Forgive me if I don’t find that inspiring,” Leander growled, stomping up the stairs so that his back was to all three witches.
“You’re no family of mine,” he declared when he reached the top, placing a hand on Bex’s shoulder.
“Mara’s little sister is dearer to me than any of you, and kinder to those in her care.
I have disagreed with Gilgamesh on every principle of my life, but in one judgement he was entirely correct.
” He cast a final glare over his shoulder.
“The Blackwoods are all heartless witches.”
The Old Wives said nothing in reply. They simply stood on the steps, watching Leander’s back as he vanished through the palace doors. A few seconds later, Bex ran after him, chasing nervously after Adrian’s brother as he turned the corner and came to a sudden stop.