Page 72 of The Road to Hell

Levi and I fell into step behind them, with Mephisar and Sable slithering behind us. Many of the rebellion members stiffened when my two fire-breathing, meat-eating, thirty-foot-long friends shuffled past them. I couldn’t help but smile. It wasn’t that I revelled in the hellspawn’s fear, but I…well, okay, maybe I did. A little.

Not because it made me feel powerful. Not because I enjoyed being feared—I didn’t. But because, for once, the fear was justified. For once, they were right to be wary. I wasn’t some lost little celestial. And I was a whole lot more than Lucifer’s daughter.

I was powerful. Trained for war. Built for it. And after everything my father had done, after all that I’d endured, I wanted them to see me as dangerous.

Because I was.

The brimlord led us deeper into the camp, past rows of tents that smelled like wet ash and crispy flesh. Fire blazed in nearby crude pits, casting shadows across the haphazard structures. They’d built everything here from whatever they’d managed to scavenge and steal—leather stitched together from hellbeast and hellspawn hides, and walls patched with whittled bone, mined metal, and broken weapons.

It was nothing like my father’s glorious palace, but I had to give them credit. They’d created a fortress out of scraps and spite.

Of course, that didn’t mean they liked me being here. I had to imagine it was quite the opposite, seeing as how their enemy’s daughter had found their hidden haven.

The brimlord led us towards the largest tent in the encampment, guarded by two particularly mean-looking vexori. Every hellspawn we passed stopped what they were doing to stare. A nearby venerath seated near a fire pit muttered something to her companion. I couldn’t hear what she said, but judging by the way they both leered at me, fangs flashing, I was guessing it wasn’t polite.

I smiled at them.

They didn’t smile back.

Tough crowd.

The brimlord slipped into the tent, and when I moved to follow, one of the vexori threw out a hand, blocking my entry.

He bared his fangs. “Weapons.”

I blinked. Then slowly gestured at my absolute lack of weapons. “Sure. Let me just dig around in my nonexistent pockets and pull out the swords I don’t have.”

The guard was unimpressed. “We’re not stupid. You have power.”

“Oh,” I said, mock realization dawning. “You mean my blood.” I gave him a slow, flat look. “Would you like me to drain it into a cup for you?”

The second guard growled, stepping closer. “You think this is funny?”

“A bit?” I said, laughing. “I mean, what exactly are you asking me to do here? It’s not like I can just hand over my celestial powers. I know vexori aren’t the smartest bunch, but this is taking it a bit far?—”

“Lily,” Levi sighed.

The guard’s grip tightened on his sword.

Then, from inside the tent, a deep voice cut through the tension. “Let her through.”

The guards hesitated for half a second, then stepped aside.

I flashed them a smile as I walked past. “Great talk, boys. Really enjoyed this.”

At the entrance, I paused just long enough to tuck my wings in tight. Then I stepped into a space lit by smoky torches, their firelight illuminating the dark interior and the battered maps scattered across a crude stone table. Ah, a war tent then.

Bringing me here felt like a tactical misstep—hellspawn were far from brilliant, but letting someone they hadn’t even accepted as an ally into their war room? Bold choice.

For once, though, I kept my mouth shut. I did actually want them on my side, so antagonizing them further wouldn’t accomplish what we wanted.

The brimlord took position in front of the stone table. “Korrak.”

I tilted my head. “That supposed to mean something to me?”

A low, humourless chuckle. “My name,” he said. “Since you’ll be bleeding for us soon, I figured you should know it.”

How charming.

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