Chapter 50
Revenge
Mammond met him in the solar, looking quite pleased with himself.
“Now, we don’t know anything for certain, but we might have information on where Raziel is hiding,” Mammond paused. “But first, my payment?”
Caspian smirked, holding up a thick gold token with a pentacle on one face, and a roaring dragon on the other.
“Tell me what you found out, you bastard, then I’ll decide if it’s worth paying you.”
“Would I take your money and not deliver?” Mammond said, outraged.
“Yes.”
The greed demon narrowed his eyes, and a dark chuckle escaped his thin lips.
“Be that as it may, Raziel and his band of idiots are responsible for the death of the girl’s parents,” he reported.
“The demon hired to do it is yet unknown, but I heard Raziel was recruiting demons for a trip to the human realms. A short one.”
Caspian raised his brows.
“Exactly,” Mammond said with a wry smile. “He might have hired them himself or, at least, knows the demon who did.”
Candlelight glinted off the coin Caspian handed over.
The greed demon examined the coin in the light and bit it lightly.
Caspian looked at his comrade incredulously.
Mammond chuckled sheepishly. “Just checking.” Tucking it away, Mammond cleared his throat. “They must be demons who are already on the surface since your portal is constantly watched.”
“I know, just tell me what you found out,” Caspian said, his tone holding an edge.
Mammond clapped his hands. “Trixie.”
A sallow-skinned demon came out, twitching nervously in their presence. A member of Mammond’s household escorted her and she did not look thrilled to be there. Shiny black shackles rested at her wrists, marking her as their prisoner.
“This is a demon who says she worked for Raziel and knows where he’s hiding.”
Caspian licked his lips and smiled hungrily. “Let’s begin.”
***
Several hours later, after interrogating the demon and spilling her remains on the flagstones, Caspian was in a good mood.
A trail at last.
“You’ve done well, friend,” he said, clapping a hand on Mammond’s back.
Mammond slightly inclined his head—a bow from one demon prince to another. “I must return now.”
Caspian nodded and led him back to the portal room in the library.
“You know Lucifer is going to ask you to fight for him again.”
“One thing at a time,” Caspian said firmly.
Mammond raised his brows and made his way across the floor of the portal room, skirting several of the traps on the floor and in the walls. He looked over his shoulder and gave him a cheerful wave before jumping through.
Turning on his heel, Caspian strode back into the castle and searched for Asmodeus. He found him drinking in the sitting room.
Asmodeus swirled his goblet and took a sip. “I heard Mammond came by. What did I miss?”
“I’m going to pay Raziel a good old-fashioned visit.”
“Excellent!” Asmodeus grinned. “Need my help?”
“I need you to stay here and make sure she is safe. It wouldn’t do for me to leave to avenge her family only for her to go missing the next day, snatched from under our noses.”
Asmodeus nodded. “I’ll walk you out, then.”
They walked together to the library, and Caspian shook himself, revealing his demon wings and letting his human features wash away.
“Question,” Asmodeus asked, in more of a statement than a question.
Caspian side-eyed his friend, waiting.
“Why do you care so much that someone went after a mortal girl’s family?”
“I thank you for your concerns,” he said dismissively. “If it doesn’t work out with this mortal, I shall just have to find another.” The lie burned his lips.
Asmodeus grinned, looking reassured.
He would have Elizabeth and no other. A demon would never be able to understand the possessiveness that had taken root where she was concerned.
“Then I will see you when you return.” They clasped hands and embraced, slapping each other on the back.
“Perhaps take a few lows with you?” Asmodeus suggested.
Caspian hissed, “Watch your tongue. You are a favoured demon of my household, but I still outrank you.”
Asmodeus rolled his eyes. “So, Raziel truly was behind it all? We know for certain?”
He shrugged non-commitally. “I don’t know.”
“But Cas, that doesn’t make any sense. Why would Raziel care about her family?”
Caspian hesitated. “I don’t know, but he’s the only lead I have.”