From the shadows emergedone of Leviathan’s servants haloed in an orange glow. He wore dark, water-logged clothes and looked like he’d just taken a swim. Water streamed from his stringy black hair, and most of his sickly-looking blue skin was crusted in barnacles. I didn’t know if he was a demon native to this realm or a soul sentenced to this layer of hell, but he looked terrified.
A second later, I realized why.
The orange glow I’d seen was coming from a pair of enormous flaming wings attached to one of the most grisly-looking beasts I’d seen, apart from Asmodeus. He was enormous, even bigger than the Lord of Bones by my estimation.
He had heavy muscles packed onto his wide body and rough, armor-like skin as black as midnight. Dark horns curved up toward the cavern ceiling. He wore a thick leather belt around his waist that reminded me of a tool belt, and a leather apron hung between his meaty thighs.
Judging by the swell of energy emanating from him that made my hair stand on end, he was no doubt one of the demon lords.
“I don’t remember sending for you, Mammon,” Leviathan said, annoyance lacing his tone. My eyes widened at the name, recalling how he’d looked at the ball. This had to be his true form, since this was hardly the same motherfucker who’d helped kidnap me.
A smile bowed Mammon’s lips as his blood-red eyes drifted past Leviathan to my cage. They lingered on my naked form, and I curled in on myself again, shielding myself the best I could. I was tired of being ogled like a zoo animal.
“Y-your Majesty, I told him you didn’t want any visitors,” the servant stammered. “But Lord Mammon insisted—”
“Silence,” Leviathan snapped.
The servant bowed and backed away into the shadows without another word.
Leviathan’s gaze leveled on his brother, anger flickering behind his eyes. “This better be important.”
Mammon cocked a dark eyebrow at him. “You think I’d waste my time coming up to this grimy place if it wasn’t?”
The serpent demon made a noise that suggested that was exactly what he thought.
”You have something I want,” Mammon continued.
“Take it and go then,” Leviathan said impatiently with a dismissive hand wave. “Obviously, I’m a little tied up.”
Mammon’s intense gaze once again landed on me, and I squirmed. “Let her out, then, and I’ll be on my way.”
“I think not.” Leviathan’s tone was vicious, sharp. “She’s my pet now.”
Mammon took a step closer to me, tsking. “Now, now, Lord of Envy. That wasn’t the plan. We agreed to hand her down the line and each have our fun with her.”
Leviathan stepped into his path, shielding me from him. “Come on. Asmodeus never intended to let her go, and now that she’s mine, neither do I.” He obviously wasn’t afraid of his brother, which either made him really stupid or really cocky. I hadn’t seen Leviathan’s true form yet, but something told me he’d still be outmatched.
“How did you even know she was here?”
“Souls whisper, brother,” Mammon answered Leviathan while keeping his eyes fixed on me. “They speak of the mortal queen of Limbo. The tortured souls of Asmodeus’ realm kneeled to her in fealty.”
My heart fluttered at the memory of the souls in Asmodeus’ throne room kneeling before me. Had they communicated with other souls? Was word spreading through all the layers of Hell? A lump formed in my throat at the thought, but I couldn’t worry about that now.
“What has me scratching my brain ishowshe got away.” Mammon hiked an inquisitive brow at me. “Asmodeus’ realm is a fortress. Souls never escape his clutches unless he means them to.”
“I bit his dick off.” I forced a grin, trying to look intimidating. Maybe neither of them would touch me if they thought they might end up like their three-headed brother.
If anything, it only seemed to heighten Mammon’s curiosity. His red eyes nearly glowed with excitement.
“You are a tasty-looking morsel.” Mammon stepped around Leviathan and pressed closer to my cell. The flickering torchlights played over his face, distorting his features. “I think you’ve been kept in this cage long enough.”
That, we could agree on.
“I’m taking her to the Forge, brother.”
Leviathan laughed dryly and shook his head. “Maybe you didn’t understand me before. She’smine. The only times she’ll ever leave that cage will be the short excursions to my bed.”
I hadn’t worked out what sin Mammon represented, but I doubted it was pride or wrath. Either one would have probably exploded and ripped Leviathan’s head off by now. What did that leave? Gluttony? Sloth?Greed?
