Chapter 73
Chapter seventy-three
Seraphina
The cavern tunnels were vast, and Vasso continued to trudge silently behind Sera. She assumed she was headed in the right direction, since he hadn’t corrected her path. Knowing how much he’d kept from her, she should’ve been more worried that he’d lead her astray, but here they were.
“Are you going to let me heal you?” he asked.
She winced. She was in so much pain, but the thought of having him touch her right now made her blood boil. “No.”
She was surprised he stayed. Her heart and her head went back and forth on whether or not she wanted him there.
Snik stayed close to her side, looking back at Vasso every few paces, scowling and hissing. She didn’t blame the goblin in the least. Vasso had fucking frozen him.
She walked on, suppressing a pained groan, and rubbed at her chest. That damn braided thread wanted their souls to mend. If she could rip her heart out and live, she would have lit it on fire in front of him to get rid of the constant ache. Just to show him how serious she was.
The deeper they trekked through the stone tunnels, the more humid it became. She reached for her barrier magic over and over, but it never materialized. Unfortunately, Sera had only one person she could ask.
“What’s wrong with my magic?”
“Now you’ll talk to me? When you need something?” His voice was steel. Well, she had known better, hadn’t she? Still, that tether tugged.
Wiping away the sweat that beaded on her hairline, she continued walking, vowing not to allow his attitude to affect her.
“When the rebellion began, the stronghold was relocated to this part of Gehenna. Onyx nullifies witch and warlock magic. Well, at least the majority of their magic. Veins run through much of the stone here.”
“Convenient. I’m assuming that’s why Raven has also disappeared?” she asked, glancing back at him, but Vasso was looking past her. Snik’s ears perked, and he growled at whatever lay ahead.
Vasso hushed him.
“Keep silent,” he commanded. “Whatever you do, do not use your vatra magic.” He stepped in front of her. Sera unsheathed her daggers as quietly as possible and dropped to Snik’s level.
“You need to get out of here.”
The goblin whined.
“I won’t let you get hurt. Please go to the manor and help Alistair. He needs you. That’s an order.” She held her arms out, and her loyal green friend hugged her. “Thank you for everything.” He cooed and stroked her braid. Big, soggy tears lined his large brown eyes.
“I love you, too, buddy.” She would not cry. Not now. Let her make her bargain with Supay; then she could wallow until the end of her sorry life.
Vasso whispered, “Stay in the shadows and try to keep from being seen.” He dropped his shoulders, held his chin high, and glided forward with that effortless swagger.
Backing herself against the wall, she sidestepped toward the cave’s opening, keeping to the shadows. Ahead, the chamber was well lit. Torches lined the upper walls, showcasing the giant spears of rock descending from the ceiling. In the center of the room stood a lone figure.
She recognized the demon lord’s face. It appeared in her nightmares constantly, along with Nora’s screams.
“Your Majesty, it has been an age. Welcome home.” The sneer Supay gave Vasso contradicted his welcoming words.
“Majesty?” Sera whispered.
Ahh, and now you know.
“I figured it was time to take back what is mine.” Vasso’s words dripped arrogance toward the demon before him. Her body hummed.
“Here to take back your throne?” Supay paced lazily in front of Vasso.
“Here to ensure you obey an order when I declare it, Supay.”
Supay’s eyes blazed red. “It took only three hundred years. I thought the temptation of a bride would bring you back, but apparently not.”
Tension clogged the cavity in her torso, but the words weren’t lost. Ophelia had said Supay was the interim ruler for the true heir.
It was Vasso.
That’s what that woman had meant when she said you’re the reason her sister is captive. Sera’s stomach rolled. A bride. They were going to marry Nora off against her will?
Sera stared at his back, and she could have sworn his shoulder twitched with an apology before their connection fluttered with sorrow.
“Better late than never,” Vasso said and crossed his arms.
“Indeed.” Supay waved his hand, and hundreds of shades emerged from the walls like ink being poured into the sea.
The agbris pranced on all fours, filing in from the sides, pacing in wait behind Supay.
Click. Click. Click. Their jaws chomped behind their skull masks, their parasite-infested claws screeching across stone.
Supay glowered, and then all of them launched at Vasso.
His magic shot out of him like rays of the sun, burning through the onslaught of creatures, reducing them to ash.
Those who could resurrect did so like a phoenix.
“Who allowed you to command the shades?” Vasso roared. The beings threw themselves at him over and over.
“Shadow is lost. They belong to Her now,” Supay taunted.
Sera’s magic laughed at that. Foolish.
Vasso fought with such surety that he looked more like he was dancing than killing.
He dodged every intended strike and countered with blasts of black flame.
He was magnificent. Each movement was controlled as wave after wave came down upon him—the shades, agbris, other foul and harrowing beasts with talons and tusks that circled the cavern walls.
They were endless, and the more bodies that lay scorched on the ground, the pile of ash growing around him, the more vicious they became.
Sera’s vatra danced in her veins, aching to get out and help, and it was impossible to stay still. Vasso roared, and she could see where he’d been sliced on the forearm—the same place she had slashed him with her dagger just hours ago. His eyes blazed red. Steam rose from his collar.
Silence. She could hear nothing but the frantic thumping pulse in her ears as the demons watched Vasso’s face and neck stretch.
His clothing fell in scraps from his growing body until only a horned monster was left. The monster in front of her roared. Sera slammed her hands over her ears.
He was twice his human size. His skin a deep bloodred, with black spikes like natural armor covering every inch of him. Two enormous wings with talons protruded from his back. She was terrified and awed all at once.
