Page 84 of Queen of Darkness
“All right,” I said to Aaron, breaking the spell of the moment.
He waved at his team to grab their gear, and we filed out, heading down the stairs and then out onto the battlefield toward the giant demon king, who stood ready and waiting for the command.
The Enkk traveled behind us. I had no idea how we’d command them. Hopefully, they would just do as Aaron told them. Although I’d been the one to ask Hades for an army, I had no doubts about who was in command of this part of our mission. I had little combat experience. Aaron would lead us.
“A lot of vampires are going to die today,” Jaxton observed as we walked past rank after rank of restless, shifting demons. “Many of whom have no idea what they’re fighting for.”
“I know,” I said heavily. “And that’s something I aim to change. When I’m on the throne, things will be different. There will be changes.”
“Good,” Aaron said. “I support that wholeheartedly.”
“I will not be a tyrant,” I said. “And I expect the six of you to tell me if I start to become one.”
The others nodded.
“Damn,” I said, shaking my head. “I don’t evenwantto be queen. Far too much temptation. I can already taste it now, and it terrifies me. All those people, willing to do as I say? Without even knowing me? No, we can’t have that. They need to know what and why they’re fighting if it ever comes to that again.”
“It won’t,” Aaron said. “Because you won’t be like her. You’ll bebetter.”
“I’ll try,” I whispered, suddenly overwhelmed by the looming responsibility if our mission succeeded.
“You’ll succeed,” he stated, and I couldn’t detect any doubt. Not in his words or the support that came through our link. “I believe in you.”
I took a quick breath. “Let’s just think about surviving what’s about to come, shall we? Then, we can move on to fixing what’s broken.”
“Agreed,” Aaron said.
“They’ll be waiting for us,” Fred pointed out. “Elenia. Corvis. The Nacht Bringers. All of them.”
I growled. “Good. It’s about time we ended this.” Looking up, I caught Abaddon’s eye and nodded. “Let’s do this.”
The demon army stirred to life.
Chapter Forty-One
Abaddon turned and walked across the blasted hellscape of the Underworld, crushing reddish rock under each of his gigantic three-clawed feet. Clutching his ax in hand, he approached a tiny rip in reality, where a few dozen demons stood guard.
The others and I flinched when he barked a command. The words, though I couldn’t understand them, hurt to hear.
“If we try to funnel this army through that door, we’ll be slaughtered,” I said. “It can fit two abreast and none of the heavies.”
“Just watch,” Fred suggested.
I eyed him sideways, then shrugged, my attention returning to the demon king as he reached down to the doorway.
“Holy fucking shit,” I gasped, not minding my language as I watched Abaddon.
Giant blackened fingers pushed through the tiny opening. The demon king braced his feet, and with a guttural roar, he started to stand up. Looking on in disbelief, Abaddon stretched the doorway open. He lifted and lifted, pulling it up ten, twenty,thirtyfeet, and more.
Then, he held it with one hand, bending down to grasp his ax, and used the damn thing to wedge the doorway open. The mighty weapon trembled for a moment but held. Lowering his shoulder, Abaddon started pushing the split in reality, sliding it open like it was a barn door, so easily did it move under his tremendous strength.
“That’ll do,” I whispered, awed as the opening stretched over a hundred feet wide. “Remind me never to tangle with Abaddon, okay?”
“If all goes well, we’ll never come back here,” Aaron pointed out. “So you’ll never have to worry about that even being a possibility.”
“And if it goes badly, I’ll come back as a powerless soul, so again, nothing to worry about. Perfect. I’ll be quite happy never to have him be on the other side.”
The demon army seemed to agree. Their roars and growls grew in volume as Abaddon gave them a passage into the Realm of the Undead that would fit enough of their army to make a difference.
