Page 90 of Hell Gate

LILY

We remain alert on our journey through the cave. The deeper we go, the more faint whispers and the occasional eerie moan echoes off the cave walls.

“What is that?” I hiss when it sounds closer.

“Souls trapped in the waters. Well, what they’ve transformed into. A soul that cannot crossover because it follows the offshoots of the river becomes…lost.” Alder crouches to pass a hand through it and shimmering apparitions race against the current for his hand with chilling screeches.

“Watch out!” I yank his arm. “What the hell, Alder?”

He chuckles and wipes his hand on his leg. “They won’t hurt me. They’re nothing more than mindless creatures that swarm when they sense stronger beings to leech from.”

“Jesus,” I mumble. “What a terrible fate. I thought demons eat souls for their power. Why let any get away?”

“We do,” Matthias answers. “But fresh ones. We can’t consume the ones in River Styx. It was one of the stipulations of the treaty the old humans made with the demon fae, granting safe passage to the afterlife as the gods always had.”

“There’s nothing to help the lost souls get back?” I frown at the bright blue water. For a long time, I was as lost as they are. “That’s depressing.”

“That’s life,” Vale says. “Keep moving. We don’t have time to sightsee.”

“But after.” Matthias grins. “I’m starting a list. It will be an epic tour of beaches first, then the sights of the underworld realm I’m dying to show you. I can’t wait to watch you experience it all.”

He lightens the tense mood, helping me breathe easier. Despite the fact we’re here to face our enemies, every moment I spend here lifts a weight off my shoulders. Little by little, Hell seems to seep into my bones, directly into my being through the soles of my feet from the damp stone.

Is this what Valerian meant by the natural restorative energy in the underworld? We haven’t reached the wellspring yet, and I already feel—something. Stronger. More in tune with the power thrumming inside me. I’m even able to sense the bond with my fated mates better, and beneath those threads connecting us, the hazy shape of the seal forms in my mind.

I halt, eyes unfocused. It’s intricate, the symbols similar to the curse circle trap Cessair set in the arcade connected by the gnarled roots of a tree. They’re a tangled mess, interwoven through the magic binding. An unwanted weed that took root and choked out everything else, growing a forest’s worth of unruly vines.

“Lily?” Valerian rests a hand at the small of my back.

I wave him off. “I can…visualize the seal.”

He inhales sharply, glancing at the others. “I was right. You’re stronger here. Your scent is growing more potent.” Grasping my jaw, he demands my attention. “Now you smell like a demon, little flower.”

“Your eyes are glowing,” Matthias says. “And you smell even more delicious, mate.”

“Do you feel the source of your power?” Alder prompts.

I lift a palm and with much less effort than it takes me in the mortal realm, I create a dancing flame. Fascinated by how my power feels completely under my command, I add a ring of sparks to spiral around the flame, eyes widening when it works.

“Holy shit,” I whisper. “I’m doing it.”

“Good,” Alder says. “This is a promising sign. Your power is coming through the cracks you’ve made in the seal with more ease because you’re here where you’ve always belonged. The birthright of your goddess ancestor is flowing into you.”

“They never could have kept you weak in the underworld. Not when twenty minutes has this effect on you after two decades away to emaciate your power,” Vale says.

“The cave splits ahead. It’s not far to the main river once we reach the other side,” Rainer says.

I don’t let my flame dissipate when we continue, marveling at its beautiful form. A thrill shoots down my spine. This is working. Our plan is going to work.

For the first time, relief creeps through, no longer shrouded by doubt about breaking the seal. Being in the underworld fills me with a breath of life that leaves me eager for more, to shed the cursed shackle binding me as a changeling and claim what’s rightfully mine—my place here.

But not as Lucifer’s bride. A smirk twitches my lips.

I could be useful in other ways. Carve my own path. In the memories Valerian shared with me, I seemed to have the same hunger for life. Possibility opens on the path of my future, waiting for me to chase it.

First I have to break this seal. I’m ready to see if I can form my own claws and use them to hack through the unwelcome roots keeping the seal magic in place.

The end of the cave lets out into a misty forest that thins as we make our way through the trees. The stream widens and flows down a waterfall into an underground pocket. More whispers follow us and I can’t shake the sense we’re being watched. I scan the trees, swearing small sets of glowing yellow eyes track us.

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