Chapter 23
They emerged from the gloom,sometimes one by one, sometimes in trickles. Though the ghouls and devils kept their distance from him while he traversed the enormous caverns that populated the remotest regions of Hell Deep, Barquiel could tell the creatures were the remnants of the army he had once commanded.
He frowned. Where are the rest of them?
It was a while before he came across a ghoul who could converse primitively. The creature stumbled over its words as it told him of a great purge brought about by a mysterious event. Rage shook Barquiel when it described what it had witnessed.
Void?! That bastard Vedran used Void to steal my army?!
He punched a wall with his fist, causing several monsters to flinch.
Agony seared Barquiel’s insides the next instant. He grunted and clutched his stomach. It was a moment before he could breathe again.
The demon ground his teeth until he tasted blood. I swear, I will purge that bitch’s soul in the fires of Hell when I find someone else I can possess!
Rose Blake’s voice echoed dimly in his ears, the sound mocking.
Barquiel swallowed, pain making his vision swim. He had already examined the souls of the scant troops around him. None of the ghouls or devils who had been drawn to him was a compatible match.
I’ll find someone soon enough. But first I must go to Ran Soyun and ensure that my barriers are still holding. A wave of dizziness almost had him swaying as he clung to the wall. Damn it!I need to recover my strength or I won’t last another ten miles.
The demon straightened with some difficulty and studied his monsters with a calculating look. He raised a hand toward the ones he deemed would satisfy him the fastest.
“Come to me.”
The ghouls and devils he’d commanded to step forward crowded around him. They stayed still while he ripped their hearts from their chests and feasted on their flesh and blood, their brethren watching silently.
The demonic life force he consumed coursed through Barquiel, slowly replenishing the reserves that had been depleted by Chaos Seal. By the time he’d sated his hunger, half the monsters were dead.
Not enough. The demon wiped gore from his mouth. I need to devour more powerful beasts if I want to open a rift to draw one of my swords!
He set off toward a dark lake in the distance, the rags of his once powerful army trailing in his steps.
* * *
“The Book of Shadows isn’t just an artifact I devised to hold the soul of Davor Lazar,” Azazel said solemnly. “It is a weapon. One that can annihilate what it contains—or used to contain—using the correct triggers.”
Mae’s pulse raced. “Davor Lazar?”
“That is the full name of the first Sorcerer King. He was a man like any other, except for his soul.” A humorless chuckle left the demon, his regret plain to see. “It took me a while to realize that his potential to wield magic was outweighed by his hunger for power and his wicked cruelty.” Lines wrinkled Azazel’s brow. “The current Sorcerer King reminds me of Davor in many ways. He too killed his familiar when he realized what Soul Magic could do for his powers.”
A sick feeling twisted Mae’s insides. Her hand automatically found Brimstone where he lay on her lap, just as Nikolai, Vlad, and Cortes touched their own familiars. None of them could fathom ever laying a finger on the creature they had bonded their soul with.
You are not monsters, my witch, Brimstone said quietly.
Hellreaver vibrated against her chest. He is right.
“What exactly are the triggers you speak of?” Cortes asked warily.
“First, the Book of Light must be opened with that skeleton key.” Azazel indicated the item hanging from Hellreaver’s chain beside his pendant form. “That is not its true appearance. When it gets close enough to sense the Book of Shadows, it will change into its real form, that of a star-shaped device.” The demon faltered, his expression growing troubled. “But it is upon incanting Davor Lazar’s name and pouring demonic power into that key that it will reveal the Book of Light’s final form: a dagger of pure magic. It must be stabbed through the Book of Shadows to activate its destructive powers.”
Shock reverberated through Mae, just as it did everyone else in the room. An ugly truth came upon its heels.
“Ran Soyun’s soul is also in that book,” Astarte said quietly before Mae could voice her dismay.
Azazel clenched his jaw. “Yes. I sealed half her soul in that book. Which means it too will be destroyed if the artifact is triggered.”
“You had no choice, old friend.” Ilmon touched Azazel’s shoulder. “You were misled by Davor; it was only logical for you to be wary of the next human you gifted your knowledge of magic to.”
Azazel’s breath shuddered out of him. “Still, I should have released her soul from the book when we wed. I suggested it to Ran but she refused.”
Mae grasped the demon’s hand, her heart shattering at the pain echoing through her from Na Ri. Azazel gave her a tremulous half-smile before continuing his tale.
“The Inheritance Ceremony Barquiel spoke of is a ritual where a Sorcerer King bestows his powers upon the one who will take his throne. It is a secret art and one I taught Davor and Ran Soyun in the strictest confidence. Unfortunately, the rite also projects the predecessor’s ambitions upon his or her successor, which is likely why almost every Sorcerer King who followed Davor turned out so evil.” His gaze when he met Mae’s eyes was steely. “The skeleton key can still activate the Book of Shadows even if Vedran has opened it and absorbed Davor’s soul. All it means is that Vedran will also perish. It matters not that Davor’s soul is no longer in the book. It will maintain the memory of its presence and destroy Davor’s soul wherever it may be.”
“But—won’t my father be practically invincible once he absorbs Davor’s soul?” Apprehension clouded Nikolai’s face. “You said yourself that Davor was strong enough to defeat Ran Soyun.” He looked at Mae. “We injured him when we last fought, but it was in no way a fatal wound.”
Mae’s stomach churned. “He’s right.”
“You’re forgetting something,” Vlad said.
The incubus was frowning. “Like my father said, this isn’t like the time Azazel and Ran Soyun lost the war to Barquiel and Davor. Not only do you have me, Cortes, Roman, and hundreds of powerful magic users at your side…we have you.” He blew out a sigh as he studied Nikolai. “And I hate to admit it, but you’re the strongest sorcerer on Earth and you can wield Hellfire Magic. While Mae is—” He stopped and waved a hand vaguely. “You know.”
“Incredibly foolhardy?” Alicia hazarded.
“An idiot who acts before she thinks?” Astarte contributed.
“An all-avenging ignoramus like that Michael?” Armaros grunted.
“That’s going too far,” Ilmon protested.
“Well…” Hellreaver started.
Mae scowled at the weapon. “I don’t want to hear that from you!”
“It’s freaky how on point they are,” Cortes said flatly.
Azazel’s lips twitched.
“I was going to say incredibly strong,” Vlad muttered.
Gratitude softened Nikolai’s face. “Thanks.”
Vlad shuddered. “Please. Don’t look at me like that.”
Nikolai narrowed his eyes at the incubus before addressing Azazel. “You said there are two things that might work in our favor when we face Vedran. What’s the second one?”
The demon studied the sorcerer steadily. “He won’t be able to absorb your magic. In fact, doing so will likely shatter his core.”