He was the king of destruction and chaos—the king of Gehenna.
“Kill him!” Supay screamed.
Terror lodged itself in her throat, and with every pound of her heart, her ribs throbbed. Vasso’s beast form flung the lesser demons across the cavern.
“Oh no,” she wheezed, gripping her side. Something was very, very wrong.
Vasso glanced in her direction.
Sera took in his blazing eyes and fangs, the pure power that was him. He didn’t even need his magic in that form. She knew it was him—she could see it in the lines of his brows. But it didn’t stop the fear that racked her body.
A grimace crossed his monstrous face. But down the tether between them—it was shame. Shame and sorrow.
Sera slid into the dark cavern, away from him and the carnage, unable to take her eyes from the ash and flame and blood that painted the walls of the great chamber. Vasso could take care of himself. She needed to find Nora.
Sera turned down a narrow passageway, tracing her hand down the wall in the dark.
“I’m coming, Nora,” she said.
She couldn’t see a thing.
You should learn to create a light, her magic said.
“I’ll get right on that.” Sera winced and held her side.
Rough hands grabbed her arm. Sera ripped Alistair’s dagger from its sheath so fast she surprised herself, then sliced the demon across the throat.
Ash rained to the ground. Three shades appeared, filtering the little light through a haze of shadow. She attacked, but cried out as her wrist hit the stone wall on the other side of the passageway.
You cannot harm the shades that way.
“Vatera.” Sera pushed her black flame at them. The shades’ screams were nothing more than a whistled exhale.
“Oh fuck,” Sera said and hunched forward.
More shades surrounded her. They whispered to each other in excited rustles and purrs.
Ja sadi doma, her darkness whispered back.
Sera was about to throw out more flames when pain erupted across the base of her skull.
Her brain sloshed. Her body crumpled to the wet ground. They were ripping her arms behind her back, and she whimpered from the pressure on her side.
“Let go.”
Her ribs screamed, but her head pounded with the pulse of an icepick stabbing over and over and over. Hands gripped her under her armpits, and the shades pulled her back toward the fight.
Somewhere deep in her subconscious, she could hear the murmurs of her magic. The words moved, frantic, drowning, against the beat of her heart.
Sera cried out. With every jump of her pulse, a warm stream of blood gushed from the back of her head. Rolling, rolling, rolling down the nape of her neck. She winced from the blinding light of the main chamber, where black blood had congealed with ash in a circular offering to Eraphon herself.
Vasso panted. That massive red barrel chest rose and fell while the monsters around him kept lunging, snarling, licking his blood from their claws.
Sera squinted between the double vision. She could swear there were more than a few cuts on him.
THEY HAVE HURT HIM.
Something primal within her awakened, and she snarled. He was hers. Hers to maim or kill. No one else should have touched him.
“Vatera!” Sera screamed, and she launched her magic through the chamber like the threads from Ophelia’s pool. Serpentlike spears twisted and turned, aiming, stabbing, slicing, finding their marks. Any shade, demon, or creature that surrounded him burned.
A chorus of shrieks went up in cantillation.
Sera’s eyes locked with his, and down that fateful line between them… was pride. So much pride washed through her that she couldn’t stop the smile, the tears. How long? How long had she wanted someone to cherish what she was? To belong?
Her mother, her sister… Dominick, Al, Galene… it wasn’t any of them. It was Vasso. Her destiny.
“What do we have here?” Supay emerged from a dark corner of the cavern.
Vasso roared. But it was too late—she was falling. The only thing that saved her from splitting her forehead wide on the unforgiving stone was Supay’s hand around her throat.
She felt her heart clench, and then a hollow cry of defeat rushed through her.
He couldn’t give up. He had to get out of there.
“Let her go.” Vasso’s transformed voice was as harsh as his exterior.
“Now, why would I let a prize like this slip away? This makes more sense.” Supay sniffed the blood dripping down her neck. “You’re much more powerful than your sister.” His grip tightened, constricting her airway further.
“Release her!” The walls shook. Small rocks and stalactites speared the mounds of ash around them.
Vasso’s vatra seeped from him, so uncontrolled that it scaled the walls.
The tendrils reached out, snatching shades by the throats.
Sera’s mind swam in circles, the cavern tilting, and the only thing she could focus on was Vasso.
“What will you give me for her?” Supay asked, running a finger down her cheek.
“Me. You can have me.”
“No,” she rasped.
“Young love. How romantic. Change back, and I’ll release her.” More guards marched forward, weapons and claws at the ready.
Vasso dropped his massive black wings into the blood and bodies. Sera reached for the thread that bound them, went into her heart, and tried to tell him to let her die.
Save Honora, she screamed down whatever fated bond they had. Tears ran down her cheeks as she begged for him to understand, to release Nora and get her home.
Vasso’s massive shoulders sank, and he shook his head in answer. His clawed hand held a flame, and he placed it to his stomach.
Skin and horns, claws and muscle melted. What lay beneath was a stripped Vasso—her Vasso—bruised and scarred. He rose to his knees, gasping for air. The beatings he’d taken and the amount of magic he’d used had carried a heavy toll.
“Secure him.” The remaining demons hesitated before stepping forward. “Cowards.” Supay threw his hand out and knocked Vasso unconscious.
As he released Sera, she gasped for breath and reached for her magic. “I’ll fucking kill you,” she choked out.
Supay sneered. “Just another entitled witch.”
The steward of Gehenna snapped his fingers, and then there was nothing.