Page 13 of Death Trap

“Jade? Wait. Where are you going?” Simon called after me.

“Styx Corp.,” I shouted over my shoulder. “Looks like I’m taking the elevator down this time.”

“You can’t go.” Simon’s sharp words stopped me mid step.

I turned around, and even though my heart was beating so fast just at the potential of finding out who I was, it felt like it was about to burst out my chest.

“Why not?” I knew the elevators at Styx all led to different dimensions and afterlives. Surely one of them led to Hell. Which one it was, I wasn’t sure, but it couldn’t be too hard to figure it out. Whichever one smelled like sulfur and despair—that’d be the one to take.

“It’s Hell, Jade. Meant for the most sinful, murderous, and cruel. It’s not like it is here. It’s chaotic and run by demons older and stronger than the one you beat.” Composure be damned. Simon’s voice now trembled with worry. “You also won’t be able to operate the elevator. All of them, except Azrael’s office—myoffice—can only be accessed by an angel.”

All the hope I had drained out my toes instantly, leaving me empty again. An angel? The only angel I knew was Azrael, and I sure as shit didn’t want anything to do with him.

“You don’t happen to know any angels, do you?” I asked, only half joking.

Simon shook his head. “I’m sorry, Jade, but even if I did, going is out of the question. It’s too dangerous.”

I threw my hands up in surrender. Of course it would be risky and probably the dumbest thing I’d ever done to date, but how else was I supposed to know who I was and what this angel mark on my chest was really about? Simon and the other reapers might not care about their pasts anymore, but for me, I couldn’t let it go. Without it, I couldn’t be…me. Not completely anyway.

I couldn’t stop thinking about all the unanswered questions I still had. They were a constant thorn in my side. I needed to know in order to move on. Find peace. Like Simon had with his temple and garden.

Ihadto find a way to get down that elevator.

And I couldn’t forget Wyatt’s poor wife, Lisa. If her soul was really down there by mistake, she had to be rescued.

“Jade…” Simon stared at me as if he were trying to read my mind. “You can’t. I didn’t tell you Benjamin’s name to cause you more trouble. I only hoped it would give you some sort of closure.”

I appreciated what Simon had tried to do, but now knowing there was a solution out there somewhere only made me more determined to find it.

Man, I was beginning to understand where Cole’s obsession came from.

But this was different, I told myself. Even though I couldn’t come up with any examples to prove it at the moment.

Simon cleared his throat. “Your next assignment is already in spirit form, waiting for you to help him cross over. I suggest you get to him as soon as possible before he starts wandering around.”

“Right…” I’d heard him, but my mind was still somewhere else entirely.

“Remember, if you run into any problems, press—”

“The distress button,” I finished for him. “I got it, Simon. No worries.”

“Can you promise me you won’t go trying to find a way into Hell?” he asked, his gaze never leaving mine. “Please. Promise me.”

I sighed. “I can’t.”

He frowned.

I didn’t want to promise him anything I had no intention of keeping. My mind was made up. It wasn’t going to be easy, but if I didn’t have an angel, maybe there was a way I could open the doors another way. Some magic spell or something.

That gave me an idea. Magic. I’d ask Marla about it. There was a good chance Wyatt would know something, too, and then—

“Well…” Simon began, cutting my thoughts short, “if I can’t stop you, be careful, Jade. And don’t forget about the boy.”

The boy. Ah, yeah. I’d almost forgotten about Kyle B. Jensen already. I’d cross him over then I’d visit Marla and Wyatt again and get their input on what I could do. Hopefully they were still both at the bar.

“I’ll get him.” I headed back toward the gate and threw a quick wave over my shoulder. “Thanks for the visit, Simon.”

I stepped through the gate. As I walked away from Simon’s house toward the transportation portal, I couldn’t help but feel like the dragon’s ruby eyes were following my every step. Judging me.

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