“Is there a purpose to what you show me? Or are these images for the king?”
The tiles didn’t spell out the answers to my questions like I hoped. I stood there, talking to the doors, probably looking insane to both Rune and—judging by her glowing gold eyes—the general.
I usually hated that little power of theirs. But right now, I couldn’t hold back my smug smile.
“I bet you’re seething in your little boots, aren’t you, General?” I teased. “But don’t worry, I’ll be resting as I read. If you get a chance, let my father know I’m here.”
I sat down in my spot and read about Elora, Hell, and a little of the Tenebrous Kingdom, but none of it gave me any clues on how I could get out of the Hell dimension. I found a little more information about the lake Oliver mentioned. But all I learned was that it was linked to the Seven Circles of Hell and was a way for the king to oversee his lords and their duties. It also stated something about how it connected to Earth, but as I frantically flipped the page to find more information, the chapter ended.
I sat back in my chair, squeezing my fists. We needed answers, and reading was getting us nowhere. But the only person I knew who could give me those answers was the king—or…
“Cato!” I yelled, peeking between the rows of books. Cato had this habit of sneaking up and scaring me. But today, I was prepared tocatch him. I positioned my chair so that my back rested against a shelf, and I had a full view of the library.
A tap-tap on my shoulder made me jump. I whipped around to his unamused expression and a slight twinkle in his eyes.
“One of these days, I’m coming back with a bell.”
“A bell wouldn’t help you, Princess.”
“I’m probably wasting my breath telling you to stop calling me that.”
A title likeprincesscarried weight—it meant I had sway over Hell’s lands and its people. It came with duty, obligation, and sacrifice. Or so I’d gathered from all the books I’d been reading. But none of that resonated with me.
He gave me his favorite dry expression.
“Right.” I rolled my eyes. “What can you tell me about Portal Lake?”
The time for beating around the bush had long passed. I wanted answers, and I wanted them now.
Cato nodded to my mini library of books resting on the table.
“Everything you have there.”
I tapped my fingers against a book, analyzing him. “I don’t believe you.”
He blinked. “Pity.”
Heavenly Hell. “The king?—”
“Your father,” he interrupted.
I gritted my teeth. “Lucifersaid you can retain everything you read. Assuming you are a few hundred years old, give or take, I can imagine you’ve read a lot.”
“Naturally,” he drawled.
“So if you’ve read as much as I think you have, then you can’t tell me you have no more information on Portal Lake.”
“And why are you so curious about Portal Lake?” Lucifer’s voice echoed through the library.
Luckily, I’d already thought about an answer to that question. “How else will I escape to find and kill Michael?” I said, turning to Lucifer.
One thing Oliver and I never considered was the fact that everyone believed we were stuck here for another year. And if they didn’t think we could escape, then what was the harm in asking a question they thought wouldn’t matter?
Lucifer strode toward me, his white-and-black suit perfectly tailored to his build. The coloring matched the rings around his eyes.
“You barely escaped him alive last time, and you think two weeks of training has transformed you into a warrior who can take on an Archangel?”
I was so sick and tired of everyone doubting me—of calling me weak, floundering, or unskilled.
