And then darkness descended. Shadows wrapped around the paladins, ripping their swords from their hands and twisting their limbs until they cracked. Around the room, the demons pulled their humans out of the way. A big hand cradled Julian’s jaw, and he looked up to find Valac gazing down at him.
“You’re here,” he croaked.
“I’m here.”
Julian blinked, and then they were hugging. Valac’s arms were so tight he couldn’t inhale properly, but it didn’t matter. Feeling Valac’s body, warm and real against his own, was everything he’d wanted. He went up on tiptoes, tucking his nose in Valac’s neck and inhaling brimstone and, beneath that, his usual spice.
“I missed you so much,” he murmured against Valac’s collar. “I?—”
A blood-curdling scream cut him off, and he raised his head in alarm. The paladins laid in a heap in the middle of the dancefloor, and a tall figure in a black robe, like Death itself, was working its way from one to the next. When it leaned over Eric—who trembled like a leaf, his face waxen and dappled with sweat—long black fingers gripped his head and lifted him forcibly. Eric gurgled, and something like black smoke rose from his face, billowing up and disappearing under the shadowed hood.
Eric’s body shriveled, turning dark gray. His skin pulled tight over his bones, his eyes dried out, and his mouth gaped open. In moments, he looked like a mummy, a husk of leathery flesh, limbs locked into place.
The sin eater moved to the next paladin, who was trying to crawl away, whimpering. One by one, it worked through the group. Across the room, Nathan turned away, hiding his face in Storm’s neck so he didn’t have to watch, and he wasn’t alone. Isaac was the only one who didn’t look like he was going to be sick.
Julian’s stomach tossed like a ship at sea, but he forced himself to watch. It was their decision to bring a sin eater to the surface, to unleash this fate on the paladins. What kind of person would he be if he couldn’t take responsibility for it? These paladins would have killed them all, and he wouldn’t let himself feel guilty.
When he finished, Ashmedai straightened with a low, rumbling sound that reminded Julian of a satisfied sigh. That shadowed hood turned toward them, and twin points of orange glowing from within trained on him.
“Thank you for your aid, Ashmedai,” Valac said.
“Ashmedai,” Shadrach whispered giddily.
The sin eater turned at the sound of his name.
Shadrach waved. “Big fan.”
It was impossible to tell much about Ashmedai, thanks to the hooded cloak that obscured his features and body. He was as tall as Wolf but maybe not as muscular. The skin of his bare handswas solid black, like coal, and his burning orange eyes were like distant flames in the dead of night.
“Dim the lights,” Valac said. “He is unaccustomed to it.”
“Right, right.” Storm, nearest to the switches, turned almost all of the lights off, save for the ones in the far corner.
“He’ll need time to adjust to the surface,” Valac said. “I told him he can stay at the Rink when he isn’t hunting.”
“Yes, that’s fine,” Talon said. “If he’d… like something other than the cloak, we can find him new clothes.”
Ashmedai lifted long, claw-tipped fingers to his hood and brushed the hem, like removing it had never occurred to him.
“Or not,” Talon said. “You just look like a Halloween decoration right now.”
Ashmedai’s head tilted.
“He doesn’t talk much,” Valac said.
“You don’t say,” Isaac remarked.
“Thank you for coming,” Julian blurted, and Ashmedai turned to look at him. “These guys like to make jokes, but… thank you. I know coming to the surface was a big deal, and I appreciate your help.”
One clawed finger lifted, pointing at him. “Good.” Ashmedai’s deep voice rattled, like two rusted pipes rubbing together. His orange eyes darted to Valac. “Good,” he said again.
Valac smiled. “Yes.” He patted Julian’s head. “He’s very good.”
“Bright,” Ashmedai added, and it took Julian a moment to realize he was still talking abouthim.
“Holy shit,” Talon murmured.
“What? What is it?” Julian asked, looking down at himself like he might see whatever Ashmedai was talking about.
