Chapter 59
CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
Callum sat in the dungeons, dangling one leg off a boulder. He hummed a familiar tune as he flipped a dagger over and over, watching it fly and fall back in his grip.
Their prisoner hung on the opposite end of the cell, covered in his own body fluids. He had soiled himself early on.
“Your mind reader saw it all. I’ve shown you everything I know already.” Balor moaned, coughing clots of blood from between his teeth. Shackles kept him upright and steady as piss dripped down his leg.
“You’re right, Balor. You did.” This was purely for the satisfaction of hearing him scream. There was no need for interrogation tactics when they had Manos.
Balor’s mind had revealed they had been using celestial stones to get their undead beasts across the border, small crystals that possessed a magic similar to Callum’s.
Where they got them, Balor didn’t know. The body count they accumulated was astronomical.
Balor’s small brain didn’t hold all the pieces to their plan, but he had divulged enough.
An undead army was coming, commanded by the Hell Gods themselves.
Manos had also found it had been Balor who delivered the near-fatal blow to Aaron’s chest. That fact had prolonged his suffering.
This undead soul had ended countless innocent lives. He had helped hurt Helaina, leaving her on the brink of ruin. He had helped kill Divine.
As repayment for his crimes, Callum had spent hours carving his skin like he was cleaning a fish. Allowing Balor to heal himself so he could do it again. The piercing screams of agony were music to Callum’s ears as he filleted the undead worm over and over.
Now, it was time to end it.
There were a couple of ways to kill the undead.
Allowing them to starve was one. Without blood, they grew weak and vulnerable, eventually their very essence deteriorating into dust. That, however, took time that Callum did not have at his disposal.
Perhaps he would save that slow death for Balor’s brother.
Instead, Callum placed a dagger to Balor’s throat.
He didn’t use his own knife, no. Callum’s weapons were expertly sharpened.
He found the dullest blades in the training valley and began leisurely sawing off Balor’s head.
He took pleasure in every squelching cut.
Balor fought and bucked the chains until his ugly face collapsed to the ground.
Callum then grabbed a torch off one of the sconces and set the two body parts ablaze.
They were immune to flame at full strength.
Severing the head from the body made the fire a permanent end.
Only then was Balor the Butcher able to burst into a foul-smelling ash.
Callum inhaled deeply, like he was smelling a bouquet of mother’s lace.
Theo, Manos, and Helaina were waiting in the Azure Chasm. The fae mates and even Aaron showed up after Callum had. Aaron had told him how they had grown closer in their absence.
The other members of the Divine either remained at watch posts or lay fast asleep. After being informed of the undead threat and their commanding incubus queen, no one would be caught outside past the shields tonight.
Fee addressed Theo. “You’re sentencing her to death. She hasn’t had nearly enough time here.”
They all talked over each other, doubting this plan would work, casting blame on Theo for even suggesting it.
“I can,” Helaina declared. “Show me what I need to do.”
Theo stood curiously close to Helaina, her shoulder flush with his arm. “We didn’t come to ask for council. We came to tell you to double the watch, wake everyone, and ensure they’re armed.”
Aaron placed his hand on Helaina’s shoulder, giving her a gentle squeeze. “I’ll see you when you get back.”
She smiled at him, placing her hand on top of his.
Callum’s heart tugged at the confidence his brother had in her. Then she looked at him. “I guess more training lessons will have to wait.”
Callum smirked. “Maybe Ures will send you back with the ability to hike a damned hill.” His lighthearted joke was well received as she gave a faint but genuine laugh.
He wished he had more time with this mortal version of his newfound friend. There was no telling how she would come out the other side. They all had returned so different, leaving their human lives behind, trading them for this.
“You’re ready,” Callum said.