Page 35 of Another Underworld

“That castle is millions of years old,” Abaddon pointed out.

“And I’m forty. Time for an upgrade.”

He grinned. “As you wish, Bitch Goddess Cecily.”

“I wish.” I grabbed his hand and squeezed it. I had no idea how Lilith would feel about me incinerating her castle, but it wasn’t hers anymore. It was mine, and I wanted to tear it down and wipe the slate clean. “It’s time to let my people know about the new plan.”

“Agreed,” Abaddon said. “Make it quick. We’re getting too close to the castle to waste time. Chances are good that the false God is aware someone has broken the prisoners out. He could be reinforcing the castle protection as we speak.”

“His name is Chub Chub Wang,” I reminded Abaddon.

He shook his head and groaned. “Can’t bring myself to say that.”

“Fair enough,” I said with a laugh. “But I love it. It’s gross and insulting.”

“It’s perfect,” Pandora said with a delighted chuckle. Right after she spoke, she looked horrified.

It warmed my heart. Agreeing and becoming part of the group was foreign to her. The hope was emerging whether she wanted it or not.

“Let’s get this show on the road,” I instructed.

“You’re the director,” Abaddon said. “You call action.”

I smiled at the job title.Goddessoften felt foreign to me, butDirectorwas a title I could understand, and my direction for the next few scenes would have to be stellar. Stellar enough to win whatever was equivalent to an Oscar in the Darkness. And when I won my award, I’d make sure Cher didn’t have the poison dartvibrator in her bag. She seemed to have a bad record at award shows.

The Demons were down with the plan. Tiny proclaimed its excellence with enthusiasm. I wasn’t sure if he was kissing my ass or was truly impressed. Didn’t matter. It was the new script, and we were going with it. The Demon was so damned sweet, and he did make an excellent suggestion. The group going into the camp would consist of Abaddon, Pandora, Tiny, me and only ten of the assassins. The forty chosen to go ahead and hide on the outskirts of the castle’s perimeter to await my call would plant themselves in advantageous spots to take down any Demon defending Chub Chub Wang and the castle.

I’d agreed immediately, much to Pandora’s chagrin. Good ideas didn’t have to come only from me. I was smart enough to listen and not let my ego get in the way. Giving my people a say would only make my authority easier to trust. As a newbie that was a positive step. I might technically be the leader, but a leader was only as strong as the people who followed her. Plus, we’d only needed five of the assassins in the last two liberations of the camps. We’d have that, and we’d have backup in case things went south.

“Are we ready?” I called out to my people.

Three thousand purple fire swords surged high into the air in answer. It was a beautiful sight. I glanced over at Pandora. Her eyes shined with emotion, and I had to stop myself from asking her if she was crying. Tears were a sign of a burgeoning humanity, and Pandora having any humanity was a sign of hope.

I looked away before she caught me staring and took in the wonderous sight of our people rallying to our cause.

We were ready. The action was about to begin. I hoped that the final scene would play out as written. It would be aguaranteed blockbuster with a happily ever after where the good guys came out on top.

CHAPTER TWELVE

“They have moreguards at this camp than the others,” Abaddon said softly, scanning the area with narrowed eyes and laser focus.

The late afternoon sun sat high in the sky, and the air was bone dry. While it felt like we were in the desert, the vegetation wasn’t cactus, palm trees or aloe vera plants. The leaves on the monstrous lemon-yellow barked trees were oddly shaped and hot pink. The flowers spilling off the branches were a grassy green. It was the exact opposite of what I was used to. The scent in the air was a mixture of orchid, lavender, and freshly mown grass. It was addictive. The beauty of our surroundings starkly juxtaposed with the scene in front of us.

We were hidden in the dense woods surrounding the camp, and Abaddon was correct about the security. While the other three camps had only twenty guards apiece, this one had at least forty. The number of prisoners seemed the same. Their condition was also similar—gaunt, starving and desperate.

“Twenty, forty, whatever,” Pandora said with a viciously hungry look in her eyes. “Doesn’t matter. They’re all going to die.”

It was wildly unclear if she was happier about freeing the innocent Demons or offing the guards. It was impossible to discern. While the glimmer of hope was alive in the Stinky Whore, she was always going to be the Stinky Whore. Again, I was relieved she was on my team. The strange truth that I could even think those words was surreal. She’d gone from being my mortal enemy to frenemy with a shitty attitude. Life had a way of throwing the most unexpected curve balls.

“Bitch Goddess Cecily,” Tiny said. “Before I go into battle, I have a little ritual I’d like to share with you.”

“Is it dick jokes?” I asked. His alarmed expression was one of stunned confusion. Mine was one of embarrassment. Thank you, Cher. I quickly backtracked. “Sorry about that. I was kidding.”

“No, she wasn’t,” Pandora said under her breath.

I wanted to headbutt her. It was one thing to listen to the input of my people. It was entirely another to make an ass of myself.

“Please, tell me your ritual, Tiny,” I urged, wanting to leave the last thirty seconds in the past—a past that I hoped would be forgotten quickly.

---