Page 78 of House of Demons and Bones

We all knew who he meant.

“Speaking of which,” I said, “Moirai said I must venture into the Underworld to find a golden arrow Lilith brought from Heaven.”

Killian’s eyes flared with fire, clearly hating the idea of me going to the Underworld.

“You aren’t going there, little scorpion,” he said. “I forbid it.”

“I don’t want to go there either,” I said, shuddering. “But the oracle said the fate of the realm relies on it. I don’t think she lied.”

“What’s the golden arrow for?” Silas asked, and the other heirs paid rapt attention too.

“It’s called Heaven’s Arrow,” I said. “The oracle told me I’d know it when I saw it. Here’s my plan: we need intel on this weapon before I waltz into enemy territory. Since you’re throwing this masquerade ball anyway, you can keep Lilith and her ward busy while I sneak into the sixth house to hunt for clues. She’s got to keep important stuff there—she is a queen, after all. Most importantly, I need a map of the Underworld.”

“Killian should have a detailed map of the Underworld,” Louis said. “You’ve been engaged to Queen Lilith for a long time, right? Even without a map, you must be able to sketch one from your visits to her realm.”

Killian glared at Louis. “Never set foot in the Underworld.”

All the heirs stared at him; their brows furrowed in judgment.

“How was I supposed to know we’d need a map?” he snapped. “I spent all my time dodging Lilith’s advances and pushing back the wedding date. She’s got the strongest mental powers in the realm. If I’d gone down there, I’d have been a goner.”

“Aren’t you Hades’s heir?” Silas snapped. “You should be able to shake off her control.”

“Wasn’t about to risk it, okay?” Killian growled. “Fine. I’ll set up a meeting with Lilith and check out this Heaven’s Arrow business in the Underworld myself.”

“No, you’re not making any appointments, and you’re definitely not going with her,” I said firmly, my chest tight at the thought of him taking that risk.

A spark lit his eyes. “Worried about me, little scorpion?”

“Don’t get cocky,” I said. “As I said, let me sneak into her house first.”

I can go,Sy chimed in eagerly.Everyone knows your face, but I’m still a mystery. I can even glamour myself to look like a demoness.I’m magic in the flesh!

That might actually be a better plan. Sy could be surprisingly capable when she set her mind to something.

“Sy’s offering to handle the spy work,” I said.

“Then I’ll be her backup,” Rowan jumped in.

As the heirs started hammering out the details and assigning roles, I stuffed more cakes in my mouth before letting Sy take over and enjoy herself. Rowan even broke out the last bottle of 1666 from his treasured cellar.

19

Sy

The blossoms on the ancient tree glowed. Light radiated from five towering sculptures that symbolized the guardians of the tree of life, each representing one of the houses. The buildings spread around Trailblazer Courtyard like compass points: Clockwork in the north, Infinite Library in the east, Pathfinder’s obsidian dome of classrooms in the west, and Jubilee Haven in the south. The masquerade ball filled the courtyard below.

The House of Mages had outdone itself with this year's ball design.

The invitation had gone out through Spinchat. Thousands of masked students, faculty, and guests now packed the courtyard, the crowd flowing all the way to Windsong Woods. Only the sentinels went without masks, their watchful eyes scanning the campus as they patrolled.

After we returned to campus, rumors spread like wildfire, blaming Barbie for the Shrieker army invasion—and all those deaths. Word was she’d face another court trial.

It’s like an endless freaking lawsuit,she said, rolling her eyes.But we ain’t gonna worry about that shit.

She brushed off trouble with her usual swagger, an attitude I supported. Shit always seemed to find her anyway. She was a magnet.

One step at a time,I offered, but anxiety churned in my gut. For the first time ever, I had this nagging feeling that Barbie was keeping something major from me. I was afraid of bad things happening to her more than to me. Maybe it was all this separation talk. The thought of being apart from her terrified me, but I desperately wanted to be my own person. I dreamed about building a life with my fae mate.

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