Page 100 of Malice
“So... you’re gaslighting them into thinking this is all their fault because of pollution?” I asked before I could stop myself.
“No. We’re helping them help themselves.”
“Whatever you say, buddy.”
“Hades,” Lilith said, changing the subject with a segue as subtle as a slap to the face, “are you still in contact with the horsemen?”
“I was, but since the grid went down, I have no way to contact them.”
“Hmm. My, my, we are in a pickle,” Lilith mused.
I snorted. “You think?”
Moira caught my eye and mouthed, “What else is new?”
“Care to share with the class, Miss Belladonna?” Caleb huffed.
“Nope,” she said with a smirk. “You’re not my Daddy, I don’t have to behave just because you glower at me. If you’re looking for someone to punish, take it up with Sunday.”
Kiki snickered from behind the portal, making Alek flinch.
Knowing that Moira was about as good as Remi at staying on topic, I interjected, “If we can’t contact the horsemen, how are we going to do anything to stop this?”
“I can run it up the flagpole here in the underworld. See if anyone has a connection to Death. Maybe someone here knows how to contact him via the afterlife?” Kiki offered.
“Would that work?” Alek asked Hades. I had to hand it to the guy, for as freaked out as he was by Kiki’s presence, he didn’tdismiss her or her ideas out of hand. If anything, he took them more seriously than the rest of us.
Hades shrugged, expression going distant as he clearly thought through her suggestion. “It might. Never really needed to test it before, so I can’t say for sure. The veil between realms is definitely thinner than usual, which would help matters. But depending on where Death is shacked up, he might be impossible to locate.”
“That grumpy bastard has always been hard to pin down,” Asshole added. “But hey, maybe if he’s getting laid on the regular, he’ll be more agreeable these days.”
“It’s not a bad plan. One that deserves looking into, but in the meantime, there is a surefire way to reach Merri.” Lilith had that mischievous smirk on her lips again, the one that said she was up to something.
“Oh really? And you’re only just sharing that now?” Pan spat.
“Yes, because it wasn’t pertinent until now.”
“Well, go on then, enlighten us,” Hades prompted.
Lilith’s smile stretched, making her appear like the cat who ate the canary. She held us in suspense for a few drawn-out seconds before finally revealing her plan. “Through dreams. Merri is a succubus. She can and does dreamwalk. All we need is a pathway in.”
Kai leaned forward in his chair and focused in on Lilith. “You’re a succubus too. By that reasoning, can’t you do it on your own?”
“Unfortunately, no. Lucifer is paying far too much attention to my comings and goings. The last thing I want to do is lead him directly to the person I’ve tried so hard to shield.” Her eyes flicked to Crombie’s as another bout of thunder rolled around the room.
Apparently the Prince of Darkness was a touchy subject between the two of them. Fair enough. If the devil was Rosie’s ex, I’d probably feel some kind of way about it too.
“So how do you propose we visit her dreams, and who exactly is our emissary?” Kai asked.
“Dahlia.”
Kai growled low in his throat, but Lilith cut him off with a raised hand and continued.
“She knows Merri. A stranger won’t do. Merri needs to hear from someone she trusts. Someone her subconscious will recognize immediately as a friend.”
“Enemies wear friendly masks all the time,” Thorne pointed out.
“True, but that’s why having Dahlia relay specific information will be crucial. It will serve a dual purpose. One, it will prove that Dahlia is who she appears to be, and two, that she can be trusted.”
