Page 42 of To Crave Truly

“Are you sure that’s wise?” Cassian asked and I had to agree. Fenris’ relationship with his father wasn’t exactly a happy one.

“What choice do I have? I’ll check in later.” Then he vanished into thin air with a pop.

Rae gave me a flat look. “You need to sort that out.”

“I know.” I’d add it to the list of all the other serious things I needed to solve. “Come on. There’s nothing more we can learn here. Let’s get back to base.”

Chapter Eighteen

Lucifer

Lori was back from wherever Mordecai was hiding her. The mark was humming now, and I could feel the bond between us getting stronger with every passing moment. I called Darius into my office and waited for the large demon to step into the room.

“Yes, your majesty?” he said in his low rasp of a voice.

“I’m going topside, and I need you to come with me.”

He went to say something, then paused. “Very good, your majesty.”

I heaved a sigh. “What is it, Darius?”

He’d been by my side for centuries and I had always trusted his judgment. Even if his words weren’t always welcome.

“I don’t think it’s wise.”

“Really?”

“You’ve only just come back, after nearly losing the wards that protected the Underworld. I understand that you love this woman, and you aim to make her your Queen, but I don’t think leaving Hell right now would be wise.”

I stepped towards him and felt frustration and longing bubbling to life under my skin. “I hear you, but that doesn’t change the fact that she is everything to me. So, let me get this clear. If it came between her and burning the world, I’d choose her. Every single time.”

“At the cost of everyone else?” he asked with a raised brow.

“To be honest, if I ever truly lost her, I’d probably burn everything anyway.” Which was true. I’d end up in an all-consuming hellfire rage and I would probably end up destroying a lot of things.

Darius snorted. “Looks like we’re going topside then.”

I nodded. “Good. Come on, I can feel something lingering in the air.”

“Good or bad?”

“Unclear. But it feels like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

“Not great then,” Darius mused as he fell into step beside me.

I headed towards portal room. I didn’t need them as I had the ability to transport myself wherever I wanted, but Darius couldn’t do that. So, a portal it was. I nodded to the Portal Keeper as I entered the room. He was a wizened old thing, barely standing on his feet. He looked one small breeze away from his demise.

“Topside. As close as you can get to the Conclave.” I couldn’t portal directly into the Conclave as it was protected with a number of complex wards and spells. It would kind of defeat the object of it being a safe haven if anyone could just wander in.

“Yes, your majesty,” the Portal Keeper replied, his voice dry and wheezy. He banged his staff on the ground and the stone arch glowed blue with magic runes.

Then I stepped through and felt the world lurch before disappearing altogether.

Istepped out onto cold damp earth beneath the foot of the mountain that overshadowed the Conclave. The bond I shared with Lori practically vibrated through me. She must not be far away. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, focussing on our bond and following our connection like a piece of string.

“This way,” I shouted to Darius, heading off towards the mountain. There was nothing there but the vault and extra holding cells. What the Hell was she doing there?

My feet picked up speed. I could hear Darius behind me, his boots crushing the undergrowth as we headed towards the mountain. The boundary wards brushed my skin as I crossed them, an unpleasant sensation but at least I could get in.

---