“I thought we’d finally do something about this,” Lucifer said as he flopped back into his seat.“And now your spymaster is telling me to shut up and wait.”
Berith seemed amused.“I realize it’s not something you normally do, but Dimri knows what he’s talking about.He saved my life more times than I can count.”
“Fine.I guess I’ll do something productive and reach out to our allies.Wearegoing to need more soldiers.”
Roque knew that Berith would hate to sacrifice people, but they didn’t have a choice.If they wanted to survive, they’d need to fight, and they couldn’t do that on their own.They needed soldiers.
Maybe Dimri wasn’t wrong, and they should wait a little while longer, if anything, to recruit more people and train them.Ramiel wouldn’t have infinite patience, though, and neither would Roque.His job was to protect Berith, and he’d do everything in his power to do just that.
Even if that meant going against the spymaster’s wishes.
Chapter Two
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DIMRI STARED AT THEburner phone on his desk.When human technology had been introduced to Hell, he’d been wary of it, but now, he was glad he’d gone along with it.It made it so much easier to contact his spies and check on his network.
Or at least, it usually made it easier.The problem started when his contacts didn’t answer his texts.
They knew better.They knew that if he reached out, they had to contact him as soon as possible.He usually gave them a few hours, just in case, and he had this time, too.He still hadn’t gotten a text back.He’d contacted the three spies he had in Ramiel’s palace, and no one had answered.It had been three hours, so they normally would have.
That had to mean that something had happened.It was unlike them.They knew what was on the line and how important they were to Berith’s safety.They wouldn’t ignore Dimri’s attempts to contact them.
Where did that leave Dimri?
He tapped his fingertips on top of his desk and stared down at the burner phone.He still had one card to play, one more spy embedded in Ramiel’s palace.If they didn’t answer, either, he would assume they’d all been compromised.Unfortunately, it would make it nearly impossible to get any kind of information on Ramiel and what was happening in his palace.
Dimri grabbed the phone and navigated the screen until he found the contact he was looking for.Normally, he would text them, but this was too urgent.He needed to know.
So he called instead.
The phone rang, which was a relief, but it didn’t mean everything was fine.Dimri was pretty sure that everythingwasn’tfine.The problem was that he’d never get any proof of that.If Ramiel had found his spies, he’d already killed them.Dimri would have to find someone else to bribe in the palace or send someone he trusted, and by the time he did, it would be too late.He needed to know what Ramiel was up to now.
“Mother, I told you not to call while I’m at work,” a voice suddenly said on the other side of the phone.
Ramiel breathed easier.“Can you step away from whatever you’re doing to talk?”he asked.
“I don’t know, Mother.I can try, but I’m working.”
“It’s fine if you can’t.Just try.”
Dimri listened to someone moving around, then talking.He couldn’t hear what either of the two voices were saying, but he could take a guess.His spy was coming up with an excuse to leave whoever was with them.
It took a few minutes, but the spy eventually came back on the line.“What’s going on?Why are you calling me?”they asked.
“I’ve been trying to contact the other people I have in the palace, but no one has answered.I wasn’t sure you would, but I had to take a chance.”
“Yeah, well, it’s clear that you’re not the one putting his life at risk here.Your contacts aren’t answering because they’re dead.Do you want me to end up the same way?”
Dimri briefly closed his eyes.He’d been sure that was what had happened, but he’d hoped.“You know I never wanted anyone to die.”
“I know.I’m just scared.”
“Can you leave the palace?”
“Maybe.I’m going to try, but you’ll know what happened if I don’t answer your next phone call.”
“What happened?”
