Page 3 of Wicked Savior
I turn to contemplate the two lords in front of me, then focus solely on Envy. “Why do you want the artifact?”
He looks at the crowd and grimaces. “I want to give it to my daughter’s new husband.” With a shrug, he continues. “Her mate is a level four lust demon.”
The court titters at his confession.
Angry at their ridicule, he flicks power at the worst offenders, but it dissipates as quickly as it leaves his hand. He swivels to confront his friend but finds his knees cracking against the hard floor before he utters a single word. His hiss of pain is music to my ears.
“Nobody uses power in my court without my permission,” I remind him.
Turning to Lord Gula, or Gluttony, I repeat the question. “Why do you want the artifact?”
“To gain more power,” he answers simply.
An expected response. The issue? Gluttony demons can’t stop. It’s not in their nature.
They purchased the estate together and, therefore, are joint owners of the piece. But when they brought it into my court and asked me to assign ownership, they relinquished their rights to me. I’m sure they intended ownership to go to one of them, but unfortunately, that won’t be happening.
I slide a glance to Cormal, who steps to my side.
Realization hits the Gluttony first, and he angrily steps forward, only to hit the ground with his knees less than a second later.
“Not one word. I don’t have time to listen to your protests, because I have to hunt down the power unleashed in my court today before it does any damage.” My voice booms, wrath and power coating every word, reminding them of their offense. And who they offended.
I take a deep breath, then continue speaking in a controlled voice. “For finding this artifact, I’m going to reward you both by giving you exactly what you want.”
Their eyes dart to me with a look of confusion.
I gesture to my left. “You will lease the artifact to Cormal for an indefinite period. In exchange, you will have access to it for the reason you stated. After that first use, you will continue to have access, but Cormal will extract payment.”
Both demons look ill at the thought of negotiating with Cormal in the future, but they nod in agreement.
I smile in return. “For the aggravation you have caused me, and the disruption to my court, Cormal will also get to use the object for free…” I narrow my eyes at Cormal. Allowing him to use the object also eliminates any debt I would owe to Cormal for doing me this “favor.” “One time. Agreed?”
Amusement sparks in Cormal’s bright blue eyes along with anticipation. “Agreed.”
Done with the whole charade, I raise my voice and gesture to the room. “Excellent. Now get out. Everyone except Cormal. Immediately.” A wall of power pushes the demons and the crowd toward the double doors in the back.
My head swivels to the right. The council stares back at me, their eyes heavy with speculation, but none of them move toward the exit.
Irritated at the assumption that they are exempt from my order to leave, I contemplate disbanding the council, but a sliver of patience cautions me against any rash moves right now. Instead, I wave a hand and deliver them outside the gates of the palace.
I’ll keep them for now, but their days are numbered.
Once everyone is gone, I turn toward Cormal. “Tell me what you know.”
ChapterTwo
LUCIFER
Cormal arches an eyebrow but says nothing.
Stalking toward him, I show him the true extent of my anger. “I don’t have any patience for your games. This torque amplified my power. I contained some of it, but a significant fucking amount escaped. It’s out there. Wreaking havoc. In my kingdom.”
A flash of surprise and something else shows on his face, but it’s quickly gone.
He shoves his hands in the pockets of his pants. “It’s not, actually. The torque is only an amplifier, a tool to generate more power. Nothing more or less.” Knowledge simmers in his eyes. “The power is waiting for you to call upon it. It comes from you, and therefore, cannot be used by anyone else. Some may get a small boost from it, but it wears off quickly.”
I study him for a solid minute to assess any potential agenda. The tension slowly eases from my shoulders. “You have knowledge of this torque, haven’t you?”
