Well, Roque wasn’t sure he could count this as a success since he and Dimri weren’t together and might never be.That wasn’t an outcome he wanted to consider, though.He and Dimri would be together when the war was over because they’d both survive, and they both wanted it.Roque refused to consider any alternative or to give Ramiel more power than he already had.Ramiel wouldn’t know what hit him.The demon didn’t understand love or wanting to protect people, and that would be his downfall.
Hopefully.
Chapter Eight
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DIMRI WAS GOOD AT HISjob.It was one of the reasons Berith trusted him as much as he did, and Dimri always thrived to show the prince that he was deserving of that trust.Even more than that, he thrived to keep Berith and the other people he cared about safe.It wasn’t just because he thought that Berith was a good prince.Dimri was proud of what he did.
He kept his expression under control as he listened to his informant talk, even though there was no need for him to since he was alone in his office.Inside, he was jumping up and down and screaming his head off.He finally had something.After so many days of working with nothing to show for it, he finally had a clue as to who the spy might be.
It had felt like it would never happen.Dimri and Roque had returned to the palace a few days ago, and they’d both instantly gone back to work.They’d barely seen each other since then, since they both had things to take care of after being gone for a week, and Dimri missed Roque.He was surprised to realize that, but he was also eager to get this war over with so they could see where things would go between them.
“I couldn’t believe it when I heard it,” his informant said on the other side of the phone.
“You were right to call me,” Dimri told her.“But you shouldn’t worry.”
She snorted.“How am I not supposed to worry when Ramiel is planning to attack during the prince’s next outing?”
It hadn’t been easy, but Dimri had managed to get another two spies into Ramiel’s palace.One of them had already been working there and was looking for a better life, while the other worked there as a servant.They both had to be extremely careful after what had happened to the rest of Dimri’s spies there, but they knew what they were doing and what would happen if they were caught.Hopefully, they wouldn’t have to do this for much longer, and they’d be able to come home soon.
Because Dimri had a plan, and it was working.After the fiasco with Abath, he’d decided that they needed to find another way to investigate their suspects.Even though he and Roque weren’t working alone, it was taking too much time to spy on all of their suspects and wait for one of them to do something stupid.So he’d come up with a new strategy, and it was paying off.Feeding different information to each suspect had been labor-intensive, but it had been worth it.
“I know you worry,” he told his informant.“I promise that I have everything under control.I need you to trust me.”
She sighed.“I do trust you.I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t.”
“I’ll keep Berith safe.”
“You do that.I want to have a home to return to once I’m done with this.”
“You will.”Dimri wouldn’t normally make that promise, but he felt like they were closer than ever to winning their fight with Ramiel.They knew what Ramiel’s next step would be.They knew when he would attack.They just needed to do something about it.
Dimri was on his feet as soon as he hung up the phone.He was out of his office door just a few moments later, and while he wasn’t running down the hallways, it was a close thing.He had to be careful, though.There could be more spies watching him, and even if there weren’t, he didn’t want Ramiel’s spy to know that something was happening.He needed to act normal, which wasn’t easy when he knew that the information could potentially end the war in their favor.
He barely slowed down as he barreled into Berith’s office.There was a risk that Berith was in a meeting or that Dimri would walk on something he’d rather not see since Berith’s consort was in the room, but thankfully, the two of them were cuddling on the couch with all their hands above their clothes, which was probably because Roque was standing by the window.He winked at Dimri, and Dimri told himself he couldn’t allow himself to get flustered, but it wasn’t easy.
“You know,” Berith said in a tone that betrayed his amusement, “most princes of Hell would have you killed for interrupting my private time with my consort.”
Dimri rolled his eyes.“If you’re trying to threaten me, you should make more of an effort.When have I ever been afraid of you?”
That wasn’t strictly true.Dimrihadinitially been afraid of Berith, but that had quickly stopped once he’d realized that Berith was as nice as he acted.He truly wanted peace and to be a good prince.He wanted to take care of his people and his territory.He was an oddity in Hell—a demon who wanted the best for his people instead of wanting to exploit them—and Dimri was glad that this was the territory where he’d been born.He wouldn’t want to work for anyone else.
“Has something happened?”Mel asked as he straightened.
Dimri grinned at him.“Ramiel is coming.He’s planning on attacking the palace.”
For a moment, everyone in the room stared.Dimri wanted them to ask what he meant, but he also didn’t want to torture them.“I got news from a new informant I placed in Ramiel’s palace,” he explained.“He believed our lie that Berith is going to visit the outskirts of the city to reassure the people who live there.He’s going to attack the palace while he’s out with the guards.”Which he’d need plenty of to keep him safe.
“Does this mean you know who the spy is?”Roque asked.He knew all about Dimri’s plan.Hell, they’d planned it together.
“I do,” Dimri confirmed.“I know who the spy is, and I know when Ramiel will be here.He wants to cut off Berith’s escape route and leave him stranded, and he thinks that the palace will be easily taken because most of the guards will be with Berith.I’m guessing that once he has the palace and Berith’s family, he’ll have Berith dragged back here and continue with his plan.”
It wouldn’t be good.Dimri was sure of that, even though he didn’t have any details.Knowing Ramiel, he’d want to hurt Berith.He’d probably kill Berith’s family in front of him just to torture him.
Dimri wouldn’t allow him or anyone else to do that.He had a plan, and it was working.
“Do you have any details?”Roque asked.
