Page 121 of Hell-Bound

At the entrance, the hollow sloped down sharply. If Ren wasn’t so adept at balance, she would likely have slipped, crashing to the ground below. Even going slow, she lost her balance, boots beginning to slide. Azur reached to steady her, but she stubbornly batted his hand away.

The bottom opened up into a small room scarcely large enough for the two standing side by side. Perhaps it would have been if Jester hadn’t been so tall.

The only distinguishing feature was the adjacent wall, which was carved with the devilish script of The Hells. Azur leaned in and brushed off layers of ash. He read them aloud, the words sounding harsh and guttural to Ren’s ears.

“Did you gods create your own languages?” she asked.

He smiled proudly. “Isn’t it lovely?”

“No, actually. It sounds like you’re gargling with gravel.”

She refused to temper her grumpiness.

It was Azur’s turn to scowl at Ren.

“It’s a riddle, little Elf,” he said, pointing a long red nail at the wall.

She snorted. “A riddle? A bit cliche, don’t you think?”

“It was a thousand years ago. They were very popular when I wrote it!” he said, indignant.

“Just give the answer, then,” she groaned, rolling her eyes.

“There is just one problem,” he paused. “I don’t remember the answer.”

“You’re kidding. Please tell me that Jester’s face is just screwing with me?”

He turned to her sheepishly. “As I said, it was a thousand years ago, darling.”

She pursed her lips.

“Right. Let’s just figure it out, shall we? I’m sure the answer will come to me,” he said, trying to break the tense standoff.

Ren sighed loudly.

“Okay, let’s have it.”

“It says, I prefer the dark, yet in the skies I soar, the glitters of the world are what I adore. I can change my face but not my mind. It isn’t just fire that is my kind.” He finished and bit his lip. “Any guesses, Elfy?”

She thought for a moment, stumped.

“I…don’t think riddles were one of the things that Renata was good at.”

“You mean thatyou’regood at?” He rolled his eyes. “Memories aren’t related to deciphering riddles.”

She pursed her lips.

At some point, you have to stop blaming her for everything.

“Hmm. I think it’s stars,” he said, scratching the back of his head.

“Stars? That makes sense. Dark and in the skies—glittering—we know you like lights.”

Azur, with Jester’s face, grinned until his dimples appeared.

“You’re right.” He cleared his throat. “Magic wall! The answer is stars!”

They both flinched as a loudcrackechoed through the small chamber as the wall split into two hulking pieces and fell forward. The impact threw ash into the air, momentarily cutting off their light source. As their vision cleared, they could see that the wall was actually an entrance to a massive underground grotto. Pools dotted the room, but instead of being filled with water, they were filled with molten rock.

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