Page 41 of Cry for Help

He was meant to be a worldly font of wisdom. Scholars summoned demons in exchange for knowledge, and he couldn’teven see that Darla wasn’t interested inhim. Just his money, status, or magic. Or whatever she thought he had in plentiful supply.

Which I was learning, he didn’t.

Malphas hadn’t said much since dinner when he had watched me like a hawk as I ate my ravioli. Aimee and Darla had eaten three pieces and declared that the pasta was delicious but that they were full.

I ate several and could have eaten more because it tasted that good. I only stopped myself because of the little voice in my head comparing me to Aimee and Darla. Again.

Prison had been easier in that regard. Same outfits, same meals.

Aimee leaned over, passing me her phone. The screen showed the map of the Red City from earlier. She pointed to a highlighted section on the map; the city was segmented like fruit. Greed was colored bright orange.

“The party is in the Epsilon Building. Right there.” Aimee pointed to a dot on the map. “It's one of the tallest buildings in the city.”

“Nova Tower in Pride is the tallest building in the Red City,” Malphas muttered, not looking away from the windscreen.

“Oneof the tallest.” Aimee reiterated.

The street lights changed as the sun disappeared over the wall. The road was bathed in a sickly green glow.

Envy.

It didn’t take long for the lights to change to orange. Banks, jewelry shops, art galleries, and more lined the streets, peppered with obnoxiously detailed buildings. Pride had been mirrored, glass and steel and modern, but Greed was austere. The ornate details of every building screamed wealth, from gilded gargoyles to a wine fountain in the courtyard of a hotel we passed.

Finally, we pulled to a stop in front of a Grecian monstrosity. A skyscraper with marble pillars holding up the upper floors. I wasn’t sure it would even hold our weight, let alone the rest of the party guests—yet the skyscraper leered over the other buildings. As Aimee had said, it was one of the tallest in the city.

As we parked and got out of the car, I couldn’t help but think of Stolas on the other side of the city. No doubt, having a horrible time at Behem’s party.

Guilt unfurled in my stomach like a blooming flower. Ishouldhave gone with him. He’d bargained for the clothes on my back, and I’d ditched him for a better offer.

I couldn’t exactly join his investigation into the human trafficking ring at a party on the other side of the city.

I hadn’t even arrived at the party yet, and I already wanted to leave.

Aimee and Darla linked arms, marching past the building concierge, leaving me with Caim and Malphas. Which was just as well, because if Darla had tried to hold Caim’s hand, I would have puked.

“Nervous?” Caim nudged my shoulder.

I shook my head.

“It's her first party in the Red City. Of course, she’s nervous.” Malphas snapped. “I’m nervous.”

“You think we should ask Mammon—” Caim began to say before Malphas slapped his arm.

Caim pouted.

“Don’t talk about that shit here,” Malphas warned. “Besides, it's bad manners to make a deal with more than one of the sovereigns at the same time.”

I wondered if whatever they were alluding to was connected to their deal with the government and Asmodeus.

“Any etiquette lessons?” I quipped.

Caim and Malphas ceased glaring at each other.

Malphas’s eyes softened when he looked at me. “Try not to make any deals.” He warned.

Tellingmenot to make deals. Stolas didn’t understand what I was, or Malphas wouldn’t have said that.

“Come on.” Caim urged. “I want to get there before they run out of the good champagne.”

---