Page 119 of The Demon's Pet

“Can’t trust him,” it rasped. “He has angel wings. Against the void walker code.”

So demons apparently hated angels as much as angels hated demons. Or was this thing even a demon?

“I did nothing wrong,” the thing rasped. “Zadis…” The swarm moved side to side as if checking around us. “I was brought here. They want the forbidden rubies from the hell realm.”

“Why was there a fire?” I asked. “If you want me to help you, you have to tell me more. Like how you killed those kids.”

“I didn’t kill them!” The thing vibrated again, nearly taking form. “I was forced to open a portal to the void. Forced inside. The hellfire came out when I was dragged back. He bound me.”

“Who did?” I leaned in even closer.

“Zadis,” the creature hissed. “Zadis bound me. Pulled me back. Too fast, to close the void. Exposed them all to hellfire. Didn’t want to use his own home.”

I blinked. “What the hell?”

“Yes,” it rasped eagerly. “The fire was from hell. It burned, and I was bound again, unable to portal back to the void. They put me in this cage. They took the rubies.”

“Rubies are in the hell realm?”

“Special rubies,” the creature replied.

I didn’t really get it, but gemstones weren’t my thing.

“The fae seek the power the celestials have. To rule. To take. To conquer,” the thing said.

I looked around us. “They seem pretty happy where they are.”

The void walker slumped slightly. “It is hopeless. No one will believe me. To celestials, the fae can do no wrong. They will capture other creatures in their lust for power. Someone must stop Zadis.”

“Why Zadis?” I asked.

The creature simply vibrated again. “Let me out. I will help you escape too.”

“I can’t,” I said. “But I can tell them the truth about you. That Zadis—”

“They won’t believe,” the thing said.

“Sam does hate Zadis,” I said, hoping that was helpful. If this creature was telling the truth—and I got the feeling he was—then he was the one who was wronged.

He shouldn’t even be in that cage.

“Sam can do nothing,” the creature said. “You are the Morningstar. Set me free.”

“I’m not,” I said. “I’m sorry.”

The thing formed a face again, and its expression was disappointed. “I can’t die here. I have a family. I have a future… Do not let them kill me.”

“What can I even do?” I asked. “I’ll talk to Sam, but I’m his prisoner as well.”

“He is binding you?”

I touched my collar. “Kind of. I was in trouble with the celestials.”

The creature shuddered. “The angels are the ultimate evil. I wish a slayer were here.”

“A slayer?”

“A slayer would see I had a fair trial. Slayers are the only ones strong enough to go against the angels.” The creature’s face blurred again, forming back into a swarm. “It is hopeless, human. I was mistaken.”

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