Page 47 of The Road to Hell

She didn’t complain, didn’t sigh in relief like Eliza. She simply worked in silence, a soldier cleaning up after another battle, knowing full well the next one wasn’t far off. There was something both admirable and heartbreaking about it—how she carried on, even with the weight of the rebellion, her scars, and the memories they conjured pressing down on her.

I forced myself to look away, patrolling the perimeter of the cavern, my boots crunching softly against the uneven floor.

Purrgy, unimpressed with the pools, stalked toward Lily and plopped down on the ground next to her. His eyes narrowed, watching Vol scramble along the cavern walls.

Vol scuttled down from the ledge and landed with a soft thump at my feet. He grinned up at me, his eyes glinting in the dim light. “Good news, Meat Sack. No hellspawn lurking in the shadows, so go get cleaned up.”

I lifted my brow at the imp. He never offered to do anything nice. But I wasn’t about to turn him down. I, too, wanted to wash the grime off.

“Keep watch,” I told him.

Vol saluted with an exaggerated flourish before darting back up the rocky wall, his small form disappearing into the shadows.

Eliza swam to the edge and rested her elbows on top, her eyes half-lidded. “You know, I’ve bathed in worse places. The whole ‘death-by-minerals’ thing aside, this might be the best spa experience Hell has to offer.”

Lily snorted softly, wringing out her hair. “Hell’s Day Spa: sulphur baths and constant threat of death included.”

“Five stars,” Eliza said, raising her hand in mock cheer.

I didn’t respond, my attention still locked on the entrance. The instinct to keep moving, to keep them safe, buzzed beneath my skin like an itch I couldn’t scratch. I should’ve been relieved that we’d found a place to rest, but all I felt was dread.

“How long do we have here?” Lily asked, her voice cutting through the quiet.

I glanced at her, taking in the damp strands of hair clinging to her face. “Long enough to clean up and rest. But we can’t stay the night. It’s too exposed. One hour. Then we move,” I said.

Eliza groaned. “Captain Buzzkill.”

I shook my head, then quickly cleaned myself as best as I could without stripping down. I refused to be caught off guard while in the nude. After, I sat with my back against the nearest wall, eyes on the entrance, and rested my sword across my lap.

Lily moved quietly, her bare feet making no sound against the uneven floor. She grabbed her canteen and ration bar before crossing the cavern toward me. She stopped beside me, her eyes gauging the entrance before settling on me.

“Room for one more?” she asked, her voice soft.

I shifted slightly, making space. “Always.”

She disarmed herself, placing her swords on the ground, then sat close enough to me that her shoulder brushed mine. The touch was light, casual enough that it might’ve meant nothing—if not for her always seeming to find her way back to me. Like how she clung to me yesterday as we flew up to the cave, her body tense until my arms tightened around her and she’d finally relaxed. Or how she’d returned my hug on the cliff top this morning. She’d resisted at first—I’d felt the tautness in her muscles, the hesitance as her hands hovered at my sides. But then she’d wrapped her arms around me, clutching me with a desperation I hadn’t expected. She’d melted into me, resting her forehead against my chest. It had been raw, unguarded. And for a few rare moments, no walls had existed between us. It’d felt like we were the two of us again, from days past.

Lily was a fighter—it was the only thing she knew how to do. She foughteverything—including her own emotions and feelings. I’d seen this before, years ago, when we first fell in love. She’d rather fight an army of hellspawn barehanded than admit to caring for someone, let alone me.

But actions always spoke louder than words. And right now, her actions screamed.

Her shoulder pressed just a fraction harder into mine, and I watched as calm settled over her. She trusted me. Even when she fought it, even when she tried to convince herself she didn’t need anyone, especially not me, she was still here.

And damn it if that didn’t fill me with hope.

I didn’t push her. Not then, not now. I could wait. I’d wait forever if that was what it took. Immortality came with endless patience. Especially in regard to something as important as her.

“You should rest,” I said when she finished eating, keeping my voice low. “We’ve got a long way to go.”

Lily’s lips twitched into a ghost of a smile. “Remember the time I rigged Gremory’s quarters with fire runes? Set off the whole room like a chain reaction?”

I shook my head, suppressing a grin. “Or the time you filled Calyx’s chambers with nightmare vapor so thick he hallucinated for days.”

Her laugh was soft and a little tired. “Or the time I unleashed a hellhound in the council chamber and blamed it on Tavira?”

I chuckled, glancing at her. “You were more troublesome than an actual hellspawn. Every time, I thought Ezrion was going to roast you alive.”

Lily leaned her head back against the stone wall, her eyes fluttering closed for a brief second before she reopened them. “He always threatened to. ‘One day, I’ll incinerate you myself, Lilith,’” she mimicked in a deep, annoyed voice, her lips curving into a genuine smile.

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