Carved steps. We were heading underground. I clenched my teeth, but followed the smooth wooden steps down as they spiraled below the earth. Within a few minutes, we were in some kind of underground cave. Aubrey had warned me to let go of any preconceived notions about physics and logic when traveling through this realm, but my mind still struggled to make sense of it.
Eventually, the steps ended, opening up to a larger cave.
I gave myself a brief moment to take in the dry, empty space around us. We were standing on a dirt floor that looked recently swept. The rough walls of the cave were interrupted by crude doorways. Kyla glanced at me, letting me know with a look that she’d be keeping an eye on those multiple exit and entry points.
And there she was.
The Dearg Due stood in the center of the cave. She hadn’t been there when I’d glanced that way a moment ago, but now she stood as if she’d been waiting for us, and her lips curled into a terrible smile as we approached.
“What interesting guests,” she purred.
My hand tightened around my knife and her smile widened, revealing delicate fangs. I’d seen corpses with more color to their faces, but her lips remained the vivid hue of venous blood. Her hair was long, black, and tangled, but her body remained curved in all the right places, ready to lure men into complacency when she needed to feed.
“Do you know why we’re here?” I asked.
She took a single step closer, and Kyla lowered into a crouch, her body trembling in readiness.
“Of course. You wish to know where the sword is. The sword the seelie king has hunted for eons.” Her face was now expressionless, but something dark shifted in her eyes.
“Yes. I need it to–”
“To save the man youlove,” she let out a sound that might have been a laugh, if I’d never heard real amusement before.
I needed her cooperation, so I merely nodded. “That’s correct.”
“A shame. If the underking takes everything from you, you may join us, you know. My sisters would love to welcome one with such an endless well of rage.”
“Thank you for the offer, but I have no plans to let the underking win.” I studied her. “You dislike the seelie king.”
Her hands fisted, and black blood dripped to the cave floor as her sharp claws tore at her palms. “Taraghlan ordered me to remain in this realm as if I answer tohim. And you believe I should help you find his sword?” She let out another of her almost-laughs.
I planted my feet. “If Samael dies, Lucifer won’t be content with remaining king of the underworld. He’ll no longer be stuck in his realm, and you bet your ass he’ll ally with your king and wage war against the unseelie. Then the wolves. Then the witches. The males willwin.”
She watched me out of her black eyes. “And you believe handing the seelie king the sword he needs to kill his enemy is any better? I have gone this long without giving in to Taraghlan’s demands. He even sent his little princeling friend to attempt to sway me. His blood tasted like sunshine and growing things.”
Aubrey was a prince? He’d never let that slip. I took a deep breath. “We may have agreed to find the sword for the seelie king, but we never agreed to let him keep it.” I glanced at Kyla and she nodded.
Interest flickered in those dark eyes. “You will double-cross the seelie king.”
I knew she’d like that. “You want me to make him pay for curbing your freedom? Done.”
“And why would you make the seelie king your enemy?”
I chose not to mention that, thanks to our little agreement with Finvarra, we nowhadto steal the sword.
“His people allied with our enemies, marching on our people when they least expected it. They are a large part of the reason why the rebellion failed and Lucifer kept the throne.”
Taraghlan would be lividwhen we stole the sword. But that little problem was for future Danica to deal with.
“I do not know where the sword is,” the Dearg Due warned. “But I do know someone who may be able to lead you to it.”
“I’ll take it.”
“In exchange, you will allow me to feed.”
My throat closed up, my mouth went dry, and I mentally shook myself. Truthfully, I should’ve expected this.
Kyla let out a whine and I glanced at her. “Memories,” I managed to get out. “The Dearg Due take blood and life force from men. From women, they take our memories.”
