Page 35 of A Serenade To The Elf Queen
“That is a shame, but there’s no way we can help her without risking war with the fae,” Eamon says without sympathy, crossing his arms.
I feel my chest crush until Kheirall adds, “You won’t. Akaloth’s followers are made of insurgents neither from Myrkheim nor Avalon. Even Eirik has constant problems with them.”
“Why should we trust you?” Tierra of Ironwood breaks her silence.
“I have no reason to lie,” Kheirall replies without taking offense. “Have you seen the banner on top of this castle?”
Eamon grunts begrudgingly.
“Anyone who acknowledges Eirik Bloodhound as the Eternal Ruler of the seven realms would have displayed it proudly,” Ragnar says with ease. “Akaloth does not fly the Black Rose of Death.”
My brain digests his information, slowly constructing plans to get Blaire back. The thought eddies the moment I see Kheirall clutching his chest.
“Is something wrong?” Aelfric asks.
“If you’ll excuse me. Someone is knocking on my door.” Kheirall eases from his seat and moves towards the center of the hall.
Shadows suddenly fall around us making it harder to inhale a single breath. The Demon Lord takes one of the many keys dangling from the necklace around his neck, burying it straight into the ground. Energy ripples through the entire room the moment he twists it. Heat simmers the particles around me, tingling my skin from the blast of whatever consciousness he unleashed.
Multiple layers of bright red runes encircle that point and Kheirall steps aside. The air in my throat goes dry when the floor inside of the circle crumbles into a sinking hole. I work up the nerve to peer into the vortex. My knees tremble at the sight of legions of monsters trying to climb up.
Oh, gods.
This is a passageway to the Hollow, to hell.
Fear drills its way down to my marrow when I see one of the Fallen so close to the entrance. The behemoth makes a long jump to escape the gate. Kheirall’s face remains unfazed, fierce, and deadly. I can almost hear the power humming from his body. His eyes have turned so dark they flicker to black.
The Demon Lord meets the creature with a single punch, sending the beast and others straight to the bottom of the pit. He twists the key once again, sealing the chamber. No one says a word while the demon composes himself. There’s the answer to Garrett’s question. The pathway to Hel is hanging around Kheirall’s neck.
The atmosphere seems to cool down, but I can’t stop looking at the devil responsible for keeping the horrors of the Hollow from slithering to the human realm. I finally understand why the Aeonians are so desperate to have him on our side. He catches me staring and flashes me a charming smile.
“For as long as I breathe, they won’t pass,” Kheirall promises, the deep rumble of his voice filling the room. He dusts his hands and turns to the Aldarelfs. “So, you see, I have little time to play with you elves, let alone join you in a war against my dear friend Eirik.”
Eamon is about to open his mouth, but Tierra sets a hand on his shoulder. “I can tell that his heart is set. There is no changing the Demon Lord’s conviction,” she confirms, shaking her head.
“I am but one Lord of Hel,” he says carefully, scanning the Aldarelfs. “It may look as if I’m running things because the other three are too busy having fun. Our realm simply has different wants.”
Tension descends into the hall, until Eamon’s face grimaces with defeat. “In that case, we’ll take our leave.”
“You’re welcome to stay in my castle for as long as you like,” Kheirall offers with a well-practiced smile.
“What’s the point of staying when you made your answer clear?” the Aldarelf retorts.
The Demon Lord seems almost disappointed over the decision. “Dangerous beasts prowl the woods at night. Some of my tenants might not be so nice.”
The thought of Kheirall Balthazar as a landowner collecting rent is extremely odd. Rainer casts a glance out of one of the large windows as we cross the room. I follow his gaze and my breath catches. The forest does seem intimidating in the receding light. Perhaps leaving the safety of the castle is unwise after all.
“The sun will set soon,” Kheirall says, chasing after us. “The magic of your Noctrals doesn’t work at night. That means you’ll be camping in the forest anyway.”
“And so we shall,” Ctibor dismisses.
For a flicker of a moment, Kheirall appears as if he would do anything to make us stay. He might even lock us up in his castle. I feel the power simmering underneath his skin. “Is it pride or is it—”
“I will not sleep under the same roof as my sister’s murderer,” I say to throw him off.
He levels his gaze at me. “If I sleep in the stable tonight, will you consider staying?”
That response startles me a little. He is still watching me with that unnerving focus.
