Page 190 of Crimson Promises
Mist thickened around us, and the figure's voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. "I cannot free you or the one you hold dear from the devil's clutches. But I can offer guidance.”
“Please, there must be something you can do to get us out,” I begged.
“Unfortunately, I cannot, but I will help the only way I can.” Pausing at a mirror that held no reflection but was instead murky and dark, the figure continued. "When the one you hold dear faces Lucifer's final challenge, he must remember: Only in darkness can one truly see the light; embrace the shadows to set your path right."
My heart raced, trying to decipher the meaning, but before I could question further, the figure faded, becoming one with the encompassing mist.
“Wait!” I cried out, desperate for more.
But as the silhouette of the hooded figure thinned, a final warning drifted back to me. "Beware, Aurora. The devil you find yourself drawn to is more dangerous than any mirror's reflection. The heart is easily ensnared, but once caught, not so easily freed."
And with that, the mirrors, the maze, the entire dreamscape dissolved, leaving me with a racing heart and a riddle to ponder.
A cold sweat clung to my forehead, the remnants of the dream that didn’t feel like a dream still clinging to my consciousness. The hooded figure's words, cryptic and full of mystery, danced on the edge of my memory, hinting at the importance of their message. I could still hear its parting advice meant for Ben's second trial echoing in my ears.
Sitting up, determination surged through me. If there was a glimmer of hope, a way to help Bennett through this ordeal, I had to seize it. The room Lucifer had put me in was plucked directly from my childhood dreams of living in a castle. Though I had never expected one so gothic and full of magic, it was a cage nonetheless.
I remembered Angela, the talking wardrobe that had always seemed more friend than furniture.
Glancing at her, I whispered, "Angela, are you awake? I need your help.” I kicked off the covers and realized I was still in my flimsy nightgown. Maybe that’s something that she’d be able to help with.
Approaching Angela, my fingers skimmed the carved surface of the wardrobe. My heart's rapid pace seemed to resonate through my fingertips. I pressed my palm flat against her, needing her to feel the urgency of my emotions.
"Angela," I pleaded, my voice catching, "I need to get out of here. To help Ben."
Her two doors flapped open gently. “I had heard he arrived.”
I sagged to my knees, the emotions weighing heavily on my mind. I nodded. Not trusting my voice to break.
“Must take a brave sort of man to charge into Hell to rescue you.”
“That’s what I had thought. It turns out that it was all part of their plan,” I spat. Evidently, the wound of Ben’s betrayal was still fresh. No matter what I focused on, I kept scratching at the wound.
One of Angela’s drawers opened halfway.
“Lucifer and Ben,” I clarified. “Ben, in addition to having made a deal to be my guardian, was also simultaneously working with Lucifer. Against his will, apparently. It’s all part of pledging his loyalty to Lucifer during The Great War.”
“My oh my, that sounds quite complicated.”
“Indeed.”
“And you are still willing to save him? Are you not attracted to the Master? While he is not my type, I must say he is devilishly handsome,” she giggled at her sly joke.
“Regardless of the recent events that have come to light. I cannot turn off my feelings for Ben. I care for him deeply. He made a deal with Lucifer to save me. I owe him his freedom in repayment. I spent enough time in Hell. I want to return home, see my father, and return to work. Heck, I even miss my classes, assignments, and homework. Never thought I’d say that.”Then Ben can be on his way, and my debt will be paid.
“And the Master?”
I rubbed my hands on my knees. “Lucifer is complicated. I neither have the time nor energy to try and discover who he is at his core. I will not lie. There is an…intense…physical attraction between us. But it’s probably a result of my being in this realm. At each turn, Lucifer has made it clear that I am a pawn in his game, nothing more than a plaything.”
“A Queen of the realm is not a plaything, Aurora.”
“True, but I am not a willing queen. And the only other future I have of staying here is being captive to someone who seeks to exploit and use me to their benefit. The odd highlight of mutual pleasure is not what I want for my life. The first step to that is getting out of this room. Will you help me?”
In her melodious voice, she replied, "There is always a way out."
Gritting my teeth, I replied, "I’ll face whatever I need to. Just guide me."
Silence enveloped us for a moment. Then Angela’s voice, filled with a hesitant resolve, murmured, "When Lucifer named you his betrothed today it was a powerful statement one that imbues you with great power in Hell, Queen of the realm. You only have to ask for the door to open, and it will heed your command. "
