She nodded. “Come on, Jean.”
They walked out the door, Bathin last, lingering for a moment, before uttering one word—not in a language I recognized, something slithery and guttural—before shutting the door.
Amy jerked at the word, jerked again at the door shutting. Then he took a second to unclench his fingers and to breathe out, slowly, as if triggering the release valve.
“What was that?” I asked. “The word?”
He shook his head. “It’s demon. Difficult to interpret. We have two minutes before they return. I have demands. Well, one, really.”
“This is my excited face.”
He lifted an eyebrow, then leaned back in his chair, a little less flight, but not quite fight yet.
“I would have signed the contract. No, you don’t have to believe me, but in any other circumstance I would have. Ordinary is interesting. Following you, even in the tangential manner in which I have, has made me aware of the uniqueness of the place, the…harmony.”
“You’re a warrior. A general of legions. You’d get bored here.”
“I had thought the same. But not now.”
“Just get to the demand, Amy.”
“The crime,” he said.
“All right. Get to that.”
“It is a contract. An illegal contract. I want you to break it.”
“Between you and whom?”
“Not me,” he said. “Two others.”
“Time’s ticking.”
He took a breath, weighing his options. Through that hook between us, I could sense a sort of deliberation of my worth. Deciding if he had chosen correctly. Bet on the right horse. Thrown his chips on the right number.
And through that same connection I felt his decision. Felt theyes.
It was strange how a part of me liked that. Strange how a part of me would have been offended if he thought I couldn’t deal with the issue, solve it, and send him packing.
“Vychoro, the King, is bound to Xtelle. Not a marriage, nothing so simple or pure as that. It is more a claiming, though in some circles of demons, it is a great honor.”
“You think highly of your king?” I asked.
“He is my brother. Powerful. Ruthless. Vychoro dominates with horror and fire. There are none who oppose him. Not if they desire to live.”
I couldn’t tell if that was an endorsement or not.
“I do not agree with his ways. He has become ravenous. His hunger to rule, to oppress, to destroy—endless. He is not the brother I once knew.”
“And?”
“I want you to break the contract between Vychoro and Xtelle.”
“You want…you want me to make him divorce her?”
“No. I want you to break the contract.”
“I heard that. Look, Avnas, this is your chance to get me on your side. I mean I’m still going to break this spell binding us, and kick your ass, but if you want mercy, or empathy, or understanding, tell me why the King and Queen of the Underworld breaking up is so important to you.”
