Page 37 of Hell-Bound

Besides, she didn’t have another lead, and the Wyvryn Devil apparently had artifacts. She could potentially find the tome and get more information about her life in one fell swoop.

“His castle,” Azur continued, “is in the city of Dementiz. I will provide you with all the resources you will need.”

She felt Renata’s voice in the back of her head, spurring her on.

Now or never, Ren.

“Okay, I’ll do it!” she blurted before her brain could catch up.

“Very good.”

Azur nodded with a broad smile, his long fangs fully visible. He looked down and retrieved a fresh piece of parchment. As he did, the intense smell of dust, books, andfiery roses filled her nose.

He silently dipped his quill in the inkwell and hovered it over the paper. Words, in the same elegant script as that on her body, appeared on the paper. He signed the contract with a flourish and stood to lean over his desk, offering the paper to her.

She walked closer. “You know I can’t read this, I’m not signing anything that—”

Then suddenly, the text changed, perfectly legible.

I, Ren, The Defender of The Planes, will retrieve the document marked with sigil of His Lordship Azur Pelegros and forthwith, deliver it to His Lordship, the most esteemed, Azur Pelegros. By doing so, Ren will be permitted three questions to be revealed in a manner permittance to her contract. His Lordship, the most esteemed and handsome, Azur Pelegros, will truthfully, and without malice, give her the subsequent answers.

Ren choked a laugh at the ridiculousness of his flattery.

The contract was short and to the point. She glanced over it several times, trying to decipher where a trick might be placed within its wording, but could find nothing. She glanced towards Azur, a wry smile on his lips waiting expectantly.

“That’s it? I just sign?”

He reached into his desk and pulled out a small dagger.

“Ohhells,no!” Ren said, backing away. “Look, I get it, demon lord Devil or whatever, but I’m not signing a contract with myblood.”

Azur just blinked at her.

“Ren, please, don’t be so dramatic. You will barely feel anything, and besides.” He paused to trace his fingers up and down the sharp edges of the blade. “You have already done this. If I recall, you didn’t even flinch. We were at it for a while, in fact. You particularly enjoyed it when I helped you with the moresensitiveareas.”

Ren successfully stopped her thighs from clenching together, trying not to imagine his head between them.

This is such a mistake.

However, the words in her head didn’t sound as convincing as they should have been.

She held out her arms and leaned across the desk, closing the distance.

“No, no,I’mnot going to cut you. You have to do it yourself. This needs to be your decision.”

He offered the blade to her.

She snatched it from him and looked down at her pale Elven skin, observing the purple veins underneath. She positioned the dagger to her forearm right under where her scar was and, before she could hesitate, made a long cut. She winced at the immediate pain—but as soon as it arrived—it was gone. Her arm bled freely, but her blood took on an iridescent hue.

She held it over the contract and met the Devil’s eyes questioningly. He simply nodded in encouragement and handed her his quill.

She dipped the quill into her blood, watched as it seeped into the tip, and signed her name.Ren, The Defender of The Planes,because she didn’t remember her surname. A question she hadn’t even thought to ask back in Vergessen.

When finished, she placed the quill on the table and looked up expectantly.

“Now what?”

“Now go be a good girl. I’ll send instructions and anything else you might need.”

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