Page 43 of Another Underworld

She looked at me as if I suddenly had become very interesting. “Yesssss,” she hissed. “This is your castle.”

“So, what would you do if it was your castle?” I asked her. Now was the time for some much-needed Goddess-to-Goddess advice.

“I’d command to door to make itself available to me.”

“That’s it?” I looked at her to see if she was kidding. Her expression said she wasn’t. “Okaaay,” I sang out. “Let’s give it a try.” I stared at the out-of-reach mouse-hole of a door. “Present yourself to me.”

Nothing happened.

I gave Pandora a what-the-hell expression.

“You said the words like you were asking a question. You are the head-bitch-in-charge. Act like it.” She gestured to the door. “Now, command it to obey.”

“Fine,” I grunted. I put all the menace and authority that I could into my tone. “I command you to present yourself to me, door. Present yourself or be blown to smithereens.”

I expected nothing, but was shocked and surprised when the small door shuttered and grew big, stretching from the top of the tall wall all the way to the floor. I might’ve preened a little judging from the judgy-mcjudgy-face Pandora gave me. Whatever. This was a win, and I was taking it.

“Shall we go inside and face Chub Chub Wang?” she asked.

“Yep,” I said. “No time like the present.” To either win or die. Winning was on the docket.

We each put a fresh toothpick in our mouths and went to slay the dragon… or the Chub Chub Wang.

The door opened, and hand-in-hand, we walked through. Two Goddesses facing down destiny. Inside, on my mother’s throne, was a robed figure in a mask. His presence in this space enraged me.

My sword conjured in my hand unbidden, hot with purple flames. Pandora had the twin in her other hand.

“Get the hell out of my chair,” I seethed. “Or I’m going to turn you into a shish kabob and feed you to all my people you starved.”

“And I’ll be the sous chef,” Pandora added.

There was a menacing laugh from under the mask as the fake God stood up and spread his arms in our direction. I braced myself for whatever attack he planned to throw our way.

Instead, he reached up and slid back his cowl before slowly removing his mask.

Under was a plain, ordinary-looking demon, verging on handsome but with a weak chin. His red eyes were filled with such pure delight that it made me shudder.

Pandora squeezed my hand until I thought she’d break my fingers. I spared a glance at her, and felt sick when I saw how pale she’d gone, the stricken expression on her face gutting me to the core,

“What is it?” I asked her. “Do you know him?”

She nodded numbly. “It’s Decatalian.”

“Who?” I’d never heard the name before.

“It’s him. The one who started all of this.” She shook her head, and this time she had tears of grief mixed with horror in her eyes. “He’s the one.”

“The one?” My stomach clenched as I realized who she was talking about. “The one who cheated on you with Lilith and broke your heart and started your reign of terror?”

She nodded slowly. “That would be him.”

I gripped her hand as tightly as she held mine. I needed her to be strong. “We can beat him,” I told her. “But only if we do it together.”

“You have already lost, little Goddesses,” the cheating bastard said. “You lost the minute you entered this room.”

I tried to step forward, but my feet were stuck to the ground and I couldn’t move my legs. We were flies in his trap. I reached out from my mind for my people. For help of any kind.

No one answered.

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