Page 69 of Queen of Darkness
Together, we fought back, though I didn’t grant her the freedom she longed for so badly. Now was not the time to unleash the beast within me. Not yet.
A miniature wave of dirt and debris was kicked up from his mighty wings as Abaddon, one of the Underworld’s Demon Kings, landed half a football field away with as much grace as a delicate bird. The shockwave of his landing would have spilled us from our feet if we weren’t already on all fours, desperately trying to stay upright.
He towered above us, nearly sixty feet tall, excluding the trio of horns sprouting from his forehead, reaching toward the hellish sky. Twin eyes the same color as his wings looked down at us, evaluating the group before him. They had no pupils, which only added to his imposing look.
Not that he needed to look any more imposing, given the giant double-bladed ax he gripped casually in one clawed hand, its shaft as wide as I was tall. The gray metal of the blades was alight with carved reddish symbols, the runes glowing with evil intent.
“My master warned you not to return.”
When Abaddon wanted to make an impression, he certainly could. The force of his voice tore at my eardrums. I clapped my hands over my ears, but it was far too late by then. I fought a whimper from the pain. Showing weakness in front of a being like him didn’t seem like a smart idea.
Against the fear wreaking havoc on my body, I forced my head to turn so I could stare up at the beast.
“I know,” I shouted back. “But I wasn’t exactly graced with a plethora of options. This was the best of the bunch, which should tell you everything you need to know.”
The demon king studied me ominously as I spoke and for several long heartbeats after. “Why have you returned?” he asked at long last.
“You can tell your master that I’ve returned because I’m here to bargain.”
“You are bargaining,” Abaddon rumbled. “With your life.”
“Tell me something I don’t know,” I muttered as the mental pressure lifted at last.
Abaddon must have heard me because he smiled wide, revealing two rows of razor-sharp glossy black teeth. “Very well. I tell you this. If your bargain is not interesting, my master will permit me to toss you into the Pits of Tartarus.”
“Well, shit,” I cursed.
His grin grew wider. “Alive.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
“Itold you he wouldn’t want to see you,” Fenrir said as we all stood up, brushing ourselves off while Abaddon waited in the distance.
“And I told you that I wasn’t backing down,” I growled, brushing past him and walking toward the demon.
Fenrir snorted, but he followed, as did the others.
“Are we walking back?” I asked.
“No. Come,” Abaddon said, crouching down, extending both his hands toward us. “I will carry you.”
I swallowed against the sudden dryness in my throat. By doing this, I would be stepping straight into the belly of the beast. A quick squeeze of his hand and we would be nothing but paste to be washed off.
Though, that would be preferable to letting him cast us into the pits while alive. At least we would be dead first.
“Anyone see a better choice?” I asked as the team approached with extreme hesitation.
My wolf was all but clawing at my mind, trying to get out. She did not want to submit to anyone, and the dangerous spot I was about to put us in did nothing to calm her. I hoped she would tire herself out soon because I would need all my mental focus to deal with Hades.
Loaded up in both his hands, Abaddon closed his fingers around us and then reached for the sky, jumping high into the air as his wings swept downward, the mightywhooshof air a reminder of just how big he was.
As if I need a reminder. Not with these tree trunk-like fingers closed around us, ready to turn us into pancakes if Hades flicks a finger.
“Let’s just hope he goes for it,” Aaron said from at my side. “I really would hate to fly all that way to be rejected.”
I closed my eyes, blowing air out from my nose at his attempt at humor. It worked for a moment, but the bleak oppressiveness of our situation quickly flooded back in. The odds were so against us. Even if we survived our meeting with Hadesandhe agreed to furnish us with an army, there was still one monumental task for us to complete.
Killing Elenia.
